Authors
Kelsey Leonard, Natalie Welch, Alisse Ali-Joseph
Publication date
2020/9/28
Journal
Sport and the Pandemic: Perspectives on Covid-19's Impact on the Sport Industry
Pages
19
Publisher
Routledge
Description
The Covid-19 pandemic does not only affect physical health, but trickles into the very fabric of Indigenous communities. As sovereign nations, our economies, as well as our cultural responsibilities and ceremonies have been altered. History has shown us that when Indigenous Peoples are faced with world crises such as famine, war, climate change, and disease, sports emerge, responding to challenging times in an abundance of innovation (Oxendine, 1988). As such, the evolution of Indigenous sport should not be separated from community resilience as sport is integral to instilling Indigenous values, knowledge, and community connectedness necessary for Indigenous nations to survive endemic hardships, including pandemics. For many Indigenous Peoples living on Indigenous territories, reserves, or reservations, sport is an essential activity, a necessary way for communities to maintain kinship ties and promote wellness. We define sport and athletics as any activities that involve physical movement, sometimes but not always in a competitive nature or for entertainment purposes, and convey cultural knowledge, values, and skills. In this chapter, we use a resilient, abundance-based approach to research and ask,“What are Indigenous communities doing well to combat the Covid-19 pandemic through sport and physical activity?” and “How are Indigenous athletes and sports a platform to exercise sovereignty?” In asking these questions, we found Indigenous individuals and organizations adopted sport and wellness campaigns using social media to raise awareness and build community as physical distancing guidelines were implemented …
Scholar articles
K Leonard, N Welch, A Ali-Joseph - Sport and the Pandemic: Perspectives on Covid-19's …, 2020