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Four of Canada’s ‘First Nations’ – the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh – together with the Vancouver Olympic Committee officially hosted the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games which finished on Sunday. The World’s Andrea Crossan reports on the Olympic legacy for the four native tribes. Download MP3

• Aboriginal Canadians divided over Vancouver Olympics

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MARCO WERMAN:  The Vancouver Olympics were the first to officially involve native, or indigenous, groups.  Four of Canada’s first nations co-hosted the games.  For them it’s now time to ask that pesky question facing all Olympic hosts:  was it worth it?  Here’s more from The World’s Andrea Crossan.

ANDREA CROSSAN:  It was hard to miss the indigenous influence on these Olympics.  The opening ceremonies highlighted Canada’s native ancestry.  And then there was the Aboriginal Pavilion in Vancouver.  Those are Inuit throat singers performing to a standing-room only crowd.  The Pavilion is one of several places where visitors to the Olympics and Paralympics can learn more about Canadian native culture.  The coalition of aboriginal groups co-hosting the Games is called the Four Host Nations.  Tewanee Joseph is the CEO.  He says that the Games are a perfect opportunity to show the world that there’s more to native communities than poverty and social ills.

TEWANEE JOSEPH:  For all too long what you see in this country is despair, distraught, anger, frustration and our young people, what we wanted to do is share with them and celebrate something that’s good because we are good people.  We’re proud people.  And when you look at the images that we put forward in these Games, we want to change the way people view us.  We want to break the stereotypes of the dime-store Indian.  I think it’s a turning point in this country where people need to see what’s good about our culture.

CROSSAN: Visitors to the Games saw symbols of native culture everywhere.  The Vancouver Olympic logo is an Inuit symbol, it’s called an inukshuk.  It’s a stone formation that’s been used for centuries by the Inuit as a guide marker through arctic terrain.  And Olympic medals featured a native design as well.  But some aboriginal leaders say that the organizers just exploited native culture.

GRAND CHIEF STEWART PHILLIP:  Canada, and particularly Vancouver, played the indigenous card and they did so very successfully.

CROSSAN: That’s Grand Chief Stewart Phillip.  He’s the President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.  His group represents 80 native communities.  Phillip refused to participate or support the Games.  He admits there may be some gain for Canadian indigenous communities like the cultural centers that are part of the Olympic legacy plan.  But he doesn’t think there will be much else to show for it.

PHILLIP:  The Olympics is very much like the proverbial circus that comes to town and everybody takes time out, goes down and enjoys the rides and glitter and glamour and then it’s gone.  What’s left in its place is the empty lot and the litter and a few memories of the good times that people had when it was in town.

CROSSAN: Chief Phillip says what Olympic visitors didn’t see is the harsh reality of life for many indigenous Canadians.  Well it’s universal throughout this country that first nation’s communities are economically depressed.  There’s massive unemployment.  Health conditions in first nations’ communities is in a state of crisis.  The housing conditions are absolutely atrocious.  The conditions that exist today that will exist tomorrow and next week and next year are really nothing to celebrate.

GAIL SPARROW:  That’s Musquem land; we own that golf course, so it’s a public golf course.  Its 18 holes.

CROSSAN: Gail Sparrow is the former Chief of the Musquem tribe, one of the Four Host Nations.  Those four are the only native communities that will directly benefit from the Olympics.  Each Host Nation gets “legacy money”, lump sum payment of round 18 million dollars.  Sparrow says the Musquem are going to use that money to build a gymnasium.  But she wishes organizers had done more to encourage tourists to visit her community.

SPARROW: Come to our world, listen to our song, see our dancing, look at our carvers and our weavers and our knitters instead of seeing it through a window down in the commercial area downtown Vancouver.

CROSSAN: Sparrow’s community hasn’t had many Olympic visitors.  The Musquem Nation isn’t the neediest of native communities.  Sparrow admits her tribe is fairly well off.  But it still has many of the problems that affect poor reservations.

SPARROW: We may look like we’re better off with our housing, we may be better off with our buildings, but inside those homes, the people aren’t.  That’s where it’s hidden.  I go visit some of those people that say Gail I don’t have any more milk for my baby.

CROSSAN: Given that reality, some argue that there wasn’t enough financial gain for the tribes and that the Games were just a marketing of Indian culture.  But Four Host Nations CEO Tewanee Joseph still sees the Vancouver Olympics as a plus for Canada’s native communities.

JOSEPH: People will leave and want to learn more about our people.  And that’s a turning point, I think, in this country where we’ve been in the shadows on the outside looking in.  Now we’re at the forefront and we’re full partners in the Games and I think Canada will change because of it, because of the new relationships and the openness.  The world will view our people very differently.  I think our people will view the world differently.

CROSSAN: For The World, I’m Andrea Crossan, Vancouver.

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