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'This is our game': Indigenous sport 'Double Ball' revived at Ochapowace First Nation tournament

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A traditional sport was revived late last week in Ochapowace First Nation, with goals to expand the Indigenous game across the province.

“Double Ball” took to the fields of the Kakisiwew School on Ochapowace. The activities were led by the school’s Land Based Learning teacher, Lamarr Oksasikewiyin.

The students were given a week of practice, but for many it was the first time playing the sport on the field, competitively.

Five classes from neighbouring communities such as Whitewood and Kahkewistahaw made the trip to compete in the tournament.

Oksasikewiyin said traditionally in the area, the sport was only played by women, so they decided to run the tournament for the middle school girls.

Oksasikewiyin described the sport as similar to lacrosse or stickball. However, "double ball" pre-dates both sports.

As the tournament continued Thursday, Oksasikewiyin said the intensity ramped up as well, culminating to the final between Whitewood and Kahkewistahaw.

“Some of the teachers were saying some of the girls were timid in gym back home,” Oksasikewiyin said. “But when they came out here, they got super aggressive and they were really into the sport.”

A goal for Oksasikewiyin was to link this sport to Indigenous culture, something that meant a lot to Whitewood’s Kaley Starr.

“It’s really fun today. It was an intense game when we played, it was rough — but it was really fun,” the grade nine student explained.

The game includes contact, but the students were told to keep it within reason. According to Oksasikewiyin, traditionally there were no injury timeouts when the game was played in the past — that’s something they continued at the tournament.

Yet, a huge push from organizers was to teach the value of sportsmanship.

“That was probably the most important part because a lot of girls, they got hurt,” Oksasikewiyin said. “Some of them got rocked out on the field or they got wrapped by the willows there. In the end, they basically laid it all out on the line.”

Oksasikewiyin said he hopes the game catches on across the province, and continues to grow.

“This is our game, this is our sport,” he said. “We want people to play it more often because we do have things to contribute.”

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