Traditional Practices and Negotiating Settler Colonial Society: An Exploration of Sport and Physical Culture Within the Siksika Nation

Understanding how sport and physical culture can support decolonization and cultural resurgence, the Siksika Nation plans to build a sports hall of fame and history exhibit to share their stories of sport and achievement. Currently, most halls of fame lack Indigenous representation and fail to distinguish the unique successes and experiences of distinct Indigenous Nations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to collaborate with the community to generate the knowledge foundation to build their own hall of fame and history exhibit. A transformative paradigm with an Indigenist, anti-colonial framework guided this research. Information was gathered through sharing circles and one-on-one interviews with elders (of which 31 participated) as well as archival sources such as newspapers, yearbooks, etc. Key topics covered include the Siksika’s physical culture experiences in the community, at residential school, and those pertaining to horses. Additionally, a thematic analysis of the sharing circles was conducted to elucidate the broader teachings shared by the elders. Importantly, all materials and findings are to be transferred to and controlled by the Nation. Furthermore, the findings of this research are to be made accessible through a plain language summary paper and by supporting the creation of the future sports hall of fame and history exhibit. By recentring the Siksika as authorities of their own history, this project works to reclaim a piece of sporting history for the Siksika, expand our understandings of human movement and achievement, and illuminate the strengths of the community to foster pride within future generations about the Siksika identity.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Kinesiology

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Booth, Jennifer Lillian

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Giancarlo, Alexandra

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Giles, Audrey
• O'Bonsawin, Christine
• Janovicek, Nancy

• Siksika
• Indigenous
• Sport History
• Decolonization
• Residential School
• Canada

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/51287

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/124551