The Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games are back

The Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games are relaunching its relaunch.

The province’s multi-disciplinary event for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit youth is set to return this summer for the first time in 15 years.

The last two iterations (2021 and 2022) of the MISG were held virtually in the wake of the pandemic. They were scheduled to return in person last summer but wound up being postponed in response to the wildfires across the province.

Norway House Cree Nation will host the first set of events from July 8-12, then the second set of sports will go in Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation from Aug. 10-15.

“I wouldn’t call it disappointment, mainly because we knew the severity of the fires,” NHCN Chief Larson Anderson said Thursday following a press conference at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

Anderson was expecting Norway House to take in 1,000 evacuees from nearby communities last summer, but ended up with about 4,500. He called it a difficult situation for everyone involved, including the athletes across the province who were looking forward to playing in the MISG.

“In Norway House, the disappointment was mainly due to the fact that we couldn’t welcome people, because after preparing for months and then all of a sudden, being turned aside,” Anderson added. “But we also knew our athletes throughout the province could not come there, so the disappointment was for their circumstances. It’s an unfortunate thing that that fire went too far.”

As many as 3,000 athletes from across the province are expected to compete this summer. Cohen Saunders is one of them.

The 16-year-old was anxiously anticipating last year’s basketball competition but was left disappointed by the postponement.

“I’m just happy I get another chance.”

“I’m pretty excited because I was pretty disappointed last year, but I’m just happy I get another chance,” said Saunders, who was one of four youth hosting Thursday’s conference.

For many young athletes, it will be their first time competing in a major competition and wearing team colours. That’s not the case for Saunders, who was Team Manitoba’s U14 starting point guard at the North American Indigenous Games in 2023.

Playing on a major stage understandably comes with nerves, but Saunders remembers how equally enjoyable that experience was. He expects the same when the MISG roll around.

“I felt extremely proud being able to play for my province, and I was very nervous playing on a bigger stage than I’m used to, and I feel like there was a lot more on the line, but once I got in the game, everything just kind of disappeared, and I was just zoned into trying to win the game,” he said.

New to the MISG this year are separate divisions for 14-and-under and 17-and-under athletes. This was done to accommodate those who missed out on last year’s event.

The first set of events at Norway House opened for registration on Thursday. Registration for events in Sagkeeng will be at a later date.

“It’s going to be our legacy asset for the community.”

“In the community, we’ve been getting ready for the games now for almost a year and a half. We built a regulation-sized track… it’s going to be our legacy asset for the community,” said SAN Chief E.J. Fontaine.

“We’ve made significant investments in the community for the games. Not only that, but we’ve invested a lot in promoting the Games for the youth and community members. Our community members are super excited about the Games; it’s going to be a great week of celebration and sport.”

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