For the first time in Canadian history, the nation's official Winter Games event will have an official host First Nation.
The Lheidli T'enneh were announced on Tuesday as the first Aboriginal community to ever hold co-host status with the mainstream community conducting the Canada Winter Games. It inspired Games chair Anthony Everett to hug Lheidli T'enneh chief Dominic Frederick as the local First Nation's flag was unfurled among those of the provinces, Canada, and Prince George.
"Not just because it is minus-10 outside, but this gave me chills," Everett said. "The first time in history this has happened, and it's happening here in Prince George."
The title is more than a cursory nod of diplomacy, Everett explained. It comes with 40 Carrier language symbols that will be used on Games literature and signage alongside the English and French languages, as well as specific cultural events and activities during the games, "and we will be telling our northern story with the Lheidli T'enneh."
Prince George is the main modern community situated with the traditional territory of the Lheidli T'enneh - a term that translates to "the people where the two rivers flow together." It is a 4.3 million hectare part of north-central British Columbia, and the confluence area of the Nechako and Fraser rivers is where their historic community was situated before forced removal to current reserve lands (especially at the Shelley townsite and down North Nechako Road).
The Lheidli T'enneh are the only historic nationality to reside in this area, and still their members play a large role in the region's demographics. No treaty has ever been signed between them and the governments of Canada and British Columbia but their influence over the surrounding land base is on strong footing.
"It has been almost 100 years since the Lheidli T'enneh people were forced to move from what is now our downtown," said Prince George mayor Shari Green. "To see this happen is a strong sign that the Lheidli T'enneh are important to all of us. Flying their flag in downtown Prince George is just the beginning of recognizing their history and their place in our society is in partnership."
"We have been involved from the start, beginning with the bidding process, because we knew this would be a great event for the community," said chief Frederick. He only learned a few days ago that he and his people would be the first full Aboriginal co-hosts of a Canada Winter Games event, but it was something he noticed while on a fact-finding trip to the Halifax edition of the Games. Aboriginal culture was in small evidence there.
"We noted there was no First Nations partnership at Halifax, and we were already a part of the Prince George organization," he said. "It is going to be good for our community, and also the city and the region."
"I was also a bit surprised to find out it hadn't been done before, but I think this is part of a national awakening that our First Nations history is alive and an important part of Canada's future," said Green. "It is a great day to be on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T'enneh, a monumental occasion. Their history is our history - the history of Prince George. The flag of the Lheidli T'enneh flying alongside the other flags of the games symbolizes our strong futures together."
