Celebrating Indigenous culture with multi-school sporting event

PRINCE GEORGE – School District 57 held its “Northern Games” today at the John McInnis Centre, bringing nine schools together to compete in a variety of traditional Indigenous games. While it was held at the John McInnis Centre, the event was organized by Nusdeh Yoh Elementary School, which says the games are a fantastic way to immerse students in Indigenous culture and education.

“They’re based on skills for traditional hunting. We have games like the kneel jump for leg strength, greasy stick pull would be pulling a big char (a type of fish) out of ice, making sure you don’t drop it. All the games are rooted in northern Inuit culture and are teaching students how to be successful in a traditional battle,” explained Nusdeh Yoh’s land-based-learning teacher Darcy Davis.

This “greasy stick” game has two people fight for control over a greased up stick. It also hones your ability to hold onto slippery things, which is a needed skill when you’re trying to get a fish from water.

“The Northern Games are based on traditional inward skills that you needed to have to be successful. These are small groups of people, hunters, in a very hostile environment. They would practice these games in the small family units, and then when people got together in big groups for a caribou hunt or something like that, they do the games for fun. The games teach you how to be a successful hunter or fisherman and have fun doing it,” Davis continued.