Buffalo Spirit Games
On Wednesday September 30th, Lethbridge Sport Council is proud to support the inaugural Buffalo Spirit Games!
There was a time on this land when the success of a community depended upon every person bringing their gifts to a common purpose. Across the northern plains, the communal bison hunt was more than the pursuit of food. Scouts, runners, hunters, Elders, knowledge keepers, singers, women, children, and storytellers each carried a responsibility. No one fulfilled every role. Every role mattered. The well-being of the whole depended upon the gifts of each individual.
Lethbridge’s Buffalo Spirit Games is inspired by this enduring vision of community. On September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, people from across Treaty 7 Territory will gather at Nicholas Sheran School Grounds in Lethbridge for a day of recognition of this tradition. Indigenous peoples, newcomers, and non-Indigenous neighbours will come together to remember our shared history, but also to take part in building new relationships through games, learning, and conversation.
Throughout the day, Elders and knowledge keepers will create spaces of sharing, conversation and play. Traditional games, lacrosse, double ball, running events, storytelling, music, and shared meals will invite people of every age to experience Blackfoot culture not as spectators, but as active participants in learning, listening, and building relationships.
This gathering is built on a simple conviction: healthy communities grow when people come together with generosity, respect, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from one another. That understanding has been carried across generations by Blackfoot Elders, ceremonialists, and knowledge keepers who continue to share these teachings today.
Buffalo Spirit Games is an invitation to meet them, to listen, and to discover how ancient wisdom continues to speak to and enrich contemporary life.
Give it a Try at BSG
Give it a Try at BSG
Learn to play DOUBLE BALL and KICK BALL at the Buffalo Spirit Games! This free event is for all ages, no registration necessary.
When: Wednesday, September 30th @ 11 am
Where: Nicholas Sheran Park, check-in at the tent on the south side of the school2K Archery Run
2K Archery Run
A 2 km Run and Archery event will take place in the afternoon, beginning at Nicholas Sheran Park and continuing to Rotary Brook Park. Participants will combine running with archery, stopping at designated targets along the route to shoot with traditional bows.
Registration for the 2K Archery Run will open on September 1
4K + 7K Run
4K + 7K Run
Buffalo Spirit Games offers two symbolic runs: the 4K and the 7K. The 4K signifies the Medicine Wheel, with each kilometre representing one of the four cardinal directions—North, South, East, and West. The 7K symbolizes the Medicine Wheel in three dimensions, recognizing the four cardinal directions along with up, down, and the participant at the centre. It also represents completion. Both runs are designed to be meditative, with each kilometre dedicated to a person, place, or intention that is meaningful to the participant.
28k Trail Run
28k Trail Run
This Blackfoot half-marathon run will feature 28 runners, representing the 28 days in the lunar cycle and the 28 ribs on a buffalo. Running 28K, the athletes will signal the beginning of the Buffalo Spirit Games upon their arrival at the Opening Ceremony.
If you would like to participate in the Blackfoot Half Marathon, please email [email protected]
Lacrosse Tournament
Lacrosse Tournament
A 6’s lacrosse tournament will take place in the afternoon. Lacrosse sixes is a version of lacrosse played outdoors with six players (5 players + 1 goalie) on each side. The game follows similar rules to traditional field lacrosse, with modifications and a shorter game time, and is considered to be more fast-paced. Games at the Buffalo Spirit Games will be 18 minutes per game. There is no body contact. Games will begin at 1 PM. Tournament rules and schedule will be sent to coaches/team managers via email. Teams can register up to 11 players, including their goalie.
Blanket Exercise
Blanket Exercise
The Blanket Exercise is based on using Indigenous methodologies and the goal is to build understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. Everyone is actively involved as they step onto blankets that represent the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and later Métis peoples.
Pre-registration is required, registration will be limited to the first 30 participants, all participants must be over the age of 16.
Register Here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/LethbridgeSportCouncil1/BlanketExercise
Artisan Market
Artisan Market
A local artisan market will take place throughout the afternoon. Come explore the rich diversity of talent and creativity from across the Treaty 7 region.
Cultural Activities
Cultural Activities
Family-friendly traditional games such as Hoop and Arrow, Plum Stones, and Stick Games will be hosted at tipi sites throughout Nicholas Sheran Park. At each tipi, Elders will share traditional knowledge, stories, and teachings while welcoming visitors to enjoy bead making, drumming, music, food, and opportunities to connect.
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony will commence with the arrival of the runners of the Blackfoot half-marathon.
