The North American Indigenous Games have kicked off in Halifax: Here’s all you need to know – Halifax
The largest indigenous gathering and multi-sporting event in Atlantic Canada’s history kicks off Saturday with the Opening Ceremony of the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) held to a sold out crowd at Halifax’s Scotiabank Center. Sunday night.
Now in its 10th year, the event will run until July 23rd and will feature over 500 athletes from 756 countries across the continent.
The nine-day showcase will focus on a range of cultural activities that complement 16 individual sporting competitions, primarily in Kipuktuk (Halifax), with additional events in Dartmouth and Millbrook First Nation. , will also be held at Shipeknekatik.
The first competition begins on Monday, with cultural events taking place at Halifax Common throughout the weekend.
The most talented young athletes from a wide range of cultural and geographic backgrounds will compete in their respective sports, including football, basketball, baseball and wrestling.
Three traditional Aboriginal sports are also on display, offering spectators competitions in 3D Archery, Box Lacrosse, and Canoe/Kayak.
“Indigenous peoples have been playing games since the creation of the earth. There has always been a strong connection in the spiritual connection of NAIG official website said.
Venues hosting this week’s competition include Halifax Common, Lake Banook, Dullplex, Point Pleasant Park and Canada Game Center.
All sporting events are open to the public. The time and place of the event are Tournament schedule.
Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons, chair of the convention’s cultural department, said the convention initially recruited 3,000 volunteers to prepare for the convention. To my surprise, over 4,000 people signed up to help with programming.
“The overwhelming feeling is complete, complete excitement,” she said in an interview with Global News Morning in June.
“Everyone is completely ready for this match. We’ve been ready since 2020,” Parsons said of the original 2020 schedule, which was postponed due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. He talked about the schedule.
“We were very disappointed when we had to postpone it at the time, but we definitely took it to heart and added some glitz that we may not have had time for before.
“It is all about us to truly improve the experience of our attendees.”
On Saturday, Halifax Common announced the event’s “Cultural village]has been published. Running through July 22nd, the area features wigwams, markets, food trucks, a sacred fire and cultural demonstration space, and live music.
Popular local artists such as City Natives, Morgan Tony and Neon Dreams perform on the Common’s main stage throughout the week.
Drumming, basket weaving, sacred potions, and storytelling are just a few of the many activities and presentations included as part of the cultural schedule.
Additionally, festivals are held at Dartmouth Crossing and the Halifax Waterfront throughout the event. Performances, stalls, interactive activities and cultural demonstrations will run daily from 12:00pm to 5:00pm at both venues through July 22nd.
The Halifax Waterfront Cultural Festival is hosted by the Mikumau Native Friendship Center.
For those unable to watch in person, the match will also be streamed live on NAIG’s official YouTube channel.
After a week of sports and cultural entertainment, the Closing Ceremony will be held on July 21 at 8:30 pm at the Cultural Village on Halifax Common.
Unlike the Opening Ceremony, the Closing Ceremony is a free, ticket-free event open to all. The evening line-up will feature live music and cultural performances aimed at celebrating the athletes and volunteers who contributed to the nine-day event.
Nova Scotia’s First Nations athletes have competed in four NAIG events to date, earning a total of 82 medals, 18 of which were first place honors.
In 1990, the first North American Indigenous Games were held in Edmonton, with approximately 3,000 athletes and performers from Indigenous peoples across Canada and the United States.
Since then, eight successful tournaments have been held, the most recent being in Toronto in 2017. The majority of NAIG competitions are hosted by Canadian cities and Indigenous communities.
The event is run by the North American Indigenous Gaming Council, which is made up of 26 delegates from 13 Canadian provinces and territories and 13 US regions.
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