Over the long weekend there was great ball on the hardwood, drumming in the stands and a sense of community that enveloped both players and spectators as Simon Fraser University played host to the NEC Native Education College All Nations Basketball Classic.
Twenty adult men’s and women’s teams took part in the inaugural tournament, which was held at the Lorne Davies Complex at the Burnaby SFU campus.
There were three teams from the Siksika Nation (Alberta), two teams from the Hesquiaht Nation (Vancouver Island), two teams from Kamloops and area, and three teams from local Musqueam and Squamish nations.
For many players it was another chance to play competitive basketball while connecting to culture and family.
Captain of the West Coast Spirit women’s team, Anna Atleo, 34, from Nanaimo, said the tournament is important for players on and off the court.
“It is good medicine for ourselves, and it brings us together, and we get to build connections with other teams and other nations across B.C.,” she said.
Alteo’s team was knocked into consolation play early in the tournament after a close loss against Alberta in the first game.
The West Coast Spirit team is a two-time champ at the prestigious All Native Basketball Tournament held in Prince Rupert every year. (In February, Spirit were one point away from winning the top spot at the All Nations for a third time but had to settle for second after losing to Metlakatla B.C.)
According to Claire Askew, NEC Wellness Warriors co-ordinator, the entire tournament was a resounding success.
“We’ve had some awesome competition. Some really great teams have come out,” she said. “It is really a community event.”
Some of the off-court highlights for Askew included the aboriginal youth basketball tournament held on Sunday (Oct. 11), which was hosted by the SFU men’s basketball team.
“That was really neat. The kids were really excited,” Askew said, adding that about 35 kids attended the camp.
Cultural highlights included dance performances by the Musqueam Nation’s Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coast Wolf Pack) at the opening ceremony and words by elder Jim White at the opening and closing ceremonies.
“It is just really about bringing people together in a really healthy environment,” Askew said.
Joleen Mitton, 31, captain of All My Relations, which is made up of East Vancouver players from various First Nations, said it was great to reconnect at the event.
“Just the fact you can be connected to your culture is really important. So, being an urban Indian and living downtown, you don’t see a lot of natives around, and then you go to these tournaments and you see cousins and (everyone) has all the same common interests, so that is really awesome,” said Mitton, who is Cree-Blackfoot.
The irony of holding the aboriginal tournament on the traditional Thanksgiving weekend, a holiday many – including First Nations – see as a celebration of colonial conquest was not lost on Mitton.
“We are going to decolonize,” she said with a laugh. “We are going to not have turkey, we are going to have fish and stuff like that. Everyone should decolonize.”
For a full list of results from the All Nations Basketball Classic www.facebook.com/NighthawksVancouver.
Please note this article was modified after original posting to reflect new information.
