Canadian Lacrosse Association  – OTTAWA, ON – The 150th Anniversary of Lacrosse Celebration, a once-in-a-lifetime event held in Montreal, Quebec in June 2017, can now be re-experienced through the video Our Country and Our Game: The 150^th Anniversary of Lacrosse, which was released today by the Canadian Lacrosse Foundation.

“Our Country and Our Game: The 150th Anniversary of Lacrosse is a 30-minute video that will take the viewer through an important celebration for our game,” said Jim Calder, Event Manager, 150^th Anniversary of Lacrosse Celebration. “It captures the essence of a wonderful weekend in June 2017, where the world’s most interesting sport was front and centre for all to see.”

The video recap contains footage from the weekend’s various events – a historical re-enactment that illustrated the transformation of lacrosse from a traditional game played by the First Nations to a formalized sport, a lecture series featuring prominent authors and academics, and a traveling exhibition of historical lacrosse artifacts and photos – along with interviews from various members of the lacrosse community.

“Our Country and Our Game not only provides a summary of the events on the weekend, it captures the thoughts of members of the lacrosse community on the importance of the sport to the culture and history of Canada,” said Jim Burke, Chairman, Canadian Lacrosse Foundation.

In addition to the recap, all six of the lectures, along with the entire re-enacted game, can also be viewed in full on the Canadian Lacrosse Association’s YouTube channel or the event website.

 

·         Our Country and Our Game: The 150th Anniversary of Lacrosse

 

·         Re-Enacted Game

 

·         Lectures

o    J. Alan Childs: History of Lacrosse on the Prairie

o    W.B. (Bruce) MacDonald: The Rise and Fall of Canada’s First Professional Leagues 1901-1924

o    Donald M. Fisher: Before Beers – The World of Native Lacrosse in North America to 1867

o    Jane Claydon: History and Influence of Canada in the Development of Women’s Lacrosse

o    Louis ‘Tewenhni’tatshon’ Delisle: The History of Lacrosse in Caughnawaga/Kahnawake

o    Daniel Ferland: La signification et le rôle culturel du jeu de crosse

The event itself, which attracted thousands of spectators and was streamed live to a worldwide audience, was organized by the Foundation, with help from the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the Quebec Lacrosse Federation, the Kahnawake Survival School, the McCord Museum, and McGill University. It was also made possible thanks to a generous contribution from the Government of Canada through the Canada 150 Fund.

“The event relied on the cooperation between many entities in the lacrosse community and its success was due to the shared vision of respecting the traditional Indigenous roots of the game while acknowledging its transformation into the modern game by Montreal-based rule-maker Dr. George Beers,” added Calder.

These videos will create a lasting legacy for the lacrosse community, one that will allow players and coaches from around the world to learn about the history of what is now Canada’s national summer sport.

“We are grateful to the Indigenous people of Canada for sharing this game with us centuries ago,” added Burke. “We hope that through these videos viewers can see the historic and spiritual significance of the game and the need to keep these traditions as the focal point of our sport moving forward.”

Visit 150.lacrosse.ca for more information on the event or to view the videos.

About the 150th Anniversary of Lacrosse Celebration

The 150^th Anniversary of Lacrosse Celebration was a once-in-a-lifetime festival of activities that honoured and celebrated the history and cultural significance of Canada’s national summer sport, lacrosse. Between June 16-18, 2017, the city of Montreal, Quebec, hosted a variety of educational and cultural activities, including a re-enacted game featuring authentic equipment, a historical display of lacrosse artifacts, a series of lectures from lacrosse authors and academics, and box and field lacrosse tournaments for athletes of all ages. This event was organized by the Canadian Lacrosse Foundation, with help from the Canadian Lacrosse Association and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and was made possible thanks to contributions from the Government of Canada.

For more information on the 150th Anniversary of Lacrosse Celebration, visit 150.lacrosse.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also join the conversation using #CANLax150.