By Philip O’Connor
VANCOUVER, June 28 (Reuters) – One small stand stood out among the burgers, beers and global brands at Vancouver’s World Cup FIFA fan festival on Sunday as Laurine Daniels and her family, members of Squamish Nation, sold artisan jewellery instead of football shirts to fans who gathered to watch Canada play South Africa.
Thousands of red-clad locals saw their side win 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Stephen Eustaquio that sparked celebrations among those gathered in Hastings Park, the first men’s World Cup knockout victory in their history.
“It’s amazing. This is one reason why we said yes when we were asked to come and represent Squamish Nation – we were excited because this is part of history,” Daniels told Reuters.
“We’re making history by having the World Cup, and we’re part of the hosts, so it’s amazing.”
While families and fans queued for food and refreshments from some of the world’s biggest food companies, Daniels and her daughters Amanda and Heather sat in the shade of their stand, their handmade earrings, necklaces and trinkets in front of them drawing plenty of interest from passers-by.
“We’re beaders, we’re artists, and this is part of our culture,” Daniels added. “That’s why we’re here, there’s a lot of people, there’s a great vibe here. Everybody’s energetic and happy, and we’ve had some people show up and show interest in the bead work. We’ve sold a few pieces.”
Trade dipped during the game as fans flocked to the big screens at the venue, but once the final whistle sounded, the three women were inundated with curious potential customers.
The designs and techniques used by the family have been in practice for generations among the Squamish people, one of three indigenous groups native to the Vancouver area, and being part of the FIFA fan festival offered Daniels and her daughters a welcome opportunity to share their culture with soccer fans.
“We have a family business, and this is unceded territory, this is our world,” Daniels said of the indigenous land.
Some small businesses in Vancouver suffered due to the World Cup as they fell foul of everything from road closures to stringently enforced copyright rules, but for Daniels and her family, the experience has been purely positive.
“This (the World Cup) puts us on the map – like, people on the other side of the world have never heard of Squamish Nation, so now that we’re here being co-hosts, we’re on the map, people know who we are. It’s amazing.”
The tournament is being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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