Get ready for the Eeyou Istchee Summer Games

by Patrick Quinn

Anticipation is building for the Eeyou Istchee Summer Games, returning this year for the first time since 2011. Mistissini will host the EISG from July 14 to 21, which will include competitive sports for youth ages 9 to 18, cultural activities and evening entertainment.

Although the Eeyou Istchee Sports and Recreation Association (EISRA) led the organizing efforts, the partnership with the community and other Cree entities will allow the Games to take place on an unprecedented scale, which will be broadcast live on the JBCCS Cree radio network.

“It is through the collaboration of all these partners that we are able to make this project a reality for the Cree Nation,” said Clifford Loon, EISRA’s Director of Operations. “We are trying to encourage the social, mental and physical well-being of the youth, interaction with their peers and hopefully create lasting connections.”

The sports festival will welcome delegations from all Cree communities, including Washaw Sibi and MoCreebec, for more than 40 events in athletics, aquatic activities and team competitions in softball, basketball and volleyball. Approximately 800 youth delegates are expected and will be housed in Mistissini elementary and secondary schools.

Portaging is featured on the EISG’s new logo and is one of its premier events, according to EISRA President Charles J. Hester. A traditional adult games component will include cultural activities such as canoe racing, leg wrestling, teepee erecting and the foxtrot, a traditional tug-of-war contest between two people.

Youth Grand Chief Adrian N. Gunner has fond memories of attending the 2011 EISG, where he made friends from other communities and improved his fitness by training for 5K races, short-distance sprints and leg fights. One of the main motivations for the Games’ return is to bring people together after the Covid pandemic and wildfires of last summer.

“Sports and culture can be powerful healing tools for our youth,” Gunner said. “The sense of pride you feel as a participating athlete is something that stays with you and can positively shape the person you become.”

Although the Games have been held sporadically since the 1970s, organizers hope to secure the funding needed to make the event a regular occurrence every two years. The steering committee said its $1.5 million budget will go toward expenses such as equipment, transportation and accommodations to promote the long-term goal of active living and healthy lifestyles among Cree youth.

At the launch of the funding through the Cree Health Board, President Bertie Wapachee spoke of the strength of Cree men like his father who had participated in portering events. The Health Board will launch its mobile hospital at the event, a non-surgical unit designed for light transport and rapid set-up, developed with the Canadian Red Cross.

“The Cree people are known for their strength,” Wapachee said. “The strength of our people is something that deserves to be celebrated. This was a project that needed support – I thought our youth deserved an event as big as any.”

Noting the increase in bullying and violence since the pandemic, Cree School Board Chair Sarah Pash said the EISG is an opportunity to promote prosocial behaviour and the Cree concept of healthy living, or Miyupimaatisiiun. League sports like basketball and volleyball have seen a surge in interest this year, which has had positive effects in classrooms.

“We have focused on encouraging the development of healthy relationships and promoting lateral kindness among our students,” Pash said. “Participating in team-building activities and participating in extracurricular sports and clubs to develop those connections with their peers.”

Families of participants are encouraged to follow the EISG through live streams and the creegames.ca website. In the lead-up to the Games, the EISG Facebook page has been promoting the entertainment lineup and sharing inspiring videos featuring Mistissini hockey phenom Israel Mianscum, recently signed with the Montreal Canadiens, former Games star Miranda Blacksmith and 13-year-old swimming prospect Abighail Petawabano.

“Aquatic sports are exciting and very new,” Loon explained, noting that most Cree communities now have swimming facilities. “I know Mistissini competes in swimming throughout the province, and brings their team to competitions in the Lac Saint-Jean area. It will be interesting to see how the other communities compare.”

Blacksmith competed twice in the EISG before being selected to join Team Quebec for the North American Indigenous Games at age 17 in 2014. In the under-19 category, Blacksmith won silver in the 800 metres and gold medals in the 1,500 metres, 3,000 metres and 6 km cross-country, in which she broke the NAIG record.

“The Games foster a sense of unity and friendship among Cree communities,” Blacksmith said. the nation“It’s a platform to showcase their talents and abilities, which builds their sense of pride and confidence in their own skills. I want to encourage all young Crees to come and experience what it’s like to have fun and create great memories.”

Blacksmith explored sprinting, long jump, high jump, javelin and discus to push her limits and discover where she excelled the most. Before training in Mistissini with coach Patrice Dominique, her uncle Alfred Blacksmith took her running daily and guided her towards a healthier lifestyle.

“Many young Cree people today are struggling with drugs and alcohol,” says Blacksmith. “Sports will help them to harmonize their personal discoveries and stay out of trouble. Through sports, young Cree people can connect with their traditions, language and values, strengthening their cultural identity.”

The EISG program, developed by the Cree Native Arts and Crafts Association, will feature cultural elements such as storytelling, traditional drumming and snowshoe making. Evening activities include a fiddle dance, a DJ night and a concert series.

Performing artists include award-winning Mistissini singer-songwriter Siibii and Cree hip-hop trio North Stars. Plains Cree rapper Drezus will stay on site to lead workshops after performing at the opening ceremonies, while all Mistissini residents are invited to attend the closing ceremonies with Dank Aspects and Illiyah Rose.

“We hope that young people from all Cree communities will leave with an experience that they will cherish and tell their grandchildren about,” said Loon. “We hope that this project will perhaps produce participants in the Quebec Games or other larger events. Who knows, maybe we will have an Olympian.”

Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation