Minnesota Wild honors Native heritage with mural and Ojibwe-language broadcast
The Minnesota Wild will celebrate Native American Heritage Day on Friday, Nov. 28, with two tributes highlighting Indigenous culture and language, according to MPR News.
Ojibwe-Cree artist Shawna Grapentine of Warroad, Minnesota, created a mural titled “Land of 10,000 Rinks” for the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships. The artwork, selected by Minnesota Sports and Events in partnership with USA Hockey and the 2026 IIHF Local Organizing Committee, features orange and yellow hues, Ojibwe floral designs, and imagery of animals and pond hockey. According to MPR News, Sky Boucha, chair of Minnesota Sports and Events’ Indigenous Initiative Advisory Committee, said in a press statement that the piece “embodies the vibrancy, teachings, and resilience of Indigenous culture.”
Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche will also mark the first Minnesota Wild broadcast entirely in Ojibwe. Chato Ombishkebines Gonzalez of the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Institute, along with Gordon Maajiigoneyaash Jourdain and James Ginoonde Buckholtz, will provide commentary. Puck drop is at 2:30 p.m. CST at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
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