Category: Hockey

I just watched this really cool documentary – “The Game of Hockey: A Mi’kmaw Story”, and I found it to be really fascinating and informative. It’s about the Mi’kmaw people from Eastern Canada and how they played a huge role in the history of hockey.. The film talks about how they used to play this game called oochamkunutk on frozen rivers and lakes, and it’s actually a lot like modern hockey. It’s really eye-opening because we usually hear that hockey came from Europe, but this shows how the Mi’kmaw people influenced it way before that. Fascinating, right?

One of the things I didn’t know about is how the Mi’kmaw used to hand-carve hockey sticks from trees like birch and hornbeam. These sticks were some of the best you could get back in the day, and a lot of early hockey players used them. When you watch this documentary, notice how closely the old hand crafted stick of the Mi’kmaw, made by had for ages, are to the current NHL stickers in shape and size. It’s amazing to think about how much of an impact the Mi’kmaw had on the game, both as players and craftsmen. The film does a great job of highlighting that.

There are some really touching interviews with Mi’kmaw elders who talk about what hockey means to their community. You can tell that it’s not just a sport to them—it’s tied to their identity and their history. The way they talk about playing the game and making the sticks is so full of pride. And it’s not just about the past either; they show younger Mi’kmaw players who are still playing hockey today, keeping the tradition alive.

I think what makes this documentary so powerful is that it forces you to rethink what you know about the history of hockey. We’ve always been told this one story about the sport’s origins, but this film shows that there’s so much more to it. It’s not just a European thing—Indigenous people, like the Mi’kmaw, played a major role in shaping the game. And the documentary does a great job of balancing that historical info with personal stories, so it never feels like a history lesson. It’s just a really well-made, engaging film that makes you appreciate hockey in a whole new way.

Honestly, if you’re into hockey or just curious about Indigenous/Native American history, this is a must-watch. You’ll come away with a much deeper appreciation for both the sport and the cultural traditions behind it. Plus, it’s just really cool to see how this story is still ongoing, with the younger generation carrying on the Mi’kmaw legacy in hockey today. You should definitely check it out!

Leave a comment and tell us what you think about this documentary. Do you think now that the Mi’kmaw were the original inventors of ice hockey? Tell us why or why not?

Bill Black is the creator and “General Manager of NDN All-Stars, celebrating great Native American athletes past and present.  He is a first generation descendant of the Okanogan Band of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and resides in Omak, WA.

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