September 30 in Canada is The annual National Day for Truth Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. It is the day that serves as the latest in an ever-evolving process of recognizing atrocities committed and both educating and healing the ties with Indigenous peoples. A very difficult and complex task that cannot be solved with one check or one MEA Culpa.
However, what it does bring to light even more, not just in Canada but across North America, is both the opportunity on the cause marketing and social responsibility side to keep raising awareness and understanding of the peoples who are really the actual “Americans,” those whose roots are tied to Indigenous culture.
Most know all tangled history over centuries with Indigenous peoples. Misconceptions, reservations, reparations, and countless atrocities trying to mainstream young people while never listening and understanding. It is a complex mix that can be difficult to even figure out where to start.
That’s where sport can be a great help. For those who don’t know, lacrosse, still one of the fastest growing sports in the country on every level, is tied directly to Indigenous history, with box lacrosse being the official summer sport of Canada, and the sport referred to as “The Creators Game.” Many of the best players on the planet have ties to their Indigenous roots, making lacrosse the prime pathway to success in life for Indigenous boys and girls. The professional side of the game does do a good job of embracing its Indigenous roots, and if the L.A. Olympics does decide to bring on sixes lacrosse…the field or outdoor game played with six players for both men and women…the opportunities to engage in conversations and awareness with lacrosse and Indigenous peoples will ratchet up considerably.
But outside of that, is their a brand play tied to Indigenous awareness and engagement? Sure, but it’s not that easy. Saying we want to engage with Indigenous people, especially youth, is like saying we want to be involved with Latinos, or even esports. It’s not one size fits all. You have to take the time to understand the culture, the traditions and the complexities of governance within governance.
There are also the issues of identifying the right people, the loudest voices and the sincerest. Nike has tried in various stages to unify Indigenous athletes across sports like lacrosse, hockey and baseball for quite some time. But you need both success on the field and a cultural understanding to be successful and then take that success back to the peoples that need it. For now, the best voice remains the Thompson family, arguably the best lacrosse athletes on the planet, and their path to success…college, giving back to community, building businesses, even creativity in the arts…is the literal North Star that can be pointed to. There are others in basketball, but for a model theirs is a symbol of what can be done.
For brands, complexity might be the sticking point. Where is the clear ROI? Is it in grassroots programs? Education? Awareness for treating issues like substance abuse? How is it measured and tracked? And are there literal political issues which become too complex. All hard to pull together.
However, in looking for blue sky engagement for a cause with far reaching opportunity, opportunities with a growing number of young people who are realizing their roots and their value and looking for change might bring one back to Indigenous nations and culture. And in sport, if the Olympics come calling for lacrosse, (lets not forget the ties to Jim Thorpe) there is a first mover status that can be built over years that might be hard to replicate.
Not easy, challenging but worthwhile, just like building any business. Orange shirt day rings a bell, let’s see who can answer the door.
