Reclaiming Indigenous Cultural Spaces in Sports: Building on Our Traditional Teachings

Maintaining ties to culture and traditional practices are fundamental values that are often shared and adapted by various Indigenous communities throughout Canada. Often, these cultural rituals and activities have the greatest benefit when practiced within a safe space, where individuals feel comfortable expressing and sharing their cultural identity. In sport settings, culturally safe spaces hold great value for many athletes, while also contributing to overall team and sport success. However, when these spaces are corrupted by systemic racism, indifference and intolerance, it produces an inhospitable environment for many Indigenous athletes who are seeking success in their sport. Therefore, there are six components identified within this review of Indigenous and Western literature that will be presented as a wholistic approach (Miles et al., 2023) to providing, incorporating, and promoting Indigenous cultural space within Canadian sporting systems.