Indigenous community excited for Island Storm game in their honour
Malcolm Campbell | CBC News | Posted: January 6, 2018 12:00 PM | Last Updated: January 6, 2018
Event will include halftime performances by Hey Cuzzin's Drum Group and the Mi'kmaq Heritage Actors
The Island Storm are bringing together basketball fans and P.E.I.'s Indigenous communities on Saturday with their first Indigenous Appreciation Game.
The team invited students from Mount Stewart School to sing the national anthem and when Brett Poirier, senior vice president for the Storm, found out they could perform the anthem in the Mi'kmaq language, the idea snowballed into what the event is now.
Poirier says he reached out to Patricia Bourque, one of the team's photographers, and an active member in the Island's Indigenous communities. She sent some messages and quickly had people interested in getting involved.
To bring my Mi'kmaq community into this, to bring them and get them involved and come out and enjoy a night, where it's an honour for them. I want to be a part of that, I want them to be a part of that, I want everybody, as many as I can reach to come out and enjoy this night. — Patricia Bourque
The event will feature halftime performances by Hey Cuzzin's Drum Group and the Mi'kmaq Heritage Actors.
The team sent out 250 tickets to be distributed at the Mi'kmaq Confederacy office in Charlottetown, the Native Council of P.E.I. at their office, and the Abegweit First Nation in Scotchfort, P.E.I.
Bourque said the weather has made it difficult to get tickets to the Lennox Island First Nation, but it isn't going to stop her getting tickets into the hands of people who want to attend the game.
"Mother Nature is not going to win," she said. "I am going to make sure I can meet them on Saturday to help hand out."
Dream come true
Bourque has been working as a team photographer for about a year and said an event like this is something she has "dreaming about ... wishing it would happen."
"To bring my Mi'kmaq community into this, to bring them and get them involved and come out and enjoy a night, where it's an honour for them."
These guys come from all over Turtle Island, as we call it, all over the United States, all over Canada, they come from far away and them and their families are here, and I think it's a way to welcome them to Abegweit, welcome them to Mi'kmaq territory. — Patricia Bourque
Bourque said she hopes this will help bring the Indigenous communities on the Island together.
"I know within the First Nations community, a lot of our communities, and a lot of families are spread out in isolated communities," she said.
"I think this is a way to come together and celebrate who we are, get to see each other, and enjoy a night of top professional basketball."
'A win-win'
Bourque also said the event would be a great way to welcome the Island Storm players to P.E.I.
"These guys come from all over Turtle Island, as we call it, all over the United States, all over Canada, they come from far away ... I think it's a way to welcome them to Abegweit, welcome them to Mi'kmaq territory," she said.
She said the event was an opportunity for the Indigenous community and Storm players to share a unique experience.
"My community's being acknowledged and recognized and honoured and now in turn I would like to do that and say welcome, and honour the guys, as well. So I think this is a win-win myself."
Fun and pride
Bourque said she is hoping participants, fans and members of the Indigenous community have a good time at the game, and are also proud of their involvement.
"I want everybody to come out and enjoy a game. Whether they've seen a game or not," she said.
"They're going to see family and friends out there performing. They're going to see our culture being shared with local communities. I mean we have powwows, and we do have a lot of people that come out and enjoy and partake, but I think this is a whole new venue that I think another group of Islanders.
"That's pretty exciting for me. Especially when I think about my two worlds, so I like to see that come together anytime and every time."
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