By Gwen Florio, The Buffalo Post |  November 1, 2009

Joe George of the coastal Tsleil-Waututh First Nations tells GlobalBC that he was honored to be asked to participate in the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

But he was told to put that aside and instead done a sort of costume, a long robe “like you see the king and the queen has in Europe – those big long robes that drag on the floor.”

It wasn’t remotely authentic, he says. But when George objected, organizers suggested that perhaps he’d be better off not participating at all.

George says the whole thing felt political, and that he’s hurt by his exclusion because “I can’t showcase who we really are as First Nations people.”

Organizers for the ceremonies responded that “our first Nations partners are handled in the most accurate and positive light possible.”

GlobalBC News Clip:

http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=kxVVTaVErTvT_0_yUr_Y8vOdew9PUwX1

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