Sport for Life Society – Victoria, B.C. – The complete history of the land known as Canada is rarely told. Most Canadians never learn the history of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples from an Indigenous perspective, which is why the KAIROS Blanket Exercise^TM is so important. The Blanket Exercise consists of trained facilitators leading participants through an experiential workshop on pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance in order to provide an understanding of the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. This is then followed by a talking circle with the participants. An integral component of the exercise is increasing education, as this is identified as a key part of reconciliation within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).

The Aboriginal Sport Circle, in partnership with the Sport for Life Society, has facilitated the development of Aboriginal Long-Term Participant Development Pathway resources and workshops that educate mainstream sport leaders about the barriers that Indigenous participants may face in trying to navigate the sport and physical activity system. Learning faciliators who deliver the Aboriginal Long-Term Participant Development Pathway workshops are now being trained as KAIROS Blanket Exercise facilitators. This iniative will establish an even better understanding of Indigenous history while also delivering a consistent, educational experience for sport and physical activity leaders. This experience and new perspective provide a foundation for how an organization can and needs to engage with reconciliaton.

“Residential schools and colonization changed life for First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in a negative way,” says Greg Henhawk, a Mohawk of the Bear Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River, and Sport for Life learning facilitator. “The Blanket Exercise seeks to change awareness, knowledge and respect for all people in a positive way.”

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise, developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, and educators, allows participants to actively take part in a 500-year history lesson of colonization. It fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. The Blanket Exercise itself is not reconciliation—it is however an important step in a longer shared journey toward truth and understanding.

To learn more about the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, visit kairosblanketexercise.org.

To learn more about the Aboriginal Long-Term Participant Development Pathway, visit sportforlife.ca/indigenous-peoples. 

Sport for Life Society

The Sport for Life Society is recognized as the global experts on the Canadian Sport for Life Movement, Long-Term Athlete Development, and physical literacy development. The purpose of the Canadian Sport for Life Movement is to improve the quality of sport and develop physical literacy. Sport for Life links sport, education, recreation, health and governments to align community, provincial, and national programming. Sport for Life, as a social enterprise using Long-Term Athlete Development and physical literacy, works to be a catalyst for positive change.

Aboriginal Sport Circle

The Aboriginal Sport Circle is Canada’s national voice for Aboriginal sport, which brings together the interests of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. Established in 1995, the Aboriginal Sport Circle was created through a national consensus-building process, in response to the need for more accessible and equitable sport and recreation opportunities for Aboriginal peoples. For more information, visit www.aboriginalsportcircle.ca

 

For more information, contact:
Tyler Laing
Manager of Communications and Marketing, Sport for Life Society
tyler@sportforlife.ca