CRI听力:First Ever World Indigenous Games Gets off to Rocky Start in Brazil

Billed as the indigenous peoples' answer to the Olympics, the World Indigenous Games has drawn around 2,000 native people from dozens of Brazilian tribes and nearly 20 countries to Brazil.

The games, in the northern Brazilian city of Palmas, kicked-off on Friday with a colorful parade with teams dressed in straw skirts, feathers and Artic furs.

Eduardo Arellanes, a participant from Mexico says the games help to bring indigenous culture onto the world stage.

"The games like ours did not have a place to be shown to the world and we could not share experiences with other countries. So the Indigenous Games are a great opportunity for indigenous people who were always separated from traditional sports."
The games include events like archery, spear tossing, canoeing and sprinting in teams through a forest while hoisting a 200-pound log.

There will also be non-competitive events showcasing the different traditions of indigenous ethnic groups.

This includes a football-style game called xikunahity, in which the ball is controlled only with the head.

But the games got off to a rocky start.

Spectators carrying anti-government banners protested loudly during the opening ceremony.

Many in the audience booed and hissed as Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff walked in
Wenatanan, who is from Brazil says Rouseff has long had a frosty relationship with Brazil's native communities.

"In general, Rousseff is not doing very much for our Brazil. There are lots of children dying, human beings dying. But our Brazil is very rich, so we need someone who shows some responsibility for our Brazil. "

Protesters say Rousseff's government is too friendly with big agricultural businesses that are taking over land that belongs to native tribes.

Brazil is home to nearly 900,000 indigenous people, who speak more than 270 languages.

The United Nations says native tribes make up about 5 percent of the world's population, with some 370 million people.

But many indigenous languages and customs face the risk of disappearing.

The multinational sporting event, with teams from the Philippines, Pakistan, Australia, Russia an Ethiopia among others aims to raise understanding and respect for the cultural and spiritual traditions of native tribes world-wide.

Organizers plan to make it a regular fix in the international sporting calendar, with the planet's oldest and most endangered civilizations coming together every four years.

The nine-day event will wrap up on the first of November.

For CRI I'm Poornima Weerasekara.