"The Vancouver Canucks are proud to celebrate First Nations and Indigenous people and communities across the Lower Mainland, British Columbia, and Canada," said Michael Doyle, President, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Business Operations. "Acknowledging the gratitude, love, and support that we have for our First Nations fans and neighbours is something that we take great pride in all year long. This night offers an opportunity for us all to reflect on the discriminatory history against Indigenous peoples and how we can contribute to the repairing of relationships and rebuilding of trust.
"This year's game marks a particularly special occasion as we also honour the life of Gino Odjick, who was not only one of the greatest First Nations players in NHL history, but also one of the most impactful players the Vancouver Canucks have ever seen on and off the ice."
Canucks Sports & Entertainment is honoured to live, work and play on the traditional ancestral and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. While our annual game is a celebratory occasion, we must continue to acknowledge the history of injustices towards Indigenous peoples. As an organization, we are committed to supporting truth and reconciliation and to use our platform to amplify local First Nations communities.
The Canucks are proud to partner with Jay Odjick, Gino's cousin and Algonquin artist, to design a special First Nations Celebration warm-up jersey commemorating the event and Gino. The jersey will feature a Thunderbird crest in Algonquin design, representing the strong and powerful protector that Gino was, with a lightning bolt at its heart to symbolize Gino's passion. The wings of the Thunderbird will include Coastal Salish design inspiration to honour the First Nations communities of Vancouver and the surrounding areas.
The jersey will also feature Medicine Wheel shoulder patches, which represent the interconnectedness and balance of all elements of life, with eight feathers to represent the eight seasons Gino played as a Canuck. The Medicine Wheel highlights the number 29, which Gino proudly wore during his Canucks tenure as a tribute to his father's assigned number at the residential school he forcibly attended. All jersey numbers on the warm-up jerseys will incorporate a traditional Anishinabe design, often used on pow wow regalia or in traditional beading.
In addition to the jerseys, the Canucks are excited to offer two limited edition First Nations Celebration t-shirts with 100% of proceeds from their sales being donated to various Indigenous charities. The first t-shirt features the special First Nations Celebration shoulder patch, with proceeds being donated to the Kitigan Zibi Traditional Pow Wow of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. The second collaboration t-shirt features the First Nations Celebrations logo and Ethan Bear's name in Cree, with proceeds being donated to the Salish Storm Hockey Association, which provides unique and barrier-free opportunities for Indigenous youth in BC to participate in hockey. The entire First Nations Celebration collection, including the player-worn warm-up jerseys for auction, can be found at
vanbase.ca
.
Fans coming to the game can look forward to live entertainment from Juno-nominated band, Snotty Nose Rez Kids (Haisla), and a pre-game show from The Wild Moccasin Dancers on the North Plaza. On the concourse, stop by the Canucks First Nations Celebration Market in Sections 122 to 103, showcasing multiple Indigenous vendors. The evening will also feature an in-game tribute to Gino and a ceremonial puck drop with National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations RoseAnne Archibald and a member of the Odjick family.
First Nations Celebration activations:
Tickets are still available for the celebratory game and can be purchased at
Ticketmaster.ca
.
