WIKWEMIKONG—There will be 20 Island athletes headed to the North American Indigenous Games in Regina July 20-27 thanks to the efforts of coordinator Sharon Lavallee of Wikwemikong and the support of local volunteers and funders.
“I originally started this task because I knew that the games were happening and I tried to find out who was coordinating and educating the youth about this locally,” said Ms. Lavallee.
She explained that the games normally take place every three years, but that the last edition took place in 2008. “Three years ago they were supposed to take place in Milwaukee, but that city pulled out at the last minute,” she said. “The NAIG committee decided it was too late to select another city, so they concentrated their efforts on the 2014 games instead.”
The theme of this year’s NAIG is ‘Raising the Bar.’ “With years of preparation, dedication and sacrifice, it’s time to recognize the healthy lifestyle choices young Indigenous people and future leaders from all over North America have made,” reads the games website.
Due to the large gap between games, Ms. Lavallee said that she was concerned that youth in her community would not be aware of NAIG or the opportunities that it presents to aboriginal youth. “But I didn’t get much of a response at first, so I left it and just focussed on my own son,” she said. She went to a volleyball event and suddenly found numerous parents coming up to her and asking about the games.
She decided to undertake another effort, her daughter Lisa Marie Lavallee wrote an article about the NAIG website and the duo put up posters in the community about coming out for the tryouts.
With some support from a Wikwemikong band committee, a group set out for tryouts in Ottawa for track and field. The result was a resounding success and nine Wikwemikong youth made the journey. “We picked up three youth from Birch Island as well,” said Ms. Lavallee. “Those three boys eventually also made the team—those boys were so excited,” she said.
Ms. Lavallee had originally intended to only focus on her own community, even though she was receiving requests from other Island First Nation communities.
Funding from her band did not cover all of the costs of travelling to the tryouts, so she decided to get in touch with some of the people who had approached her from Whitefish River First Nation. She suggested that if they could come up with the balance of the funding, the trip could include the other community’s youth.
“It was about 10 minutes later that I got a call from the WRFN chief,” she said. “He told me to ‘stop whatever you are doing, we will pay for it.’ He was very supportive of the plan.”
Ms. Lavallee also took four boys to the basketball and badminton tryouts held at Rama. Those tryouts were very competitive.
The provincial team tryouts are held in three regions of the province, north, central (which includes Manitoulin) and southern Ontario, explained Ms. Lavallee. “The different coaches hold tryouts, sometimes two or three in a region. The area pays for the coach’s travel expenses.”
Unfortunately, it was too late to schedule local tryouts for Wikwemikong or Manitoulin Island, so local hopefuls had to travel to other areas to attend the tryouts.
Ms. Lavallee’s son made it onto the under-16 volleyball team. “There were only 12 picked,” she said proudly.
In addition to the athletes, this version of the NAIG will include an artistic component of 24 youths, added Ms. Lavallee. “The aboriginal artisan program has youth involved in hip hop, dance, storytelling and visual arts,” she said. The artists will create a collaborative piece to be presented at the close of the games. “Wikwemikong artists have all four spots on the team (reserved for the region),” she said.
While NAIG picks up most of the expenses of the athletes, the coaches and chaperones, the costs associated with parents accompanying the youth are not covered. “NAIG covers the transportation, accommodation and two meals for the athletes and coaches, but the parents have to supply their own,” said Ms. Lavallee. In order to assist in picking up the rest of the costs, the local organizing committee is holding a number of fundraising activities.
“We are having a big bingo on June 28,” she said. “It will take place at the Wiky Thunderdome (arena) and there is enough room for 400 people. There will be refreshments.” We had a very successful auction at the Wikwemikong Traditional Powwow as well.
Ms. Lavallee has also sent a letter soliciting support to many of the service providers on Manitoulin and she said that the response has been very positive.
A bank account at the Bank of Montreal is being set up to receive donations as well. “The bank account will be under the names of Sharon Lavallee and Nathelie Eshkawkogan,” she noted.
