From Oct. 23 to Nov. 1, 2,000 Indigenous peoples from 30 countries across the globe gathered for the very first World Indigenous Games in Palmas, the capital city of Brazil’s Tocantins State.
The motto of Palmas in preparation for the games was “Em 2015, somos todos indígenas,” which translates to, “In 2015, we are all indigenous.” The games were created thanks to a joint effort between the Intertribal Council (ITC), the Brazilian Ministry of Sport, and the Municipality of Palmas. The municipal government even went so far as to create the Extraordinary Secretariat, a governing body that oversaw the organization for the Indigenous Games.
The opening ceremony began with the carrying of the Torch of Sacred Fire. For the first three days, participating groups were brought to various tourist attractions throughout Palmas and were given time to interact with one another as well as with the citizens of Palmas. The groups competed in archery, canoeing, tug-of-war, spear-throwing, and “corridas de tora,” which involves carrying heavy logs for a specified distance, as well as some western-style sports such as soccer. However, not all of the games were competitive. Many, if not all, of the Indigenous groups showcased their own heritage games, in which other groups were invited to take part.
Beyond the competition and the sports themselves, cross-cultural sharing and learning were a major component. Lamar Oksasikewiyin, from the Nehiyaw people of Saskatchewan, told CP24, “An elder once told me that our culture will save us. I think this is what he meant.”
The various groups bonded over the fact that Indigenous peoples across the globe are struggling with very similar issues, from the lingering effects of colonialism to the fight to preserve their cultures and lands.
Some people, such as Cléber Buzzato, executive secretary of Cimi, are critical of the games. She told The Guardian, “The government is trying to promote the idea that we celebrate indigenous peoples, while in reality both their rights and sometimes their actual bodies are under attack.”
The World Indigenous Games come at a time when tensions in Brazil between land owners and the indigenous peoples are high. Bill PEC215 is a constitutional amendment that is currently up for debate in Brazilian Congress. If passed, it would remove the government’s ability to determine the boundaries of indigenous land, and grant Congress the power to revise the boundaries of pre-existing indigenous reserves. The bill would give the advantage for settling land claims to large agricultural industries and mining companies by handing the rights for demarcating indigenous territory over to a legislature with considerable agricultural interests.
These troubles were front and centre at the games, as the Indigenous groups from Brazil were a majority at the event and took the opportunity to protest against PEC215. Like Buzzato, some of the Indigenous peoples believed the games were a mask for the truth of their situation. They are still victims of racism, poor education and inadequate health care, and are still fighting fatal wars with loggers, miners, cattle-grazers and soy farmers.
Timbira Pataxo, a vendor at the entrance to the Games, told CP24 that although it is nice to show the world Indigenous cultures and share with them, “The world also needs to know about the real existential threats we face.”