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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 @Canucks's Indigenous appropriated Orca logo. Here's a thread.
Over the weekend this story - about Vancouver @Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby appropriating Indigenous imagery on his new mask - broke. He has since apologized. But why is Holtby getting criticized for doing what the team has done for years? https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/canucks-braden-holtby-apologizes-for-goalie-mask-accused-of-cultural-appropriation-intends-to-work-with-indigenous-artist-3179933
The orca logo's Coast Salish-inspired imagery was designed without Indigenous consultation and has served as the team's "brand" since 1997. As a Canucks fan and an historian of Indigenous-settler relations in BC, the orca logo is, without a doubt, cultural appropriation.
Journalist @AngelaSterritt has done some work on Indigenous appropriation and the Canucks that I want to flag and credit here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indigenous-art-knock-offs-at-a-crisis-say-artists-1.4369639. Specifically, the drumming that the team's mascot, Fin, does has recently received Indigenous support.
But, to highlight Sterritt's point, "a non-Indigenous person can make Indigenous art, but they need prior and informed consent from and a connection with the Indigenous community that inspired them." Simply put, that was not done with the logo. That's appropriation.
Team owner @fr_aquilini has recently stood by the logo, justifying keeping it because “it’s indigenous to the region." Right there is how appropriation works, something "inspired" by Indigenous art *becomes* "Indigenous" and is sold as such: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canucks-owner-aquilini-orca-logo-tweak
Why does this matter? Well, the real issue here is power and profit - in a bigger sense. Vancouver is located on unceded, stolen Indigenous territory, and the team makes millions from its operations and "Indigenous" branding. This is a continuation of colonization in BC.
The Canucks are branding their team with appropriated Indigenous imagery while being part of the process of profiting from doing business on stolen Indigenous land - without working with Indigenous peoples in meaningful ways. That's how settler colonialism works.
I know @Khelsilem has done some work with the Canucks about land acknowledgements and some of the partnership work the team has tried to do recently. I'll let them, and others doing that work, speak to that.
I know some groups, like the Vancouver and District Labour Council, has called on the Lions, Whitecaps, and Canucks to do land acknowledgements. That is good, if those teams can work with Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations to do so in meaningful ways.
But, for the Canucks, I think retiring the Orca logo needs to be put on the table, too. How can you continue to develop meaningful relations with Coast Salish nations when you continue to profit from branding that is appropriating their art style.
People will say, but Sean the imagery is a "a sign of respect." How respectful is continuing to make piles of money from a business you operate on stolen land all the while branding that business with stolen imagery. That's the logic of colonial capitalism for you.
At the very least, the Canucks should - as Holtby acknowledged in his statement - work with Indigenous peoples to develop iconography in appropriate ways, giving Indigenous artists a platform and a way to participate and benefit.
Or, as a Canucks fan, here's my suggestion: that the Canucks continue to develop meaningful partnerships with Indigenous peoples in the city and province AND retire the orca logo and just go back to their best, classic design - the original stick and rink.
It's time we talk about this: @CanucksArmy @le_shipster @smi_ian @BroadscastPod @georgiatwiss et al.
