Photo (Left to Right): Syilx Multi-Disciplinary Artist Wynona Paul, Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield, SnPink’tn Chief Greg Gabriel, Syilx Singer Whitney Cardenas
Penticton, B.C. – The Penticton Vees Hockey Club, in collaboration with SnPink’tn (Penticton Indian Band), are thrilled to announce Friday, January 31st, is Indigenous Night at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC).
The Vees will be wearing specialty designed Orange Indigenous jerseys for their game against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. The jerseys will be auctioned off, with proceeds going towards the Orange Shirt Society. The orange jerseys are sponsored by Greyback Construction.
The orange jerseys feature a Four Food Chiefs Vees logo designed by Syilx Multi-Disciplinary Artist Wynona Paul.
“I chose the Four Food Chiefs for my concept as without the sacrifice of all our Four Food Chiefs, (Chief Bear: skəmxist, Chief of all the animals on land. Chief Salmon: n’tyxtix, Chief of all the animals in the water. Chief Bitterroot: spitlem. Chief of all that grows underground. Chief Saskatoon Berry: siyaʔ Chief of all that grow above ground), we as the people would not have survived without them,” said Paul. “This oral history (or captikʷɬ) of the Syilx People of SnPink’tn (Penticton – The Always Place) continues to be passed down generations in our homes and our schools. Even in adversity and in the face of genocide puti kʷu_alàʔ We Are Still Here.”
Indigenous Night will feature a special pre-game ceremony that will feature a performance by High Water Drum Group, the Okanagan Song performed by Anona Kampe, Wynona Paul, and Whitney Cardenas, and ceremonial puck drop with SnPink’tn Chief Greg Gabriel and Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield.
“Each year on September 30th, we stand together to observe the National day for Truth and Reconciliation or Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day in particular is meant to honor and remember the many children who were taken from the families and parents and placed in the Federally run Indian Residential Schools which operated between the years 1867 to 1996. Tragically, many, many of those children never returned to their families and never returned from those schools,” began Chief Gabriel. “To this day we continue to deal with the individual, family, and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools. We are so blessed and honoured to have many of those brave warrior residential school survivors still among us today. As we continue our long path to real Truth and Reconciliation, I would like to thank and recognize the Penticton Vees for their support and doing their part to help with our journey towards healing. The Vees not only bring much pride to our communities but are amazing ambassadors as representatives for the City of Penticton.”
“Reconciliation takes many paths and asks us all to be open to the journey. Events like the Penticton Vees’ Indigenous Night is an important opportunity for us to come together as a community,” commented Mayor Bloomfield. We recognize the pain and harm of the past, honour the strength and resilience of survivors and those still dealing with the trauma, and extend the hand of friendship to our neighbours. Hockey is part of our shared history, the arena where we gather together in common purpose, and I applaud the Vees for this step towards building a stronger relationship between us all.”
Fans are encouraged to wear orange shirts for the game Friday. Also, the BC Hockey Hall of Fame 50/50 jackpot is starting at $5,445 on Friday, after a previous unclaimed winning ticket from January 11th.
Tickets are $18 for adults and free for local youth (18 & under), courtesy of Peters Brothers Construction. Special ticket pricing is available to anyone who shows their status card at the SOEC box office. Tickets are available at the SOEC box office, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com
