Duncan, B.C. — In the 1970s the North American Indigenous Games were just a vision, a hope, an almost inconceivable goal. Today, more than 9,000 participants attend the games.
This year’s games, the seventh, are hosted by the Cowichan Tribe in Duncan. Although the number of years between games can vary, the goal of the games is constant. They were created to strengthen indigenous culture and indigenous youth through sports.
“The North American Indigenous Games use sports as a catalyst,” Oglala Lakota Sioux Billy Mills said. “I was healed through sport and many of you were healed through sport.”
Mills, who won a gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and was the only American to ever win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meter run, also called the games a way for native youth to find their dreams.
The North America Indigenous Games Council chooses the host nation for each set of games, alternating between tribes in the United States and Canada. Typically, there are 26 teams, 13 from Canada representing the 13 provinces, and 13 from the United States made up of tribes in 13 multistate districts.
The weeklong games began Sunday with a Parade of Nations. Reminiscent of an Olympic athletes’ procession, the parade showcased the thousands of athletes who are competing in the games as well as the canoe families who paddled on the recently completed Intertribal Canoe Journey.
After arriving at the cultural village in Duncan, near the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Center, athletes helped raise a spirit pole carved by individuals throughout British Columbia in honor of the 2008 games.
“I don’t know how the real Olympics feel,” Tulalip Tribes member Jordan Wasko said. “I don’t know, but they probably feel something like that.”
Team Washington is making its mark on the games. Team Washington’s three wrestlers, all Tulalip Tribes members. won medals in the competition Tuesday.
“I’m really proud of our boys, my two sons and my nephew,” coach Tony Hatch said. “I was pretty excited to have them all bring home medals, but I didn’t expect anything else. They’ve been working their tails off all year.
“I noticed when they did the team standings, we placed eighth overall,” he said. “And that’s with just three wrestlers. It just shows what Tulalips can do, that with three wrestlers we could come in and beat out these teams with 20 guys.
The gold medal went to Demitri Robinson. 14, who wrestled at 118 pounds. Demitri won a gold medal this year at the Washington State Tournament and also in the 2006 Indigenous Games in Denver.
Wrestler Skyler Hatch, also 14, won a silver medal at 187 pounds.
At age 11, Drew Hatch is one of Team Washington’s youngest members. Drew wrestled at 101 pounds and took the bronze in his weight class.
While the medals are exciting, Hatch said, it’s the experience that is important.
“We’re bringing home three medals. We’re representing Team Washington, but today we’re Team Tulalip.
“They’re taking a lifestyle away from it,” he said. “They’re learning work ethic, how to take care of themselves physically and mentally and how to meet the challenges that they go through.”
Team Washington is also competing in swimming and basketball. The basketball medal rounds take place today.
So far, Team Washington ranks fifth in medal standings, with seven golds, one silver and three bronze.
Niki Cleary is a reporter for the Tulalip Tribes newspaper, See-Yaht-Sub.
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