The Rochester Knighthawks announced today the team will host Native American Heritage Night, presented by Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, on Saturday, March 9 when they host the Albany FireWolves at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena.
Now in its third year, the night will celebrate and support Native American groups in addition to honoring their history in the region. The game itself will feature various content, activations, ticket promotions and merchandise themed around Native American Heritage and the vital role Indigenous peoples have played in the history of the “Creator’s game.”
American Legion Iroquois Post 1587 will present the flags while Seneca Gaming CEO Kevin Nephew will be on hand to perform the ceremonial face-off. The game will also feature performances from the Heath Hill & Haudenosaunee Dancers.
The night is also part of a larger league-wide campaign supporting the “Every Child Matters” initiative, which brings awareness to the forcible placement of Indigenous children in residential and boarding schools by the Canadian and United States governments from the 19th century to as late as 1996 in Canada.
Limited edition T-shirts, in both men’s and women’s sizes, featuring a commemorative logo designed by Native American artist Cara Dry will be available for purchase in the Knighthawks Team store. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each shirt will benefit the Newtown and Allegany Arrows Minor Lacrosse Associations.
The special-edition logo, which embodies her Native American roots, depicts a traditional wooden lacrosse stick made of bent hickory consisting with a pocket of woven rawhide. A deerskin ball, portraying the Iroquois’ longstanding influence on the origins of lacrosse, sits inside the pocket. The feathers adorning the Gustoweh are that of a hawk, representing the Knighthawks organization and how all Native Americans revere birds and birds of prey.
The Knighthawks will also be giving away a handmade Knighthawks Medallion created by fellow Native American bead artist Jacky Snyder during the game. Fans can enter the contest by visiting her table in the upper concourse for a chance to win the Knighthawks Medallion.
A proud member of the Seneca Nation of Indians Turtle Clan, Snyder has been an accomplished bead artist since the age of 13 and has served as an educator of the Native language for the last 20 years.
