From Lacrosse to Katajjaq

The role of sport and play in indigenous societies: panel discussion with guests from "Indigenous - The North American Film Festival"

Physical and mental training has always played a very complex role in the indigenous cultures of North America. Young people develop their personal skills in this way. And adults of all ages also enjoy a wide variety of games. Games provide an opportunity to have a good time together. Winning is important, but not as central to competition as in Western European ideas. In addition, games connect people in a spiritual way with all other beings inhabiting the same territory. Some games even serve as a conflict resolution mechanism to prevent wars. During the era of massive assimilation and the "boarding school" system, some games were strictly forbidden by law, such as Katajjaq. Others were adopted by the colonizers and turned into sports like lacrosse. In this panel, we will discuss all these different perspectives and show how old games and modern sports today help to reinforce cultural identity.

With: Katsitsionni Fox (Mohawk), Kayley Inuksuk and Desmond Ukkuq Mackay (both Inuit), Jeremy Williams
Moderation: Dr. Nina Reuther, cultural scientist