Olympics – What It Meant To Me
The first time I ever heard the word Olympics was when I as going to school. The teacher proudly showed us a book with pictures of athletes and a runner holding a lit torch.
As the teacher proudly explains what the Olympics is all about, to me it looked so much more like a fairy tale, about strong men and women, but I knew these people, all they did was compete to be the best for their country in sports.
It was out of this world for me. Exciting part, it was in done in Peace. Just like when we had our aattauyaq (ball) games.
We would team up and play all night in the spring time when we had 24 hours of day light.
The object of the game was to see how much longer the team can have the ball by constantly throwing it from teammate to teammate, while the other team tries to take the ball from your team.
Many of our sports consisted of competing. See who is the strongest, fastest runner, best harpooner, longest skipper push-up style, most accurate in nakataq (knock off a small piece of rock on top of another rock by direct hit only, by throwing a rock at it).
Most of our sports were to keep us fit as we had to run as fast as the huskies will, the husky dog being our traveling companion in those days.
For men want to be fast enough not to lose their prey. For women need to be strong enough to tackle hard work at home such as carrying a baby and fetching water at the same time.
For both man and woman must be able to move big rocks for tenting and building a sod houses.
Yes when I first heard about the Olympics, I was so intrigued the world did compete in sports competitively in peace and all athletes expected to conduct good sportsmanship, and for them to be a pure athlete with no muscle or strength enhancement.
So when I began hearing about the Olympics, I thought well, this is big game time! The world will compete, linking counties far and near, enjoying and cheering one another on. Wondering if they will be the one to step on that podium and receive a metal for being the best of the best.
In our competitive games one will be known for holding records, we did not have such things as metals, so one was held as the best till beaten in another competition time.
Sometimes I still wish the Olympics were just a world peaceful events. Because there is so much unnecessary hatred from countries to countries. Sometimes from the same country, be it hatred caused by greed, religion or differences of cultures.
I am sure even as I have grown older I have the right to want to live in peace, for others to live in peace, especially for Inuit and my family who have never gone to war, but have great negotiating skills to get what they want without the use of violence.
It would be very rewarding to see the Olympics become a symbol of and for Peace around the world again.
This wish does not condemn the homeless nor anyone else who lives in poverty and the likes. There will always be poverty and homelessness in this great Country of ours and other countries as well.
All the same I wish our Canadian Athletes the very best and may Vancouver be a great Canadian host to the 2010 Winter Olympics!
Go Canada go!!!
Taima for now.
Theresie Tungilik
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