The new logo for the 2019 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships was unveiled on July 12, nine months ahead of the tournament’s first faceoff.
The Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle announced in May that the 2019 championships will be held in Whitehorse. The ASC will be co-hosting the event with the Yukon Indian Hockey Association (YIHA).
The logo was designed by Mark Rutledge, a local Indigenous artist and designer.
“In the traditional territory here it’s the wolf and crow clan, so we used that to showcase the First Nation culture here,” said Rose Inglangasuk, the tournament’s vice chair of culture and ceremonies.
The 2018 championships were held in Membertou, Nova Scotia. The 2019 tournament is from May 6-14, and will be made up of 20 teams of male and female athletes aged 15 to 18.
The championships were founded by the Aboriginal Sport Circle and began in 2001. This is the first year YIHA put in a bid to host.
“To be successful is a huge accomplishment for us, and it’s the first time that this tournament has come north of sixty. So it’s a lot of firsts,” said Michelle Dawson-Beattie, YIHA’s president and host committee chair of the 2019 championships.
YIHA also hosts the annual Yukon Native Hockey Tournament. Dawson-Beattie is from Champagne, and said during the three-day tournament, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins come from their communities to watch their family members play.
“Seeing some of these kids faces when they step onto the rink during our hockey tournament, their faces light up,” she said.
“It might be the biggest stage that they’ll ever play on and I think bringing this tournament to Whitehorse will show some of these kids what is possible, what they can aspire to.”
The three territories will be represented in the tournament by Team North.
Contact Kallan Lyons at kallan.lyons@yukon-news.com