War canoe team honours tradition

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The coming of spring holds different meanings for each of us. For a handful of Nanaimo area First Nation's youth spring is associated with the preparation of an ancient, honor filled challenges which they have undertaken.

Since February or March, these youth (and a few adults), have been keeping busy with the daily disciplines required for their training as war canoe pullers. Being a puller entails commitment to a specified way of life. This factor marks a fundamental difference between a Native versus a non-Native, approach to sports. In order to become a player

in contemporary sports, little more is generally required than enthusiasm and a sincere willingness to play one's best.

Players are accountable only for their actions during the game. What they do before or after the game is not significant. For adults to smoke or to drink alcohol after playing a sport is common place in today's world of sport.

But in the world of traditional Native recreation, one will find a very different set of values. War canoe racing is an example of that.

To become a canoe team member, individuals must wait until they are asked either an Elder or by the owner of a war canoe. Sometimes contestants will sit and wait during team practices to be asked to take part if one of the team members is late.

It is a serious honour to be asked to be a member of a war canoe team. To refuse the honour is deemed to be an equally serious dishonour. In accepting to be a team member, individuals commit themselves to challenges which they can later proudly claim to have faced. Because canoe pulling is much more than a sport, it is a spiritual and a physical battle which involves the individual puller, the team, and the community the team represents.

It is a lifestyle demanding use of a personal's physical, spiritual, mental and emotional resources. Many of the same rules which govern the traditional Bighouse also govern the war canoe races. Pullers are instructed to leave all harmful thoughts behind when they step inside a canoe, as they must when they enter the Bighouse.

War canoe pullers are accountable for all aspects of their behaviour, before, during, and after a race. They cannot drink alcohol; partake of illegal drugs; or smoke cigarettes. There are certain rituals they must perform daily. For at least three months preceding the races, team members are required to train by jogging, swimming, and weight lifting twice a day.

For the first time in 10 years, a Nanaimo band crew took part in an annual B.C. and Washington State race. Four categories are represented at the races, Men's, Women's, Buckskin's (12-15 year olds); and co-ed teams. Eleven pullers are required in each category. Women's teams use ten women and one man.

"Our team practices and trains together so we can function as one solid unit when we race," said Mandy Jones. "We have lots of fun together - camping out every week-end and drumming up some pretty crazy gag prizes which we later give to our crew members during our wind up dinner."

Jones hadn't raced for twenty years prior to last year's races. In 1992 the team ran up Nanaimo's "SPCA" mountain as part of their training, she said.

"It's good to see our young people show a renewed interest in our culture," Jones said. "Being a team member helps young people channel their energy in positive and existing ways while seeing new places. There's no time to be bored when you're part of these teams."

There are good reasons for the extensive training in canoe racing tradition. Contemporary team sports have built-in breaks for players to rest and to rejuvenate themselves. But once a canoe race begins, the pullers cannot stop or slow down until the race is completed. A typical race course runs 20-45 minutes.

Throughout the race, it is essential team members maintain the steady, united rhythm which they developed during training. For this reason, it is also imperative a person commit to being a team member for an entire season. utting a new member with a team that has established its timing and rhythm increases chances of tipping the canoe as he or she will likely offset the crew's synchronicity.

The magic of war canoe racing extends far beyond the perimeters of any one canoe or crew, and reaches into the hearts of people from every walk of life. In the summer months, countless tourists are drawn to witness the races. The tradition of war canoe racing has been known to have a healing effect on communities by bringing all the people closer together while sharing in laughter, anticipation, and pride. One cannot underestimate the profound goodness which transpires as a result of this coming together again of community people.

It should be noted war canoe racing is expensive, particularly for Island-based teams. The escalating costs of ferry travel alone has made it difficult for some teams to continue operating. Funding for the canoe teams is raised solely through the efforts of dedicated band members, and without government support.

However, it will soon be summer, and time for another season of racing. For all team members, significant victory has been won simply by virtue of their having accepted one of the oldest honours known to the original inhabitants of this Island - of being a war canoe puller.