SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane is hosting the 7th Annual Battle of the Nations Basketball Tournament this weekend, drawing Native American athletes from across the country to compete and connect with their cultural heritage.
More than 200 teams representing tribal nations will compete in men’s, women’s and youth brackets. Participants have traveled from as far as Florida and Alaska for the tournament, which runs through Sunday.
Event organizer Jerry Ford-Redbones said the gathering serves as a modern way for Native Americans to connect with their culture and community.
“This is kind of a modern day tradition for the natives,” Ford-Redbones said. “Not all of the natives are dancers or drummers. A lot of them are athletes and basketball players. Just like pow wows, you are getting together and visiting and telling stories. Its just the same but with basketball.”
Ford-Redbones emphasized the cultural significance of tribal representation in the competition.
“There’s a lot of pride playing with your family, your cousins and your own tribe,” he said. “So when we do opening ceremony this evening everyone is carrying in their own flag. Its like they are going back to war with another tribe.”
This year’s tournament holds special significance as the opening ceremony takes place on the banks of the Spokane River for the first time. Ford-Redbones, a member of the Spokane Tribe, said the location represents ancestral grounds where tribal nations have gathered for thousands of years.
The tournament begins Saturday morning and continues through Sunday at various venues throughout Spokane.
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