Sudbury Wolves unveil Indigenous-themed jersey

The Sudbury Wolves unveiled a new jersey on Tuesday ahead of the Indigenous Celebration Game.

Team owner Dario Zulich said he’s wanted to organize a game celebrating Indigenous culture since he acquired the Wolves.

“I’ve always had a soft spot, a respect, a caring for the Indigenous of our country as the first peoples of our country,” Zulich said.

“So I thought it was a great way to honour them and celebrate with them their culture and their history of our country.”

The jersey was designed by Melanie Lequerre of Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre (SKHC) and local Indigenous artist, Raven Debassige.

Debassige said she wanted to encapsulate Indigenous pride.

“My culture, Shkagamik-Kwe, but also Sudbury Wolves, so I just sort of wanted to make something that everyone would be proud of, including myself,” Debassige said.

When coming up with the design, she said she drew a lot of inspiration from her brother. His middle name is ‘Ma’iingan,’ which means wolf.

Debassige wanted the jersey to be a balance of interconnection, energy and life.

“I wanted it to contain further storytelling, symbolism, some of which is Grandmother Moon,” she said.

“I also have a lot of florals in the numbers, in the patterns, in the trim underneath.”

The jerseys will be sold during an in-person and online auction as part of Friday’s game against the Windsor Spitfires. The game is sponsored by Bell Media’s Pure Country 91.7 FM.

The proceeds will go to the SKHC’s on behalf of the Urban Indigenous Sacred Circle For Indigenous Youth in Sports and Mental Wellness.

Zulich said he plans on making Indigenous Celebration Game an annual event.

“We’re proud of the Indigenous communities in the area,” he said.

He said he hopes the game will inspire other teams in the OHL and the CHL to do something similar.