‘It’s known as holy week’: All Native Basketball Tournament huge for Indigenous people in B.C.

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Hundreds of basketball players, their friends, family members and fans will descend on Prince Rupert, B.C., this week for the All Native Basketball Tournament.

In its 63^rd year, the tournament will host more than 50 Indigenous teams competing across four different divisions – all with the goal of determining which Nation is the best at basketball.

The All-Native is the second biggest tournament of its kind in Canada – coming in behind the Junior All Native – and one of the biggest in North America.

Hosted annually in February to originally respect fishermen’s herring harvesting schedules, the All Native started off as an “inter-village rivalry,” according to tournament chairperson Peter Haugen. Since then, the tournament has become about a lot more than just basketball.

“It started out as sport, very quickly became social and now it’s culture. So, you have three components that make up the tournament,” said Haugen.

The tournament was first held in 1960, on the tail of the potlatch ban being lifted.

“They abolished our culture; they abolished our language. They abolished us wearing and singing and dancing in our regalia. So, we created this tournament which worked in substitute of the potlatch,” said Desi Collinson, coach of the Skidegate Saints.

Collinson’s been playing and coaching at the All Native Basketball Tournament for the better part of two decades and sees the tournament as not only an opportunity to play and watch some great basketball but to share skills and leadership. The All Native serves as a meeting place for various Indigenous communities that would never otherwise have the chance to interact.

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“A sense of pride is instilled within this tournament. And everybody wants to represent their community in a good way,” said Collinson.

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“The most important part is the mentorship we’ve brought through our community. Hopefully, someone’s able to reach that level and raise the bar for the overall betterment of all our communities.”

Collinson says the tournament is about bringing up that next generation and that’s exactly how Haida broadcaster Kiefer Collison got involved with the tournament.

“My cousin was on the broadcast crew and we would all sit around my grandmother’s house and listen to him call games. I remember wanting to call the games as well, I wanted to be a broadcaster and I just knew in my head that it was going to happen someday,” said Collison. “And now I’m one of the broadcasters here for the All Native.”

The tournament has grown both in size and prominence over the years. It’s estimated as many as 4,000 people will travel to Prince Rupert this week to participate in the sport and cultural activities.

2:03 East Vancouver Indigenous women’s basketball team heading to major tournament in Northern B.C.

Collison says the tournament is like a second Christmas; “It’s (also) known as holy week for a lot of people. The All Native really feels like a gift. And I’m one of those people who looks forward to it every year.”

Teams from across the province like Similkameen, Skidegate, Vancouver and local nations like Lax Kw’alaams and Gitxaala all come together for the tournament.

“There’s always a buzz around the All Native. There’s a lot of collegiate level players that play in this tournament in both the women’s and the men’s (divisions),” said Collison. “It’s a really high level of game.”