Under an oppressive August sun, the 2025 edition of the Tlu-piich Games got underway on Monday with track and field events at Bob Dailey Stadium.
Scheduled for various Port Alberni venues from Aug. 11-14, events began at the track, with baseball, pool games, basketball, volleyball and canoe races set for the following days. The games started on a day when temperatures reached 35 Celsius in Port Alberni, leading organizers to cut short the relay competitions and call off events at 2 p.m. due to the heat. But track and field was back at Bob Dailey Tuesday morning, with finals scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The opening ceremonies were still held on Monday at 5:30 p.m., with a march of groups participants from Tseshaht, Ditidaht, Huu-ay-aht and Nuchatlaht First Nations, plus family members represented together as the Healing Hearts team. Unlike past opening ceremonies, there was no singing at the gathering due to recent losses in the Tseshaht community. Speakers at the event expressed their condolences.
This marks the 40th year that the summer games have been held in Port Alberni for Nuu-chah-nulth-aht.
“It’s kind of an institution, the Nuu-chah-nulth games,” said Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, during the opening ceremonies.
