2010 Olympics

2010 VANCOUVER OLYMPIC GAMES  

~ Laura Deplanque ~ 

This year's Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games were
held in Vancouver, British Columbia. For the traditional
opening ceremony, Canada chose as themes the First Nations and the Canadian landscapes. The logo chosen for the 2010Winter Games was an Inukshuk, a stone landmark used by the indigenous people of the Arctic region.
 

Thousands of spectators and billions of telespectators were welcomed to Canada by the four Native tribes of the Vancouver area. Representatives of the Squamish, Musqueam, Lil'wat and Tsleil-Waututh walked to the center of the stage and each welcomed the crowd in their native language, french and english. Four Coast Salish poles were raised, their arms extended in a traditional sign of greeting. One chief from each of the attending tribes attended the opening ceremony, along with other dignitaries and officials. The chiefs were recognized as heads of state.

After the welcoming speeches, groups of dancers from Canada's four main native cultural regions  (the Peoples of the Northwest, the Peoples of the Plains, the Peoples of the East and the Peoples of the Arctic) came dancing to the stage, at the center of which was a giant drum. They continued dancing during the entries of each country's flagbearer and delegation participating in the Olympics.

On February 28, at the beginning of the Closing Ceremony, the four Chiefs from the four host nations were each introduced by name, and the speaker asked the audience to thank them for lending their traditional lands for the Olympics.

Canada chose to declare their First Nations as a part of the country's history, it's past and present, as well naming the First Nations people as the original inhabitants. Thus, the First Nations were the ones welcoming the rest of the world to their country. This is an example that other American governments, North, Center and South, should follow.

Notes : The ceremony was dedicated to Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger who died during practice on the day of the Opening Ceremony.

Videos of the ceremony are available for Canada on ctvolympics.ca and for the U.S. on www.nbcolympics.com