FitSpirit at the Ancestors’ Challenge

My name is Élisabeth Lagacé, or Éli for those who know me well. I have been a FitSpirit program advisor for the past year. In another life, I was a phys. ed. teacher. So, getting active with friends is one of my greatest pleasures!

When I was approached by the First Nations Education Council (FNEC) about participating in an on-site experience with the team, I jumped on the offer right away! Projects that get teenage girls involved in sports always appeal to me.

What is the Ancestors’ Challenge?

On August 28, I had the chance to take part in the Ancestors’ Challenge. This Challenge encourages youth to show their ancestors – who had to climb mountains and cross rivers – that they are still capable of meeting life’s difficult challenges. The course is dotted with obstacles that require various abilities, such as climbing, running, crawling, rolling, jumping, throwing and walking in balance. A total of 17 communities were visited      as part of the tour from May to October, which meant that the FNEC team met an impressive number of young people!

For my part, I went to the communities of Opitciwan, on the shores of the majestic Gouin Reservoir, and to Mashteuiatsh, on the west shore of Lac-Saint-Jean.

En route to memorable encounters

I took to the road on Sunday, bound for Chambord to meet the FNEC team for the first time. The following day, after driving on a dirt road for a few hours, we arrived at the Atikamekw community of Opitciwan at noon, just in time to set up the structures and make the most of the magnificent beach under a surprisingly hot sun for late August.

We had the chance to meet youth of all ages, with varying abilities, who threw themselves headfirst into the Ancestors’ Challenge course! Several children even spent their nights in the structure so that they could start the monkey bars, again and again, until their hands burned!

After two days of activities, we hit the road again to repeat the experience in the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh. The setup was done on Thursday, and the festive activities were held Friday to launch the 2023 school year. Waiting for us there were the students at the Amishk elementary school and the Kassinu Mamu high school. Staff members even tried the obstacle course, to a thundering chorus of cheers from students and      colleagues.

Then, we packed up and loaded our things onto the trailer in record time, not because we were in a hurry, but because in only five days, we had become a tight-knit and experienced team! I want to thank this outstanding team; thanks to their boundless energy, whether under the rain or the intense heat. Thank you David, Alex, JB and Marco!

Thank you to our partner Manulife, who is committed to empowering health and well-being to support the journey towards a better life. Through their support we’re able to continue fostering ties and implement our mission with First Nations communities

What really charmed me about this adventure and what, in my view, makes the Ancestors’ Challenge a winning formula:

• On-site presence
  We were greeted like kings and queens in Opitciwan and Mashteuiatsh, and we got to meet some incredible people! Visiting these communities to help kids of all ages get active was an honour for me.

• Accessibility
  The obstacles were accessible not only during the activity, but also in the evening so that all the community members, young and old ones, could give them a try.

• Role models
  At FitSpirit, we always say that role models are essential for encouraging youth – especially girls – to practice a physical activity. Thank you to the school staff members who rose to the Challenge in the company of their students. We saw youth who are typically less interested in this type of activity take part with pleasure! A small victory to kick off the school year! The young girls also had female role models on the FNEC team. I get the impression that we gained the trust of some of them, who were reluctant at first to try the imposing structures.

• The medal
  Each youth who tried the obstacle course earned a medal. The expression of pride in their eyes was really touching. For some, it was their first sports achievement, and the medal gave them something to admire at home every day.

• Communication thanks to physical activity
  In spite of having different first languages, we succeeded in understanding one another by using gestures, mimes and shouts of encouragement!

I can’t wait to renew the experience in Manawan in October. My head is full of ideas for helping teens realize that physical activity can be pleasant, motivating and a source of achievement!