For the first time in franchise history, the Lethbridge Hurricanes will be hosting an Indigenous Culture night at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena Friday Sept. 27.
The night is in partnership with the City of Lethbridge as the city wraps up its Reconciliation week.
The Canes approached the City for assistance in facilitating the night as the franchise walks on its own path of Reconciliation.
“It starts off as an idea and you just get rolling.” Says City of Lethbridge Indigenous Relations Specialist Echo Nowak, “When a local organization like the Hurricanes want to support, you do what you can to make it happen because when you make it happen you get a totally different crowd and population than what you’d normally get.”
Featured at the opening of the game will be the City’s official greeting and land acknowledgment video titled Oki made back in 2019 for International Year of Indigenous Languages and will now be played at the beginning of Hurricanes games for the 2024/2024 season.
The short video was originally shot as a minute and a half video but was cut down to 30 seconds for its WHL debut.
Fans are encouraged to wear orange shirts to the game and shirts designed by local Blackfoot artist Deserae Yellowhorn Ootoh’kotskinna Akik’inakii whose design was chosen for the City’s official orange shirt for 2024 will be available for purchase.
Photo source: City of Lethbridge’s website
The design is based on a Blackfoot story which is centered around children who were once neglected and placed in the sky by the Creator.
It shows a child being pulled from the adult which represents a child being suppressed of love and innocence often suppressed while being taught grief, hate, and suffering are taught in their place.
The children surrounding the pulled child represents that’s its okay to show love and have innocence.
Each shirt purchased will have proceeds going to support the local All Kids Can Play program.
The Canadian National Anthem will be sung by local Kainai artist Tsuaki Marule in both Blackfoot and English with the puck dropping at VisitLethbridge.com Areana 7 p.m.
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