The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics is an annual multi-sport event held over a four-day period beginning the 3rd Wednesday each July, designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional skills essential to life in circumpolar areas of the world. The WEIO features games or sports rooted in ancestral hunting and survival techniques employed by the Inuit, Iñupiat, Yupik, and other Native Americans, as well as dance storytelling competitions, and an annual cultural pageant, called Miss WEIO, that focuses on cultural knowledge.
History
In 1961, the WEIO, held its inaugural event held on the banks of the Chena River, Fairbanks, Alaska, as part of the Golden Days celebration festivities. The event was sponsored by the City of Fairbanks, through the city's Chamber of Commerce. In 2018 WEIO introduced a new logo designed by Yu'pik artist Aassanaaq Ossie Kairaiuak. The new design was chosen because it better exemplifies the cultural roots of the organization. It is now included on WEIO's website, weio.org and Facebook page. Two years later, officials scrapped WEIO as the COVID-19 pandemic blamed their cancellation.
Sponsorship
In 1970, sponsorship of the event was transferred to Tundra Times, and several revisions were made. This includes the name change — which inserted "Indian" to better reflect the ethnicity of the participants — and the introduction of events for women. The first decade of the events featured male-only participants; eventually, the number of events with women competing increased. Women now participate in some of the more arduous events, including ear pulls and high kicks. Six years later, the WEIO reorganized as a 501 non-profit organization, which took over sponsorship from the newspaper, and has been responsible for plans, preparations, and stagings related to the event.
Relocation
After four and a half decades of hosting the WEIO in Fairbanks, the games were relocated to Anchorage, Alaska in 2007 following a successful bid to host the event. WEIO board members were concerned that Fairbanks officials were becoming complacent, and elected to examine other venues. The general assembly voted to have the games held at the new location earlier that spring. The event in Anchorage proved to be too costly and the games have not returned since. Fairbanks is recognized as WEIO's permanent home.
Venue
Events
Events played at the WEIO are either traditional or everyday tasks unique to Eskimo or northern native culture:
