The Participation in and Contributions to Indigenous Multi-Sport Events of Indigenous Peoples Who Experience Disability

Abstract

Indigenous multi-sport events (MSE) represent meaningful sport contexts, with profound impacts on the lives of Indigenous Peoples. However, the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples who experience disability and their experiences (or lack thereof) with Indigenous MSE are not widely available. To address this, I formulated the present thesis, completed in the publishable paper format. In the first paper, I used intersectional theory, an instrumental case study informed by elements of Indigenous methodologies, and reflexive thematic analysis to generate and examine data produced through archival research and semi-structured interviews with organizers and advocates to address the question, “What opportunities exist for the participation in Indigenous MSE of Indigenous Peoples who experience disability, as constructed by the organizers of Indigenous MSE and advocates in the sport sector?” In the second paper, I used intersectional theory, qualitative description informed by elements of Indigenous methodologies, and reflexive thematic analysis to generate and examine data produced from interviews with Indigenous Peoples who experience disability to address the question, “How do Indigenous Peoples who experience disability view their current contributions to Indigenous MSE and envision possibilities to further shape these contexts?” Though the participation in these events of Indigenous Peoples who experience disability is primarily invisible, Indigenous MSE represent a space of possibilities for the reconstruction of affirming understandings of disability, the celebration of difference, and a platform for further disability justice advocacy. The actualization of this will require coordinated and intentional efforts that is supported by relationships between organizers, advocates, athletes, and community members within Indigenous MSE contexts and across the streams of the Canadian sport system.