Indigenous sports heroes in the classroom

A seven-year commitment began  on the 2021 International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.

The Indigenous Sports Heroes Education Experience (ISHEE)  is a multi-partner, multi-platform, web-based book, curriculum, and gameified celebration of 14 Canadian Indigenous Hall of Famers. It is freely available to every teacher and student, kindergarten to Grade 12. The book is aimed at the middle ground, Grade 6 reading level, but learning activities are tuned to older and younger sides of the academic spectrum.

Indigenous athletes from Canada have delivered thrilling performances on the world’s biggest stages, but with the exception of Carey Price and a few other recent hockey greats, how many Indigenous sports heroes are household names? Young Canadians can dream in detail about becoming the next Bianca Andreescu, Andre DeGrasse or Chris Boucher. But young Indigenous Canadians have to look harder for sports heroes they can see in a mirror. That’s about to change.

What began in schools of cultural genocide should grow into an educational step toward healing: The Truth and Reconciliation report on residential schools included five calls to action that focused on Sport. One of those calls is being answered, here and now:

“We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.”

Cheryl Bernard, president & CEO of Canada’s Sports Hall Of Fame, heard the call. From the outset of this project, her desire was to present the material in a way that gives educators the ability to integrate Indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing and being into their lesson plans.

These are excellent goals, but how do the many non-indigenous people involved make sure they are getting it right? In October 2020, Janice Smith, the COO of Canada’s Sports Hall Of Fame, convened the living members of the Indigenous Sports Hall of Fame for a three-day consultation and conversation. Indigenous writers and editors were brought on board. The Aboriginal Sports Circle took on the chapters covering the Tom Longboat awards and the North American Indigenous Games. Although the initial roll is in English and French, translators are in the picture now. Cree and Mohawk versions will be welcome future iterations of the project.

Language matters

Among Canada’s five million kids in public schools, 450,000 students are indigenous, so language is no small concern. The point is underscored by Dylan Giroux, one of nearly 40 students at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, whose capstone year project was to work on ISHEE. Collectively, they developed the website, coding, interactive games, worked with the hero athletes themselves, did design work, 3D scanning... daunting tasks.

"I am guilty of not learning Cree myself. My own Moosum and Kookum speak predominantly English," says Giroux, who is from Driftpile Cree Nation. "They use Cree when they don’t want anyone to know what they’re saying, right? The effort to assimilate all the indigenous languages, they did a good job of that, sadly. I need to learn the language. So on this project, we had translators come in and do it in French. I get it, the two majority languages in Canada. But being an indigenous project, it would be nice to have at least one. You know? One indigenous language, we can add more later.”

In this "by students — for students," spirit, does Giroux feel like others looked to him for guidance?

The question gets a knowing smile.

“In terms of indigeneity and my contribution? Nothing specific, but at one point the design team was trying to do an Indigenous design. The pattern they came up with was actually African. I had to speak. I couldn’t allow that. Maybe we need something Indigenous North American, rather than indigenous African? It was kind of funny but, not a lot of my peers are Indigenous. I try to give benefit of the doubt and not to let that get to me personally but...we had to stop that.”

Alwyn Morris is one of the athletes whose stories are told by ISHEE. The sprint kayaker from the Kahnawake Mohawk nation joins legendary men like Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills in being summer Olympic gold-medal winners. He got involved because most Canadians have very little idea how indigenous athletes participate in sport.

“As it relates to Indigenous youth, there has been a reawakening of culture and Indigenous pride, and having this resource available can only help support their dreams and potential. With multimedia at everyone’s finger tips, more Indigenous people will be recognized for their contribution to Canadian sport and society.”

Noor Fatima  has worked on ISHEE from the outset. She has searched high and low for artefacts to borrow and digitize, to help tell the athletes’ stories. Her eyes light up as she shows off the Eagle Feather that Morris shared. This is the very same feather he raised overhead during his gold-medal ceremony in 1984. Noor has had encounters with the families of lacrosse legend Ross Powless, and she has held the first ever Tom Longboat award from 1951.

One old and one new story thrilled Noor the most. At 92 years of age, Joseph Benjamin Keeper’s son is sharing some of his dad’s proudest possessions. The World War I distance runner’s performances at the 1912 Oympics are, to this day, Canada’s best finishes in 10,000 metres.

Waneek Horn-Miller’s incredible journey from activist to athlete and back also affected Noor deeply. Learning about the living culture first-hand has been her favourite part of this. It’s all about understanding the interplay of culture and sport.

ISHEE will feature 13 chapters based on Hall of Famers including: Colette Bourgonje, Alex Decoteau, Sharon-Anne & Shirley Firth, Horn-Miller, Bill Isaacs, Joe Benjamin Keeper, Chief Wilton Littlechild, Harry Xul-Si-Malt Manson, Alwyn Morris, Gaylord Powless, Ross Powless, Bryan Trottier, and Tom Longboat. Other chapters will look at the Tom Longboat Award, its legacy and  recipients, and the influence of Indigenous sports events.

Buck Martinez, the backcatcher, coach, and commentator for the Blue Jays, was delighted to get on board, voicing some of the video biographies. From his home in the USA, he says that Indigenous people did many great things that still aren’t recognized as part of the overall culture of North America, especially in sports.  Buck is a self- described Indian of the Kauruk Tribe in Northern California, and rightly proud to be one of the only native northern Californians to make it in the major leagues.

Buck told CBC sports “When we think of the great sport legacy of indigenous tribes and individuals across Canada- recognizing these athletes I think is phenomenal!  Such an outsized impact compared to population. I didn’t know until I got involved in this project- so many great athletes had such an impact, it gave me a great sense of pride.“

National project, international impact

Karla Andrea Perezcampos Olivas, an international SAIT student, did graphics and brand management work for ISHEE. She is a recent arrival from Mexico, and this has helped her appreciate Indigenous culture here and back home. She has delighted in quizzing her new Canadian in-laws about Bryan Trottier’s NHL career.  Her work has also made her reflect on the incredible running abilities of the Tarahuamara people in her Northern Mexico state.

“This project has taught me so much about Indigenous culture, and I wish this project happened in Mexico too."

International thoughts are never far from mind for the primary corporate sponsor of the project. Trevor Haynes is CEO of Black Diamond Group, which works alongside resource companies around the world, and as such, is frequently busy within Indigenous territories.

“This one really resonates with us. Family, youth, sport and education are core corporate values...so we think it’s fantastic," says Haynes. "It is a continuation of what we have done with First Nations communities and young people. We have brought Olympians and NHLers into Fort Nelson [B.C.], into the learning circle with kids. Had a thousand people come out for friendly games with hockey stars. We are happy to play a small part.”

The internationally respected champion of Indigenous rights, and sports hall of famer himself, Wilton Littlechild, has written the foreword. He is facing the students who helped create ISHEE when he says, “What you have done is a changemaker for so many people. More than you know. More than any of us know."

One thing we do know, is that even before the project was released, the idea of recognizing Indigenous Sports Heroes was taking root in many communities...Indigenous Sports and Wellness Ontario recently held an open call to nominate young athletes who excel in sports, leadership and community.

From pee wee hockey’s Zander Doxtator-Kechego (Oneida Nation of the Thames) to cross-country runner Maren Kasunich (M'Chigeeng First Nation) to wrestler Luc Boucha (Metis), there is little doubt the ISHEE book will need to add more chapters soon.

(Top image by Mark Blinch/Canadian Press)