An Olympics With Indians

The idea of Sportsmanship and the Team Sport itself comes from where many refer to as the western hemisphere.

The greatest athlete of all times was the American Indian, Jim Thorpe.

Gretskys hockey and Jordans basketball both stem from lacrosse, the indigenous game of Stick Ball.

Too often, untruth in educational teachings, racism, or stereotypes renders some unable, and a few incapable, to recognize that the original inhabitants of the Americas - are legitimate nations of peoples, often called Red Nations, First Nations, or American Indian Nations. All maintain to this day (despite diminished numbers since 1492, yet continually on the rise in the past 30 years) their very own language, land areas, and unique way of life that are thousands of years old.

Many nations exist that are much smaller and even militarily weaker - than even the most averaged-size indigenous nation, such as Lichtenstein, Monaco, Vatican City, and others. Yet those nations are allowed representation in the organizations such as the United Nations in New York City and qualifying teams from those nations are allowed to play in Olympic Games.

There is talk around indigenous circles, the non-native community, and among NHL hockey and NLL lacrosse players about coming to respect and finally honor indigenous red nations and peoples for their contribution of the Team Sport by advancing lacrosse into the Olympic format. After all, it is they who invented Team Play and Sportsmanship that has only been exposed to the rest of the world for a mere 500 years.

The Formation of the First All-indigenous Ice Hockey Team

Along with implementation of lacrosse in the Olympics is the formation of an All-indigenous ice hockey team. Indigenous citizenry can finally join the community of the world as they play in the Olympic Games.

The nations of the Ojibwe (often referred to as Chippewa) and the Cree, indigenous to what is now called Canada and the US - and both consisting of many fine indigenous hockey players from which to select the indigenous team - could act together as the host nation.

The indigenous team would also be comprised of other indigenous First Nation, American Indian, and Indigenous players from Canada and the US who are members and citizens of other indigenous nations such as Metis, the Dakota Sioux, or Inuit.

All players, of course, would have to qualify at team tryouts that could be held in rinks and arenas across Canada and at places in the US like the Shakopee Dakota Nation, whose casino has an arena already built in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

The head coach could be former NHL Buffalo Sabres and NHL Coach of the Year award winner, Mr. Ted Nolan, who no doubt is in agreement with the idea. An assistant coach could be former New York Islanders and NHL Hall of Fame recipient winner, Brian Trottier. Both are indigenous and both favor nation recognition and respect.

Trottier chose to play for Team USA in the 1984 Canada Cup tournament, after playing for Team Canada in 1981, because he wanted to pay back the country in which he lived and because his wife was American. He was able to obtain the necessary U.S. citizenship in July 1984 because he had M%uFFFDtis ancestry on his father's side (Cree/Chippewa). His North American Indian Card, for which he qualified because his grandmother was a Chippewa, entitled him to citizenship in the US and Canada, as well as a US passport, which was all he needed for tournament eligibility.

Current indigenous NHL players and stars who would represent this All-indigenous Nation in Olympic competition could include Sheldon Souray (Edmonton Oilers) and Wade Redden (New York Rangers) on defensive side Jonathan Cheechoo (Ottawa Senators), Rene Bourque (Calgary Flames), Arron Asham (Philadelphia Flyers), Jordan Tootoo (Nashville Predators), Chris Simon (just retired Islander), and Nolans son, Brandon, who played in the Carolina Hurricanes system.

Allow Indigenous American Indians into Olympics.

Contact your local legislators and have them sign and take forward this petition. Urge the Olympic Committee, Canandian Prime Minister, Stephen Joseph Harper, and United States President, Barack Obama, to allow, finally, indigenous peoples into the family of worlds nations.