Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games

In August 2008, Indigenous people from across North America will travel to the Cowichan Valley, on Vancouver Island, to participate in the 2008 North American Indigenous Games, an international celebration of youth, sport and culture.

In the 1970s, a number of visionaries began to explore the idea of promoting Indigenous cultures and supporting Indigenous youth through sport. Leaders of various communities helped the concept evolve and eventually a plan for a large-scale, multi-sport North American Indigenous Games emerged. Vision was becoming reality. The first-ever NAIG were held in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1990, with approximately 3,000 participants. Since then, successive Games have been held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (1993), Blaine, Minnesota (1995), Victoria, British Columbia (1997), Winnipeg, Manitoba (2002), and Denver, Colorado (2006). In less than two decades, the number of sport and cultural participants has tripled, to over 9,000. By encouraging Indigenous youth to participate in athletic competition, these Games have become a vehicle for promoting healthier lifestyles and strengthened relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of North America.

 

Northwest Territories swimmers began participating in the Games in Victoria in 1997. In Winnipeg in 2002, Team NWT swimmers Andy and Amy Wittlinger brought home almost half of the entire teams medals. A small regional team participated in Denver in 2006. Coaches Ian Legaree and Kelvin Yee will be bringing a team of 15 - 17 swimmers to Cowichan in August 2008.

 

The Shoppers Drug Mart NWT Championships are being used as the primary selection event for the 2008 NAIG Swim Team. Most NAIG swimmers will also be participating in a special camp in Yellowknife on Friday, January 25 on the weekend of the swim meet.Seven Polar Bears and 10 other swimmers from Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik, Fort Providence and Colville Lake will also be participating.

Click here for additional information on the Team NWT NAIG Swim Team 2008

 

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