If there's one sporting language on the planet that communicate across all continents, it's soccer.
And in late 1970s and early '80s, if a Stats-Can type wished to gauge predominant ethnicities inhabiting B.C., all he or she should have done was take in some of the action at the Nations Cup.
Their snapshot of living images being projected brightly onto the soccer fields and bleachers, however, might have surprised in its nature of being almost exclusively of European colour.
The flags of Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Italy, Germany, Poland and Greece represented the heavily-beaten paths from where in the world newcomers flocked to the region; families kicking off new lives on Canada's west coast.
As the decades rolled on, however, the colours on those flags have become more rich and varied in origin, a signpost perhaps of new waves that have lapped in from around the globe. The name India, for example, first appeared on the Nations Cup roll of honour in 1986 when Binder Braich received the men's open MVP award - the first time a non-European team or player was recognized.
India was to go on and break 15 years of Euro domination in the tournament when they lifted the cup in 1994.
But during the Nations Cup's relatively short life, there have been many more nations emerging from the community, including China, Fiji and the Caribbean in the late '80s and, more recently, Iran and this year, Saudi Arabia.
"Although I was very young, I do remember (the men's open) being just eight teams; very European," recalled Nations Cup president Jeff Wilson, a Scot by heritage.
"But now we have an amazing collection from all over the world, including China, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
"I think what you see on the field here at the Nations Cup is very much representative of the community out there and a reflection of how it's changing all the time."
George Roberts - a longtime Nations Cup committee member until this year, who's never missed a tournament - can recall when just about every player on the field had an accent to match the jersey they so proudly sported.
"Most of he players and the supporters spoke with their native accents," said Roberts.
"And if the players didn't, you could be pretty sure their mothers and fathers did."
Nowadays, it's only the newer participants to the Nations Cup that can truly speak, without putting on an accent, in their mother tongue. "I guess, as the European immigration influx slowed down, more of the original teams are having to go further down the generations to field a team," said Roberts, of the Nations Cup honour system in terms of country of origin and how difficult it's become to pull together a team of true Scots, English or Irish.
All in all, soccer seems to bring out the best in how people express their national pride and it can only be good for the continuing success and longevity of the Nations Cup.
"I think it's great for the tournament, it adds more diversity every year and adds to the international flavour," said Wilson.
