The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, and the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Labrador Affairs and Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation, congratulate and wish Team Indigenous NL athletes good luck as they compete in the 2023 North American Indigenous Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from July 15 to 23, 2023.
Minister Dempster is participating in the opening ceremony of the Games and will walk with Team Indigenous NL athletes and mission staff as they enter the Scotiabank Centre. The opening ceremony takes place at the Scotiabank Centre on Sunday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m. (ADT), and can be watched online.
The North American Indigenous Games 2023 bring together more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from more than 756 Indigenous Nations to celebrate, share and reconnect through sport and culture.
More than 100 athletes aged 13-19 from this province are competing in several sporting competitions, including golf, swimming, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, badminton and athletics. The athletes come from the west coast, Labrador, central, and the Avalon Peninsula and are supported by a mission staff led by Jerry Wetzel, Chef de Mission, along with sport coaches and managers.
The North American Indigenous Games, supported by more than 3,000 volunteers, features competitions in 16 sports within 21 venues across Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Dartmouth, Millbrook First Nation and Sipekne’katik.
North American Indigenous Games 2023 competition results can be viewed by sport online, and more than 1,500 hours of live event coverage that can be streamed for free on any device at naig2023.com/watch.
Quotes
“Congratulations to all the Newfoundland and Labrador athletes who are competing in the North American Indigenous Games. As you represent our province with honour and pride, I know that you will give your all to succeed in your respective sports. Remember to have fun, make new friends, and enjoy this experience as well, as you will make memories this week that will last a lifetime! Go Team Indigenous NL!”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
“I am proud of the Indigenous athletes from all corners of the province who have trained hard and earned the opportunity to share courts and fields with competitors from across North America. I commend the Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Circle of Newfoundland and Labrador for the work they have undertaken behind the scenes to turn dreams into reality for the Indigenous athletes from our province.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Labrador Affairs and Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation
“This is an opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous athletes to compete on the playing fields of the North American Indigenous Games. I can see pride, self-esteem, confidence and future success for the athletes who dare to train and give it their all in competition. This is a learning and character-building experience for our athletes, our coaches and everyone who supports Indigenous athletes. This is Reconciliation – we will move toward healing the wounds of colonialism as we share this experience together.”
Jerry Wetzel
Chair, Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Circle of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Chef de Mission, Team Indigenous NL
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BACKGROUNDER
North American Indigenous Games 2023
The Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Circle of Newfoundland Labrador is the Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body for NL, and is funded through a bilateral agreement. The objective of the agreement is to increase the capacity of Indigenous athletes, coaches and officials.
The North American Indigenous Games, which are held every four years, “help Indigenous athletes realize the collective potential of our bodies, minds, spirit and of our people – our hopes and dreams – the spirit strong, brave and true.”
The 2023 North American Indigenous Games are the largest sporting and culture event to be hosted in Atlantic Canada.
The 2023 North American Indigenous Games Host Society has organized a Cultural Village lineup and schedule at the Halifax Common. The village is free, open to the public and features over 40 performances at the Atlantic Lottery Main Stage, showcasing Indigenous artists from across Canada. Daily food and cultural demonstrations will exhibit beading, drum making, quill work, basket weaving, storytelling and the games of waltes and lacrosse.
North American Indigenous Games 2023 will feature a seven-day broadcast of more than 1,500 hours of live event coverage that can be streamed for free on any device at naig2023.com/watch, beginning with the opening ceremonies, live from Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on July 16 at 7:30 p.m. (ADT). Viewers of the stream can also access on-demand content, including archived events.