The Buckskin Gloves boxing tournament is coming to the Shuswap.
Peggy Maerz, owner of Salmon Arm’s Bulldogs Fitness & Boxing Centre, said she’s won the bid to host the event, which has a long history in B.C.
“It used to be a very prestigious Indigenous boxing event…,” said Maerz, adding a Buckskin Gloves tournament hasn’t been held for quite some time.
Maerz has her own vision for the event. She’d like it to be inclusive, not an Indigenous-only event but an Indigenous cultural educational event open to all boxers, in a setting that “gives life to education particular to First Nations in the area.”
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While she has yet to reach out to any of the local bands (Neskonlith, Adams Lake, Little Shuswap Lake and Splatsin), Maerz is hoping they will embrace the idea of making Indigenous culture front and centre throughout the event.
“I’m hoping that… each nation brings a piece of their culture to the event with some education behind it – we do this because of this, we believe this, this is why we do this, this is why this ceremony is important to us – that kind of education because I feel that is really where I want to go with the event.”
Maerz said she’ll be speaking with the president of Boxing BC to set a date for the event, though she would like for it to be in June, maybe September.
“I just want lots of time to talk to the different nations and come up with the best possible event so other communities will feel encouraged to do the same,” said Maerz.
lachlan@saobserver.net
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