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North American Indigenous Games a family affair for Team Connecticut

One family from the Mohegan nation in Connecticut has four generations working, coaching or competing in the games.

4 generations of Angela Soulor's family are in Halifax working, coaching or competing in the games

Janell Henry · CBC News ·
A mother, Great grandmother, son and grandmother pose together at NAIG's cultural village at the Halifax Common's park.
Angela Soulor, her grandmother Marie Pineault, her son Kaleb Espinoza and her mother Aline Soulor. (Janell Henry/CBC)

For many participants, the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) is a family affair, and that's certainly true for Team Connecticut.

Angela Soulor is a mission staff member and her son Kaleb Espinoza is competing in athletics — running track, high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus and javelin.

Soulor's mother Aline Soulor is also on the mission staff and her grandmother, Marie Pineault, is a Mohegan elder and an honoured guest.

"It's kind of neat to experience that as a family across generations," said Angela Soulor, a NAIG representative for U.S. region nine.

Team Connecticut drove 1,200 kilometres to Halifax to represent their Mohegan nation, arriving close to 3 a.m. Friday.

Angela Soulor competed herself at NAIG in 1997 and said it's neat to see how it has grown. Now as an organizer, she said she sees how much work it takes to make the games happen.

"It's nice to see it all come together and to see the kids get to benefit from all the work," she said. 

The small team has 15 people in total, with six of them athletes competing in the games. 

Also representing Team Connecticut are Mathilde Roussat, 12, who is competing in rifle shooting, and her two sisters — including her twin — who are competing in athletics. Her auntie coaches and her mom is the chef de mission.

Three sisters happily pose for a picutre
Marion Roussat, left, is the oldest of the three sisters and Mathilde and Maddie Roussat are twins. (Janell Henry/CBC)

Roussat said there wasn't enough of them to do bigger team sports so she pivoted.

"I wanted to do swim but we couldn't get a coach so my mom just signed me up for rifle [shooting] 'cause there was a coach," she said.

Even when they aren't wearing their team shirts she said people still know they are not locals — probably because of how they are looking at everything in amazement, she said. 

Roussat said after the long trip she was happy to have two days to calm her nerves before competing on Tuesday.

"I'm excited but I'm also really nervous because it's like an Olympics but for Indigenous people," she said.

The team all stand together for a picture while dressed in their blue team shirts and jackets.
Team Connecticut has 15 people in total with six of them competing in the games. (Janell Henry/CBC)

Roussat said she loves that she's able to participate in NAIG and be a part of this experience, especially with a focus on Indigenous culture.

"I think it's awesome because they usually skip over Native Americans," she said.

"Like other cultures are celebrated but not so much Native Americans."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janell Henry

Janell Henry is a proud member of the Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation. Before coming to CBC in September 2022, she worked in the arts sector at Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery. She studied writing at University of Winnipeg and audio in media at the Mid-Ocean School of Media Arts. You can reach her at janell.henry@cbc.ca.

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