TK̓EMLÚPS TE SECWÉPEMC – KAMLOOPS, BC – Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc (Tk̓emlúps) and the City of Kamloops hosted four delegates from the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) April 21-23. NAIG Delegates from eastern Canada and the United States came to assess and evaluate Tk̓emlúps sport and cultural facilities and hosting capacity. The NAIG would welcome over 6,000 participants, ages 13-19, to compete in 16 different sports during an 8-day period.
NAIG Delegates were welcomed by Tk̓emlúps Chief and Council, City of Kamloops Mayor and Councillors, and a delegation of over fifty bid committee and community members at the airport when they arrived. Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir toured with NAIG delegates on Friday and Saturday showcasing outstanding facilities and a wide depth and breadth of support from the provincial and local sport community, School Board 73, the Rocky Mountain Rangers, Saint John Ambulance, potential corporate partners and so many more.
“We at Tk̓emlúps appreciate the partnership and support of the City of Kamloops, the Province, the Chiefs of BC and our community”, says Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir on behalf of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council. “It was our intention to showcase to our four NAIG representatives that we not only had the capacity to host an amazing sporting event, but we had the support of community, Indigenous leaders and government on every level to ensure we could bring about a cultural experience that would create a legacy for all participants for years to come.”
Tk̓emlúps is competing against the City of Calgary. As the only Indigenous led bid, Tk̓emlúps has forged relationships with all levels of community to create a bid that celebrates youth, sport and culture demonstrating reconciliation in action.
At the conclusion of the weekend Premier Eby, Minister Popham, Kukpi7 Casimir, and Council faced off in a game of basketball against Sk’elep School of Excellence basketball players. Sk’elep players took their time schooling their opponents on the court to cheers from a crowd of over 100 spectators.
The bid committee, led by Kukpi7 Casimir will present to a panel of 26 NAIG Council members in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on May 17th. The successful proponent will be announced during the 2023 NAIG in Halifax in July this year.
The North American Indigenous Games is the largest international, multi sport, and cultural event for Indigenous youth in North America. If successful, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and Kamloops will welcome up to 6,000 athletes, coaches, team staff, and cultural performers from over 756 Indigenous Nations in Canada and the United States. The North American Indigenous Games are held every four years and use a geographic rotation when choosing the next location. The next Games will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2023.
For more information about the North American Indigenous Games: http://www.naigcouncil.com/