World games largest ever

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Aboriginal involvement in the World Police-Fire Games to be held in Calgary from June 27 to July 4 will stress authenticity rather than just brightly-colored feathers and fancy beads.

Even before runners set out from San Diego, Calif. on June 3 to carry one of the torches that will officially open the games, Aboriginal people will have already played a key role in the bi-annual international games.

On May 30 at Olympic Plaza in downtown Calgary, area Elders held a pipe ceremony and sweetgrass ceremony to bless the games torch- lighting ceremony.

"Back in the old days we didn't have lighters and matches. We had to carry a hot coal from camp to camp," said Reg Crowshoe, director of the Old Man Cultural Centre on the Peigan First Nation in Brocket, Alta. "So there is song and there is ceremony that is attached to that venue."

At the torch-lighting ceremony, live coals were placed in a coal miner's lamp, specially ordered from Wales, and then driven down to San Diego for the international relay's start.

A provincial torch relay, beginning from the four corners of the province, is also being held.

The games will officially start when the last of international and provincial torch carriers runs into McMahon Stadium in Calgary on June 28.

By early May, more than 8,100 participants from around the world had registered for the games, the highest number of registrations since the games began 12 years ago. Registration at the 1995 game in Melbourne, Australia, totalled 6,829.

The games will highlight 64 different sporting events, including Olympic-style track and field and swimming; world championship-style events like golf, rugby and soccer; recreational events like darts, billiards and horseshoes; and job specific events like shooting, S.W.A.T. and police service dogs. To add a western flavor, hockey, rodeo and curling have been added.

The 1997 Calgary games will pay tribute to Alberta's heritage. Part of the tribute includes honoring the province's Aboriginal people.

Famous Siksika Chief Crowfoot of the last century was a leading southern Alberta Native leader who both respected and won the respect of the local police of that time, the NorthWest Mounted Police. The RCMP, whose predecessor the NWMP built Fort Calgary in 1875, will present the world-famous RCMP Musical Ride at the games opening ceremonies.

"The World Police-Fire Games have dealt with enough cultures around the world to let us be true partners," said Crowshoe about the Aboriginal involvement in the Calgary games. Crowshoe, who serves as the Aboriginal advisor to the games, also sits on the games' opening and closing ceremonies committee.

At the opening ceremonies, the major Aboriginal event will be staged by the Brave Dog Society, the traditional policing society of the Siksika Confederacy.

"The NWMP didn't come and meet fancy dancers and powwow people and political people. Through stories that we've heard locally, they met our police," explained Crowshoe. (Non-Natives may have called them scouts.)

"We again feel they should be the same society or group of people that still exist today as a society that take part in the opening ceremony."

The dress of the Brave Dog Society is unique, explained the games Aboriginal advisor.

"Their songs are different from powwow songs. Their dance is different from powwow dance. Their face paint is again different."

He said he doesn't know how many society members will participate in the ceremonies.

"We've sent invitations to all the [Siksika Confederacy] tribes to send their Brave Dog members."

All of Alberta's more than 40 First Nations chiefs were sent written invitations to the opening ceremonies. A grand entry of the chiefs, complete with drummers, is planned for the games' kick-off.

"How many will take up on that invitation, we don't know," said opening ceremonies co-ordinator Barry Costello.

He did express certainty, however, about the importance of Aboriginal people participating in the opening eremonies.

"They were here before we were. We should recognize that and we should let them display whatever it is they are proud of about their culture."

He noted that Aboriginal involvement in the opening ceremonies of the 1995 games in Melbourne was "totally absent."

The role of Aboriginal people in policing also earns them a honored place in the games, added Dwayne Peace, co-ordinator for the provincial torch relay.

"There are Aboriginal police forces and there are Aboriginals involved in [other] police departments throughout Canada and around the world."

Native police officers in and around Calgary have promoted participation in the games. Constable Larry Montgomery of the Siksika Nation Police Service, who serves as training co-ordinator for the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association said a letter about the games was sent to all First Nations police detachments in Canada and the United States.

"I thought this would be a good opportunity for the fire and police of First Nations police services," said Montgomery. He added that they have confirmations of attendance from detachments across Canada.

In Calgary, Constable Mark Dumont, Native liaison officer with the Multicultural Unit of the Calgary Police Service, also promoted the games to Aboriginal police and RCMP officers.

The actual number of Aboriginal participants is not known as questions about race are not included in the games' registration form.

Interest by Aboriginal people in the games is predictable, according to Crowshoe.

"The Native community is a competitive community. Each tribe always competed against other tribes." In the late 1800s, NWMP games at Fort Calgary attracted local Native competitors, including the famous Siksika runner Deerfoot.

Crowshoe added that spectators at the games closing ceremonies will be invited to join in a round dance.