Spirit Game: Pride of a Nation

Gr 5 Up—In 1983, the Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee, Confederacy successfully petitioned to compete as a sovereign nation in international lacrosse. This documentary tracks the Iroquois Nationals' plight to build a competitive team and mount a challenge on the world stage. It culminates in hosting, and ultimately making, the finals in the indoor—or box lacrosse—2015 championship in a fierce battle against powerhouse Canada. Viewers meet many of the fascinating people who made it happen, including Onondaga faithkeeper Oren Lyons, a former lacrosse standout and indigenous rights activist who was largely responsible for the initial sovereignty designation, and the four legendary Thompson brothers, all stars on the current team. As Lyons says, "Lacrosse is part of our spiritual process, part of our ceremony." Several segments trace the history and significance of the sport for the Iroquois, as well as pervasive systematic disenfranchisement, beginning with the Doctrine of Discovery embodied in a papal bull, issued by Alexander VI in 1493, which provided the legal basis for colonization. The film depicts an effort to meet the current pope and the eventual protest at the exclusion from a meeting during his 2015 U.S. visit. Though librarians may struggle to find a solid curricular connection, this is a vital and dynamic film that deserves wide viewing.