Indigenous physical fitness workshop inspires participants in Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Although the turnout was limited due to the weather, participants experienced physical activity with an Indigenous spin on Thursday, November 21st, at the Pomeroy Centre.

“Indigenous Communities: Active For Life” is a day-long workshop incorporating First Nations philosophy into maintaining physical fitness throughout life.

First put together by the nationwide non-profit Sport For Life, it addresses the fundamental rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples—the right to health, education, culture, and play. 

The City of Fort St. John’s recreation department has held the workshops since 2018.

The key takeaway is maintaining the fundamentals learned for life, according to program facilitator Kolby Koshack.  

A kinesiologist, Koshack works alongside the Indigenous Sport, Activity and Recreation Council (I-SPARC).

“We’re holding space with each other,” said Koshack. “ [It’s all about] digging deeper into why we do what we do and how we can create a community that’s active for life.”

“[I think] Murray Sinclair said it best when he said, ‘The greatest thing we can do is to teach children to love themselves.’ There are children in all of us. Just honoring that inner child and being there for the next generation so that they can feel loved.”

Holistic health, including guidelines involving spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical aspects, was on the itinerary, and it involved a mixture of exercise, brainstorming, and collaboration.

Recreational programmer for the City of Fort St. John David Green says members of Indigenous bands have come in previous years, taking what they have learned and taking it back to their communities.

“These teachings help understand the Indigenous culture and how to encapsulate that and use that in your daily life,” said Green.

For more on Sport for Life Workshops, visit their website here