Saskatchewan gymnestrada team practices reconciliation through sport
Saskatchewan gymnestrada team practices reconciliation through sport
Saskatchewan’s team is made up of 52 members ranging from under 10-years-old to those over 60.
A Saskatchewan team of gymnasts is bringing a message of truth and reconciliation to one of the largest multicultural gymnastics events in the world.
The team is gearing up for World Gymnestrada in Amsterdam this summer, an event that gathers as many as twenty thousand participants from 60 different countries.
Saskatchewan’s team is made up of 52 members ranging from under 10-years-old to those over 60.
This year is the first time a team is incorporating Indigenous traditions and culture to their routine.
“We’re really excited to bring a new form of performance to this international stage,” said co-coach Julie LeVasseur. “And this will be the first time that pow wow is featured at World Gymnestrada, which is in about seven months.”
The theme of this year’s routine is “Co-creating Community.” With input and collaboration with members and elders of Peepeekisis First Nation, it’s an opportunity for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous neighbours to share cultural teachings and experiences they may not otherwise be exposed to.
“That’s something that they would never get to do if we didn’t have a venue like this,” said Lianne Bird, an elder from Peepeekisis First Nation.
“You don’t just pack up and go to Amsterdam, you don’t pack up and go to London; things like that. So we’re really hoping that this has an educational component for them.”
Some of the younger pow wow dancers were surprised to learn that they wouldn’t be driving to this event.
“They are getting excited,” said Bird. “Especially one of them who found out we’re going over the ocean. I was asked if we could drive there, and I said, well, no, I think we have to take a plane. So then we started looking on a map for where we are going.”
On top of the excitement of this competition that only comes once every four years, there are ample opportunities to engage with the international community and share the message of reconciliation.
“What we are super excited about is that we can actually just drop in the middle of downtown Amsterdam Square with a drum, and invite people from across the world to come and participate with us in round dance,” said co-coach Kara Thorpe.
LeVasseur wants to use sport as a vehicle for reconciliation.
“Gymnastics is our opportunity to start that work and to do that learning,” said LeVasseur. “Especially around truth and reconciliation. And you don’t normally think of sport as a place to practise that, but we strongly disagree. Sport is exactly the place where reconciliation needs to live, and needs to be practised.”
The 2023 World Gymnestrada in Amsterdam runs from July 30 to Aug. 5.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
After years of reports and allegations detailing a 'toxic' workplace, Canada's RCMP says it is trying to evolve, focusing on diversity in its organization and repairing relationships with communities as it marks its 150th anniversary.
The federal government has set aside billions of dollars to quickly build affordable housing across the country, but delays in construction suggest many of the projects approved for funding are missing their deadlines.
The Memphis police chief on Saturday disbanded the unit whose officers beat to death Tyre Nichols as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with video showing police pummelling the Black motorist.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos insists the federal government is going to 'work flexibly' with the provinces on the terms of a possible health-care funding deal and avoid 'micromanaging' how they deliver health care to Canadians.
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
When the cold and snow have people hunkering down, these outdoor enthusiasts find motivation in braving the Canadian winter through community and sport.
According to a new study, showing university students the health risks of vaping through experts and personal testimonies can help deter them from using e-cigarettes.
Health Canada says it will continue to recommend COVID-19 prevention drug, Evulsheld, despite U.S. FDA pulling back its emergency use authorization due to concerns around its efficacy against Omicron subvariant 'Kraken.'
As extreme cold weather brings wind chill values nearing -40°C, it's impacting everything from winter recreation to the city's most vulnerable population.
An organization helping Ukrainian newcomers settle into their new lives in Edmonton is hosting a furniture donation blitz to help restock their warehouse.
Canadian police chiefs condemned on Friday the death of a Black man who was savagely beaten by police during a traffic stop in the United States, saying the officers involved must be held accountable.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
Late Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is being remembered for the many ways she contributed to not only to the city she led for 36 years, but also the province.
Ottawa police and Bylaw Services officers issued 81 parking tickets and 20 Provincial Offences Notices on Saturday, as hundreds of people marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.
Ottawa police are warning the public of the dangers of texting explicit images to people on social media platforms, after seeing a spike in sextortion cases this winter.
BC Emergency Health Services saw a slight decline in 911 calls for overdose and drug toxicity last year, but some areas saw a dramatic increase, and the death rate doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Advocates are predicting this year's Metro Vancouver Homeless Count will be higher than previous years' due to lingering impacts from the pandemic, job losses and inflation.
Anti-poverty activists are praising the Quebec basic income program as a good step toward helping people meet their basic needs — but say strict eligibility criteria exclude many of the province’s lowest-income residents.
Some Indigenous communities in Quebec that are patrolled by provincial police say the established system does not fully meet security needs and needs improvement.
A ceremony will be held this evening to mark the sixth anniversary of Quebec City's deadly mosque shooting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, several senior federal cabinet ministers and Quebec Premier Francois Legault are among those expected to attend.
Before we can appreciate the important role a plush toy named Monkey Guy has played in Elaine Tanner’s life, we need go back to when people started calling her Mighty Mouse.
Some faculty members at Cape Breton University have walked off the job. Their strike started Friday, with the faculty's union saying the administration has disrespected it at every turn, leading to a large number of labour grievances.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos insists the federal government is going to 'work flexibly' with the provinces on the terms of a possible health-care funding deal and avoid 'micromanaging' how they deliver health care to Canadians.
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
Canadian police chiefs condemned on Friday the death of a Black man who was savagely beaten by police during a traffic stop in the United States, saying the officers involved must be held accountable.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
The supporters outnumbered the protesters more than 20-to-one. As drag queen Amanda Villa prepared to sing and read to children in Sarnia, a small group of protesters marched outside, while more than 100 supporters of the rally “All You Need is Love” spent time chasing them around the parking lot, and having peaceful discussions about acceptance and hate.
Only a few days after a large winter weather system rolled through southern Ontario, Environment Canada has once again issued a special weather statement for the London region, warning of a snow-rain mix expected to begin Saturday night.
Saskatchewan’s team is made up of 52 members ranging from under 10-years-old to those over 60.
