Invictus Games bring meaningful Indigenous inclusion at major international event

Athletes and spectators at the 2025 Invictus Games will be part of the first international multi-sport games fully inclusive of the four local First Nations hosts.

Canada will see a new meaning to the power of sport through full, meaningful Indigenous inclusion in a major international Games, said 2025 Invictus Games board member Wilson Williams (Sxwixwtn).

"We're playing host to the world and we're a major part of it," said Williams, a spokesperson and council member of the Squamish Nation.

Squamish is one of the four host nations whose lands the Invictus Games take place on, alongside Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Líl̓wat nations.

Created by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, the Invictus Games encourage recovery and rehabilitation to wounded, injured and sick service men and women across the world through the power of sport.

This is the second time Canada will host the Invictus Games, following Toronto in 2017, and will debut adaptive winter sports in addition to the previous core five sports. Fifty-six current and former service men and women competing for Team Canada across all events.

Williams said the Invictus Games, which kick off Saturday, are an example of "international reconciliation" with Canada.

Indigenous involvement in the Games is part of their commitment to uphold the Truth and Reconciliation's call to action No. 91, which calls on Canada to include Indigenous nations in the planning and participation of major international games.

"This is among the first times, including for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, that an international governing body has awarded a major event at the invitation of and with the support of the Four Host Nations on whose land these Games will be played," Robyn McVickar, chief operating officer and deputy CEO for the Invictus Games Vancouver-Whistler 2025 wrote in a statement to CBC Sports.

Although the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics had First Nations involvement, the Games faced controversy from various Indigenous peoples at the time, including questions over land rights, where the venues were constructed and criticism on the design of the official logo.

Planning since 2022

Each of the four host First Nations has a representative on the Vancouver-Whistler Invictus Games' board who has been involved in the planning since 2022.

Along with Williams from Squamish is Chief Wayne Sparrow from Musqueam Nation, Chief Jen Thomas from Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Chief Dean Nelson fromLíl̓wat Nation.

"We hope this sets a precedent for future Games and inspires other international sporting organizations to embrace Indigenous leadership and partnership in their events," McVickar said.

Along with overseeing the Invictus Games Foundation's visits to the four hosts' lands before their selection, Williams was also part of the London delegation in March 2022 to bid directly. The first night Williams and his team were in London, he called his aunt, a Squamish Elder and language speaker, who was brought to tears as she told him the last time a Squamish person was in London wearing regalia was in 1906 when Chief Joe Capilano addressed then King Edward VII.

"It grounded us, but it also helped us prepare for the bid," Williams said.

The first picture the delegation showed the foundation during their presentation was of Chief Capilano.

"We have this shared healing story, this big commonality of Indigenous people and perseverance and that strength alongside with the Invictus movement," he said. "That's a big part of the unity that we have."

Over the past three years Williams has had the opportunity to see the Invictus Games twice, including the closing ceremony in Dusseldorf, Germany in 2023. Sitting in his full regalia, he was moved to tears by the athletes' strength and overcoming their challenges.

"It was truly something," he said.

The Games have engaged with the four hosts for everything from local Indigenous protocols – including land acknowledgements at each sport sessions – to the design of the logos and medals to the "theming" of the opening and closing ceremonies with colour commentary in Indigenous languages.

"I feel, the opening ceremonies is the big welcome to the world and all the people involved in the Invictus Games," Williams said.

There has also been cultural education for staff and leadership who have been part of planning the Games. Williams said there will be cultural identification throughout the games such as in the Athlete's Village, contemporary performances and art exhibitions and particularly the medals.

Medals designed by Líl̓wat artist

The medals were designed by Levi Nelson, a Líl̓wat artist who was also one of the designers of the logo with Mack Paul from Musqueam, Olivia George from Tsleil-Waututh and Ray Natraoro from Squamish.

"This is a Coast Salish design on a medal that is going around the necks of warriors and veterans that have fought for us all over this world and I'm so proud to have worked with each and every one of the artists from the Four Host Nations," Nelson wrote in a statement to CBC Sports.

"These designs come from our ancestors who were also artists."

Nelson said he hopes the legacy of the Games will be the beauty and magic of the west coast as well as healing together, something he said reflected in the design of the medals.

The medals come with "quarter bags" for the athletes to safely store them, hand woven by weavers from each of the four nations, who made a total of 800 bags. There were also 50 traditional bentwood boxes handmade to present the medals.

McVickar said through the many Indigenous cultural experiencing throughout the Games, "we hope competitors and spectators gain a deeper understanding of the resilience, strength and contributions of Indigenous communities."

"More than just a celebration of sport, the Games serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of culture, healing, and connection," she said.

Williams said legacy after the Games is one of the most important aspects of the four nations' involvement.

"We're looking at our own backyards in regards to the challenges we're having in our communities," he said, referencing the ongoing opioid crisis.

Williams said the four host nations are in conversation about how to "put a movement" behind the creation of a community healing centre led by traditional practices.

But they also want to continue using sport to advocate for the future of their communities.

"It's going to be a major medicine tool for all of us and bring our community and make our community stronger."