Bombers host ‘orange shirt game’

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This article was published 28/09/2024 (401 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Orange Shirt Day has become a major fixture on the CFL calendar and the fourth annual edition of the event in Winnipeg was no exception.

More than 1,000 people from Indigenous communities across the north gathered for a CFL game between the Edmonton Elks and Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium Friday night, hoping to stimulate awareness and helping others to learn about their history in advance of Monday’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The day serves as a memorial to recognize the devastating impact of the residential school system in Canada.

“It does help,” said Krystal Danttouze of Tadoule Lake in northern Manitoba. “With the younger generation, I’m very happy that they’re getting involved with these events. The younger ones, they never did get to travel in and out of the community, and now they are and they’re super excited about it.”

There was no shortage of youthful energy Friday.

“The children are really excited about it when there’s some event that’s happening, either the Bombers or something where there’s a lot of kids,” said Lac Brochet’s Lorraine Antsanen, who flew more than two hours with her 12-year-old daughter Kerstyn, and 11-year-old niece Calia Hyslop, to be at the game.

“They want to participate and be in that group. So it’s usually a big deal for the kids, especially those that are in school.”

Kerstyn, who previously sang the national anthem in Cree with the Isaac Brock School’s choir prior to an April 2, 2022 Winnipeg Jets home game, said she wanted to honour those who were sent to residential schools.

Her cousin agreed.

“It’s really important because kids were at the residential school and they cut their hair and they treated them so bad,” said Calia.

The event was a combined undertaking of the Blue Bombers and Exchange Income Corporation.

“It was very welcoming,” said Danttouze, who was accompanied to Winnipeg by her seven-year-old nephew and five-year-old niece. “It was well-organized and the kids love it.”

It was a special night for many of the northern guests, many of whom were attending for the first time.

“This is a huge moment for people,” said Niigaan Sinclair, the Winnipeg Football Club’s director of Indigenous relations. “I think for many of us in Winnipeg, we might take it for granted to go down to the stadium and enjoy a game. For kids in the north, this is their life-long moment.

“This is their moment that they’ll remember for decades to come. And not only is it about that, but it’s also about helping Winnipeggers to build relationships with Indigenous communities that aren’t just in the vicinity, but also all across different elements of Turtle Island.”

Eight of the CFL’s nine member clubs will wear a unique Indigenous-designed logo during Week 17 games. The Calgary Stampeders, who are on a bye, featured their commemorative logo in Week 15.

The nine team logos were created by local Indigenous artists while Winnipeg’s star blanket design was created by Dené Sinclair of Peguis First Nation.

Friday’s program and players’ introduction was intended to widen the scope of the annual event.

“Listen to the response that fans have — they love the jigging,” said Sinclair, noting that a Manitoba Métis Federation logo was added to the warm-up jerseys.

“This year, what we did is we switched things we were doing for the past two years. We had a grand entry, to bring out the team, which is kind of the thing … that’s the most revered thing we could do in the Indigenous community for people we respect — the team.

“This year we brought the team out with jiggers, because this year’s theme is really focused not just on First Nations and Inuit communities, also we want to make sure to build our relationship with our Métis relations.”

In addition, a choir from Sioux Valley sang O Canada in Dakota prior to the opening kickoff.

As in previous years, proceeds from the sale of orange warm-up jersey will go to fund Indigenous sports programs such as baseball, hockey, football and flag football.

“All you really have to do is watch the ovation that our fans give,” said Sinclair. “It’s very similar to what the Jets do, of course, where people give standing ovations and cheer for relationships in the Indigenous community.

“Because the fact is that one out of every five Manitobans is Indigenous, and that means everybody works with, lives beside or is married to an Indigenous person. And that’s very significant, because you don’t see that in Ontario, and you don’t always see that in Alberta or B.C.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca