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 goaltender91裸聊视频檚 mask this week.

WLFN Chief Willie Sellars, a longtime goaltender himself with the Central Interior Hockey League91裸聊视频檚 Williams Lake Stampeders, said as a First Nations leader and as a hockey fan he is supportive of the Canucks91裸聊视频� trademarked, Coast Salish-nation inspired orca logo and of the team.

91裸聊视频淎s a First Nations leader I couldn91裸聊视频檛 be more proud how much the Vancouver Canucks are celebrating First Nations culture in the NHL,91裸聊视频� Sellars said. 91裸聊视频淭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.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 my team. That91裸聊视频檚 who I cheer for, and I91裸聊视频檝e always taken great pride in that logo. I91裸聊视频檓 100 per cent OK if it stays the way it is, but if they91裸聊视频檙e going to change it there should be local First Nations involved.91裸聊视频�

Sellars said he91裸聊视频檚 seen improvement across the country on how reconciliation is being approached, and said he thinks the City of Vancouver has done an exceptional job.

91裸聊视频淥bviously, it91裸聊视频檚 not perfect but, we91裸聊视频檙e trending in the right direction and that91裸聊视频檚 what we like to see as First Nations leaders,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频�(Reconciliation is) happening and that91裸聊视频檚 what we have to acknowledge.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淭he huge Thunderbird is flying over the mountains to the ocean to catch orcas with his huge claws 91裸聊视频� A totally perfect story to create on a Canucks mask,91裸聊视频� Gunnarson said in his original Instagram unveiling of the Indigenous-inspired artwork, which has since been deleted.

Here91裸聊视频檚 a look Braden Holtby91裸聊视频檚 new mask courtesy of artist David Gunnarson on IG:

91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淚 love the mask, by the way, but you need to follow and honour the people whose traditional territory you are in,91裸聊视频� he said.

Holtby has since issued a public apology noting he didn91裸聊视频檛 mean to offend anyone.

91裸聊视频淚t was definitely not my intent and I definitely learned a valuable lesson through this all and will make sure I91裸聊视频檓 better moving forward and do the thing that help this community the most,91裸聊视频� Holtby said in an interview with CTV Vancouver.

91裸聊视频淭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 it91裸聊视频檚 so vast.91裸聊视频�

greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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