INDIVIDUAL DESIGNS WITH A COMMON THEME
All four designs are unique in their own way, but they do have one thing in common. Each design features an eagle — something that happened organically.
“Something that stuck out to me was that we all ended up painting eagles on our sticks and we hadn’t had a conversation about that before,” says Hassencahl-Perley, a Wabanaki artist from Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick.
In Indigenous cultures throughout North America, the eagle is of great importance and receiving an eagle feather is considered a very high honor.
“To receive an eagle feather, in First Nations cultures across Canada, is a high honor. It symbolizes a high accomplishment,” explains Hassencahl-Perley. “The eagle in this case is a reminder to reach above expectations and to also remain humble on your journey.”
Hassencahl-Perley’s design features an eagle, a hockey player, stars, a snowflake and birch bark on a dark blue background.
“I chose to honor Wabanaki birch bark artist. Specifically, artists that are embellishing like birch bark containers, canoes, through birch bark, biting, itching, and so on,” she says. “I was looking at a lot of archival images of things like containers and canoes to inform what my stick was going to be.”
Julian, an acrylic artist and member of the Millbrook First Nation in Nova Scotia, went with a large eagle surrounded by the Mi’kmaq double curved for his design. He also incorporated an orange heart in the middle of the eagle, which honors residential school children.
“I also wanted to show the orange heart as well and honor of all the residential school survivors and the children who didn’t make it,” he says.
An eagle also features prominently in Paul’s design, which depicts a large eagle with the seven sacred teachings — courage, love, wisdom, respect, honesty, respect, humility and truth — written on its wings, inspired in large part by its family.
“It reflects my family because on my side of the family we’re eagle clans. So, I have a great connection with the eagle,” says Paul. “I wanted to incorporate the seven sacred teachings because in order to have a player of the game, you have to understand the seven sacred teachings. At least, that is what I think.”
Sappier, a visual artist who grew up in Tobique First Nation, created an eagle as well as a turtle, fish and coyote, on a colorful background.
“I thought [about] the animals, I thought about our relationship with the animals and that is why I designed it where we have the turtle, which represents Mother Earth, because it is many of us coming together around the world here in this area,” explained Sappier.
The eagle represents the “dreams that we have as people and all of our ancestors who watch over us in the sky” while the coyote represents playfulness and survival, according to Sappier, who was also inspired by his family and athletes.
“I thought of passion, I thought of drive, I thought of hockey being a hero to many,” she says, adding, “I’m always inspired by anyone who pursues the sport in this way, and it’s something that I admire. I really wanted to express my gratitude and show them that what I see is very beautiful and it inspires and that I am proud of them, and I just want to support them in any way that I can.”
