2010 Winter Olympics ~ Opening Ceremony

It's finally here. I can hardly belive it. It seems like we have been preparing for this for so long and I must admit I haven't really felt excited until this week. I've always felt that the Olympics would be a good thing for Vancouver (although it's costing taxpapers a tremendous amount). Today at the school where I was teaching, we made up an Olympic board and all the students were excitedly talking about which events they would be attending and watching. This is such a historic event for those of us that live in the Greater Vancouver Area / Lower Mainland / Fraser Valley.

In a historic moment, the First Nations of BC have opened the games in a ceremonial welcome. As an estimated global audience of more than a billion watched, members of the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh ― the Four Host First Nations ― welcomed the world to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games through speakers Levi Nelson, Lil’wat, Quelemia Sparrow, Musqueam, Shamantsut, Squamish, and Dennis Thomas, Tsleil-Waututh.

Unfortunately there was a tragic event earlier today. An athlete from the country of Georgia lost one of their luge team members while on a practice run in Whistler. News link here. The Georgia team bravely participated in the opening ceremony only hours after the fatal accident. The Georgian olympic team (with black scarves and a black armband) received a standing ovation from the crowd of over 60,000 in BC Place and later there was a moment of silence while the Canadian and Olympic flags flew at half mast. It was very moving.

Here comes Canada (at 7:13 pm) led by Olympic medalist (in both the summer and winter olympics) Clara Hughes. I can't help it, I'm getting all choked up to see the whole crowd cheering here, in Afganistan, Whistler and around Vancouver. What a moment!

Now that all the countries have been welcomed and introduced, Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado are singing "Bang Your Drum" the athletes song while First Nations people from across Canada dance.

Next is an magical awe inspiring winter scene that transforms into spring, summer and fall throughout our beautiful nation amidst dazzling colors, phenominal dances, with narrated poems by Donald Sutherland and musical performances by many Canadian performers from across the country.

After a stirring speach by John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), her Excellency the Right Honourable Michäelle Jean, Governor General of Canada officially declared the XXI Olympic Winter Games open.

The big mystery of who would complete the final leg of the torch relay was revealed...

Rick Hansen, Canada’s Man in Motion, passed off the flame to Catriona LeMay Doan (multiple Olympic gold medallist in speed skating) who, along with Steve Nash (Olympian and National Basketball Association MVP), Nancy Greene Raine(Olympic gold medallist in alpine skiing) and Wayne Gretzky (one of the most honoured hockey players of all time) lit a contemporary cauldron that emerged from the field of play.

To ensure the Olympic Flame burns for the full 17 days of the Games, an external cauldron was ignited by Gretzky who carried the flame from BC Place to the Vancouver waterfront. Framed by the mountains and the waters of Burrard Inlet, the cauldron will serve as a lasting legacy of the 2010 Winter Games and late VANOC chairman Jack Poole.

FINAL COMMENTS
There are those that said we could never compete with the opening ceremony in Bejing. Who says we need to. As the Slam Poet Shane Koyczan of the Northwest Territories stated, "We are the truth north strong and free and what's more is that we didn't just say it, we made it be."  We have our own unique identity, culture, heart and vision that was shown in wonderous abundance to over 1 billion people around the world. I am proud to be Canadian and our opening ceremony "Kicked Canadian Ass"!

For a complete recap of the opening ceremony visit the Vancouver 2010 Olympic site here.