Photo courtesy: Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders have unveiled a specially designed Indigenous logo that will be worn by the team when they face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday, September 30 — the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Designed to emulate Contemporary Plains Style Traditional Art, the logo was conceived by Jacob Alexis & Richard Running Rabbit. It features the Stampeders’ iconic white horse adorned with paint styles that would be used for horses on special occasions, including going into battle.
“The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an important part of the acknowledgment of the tragedies of the past and the ongoing process of atonement and healing,” Stampeders’ president John Hufnagel said in a statement. “The Calgary Stampeders are proud to partner with the people of Treaty 7 and the Canadian Football League to participate in this observance.”
The lightning bolts on the horse represent speed and agility, while the stripes on the muzzle are for acts of valour. Paint circled around the eye encourages keen vision, feathers in the mane are also for valour or to represent coups, and the spotted hind quarter is a representation of creation stories and teachings. The handprint on the chest represents a fierce, fearless horse who would knock down enemies and bring the rider home unharmed.
The helmet will also feature custom numbers and braid-style striping to honour the people and traditional use of the braid in the Indigenous communities. The symbols depicting mountains and tipi/lodges are used to represent the people of Treaty 7, the people by the mountains.
In addition to the new logo, Stampeders players will be wearing special-edition orange jerseys for warm-up prior to the September 30 game. Fans will have the opportunity to win one of the pre-game jerseys by purchasing Stampeders Foundation RE/MAX 50/50 raffle tickets beginning on September 24.
Proceeds from the raffle will go towards local youth programming in each of the Treaty 7 First Nation Communities. Through the CSEC Inclusion Program, support is provided to programs and charities such as Spirit North, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame Indigenous Sport Heroes Education Experience and the CSEC Indigenous Internship Program, among others.
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