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Denver host to indigenous games
Basketball, baseball and swimming all featured at Auraria
By Jeremy Johnson
jjohn308@mscd.edu

Photo by Chuck Iversen/civerse1@mscd.edu Fans and participants release thousands of multi-colored balloons into the sky July 2 at invesco Field to kick off the opening ceremony of the 2006 North American Indigenous Games.

The 2006 North American Indigenous games recently came to Colorado with a display of cultural pride and success for all indigenous Colorado, New Mexico and Utah tribes, as well as much to offer to the various other tribes of North America.

The games kicked off their Denver debut July 2 at Invesco Field.

The NAIG are a celebration of sports, culture and competition between 7,500 athletes representing 31 Native American tribes of North America. It is believed that approximately 50,000 family members came to witness the event, a celebration that was little more than a dream nearly 30 years ago.

“I could not have been more privileged and amazed by the paths that the Creator has paved for us and the opportunities that have been given to us,” said NAIG general manager Maurice “Mo” Smith.

The opening ceremonies included an appearance and speech by former Colorado Senator, member of the Cheyenne tribe and Honorary Chairperson of the Colorado Indigenous Games Society, Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

“This is a graceful event,” Campbell said. “Everyone that worked with the North American Indigenous Games put in a lot of time, effort, energy and received monetary support.”

Campbell’s speech was followed by traditional game demonstrations, a parade of athletes, music and dancing. The NAIG were organized largely by the CIGS, who worked in turn with Colorado’s host tribes. The games’ general manager, Smith, set out to design this years’ games with a vision of “serving our Native youth by providing the framework for strengthening and instilling leadership and personal excellence while promoting the values of sportsmanship, mutual respect, cultural integrity and cooperation among youth, communities and nations.”

The host tribes of the Denver NAIG were the Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribes of Colorado. The Ute Mountain Ute Indians’ tribal reservations are located in southern Colorado near what is known as the Four Corners area that includes New Mexico and Utah, as well. The Southern Utes originate from southwestern Colorado. Southern Colorado and the Four Corners region are known for their rich Native American cultures.

This year’s games took place at venues throughout the metropolitan Denver area including scenic Sloan’s Lake Park; local high schools such as Jefferson, George Washington and South High Schools; the Western National Complex; several local public parks and golf courses, and Metro and University of Colorado facilities at downtown’s Auraria Campus.

The NAIG boast a slew of events such as archery, cross country, track and field, badminton, baseball, basketball, canoeing, golf, lacrosse, rifle-shooting, softball, soccer, swimming, tae kwon do, wrestling and volleyball. Auraria hosted swimming and basketball at the Event Center and baseball at Auraria Field’s diamond.

The state team from Colorado finished the Games with 33 overall medals including 16 gold medals.

Team Saskatchewan dominated this year’s games with an astounding 194 medals, including 71 gold.

But in the end, the NAIG are far less about medals than they are about reviving and remembering the rich culture that existed long before our nation as we know it.

“No matter how they fair in their competitions, they are already winners in our eyes,” Smith said.