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 goaltender香蕉视频直播檚 mask this week.

WLFN Chief Willie Sellars, a longtime goaltender himself with the Central Interior Hockey League香蕉视频直播檚 Williams Lake Stampeders, said as a First Nations leader and as a hockey fan he is supportive of the Canucks香蕉视频直播� trademarked, Coast Salish-nation inspired orca logo and of the team.

香蕉视频直播淎s a First Nations leader I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 be more proud how much the Vancouver Canucks are celebrating First Nations culture in the NHL,香蕉视频直播� Sellars said. 香蕉视频直播淭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.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 my team. That香蕉视频直播檚 who I cheer for, and I香蕉视频直播檝e always taken great pride in that logo. I香蕉视频直播檓 100 per cent OK if it stays the way it is, but if they香蕉视频直播檙e going to change it there should be local First Nations involved.香蕉视频直播�

Sellars said he香蕉视频直播檚 seen improvement across the country on how reconciliation is being approached, and said he thinks the City of Vancouver has done an exceptional job.

香蕉视频直播淥bviously, it香蕉视频直播檚 not perfect but, we香蕉视频直播檙e trending in the right direction and that香蕉视频直播檚 what we like to see as First Nations leaders,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播�(Reconciliation is) happening and that香蕉视频直播檚 what we have to acknowledge.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淭he huge Thunderbird is flying over the mountains to the ocean to catch orcas with his huge claws 香蕉视频直播� A totally perfect story to create on a Canucks mask,香蕉视频直播� Gunnarson said in his original Instagram unveiling of the Indigenous-inspired artwork, which has since been deleted.

Here香蕉视频直播檚 a look Braden Holtby香蕉视频直播檚 new mask courtesy of artist David Gunnarson on IG:

香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淚 love the mask, by the way, but you need to follow and honour the people whose traditional territory you are in,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Holtby has since issued a public apology noting he didn香蕉视频直播檛 mean to offend anyone.

香蕉视频直播淚t was definitely not my intent and I definitely learned a valuable lesson through this all and will make sure I香蕉视频直播檓 better moving forward and do the thing that help this community the most,香蕉视频直播� Holtby said in an interview with CTV Vancouver.

香蕉视频直播淭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 it香蕉视频直播檚 so vast.香蕉视频直播�

greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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