Inequality at the Vancouver Olympics - Essay Example

?Inequality and Nationalism at the Vancouver Olympics Nationalism is a concept that can be difficult to comprehend. In its simplest form, nationalismrelates to the general idea of belonging to or identifying with a group. Typically nationalism is equated with a nation which is generally thought of as a country or state such as Canada or the United States. However, there is a great amount of criticism for the idea of nationalism as not everyone agrees on what constitutes a nation. This particular debate came to the forefront during the 2010 Olympics which were held in Vancouver. In particular, the controversy centered around the discontent felt by the Indian tribes of Canada and the perceived inequalities experienced because of the Olympic games. Nationalism plays a large part in any summer or winter Olympics. Not only is there are great sense of togetherness around the world, there is also a certain sense of pride and loyalty held by each country and its people specifically. People tend to identify strongly with their country of origin during these competitive events. This is especially true for the country that hosts the Olympic events. For the 2010 games, Vancouver was the host and the pride exhibited by the people was overwhelming. This appeared to be especially true when Canada won the ice hockey event. This feeling of nationalism is particularly evident during the medal ceremony as the gold, silver, and bronze winners of an event stand before their countries flags. It is only the gold medal winner; however, that has their country’s national anthem played. Nationalism tends to be viewed on this larger scale, and that is why it is often hotly debated. For some nationalism can refer to smaller groups such as cultures, races, or religion. Nationalism became a particularly important issue at the start of the Olympic games. According to an article entitled “Native Rights Concerns Cloud 2010 Games,” trouble began to brew when the native people of Canada were angered by their country’s refusal to sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People(Elmer, 2008). This was perceived to be an attack on the indigenous people of Canada at the most or an acceptance of inequality at the very least by the government. The fact that the document was not signed might be taken as the government’s public acceptance of racial discrimination and inequality within its country as the Aboriginal people tend to be considered a racial minority. In order to show their disapproval, representative of the tribes and activists gathered together in a public forum where they spoke about the extreme poverty experienced by the Aboriginal people in Canada(Elmer, 2008) The fact that the Vancouver Olympic games were costing over a billion dollars was extremely upsetting as so many of the native people lived in relative poverty every single day (Elmer, 2008). The fact that the Canadian government placed so much money into such a brief affair as the Olympics instead of their own people who are suffering economically makes it appear as if inequality in terms of class is also relevant in this particular situation. The history of the native people in Canada is similar to many other countries in terms of the poor treatment that they endured. According to Mackey, the Aboriginal tribes in Canada had an uneven relationship with early settlers. In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, the fur trade began to pick up steam in the country and Europeans really relied on the native peoples knowledge and expertise on the subject. This ended up causing the colonials to adopt a “generosity and tolerance” toward the native Canadians(Mackey, 25). This was a somewhat different approach in comparison to the colonial settlements in the United States. By the mid to late nineteenth century however, relationships had become much more strained. According to Mackey, intermarriage between natives and Europeans declined and negative stereotyping of Aboriginal people as being uncivilized and weak began to grow(Mackey, 28). As expansion continued, tolerance lessened and inequality continued to grow between the two groups of people. Anyone who was watching the press coverage of the event or the opening ceremony might not have been able to detect that these issues were going on in the background. The media did not spend much of their considerable Olympic coverage on the topic. Additionally, the opening ceremony made a point of including Aboriginal people and made statements that indicated to a viewer that relations had improved greatly between the government and the native peoples. It is somewhat surprising therefore to read about the dark undertones and the battle over nationalism taking place behind relatively closed doors. Native tribes also felt that there was an inequality in the ability of Aborigines to participate in the Olympics. According to an article entitled “Aboriginal Canadians Divided Over Vancouver Olympics,” a special fund had to be set up for native peoples to be able to participate in an Olympic event(Yanchyk, 2010). The small group of Aborigines that were included in the festivities was unfairly weighted when it came to gender as well with more males than females being allowed to participate. Additionally, there is a feeling of hypocrisy as the Vancouver Olympic committee created an Aboriginal Pavilion which is “a multi-media centre displaying aboriginal art, business, culture and sport to visitors throughout the Games”(Yanchyk, 2010). The cost of this center is estimated to be C$3.5 million(Yanchyk, 2010). Although it might be seen as a step toward acknowledging the historical contributions of the native Canadians, the exorbitant price-tag could have been allocated toward helping this group of people with unemployment and poverty issues. Overall, the Olympic games can be a positive thing for a country as many people are brought together in order to celebrate athletic accomplishments. However, it is important to acknowledge that not every group in a country is going to feel that same sense of pride and happiness if they have been generally mistreated throughout history. Canada has taken some steps toward improving relations as they hired several native construction companies for some of the building contracts during the games(Yanchyk, 2010). However, as long as refuse to acknowledge their wrongdoings, it is likely that the claims of inequality will continue. Perhaps, signing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be a good start toward mending the relationship. References Elmer, John. "Native Rights Concerns Cloud 2010 Games." IPS News . 01 Dec 2008. Web. 25 May 2011. . Mackey, Eva. The house of difference: cultural politics and national identity in Canada. Toronto, Canada: Routledge, 1999. 23-49. Print. Yanchyck, Brandy. "Aboriginal Canadians divided over Vancouver Olympics." BBC News. 01 Jan 2010. Web. 25 May 2011. . Read More