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Saint Mary’s Huskies to host Indigenous Sport Week Nov. 21-27
Posted: Nov 21, 2022

Saint Mary’s Huskies to host Indigenous Sport Week Nov. 21-27

Saint Mary's Huskies to host Indigenous Sport Week Nov. 21-27

Saint Mary's University Department of Athletics and Recreation is proud to announce that we will be hosting our first Indigenous Sport Week from November 21-27, 2022.

Throughout the week, a variety of events and initiatives will be hosted to recognize and celebrate Indigenous sport and the accomplishments of Indigenous athletes.

These events and initiatives include:

  • Throughout the week, Saint Mary's will be partnering with the Mi'kmaw Sport Hall of Fame to display banners on campus highlighting the achievements and stories of inductees. These stories will also be told and amplified on Saint Mary's University Huskies social media.
  • On Wednesday, November 23rd the Huskies men's and women's basketball games with recognize Every Child Matters. Partnering with Mi'kma'ki Strong, both teams and event staff will wear orange shirts designed by Mi'kma'ki Strong. A ceremonial tip-off will be held with Sara-Lynne Knockwood, a 2016 Mi'kmaw Sport Hall of Fame Inductee and the Director of Sport & Venue for the 2023 North American Indigenous Games Host Society.
  • The evening of Friday, November 25th will aim to bring awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. A donation table will be set up at the entrance of that evening's basketball and hockey games, collection donations to the Genevieve Francis Memorial Fund.
  • Saturday, November 26th will see the return of the "Red-Tape Game" which was last hosted by Saint Mary's University in 2020. The Red Tape Initiative began with Logan Prosper to combat racism in hockey. A reception will be hosted between the women's and men's hockey games, with teams donning helmet stickers of logo for the 2023 North American Indigenous Games and jersey patches provided in partnership with the Orange Jersey Project. Treaty Education and various other components will be incorporated throughout the games.

Indigenous Sport Week was organized in collaboration with Athletics & Recreation, the Centre for the Study of Health and Sport, and Student Affairs & Services.

"Saint Mary's University Department of Athletics and Recreation is excited to host the first Indigenous Sport Week this November," says Scott Gray, Director of Athletics & Recreation. "Our university is located in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq People. We hope this Indigenous Sport Week can respectfully and inclusively honour the history of the Mi'kmaq people and continue to educate our campus and community on the impact that Indigenous Canadians have had on athletics in our region."

"Indigenous Sport Week is an opportunity for Saint Mary's University to recognize and celebrate the contributions the Mi'kmaq have made to sport and the accomplishments of Indigenous athletes. Indigenous Sport Week aims to be a small step in a journey towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous sport and its role with respect to Truth & Reconciliation." Ryan Francis, Indigenous Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Sport and Health.

"We are thrilled to be celebrating Indigenous Sport Week with our friends at Saint Mary's," said Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons, Chair of the 2023 North American Indigenous Games Host Society. "This celebration of Indigenous athletes adds more fuel to our collective excitement for what will be very exciting months leading up to NAIG in July 2023. We are also proud of and thankful for our partnership with SMU, as they'll be hosting our basketball and wrestling competitions, as well as housing many of our participants next summer during the games."

"Indigenous sport week is a time to celebrate past and current Indigenous Athletes at Saint Mary's University", adds Brady Paul, Saint Mary's University Indigenous Student Advisor. "Indigenous people have made significant contributes to every fabric of Canadian society and culture, this includes sports."

From July 15 to 23, 2023, Saint Mary's University will host basketball and wrestling, as well as athlete accommodations as a part of NAIG. To learn more about NAIG, visit www.naig2023.com

Follow the Saint Mary's Huskies on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for updates on Indigenous Sport Week.