Three Canadian cities - Halifax, London and Regina - are currently competing to host the 2014 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). The 2011 Games were to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, however, the plug was pulled last summer due to financial constraints. And with so little time to plan and organize the 2011 event in another host city, the NAIG Council has decided that the next North American Games will not be hosted until the summer of 2014.Each prospective host city has its hosting history. Regina is bidding for the third time, having hosted in 1993 Games in Prince Rupert, while Halifax just hosted the very successful 2011 Canada Winter Games, and London has hosted a variety of national and international events and looks forward to hosting the upcoming 2013 World Figure Skating Championships.
The potential host city for NAIG must be able to accommodate more than 10,000 people, including an excess of 6,000 athletes, coaches and support staff. There are 16 sports slated on the 2014 NAIG calendar which have various divisions for age and gender, and sports ranging from archery and basketball to lacrosse and rifle shooting.
The purpose and mission statement of the Indigenous Games is to “improve the quality of life for Indigenous peoples by supporting self-determined sports and cultural activities which encourage equal access to participation in the social/cultural fabric of the community they reside in and which respects Indigenous distinctiveness.”
The 2014 NAIG Site Evaluation Committee will make their decision in May 2011.
For more resources on aborginal sport and physical activity contact SIRC!
