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害羞草研究所檚 mask this week.

WLFN Chief Willie Sellars, a longtime goaltender himself with the Central Interior Hockey League害羞草研究所檚 Williams Lake Stampeders, said as a First Nations leader and as a hockey fan he is supportive of the Canucks害羞草研究所� trademarked, Coast Salish-nation inspired orca logo and of the team.

害羞草研究所淎s a First Nations leader I couldn害羞草研究所檛 be more proud how much the Vancouver Canucks are celebrating First Nations culture in the NHL,害羞草研究所� Sellars said. 害羞草研究所淭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.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 my team. That害羞草研究所檚 who I cheer for, and I害羞草研究所檝e always taken great pride in that logo. I害羞草研究所檓 100 per cent OK if it stays the way it is, but if they害羞草研究所檙e going to change it there should be local First Nations involved.害羞草研究所�

Sellars said he害羞草研究所檚 seen improvement across the country on how reconciliation is being approached, and said he thinks the City of Vancouver has done an exceptional job.

害羞草研究所淥bviously, it害羞草研究所檚 not perfect but, we害羞草研究所檙e trending in the right direction and that害羞草研究所檚 what we like to see as First Nations leaders,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所�(Reconciliation is) happening and that害羞草研究所檚 what we have to acknowledge.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淭he huge Thunderbird is flying over the mountains to the ocean to catch orcas with his huge claws 害羞草研究所� A totally perfect story to create on a Canucks mask,害羞草研究所� Gunnarson said in his original Instagram unveiling of the Indigenous-inspired artwork, which has since been deleted.

Here害羞草研究所檚 a look Braden Holtby害羞草研究所檚 new mask courtesy of artist David Gunnarson on IG:

害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚 love the mask, by the way, but you need to follow and honour the people whose traditional territory you are in,害羞草研究所� he said.

Holtby has since issued a public apology noting he didn害羞草研究所檛 mean to offend anyone.

害羞草研究所淚t was definitely not my intent and I definitely learned a valuable lesson through this all and will make sure I害羞草研究所檓 better moving forward and do the thing that help this community the most,害羞草研究所� Holtby said in an interview with CTV Vancouver.

害羞草研究所淭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害羞草研究所檚 so vast.害羞草研究所�

greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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