When the opening ceremony to the North American Indigenous Games kicks off at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre on July 16, 2023, it will not only mark the start of one of the largest sporting events to be hosted in Mi’kma’ki—the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq people that forms present-day Nova Scotia—but also the culmination of a dream deferred.
More than 5,000 athletes from over 756 Indigenous nations will be taking part in the 2023 Games, competing in sports ranging from lacrosse, to basketball, to rifle shooting.
For six days in July, some of North America’s best young athletes (aged 13 to 19) will compete in 16 sports at 22 venues across Halifax, Dartmouth, Millbrook First Nation and Sipekne’katik (Shubenacadie). All of the competitions are free to attend. Most will also be livestreamed on the NAIG 2023 website.
See the rosters for Team Alberta
Throughout the Games, a Cultural Village will be set up in the Halifax Common with food trucks, artisans, cultural demonstrations and performances. Most nights, there will be programming until 10pm. Cultural demonstrations start every day at 11am. There will also be cultural festivals set up on the Halifax Waterfront and at Dartmouth Crossing.
Athletes lucky enough to claim gold, silver or bronze at NAIG 2023 will take home medals designed by Ella Scothorn. The Grade 9 student submitted her design bid in an open competition three years earlier, while she was in Grade 6.
Calgary/Tsuut’ina Nation have announced their intention to present a bid to bring the 2027 North American Indigenous Games to Alberta
Mayor Jyoti Gondek believes the city is an ideal location to host the NAIG.
“The Calgary area where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet is a place of convergence where the sharing of ideas and opportunities naturally come together,” she said. “We can’t think of a better place to host the North American Indigenous Games than right here.”
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