Inaugural Masters Indigenous Games 2018 Opening Gala Celebrates Sport and Culture at Royal Ontario Museum

Inaugural Masters Indigenous Games 2018 Opening Gala Celebrates Sport and Culture at Royal Ontario Museum

July 11, 2018 – Athletes, cultural performers, dignitaries, sponsors, and volunteers gather at the Royal Ontario Museum to celebrate the start of the Inaugural Masters Indigenous Games 2018, presented by the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario.

Who: Stage Party

• Elder Garry Sault, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
• Chief Stacey Laforme, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
• The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
• City of Toronto Mayor John Tory
• Marc Laliberte, President, Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario
• Justin Holness, Emcee

Performers

• Big Drum
• Lisa Odjig, Hoop Dancer
• Johnny Issuluk, Arctic Games Demonstration
• Metis Broom Dance by Auriele Diotte
• Oki Chi Taw, Martial Arts Demonstration (Led by George Lepine)
• David R. Maracle, Internationally Renowned Instrumentalist

Where: Royal Ontario Museum – 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario

When: Thursday July 12, 2018 at 7pm

About the Masters Indigenous Games

The Masters Indigenous Games was founded to meet the growing need for competitive sport for the aging population. The Games encourage mature individuals to be active, with the awareness that competitive sport can continue throughout life, contributing to increased health and wellness. The inaugural Games will take place this coming July 12-15 and provide an opportunity for Indigenous adults from around the world, to engage in sport competition with their peers. The Masters Indigenous Games are expected to take place every two years, and like the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), are a celebration of both sport achievement and distinct cultural heritage. The Masters Indigenous Games are a direct legacy of the successful Toronto 2017 NAIG which took place in the Greater Toronto Area last July.

MIG 2018 Quick Facts:

• The MIG 2018 will take place from July 12-15, 2018, with the majority of events taking place at Downsview Park located in Toronto, Ontario.
• Masters Indigenous Games 2018 (MIG 2018) will feature hundreds of participants, 300 volunteers, various contemporary (athletics, basketball, canoe, golf, softball and volleyball) and traditional sports (archery, standing kick, tug of war and teepee building).
• The Masters Indigenous Games feature global Indigenous participation.
• A Cultural Village showcasing Indigenous artists, performers, sport demonstrations, storytellers and vendors, will be located at Downsview Park. The Cultural Village is FREE and open to the public throughout the Games.
• The MIG 2018 will also feature a traditional Powwow, with Dance Specials and a Community Feast on the last day of competition. This special event is also FREE and open to the public.
• MIG was founded by the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO), the officially recognized Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body for Ontario.

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Acknowledgement

The Masters Indigenous Games 2018 honours and acknowledges the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. The Masters Indigenous Games 2018 also acknowledges all Indigenous Peoples and communities across the province of Ontario, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, living both on and off reserve, in rural and urban communities.

Contact Information:

MIG 2018 Communications Team
communications@mastersindigenousgames.ca