Cultural Involvement

Aboriginal culture is an important part of Canada's past, present and future, and is an important part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

We are working with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and all of our partners to celebrate Aboriginal culture in all aspects of the Games, including the Venues' Aboriginal Art Program, the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays, the Cultural Olympiad, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and more.

Vancouver 2010 Venues' Aboriginal Arts Program

One of the cultural legacies of the Games is the magnificent Aboriginal art commissioned for the Vancouver 2010 venues. More than 90 First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists representing every province and territory in Canada participated in the program, which included the creation of over 140 works of art. Of these, approximately 40 will remain in the venues as a permanent legacy of the Games while the others will be auctioned with a portion of the proceeds going to the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Youth Legacy Fund.

Torch Relays

The Four Host First Nations partnered with VANOC to create the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Aboriginal Participation Program. More than 115 Aboriginal communities across the country will welcome the torch during its 45,000-km journey across Canada. Many Aboriginal people will participate as torchbearers, elder fire keepers, cultural performers and community celebration hosts, while many more will cheer on the torch relay as it travels through their communities.

Visit the Four Host First Nations photo gallery for images of Aboriginal participation in the torch relay across Canada.

For more information, please visit vancouver2010.com

Cultural Olympiad

The Cultural Olympiad is a celebration of the contemporary imagination featuring theatre, music, dance, spoken word, visual arts, digital arts and more. There are many events in the 2010 Cultural Olympiad featuring the work of Aboriginal artists of all forms. Below are some of the events taking place between January 22 and March 21, 2010. For a full list of events, please visit the Cultural Olympiad event listing.

Theatre

Beyond Eden

The Edward Curtis Project

Where the Blood Mixes

Raven Stole the Sun

The Road Forward

Dance

We yah hani nah Coastal First Nations Dance Festival 2010

Tono: A Red Sky Production

Circus

Artcirq

Inter-disc