There are different accounts regarding the origin of the sport of hockey. Most say it is a Canadian invention. Some say Scottish. There are even accounts that indigenous communities were playing a game that looks somewhat like our notion of hockey long before the settlers arrived. How do we reconcile that what is largely considered a settlers game is what created a sense of family and community for Saul?
I think that we can reconcile these two realities in how the game is approached and played. In this way, it appears to me that the nature of hockey itself was different amongst the Indigenous teams than the white ones. On pages 110 and 111, Saul describes the games he played with the Moose, noting how dedicated the fans were and the friendliness of the players with one another. Accordingly, I would suggest that winning was not the only objective of the players, which helped them to build a sense of community. Moreover, in these games, it seems that everyone was accepted. It is in this league that Saul accepts the teasing of the crowd and other players, he does not mention that these comments hurt him the way that those from the white audiences did, which reflects the intent behind the words.
My favourite part of the novel is the last page when there are around 18 people on the ice ready to play a game of hockey. Saul is surprised at first but quickly warms to the idea. In my opinion, this scene helps establish the sense of community that this group of people has found in hockey. They are not focused on the rules or winning, but on having a good time together.
Hey Nicole, I totally agree with you. Although Saul has a 'talent' for the sport I believe he had trust in his teammates and the audience. He starts loosing the trust when he starts playing with white people. As long as he trusted his teammates and the fans he was okay and he played the game for fun. When the audience and his teammates doubted him and were oppressing him for who he was, he lost that trust, he lost the sense of comfort and the play became a war where he had to prove others and in a way himself that he was enough for the game. You can't loose when you're having fun, this is why I believe Saul lost the 'game' and why he lost himself with it. He forgot the most important part of it, fun. Hockey to him was not only a sense of community, it was a family, somewhere he could turn to escape the bad of the world.
Hi Nicole
I also loved that last page where they all came together to play. I found that section really showed how Hockey was much more than just a game to them. It didn't matter about winning, or even rules of the game at that point all that mattered was that the people had come together to have fun and enjoy each other's company. It gave a sense of family and community on the ice. The game was not just an escape for Saul but for all the people that joined him on the ice.
I also loved that last page where they all came together to play. I found that section really showed how Hockey was much more than just a game to them. It didn't matter about winning, or even rules of the game at that point all that mattered was that the people had come together to have fun and enjoy each other's company. It gave a sense of family and community on the ice. The game was not just an escape for Saul but for all the people that joined him on the ice.
Hi Emily, this is exactly what I was thinking. I think the fact that Saul does not care so much about the rules shows his maturity and gratitude for the game rather than his competitiveness. I agree that is gives a sense of community, like most sports do. It also strengthens Nicole's idea that the only goal was not just to win. I think most competitive athletes and younger Saul focus more on winning but as Saul gets older he wants to give back to the game and enjoys it more for the community.
Hi Emily and Tristan,
Although Saul is a talented hockey player, he faced discrimination throughout the novel where he was ultimately made to believe that hockey was never meant to be a sport for Indigenous people. The scene at the end of the novel where everyone was able to come together and play hockey for fun is heartwarming. When Saul asks "how are we gonna play the game" and Virgil replies "Together. Like we shoulda all along", I think it does a great job at demonstrating the sense of community that the group had playing the game. I think that Sauls experience with hockey really came full circle where finally, he was able to understand that the purpose of hockey should be to have fun and join together with others-- not just to win.
Although Saul is a talented hockey player, he faced discrimination throughout the novel where he was ultimately made to believe that hockey was never meant to be a sport for Indigenous people. The scene at the end of the novel where everyone was able to come together and play hockey for fun is heartwarming. When Saul asks "how are we gonna play the game" and Virgil replies "Together. Like we shoulda all along", I think it does a great job at demonstrating the sense of community that the group had playing the game. I think that Sauls experience with hockey really came full circle where finally, he was able to understand that the purpose of hockey should be to have fun and join together with others-- not just to win.
Hi Nicole,
I agree with you. I do believe it is how the game is approached. We see it in the difference between how the Moose play and the Marlboros play. Despite both aiming to win , it was never at the expense of another team member with the Moose. This team aimed for the upliftment of each team member. I saw a genuine interest that team members had for the team to succeed as a whole and not just the individual team player. When one of the other rookies said to Saul to not make him look bad I thought about how egocentric the player is and thinks. To players like him, the importance is on their performance and statistics and not how the team does as a whole. When Saul played for the Moose he played not only for himself but the love of the game and the team. Saul actively pushed himself so that his entire team could benefit and I think this is where that community stemmed from. Saul was focused on a collective goal. I do not think it was the game that rejected Saul, rather it was what persons used the game to reinforce, their individual elitism.
I agree with you. I do believe it is how the game is approached. We see it in the difference between how the Moose play and the Marlboros play. Despite both aiming to win , it was never at the expense of another team member with the Moose. This team aimed for the upliftment of each team member. I saw a genuine interest that team members had for the team to succeed as a whole and not just the individual team player. When one of the other rookies said to Saul to not make him look bad I thought about how egocentric the player is and thinks. To players like him, the importance is on their performance and statistics and not how the team does as a whole. When Saul played for the Moose he played not only for himself but the love of the game and the team. Saul actively pushed himself so that his entire team could benefit and I think this is where that community stemmed from. Saul was focused on a collective goal. I do not think it was the game that rejected Saul, rather it was what persons used the game to reinforce, their individual elitism.
Hi Kryssonia,
I think you are very right in noting that Saul pushed himself for his team. We saw throughout the novel that he did not want to play the white teams but went anyway for his team. The bond of this group was so strong and important to Saul that he was willing to push himself both physically and emotionally to support his team. I think that is very interesting and helps exemplify the strength of the bond that these individuals shared.
I think you are very right in noting that Saul pushed himself for his team. We saw throughout the novel that he did not want to play the white teams but went anyway for his team. The bond of this group was so strong and important to Saul that he was willing to push himself both physically and emotionally to support his team. I think that is very interesting and helps exemplify the strength of the bond that these individuals shared.
When I read this prompt, I immediately thought about how hockey also functions as a way to keep his spirit alive and the beliefs of his people. In the novel we see, he is not only talented as any player but that he has a gift, he feels and sees the game like no other. He explains this on page 58, "Shabogeesick's gift had been passed on me. There's no other explanation for how I was able to see this foreign game so completely right away." Hockey became a life-line for Saul in the very lifeless reality of residential schools. It also became the reason he was able to find family. I think this speaks on the reclamation of the settler culture.