Hockey Hall of Fame honours Sagkeeng Oldtimers in new display

An Indigenous hockey team made up primarily of residential school survivors washonoured by Canada'sHockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Tuesday.

The Sagkeeng Oldtimers hockey team joined the Canadian Oldtimers Hockey Association in 1978 and went on to compete in international tournaments throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.

The team was made up of players from the Sagkeeng First Nation, a community 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, ranging in age from 35 to over 50.The team holds titles in the 1987 World Cup, 1989 World Cup in Munich and in the 1987 Canadian National Cup.

The team was founded by WalterFontaineand his wife Verna. Their daughter DarleneAhmoand her children acquired memorabiliato send to the Hockey Hall of Fame, which now has them on public view in two displays.

'They never gave up'

When she first saw the exhibit, she saidshe was overwhelmed, but in a good way. With tears welling up, she said she wished her parents could see all of their hard work honoured.

Fundraising for the team's travel was done through community events like bingo tournaments.

"They wanted their community to see the world,"Ahmosaid.

"I saw how my parents struggledto make all this possible with all the travelling and the hard work they put into it. They made a lot of sacrifices and they never gave up."

The team's display at the Hockey Hall of Fame is a nod to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 87th call to action, which calls for sports halls of fame to provide public education on the stories of Indigenous athletes.

"The exposure that will come from being in the Hockey Hall of Fame is so important to Canada and to the rest of the world, especially for reconciliation," says Grand Chief Willie Littlechildof the Treaty 6 Nations.

Littlechild travelled across Canada for six and a half years as a Truth and Reconciliation commissioner listening to thousands of stories from the saddest and darkest, most unknown chapter of Canadian history, he said. Through all of the dark stories, he saidthere was one bright light that cut through that history.

"That bright light was the important role of sports in residential school, especially hockey," he said.

Healing through hockey

The healing power of hockey is something that Littlechildsaid he experienced, having spent 14 years in the residential school system. That waswhere he learned to playhockey, and he had the opportunity to join the Sagkeeng Oldtimers on the rink.

"It's a very important story because it talks about the resilience and the strength of Indigenous people, especially through sport," said Littlechild.

Derrick Henderson,Chief of theSagkeengFirst Nation, agreed.

"Acceptance and preservation of SagkeengOldtimers pays tribute to the important role of hockey in the lives of former students of Indian Residential Schools in Canada, the survival through years of incarceration of their lives and our enduring belief that theexistence and free spirit of Indigenous people can never be vanquished," he said.

Ahmosaid the recognition of the Sagkeeng Oldtimers, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, is an important step for Canada and that itshows a side of Canadian history that has not been acknowledged on such a national platform.

She hopes more Indigenous athletes will be recognized in the future.

"This is like an open door and anything is possible."