The chief of the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) is throwing his support behind the Vancouver Canucks after the NHL team faced accusations of cultural appropriation surrounding its logo and a goaltenderB次元官网网址檚 mask this week.

WLFN Chief Willie Sellars, a longtime goaltender himself with the Central Interior Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Williams Lake Stampeders, said as a First Nations leader and as a hockey fan he is supportive of the CanucksB次元官网网址� trademarked, Coast Salish-nation inspired orca logo and of the team.

B次元官网网址淎s a First Nations leader I couldnB次元官网网址檛 be more proud how much the Vancouver Canucks are celebrating First Nations culture in the NHL,B次元官网网址� Sellars said. B次元官网网址淭hey have a pretty cool logo in my opinion and, as far as I know, it was developed with the permission of the First Nation in that territory.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 my team. ThatB次元官网网址檚 who I cheer for, and IB次元官网网址檝e always taken great pride in that logo. IB次元官网网址檓 100 per cent OK if it stays the way it is, but if theyB次元官网网址檙e going to change it there should be local First Nations involved.B次元官网网址�

Sellars said heB次元官网网址檚 seen improvement across the country on how reconciliation is being approached, and said he thinks the City of Vancouver has done an exceptional job.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, itB次元官网网址檚 not perfect but, weB次元官网网址檙e trending in the right direction and thatB次元官网网址檚 what we like to see as First Nations leaders,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址�(Reconciliation is) happening and thatB次元官网网址檚 what we have to acknowledge.B次元官网网址�

Sean Carleton, a historian and Indigenous Studies scholar at the University of Manitoba, opened up the discussion on Twitter recently, noting sports teams in Cleveland, Washington and Edmonton have shed their names and logos after they were deemed inappropriate.

In light of sports teams in Cleveland, Washington, and Edmonton getting rid of racist and appropriated Indigenous team names/logos, it's time to have a discussion about the Vancouver 's Indigenous appropriated Orca logo. Here's a thread.

B次元官网网址� Sean Carleton (@SeanCarleton)

Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby sparked the backlash earlier this week after unveiling his new goalie mask, created by Swedish artist David Gunnarson, which builds on the Coast Salish legend of the Thunderbird.

B次元官网网址淭he huge Thunderbird is flying over the mountains to the ocean to catch orcas with his huge claws B次元官网网址� A totally perfect story to create on a Canucks mask,B次元官网网址� Gunnarson said in his original Instagram unveiling of the Indigenous-inspired artwork, which has since been deleted.

HereB次元官网网址檚 a look Braden HoltbyB次元官网网址檚 new mask courtesy of artist David Gunnarson on IG:

B次元官网网址� Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy)

Sellars said he loves the idea of Indigenous culture being celebrated in professional sports, however, said he would have liked to see West Coast Indigenous culture honoured more by working with a local, Indigenous artist from the area.

B次元官网网址淚 love the mask, by the way, but you need to follow and honour the people whose traditional territory you are in,B次元官网网址� he said.

Holtby has since issued a public apology noting he didnB次元官网网址檛 mean to offend anyone.

B次元官网网址淚t was definitely not my intent and I definitely learned a valuable lesson through this all and will make sure IB次元官网网址檓 better moving forward and do the thing that help this community the most,B次元官网网址� Holtby said in an interview with CTV Vancouver.

B次元官网网址淭he goal was and still is to include Indigenous artist and try and pick their brain to see how they would design a mask to best represent the history and culture around this area especially because itB次元官网网址檚 so vast.B次元官网网址�

greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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