Kara Thorpe loves promoting and sharing Indigenous culture with the world. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Gymnastics

Indigenous-focused routine lands Team Saskatchewan Gymnaestrada provincial award

Jan 15, 2024 | 2:00 PM

The work done by Team Saskatchewan Gymnaestrada, to share the province’s Indigenous culture with the world, has earned them special recognition.

They are receiving the Sask Sport 2024 Inspire Through Sport Award. Last summer, the team travelled to Amsterdam to perform a routine heavily influenced by Indigenous culture and teachings.

Prince Albert’s Kara Thorpe helped coach and noted typically, when creating a routine, they don’t pay too much attention to which way the circles go.

“But once we started working with our Indigenous partners, we changed all our choreography to ensure the circle was always going in a good way,” she said.

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Team Saskatchewan Gymnaestrada (TSG) was established in 2022 and consists of members with various backgrounds and ages, ranging from 11 to over 60.

The performance, which involved gymnasts and powwow dancers, used music, drumming and regalia from Indigenous artists to depict their theme of a shared vision for a harmonious future in Canada. Noting the positive response they received locally, Thorpe said the Indigenous groups who provided insight for the choreography, expressed how happy they were to have their role go beyond the opening ceremonies.

“Even the Portugal team members talked to us about how they were touched by our work because they’re also a colonized country,” she said.

The Saskatchewan Sport Awards will be held in Regina on Feb. 1.

A picture taken last November when the team was invited to the Provincial Legislative Assembly. (Facebook/Gym Sask)

Going forward, Thorpe said Gymnastics Saskatchewan is looking at a strategic plan to ensure it follows within the truth and reconciliation model.

“We’ve even had an Indigenous relations committee come together to start talking about how we as the gymnastics community can support… an Indigenous community wanting to start community gymnastics,” she said. There’s also been talk of taking an indigenous focus group to the next world event in 2027.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell