Similarities and differences in male and female First Nations hockey players’ experiences of moving away from their home communities to play elite hockey in the Canadian mainstream context

Abstract

There is a dearth of research that has explored the differences and similarities in First Nations male and female hockey players’ experiences while playing elite hockey in the Canadian mainstream. I used tribal critical race theory, Indigenous feminisms, Indigenous methodologies, and interviews with 10 male and 10 female First Nations elite hockey players to understand the differences and similarities in their experiences of moving away from home to pursue hockey in the mainstream. I produced two main themes: the challenges that the athletes experienced, which included new languages, culture shock, and racism; and the benefits, which were athletic and personal growth and support from their home community. There were important differences between male and female participants, which included the males facing more violent and overt racism than the female players, and the female players needing to travel farther away from home due to a lack of opportunities to play hockey.