Braden Holtby’s new mask

[c00kies]

8 hours ago, khay said:

I'm happy we signed him but honestly, I'm still not used to Holtby being a Canuck.

 

I saw the title of this post and was thinking, "so... why is this a Canucks talk?"

 

The guy has been with the Capitals so long that it's hard to imagine him in our uniform. Maybe once the season starts, I'll get used to it.

 

Edit: btw, awesome mask. 

I forgot Matt Murray was with the Sens, which should boost Boeser's numbers

[Crabcakes]

This is a photo of a small carving of the Thunderbird capturing the whale (orca) that my father had his friend, Simon Charlie, the Cowichan carver make for him in the 1970's.  It is authentic west coast art and is traditional but one should note that original west coast Canadian native art is not stagnant and has developed over time and is not stuck in the past.

[mpt]

Not a big fan of this one, and I usually like all of our goalies’ masks.

[tigerswaggerman]

In other important news,
Glamour shots of Braden Holtby's new mask for the upcoming 2021 half-a-season have been released to the media. And despite its attractive and traditional design, it has garnered a lot of attention from the NPC community, that is, the community of non-playable characters. Along with the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, formerly known simply as LGBT2SQ+ victims of old white men, BLM activists, ADL and SPLC representatives, the Indigenous Members of Parliament, formely preferring to be referred to as Aboriginals of Canada, as well as all of the mothers against drunk driving or madada, have all voiced there unanimous concern about the appropriative mask's problematic existence in the current year 2020.

To make matters worse, Braden Holtby, while being the first NHL player to march in the DC Pride Parade, is unmistakably white.

But that's not all folks.
Holtby's long time friend and artist who created the aggro symbol of oppression, eerily similar to masks worn by colonialist war criminals, is also himself a non-Indigenous occupier. Don't let his Swedish name of Gunnarson fool you into thinking he's a safe and subdued man. While indigenous to Sunniweden, he has spent much of his life in occupied, Indigenous-American land.

And there's more.

Gunnarson didn't consult any Indigenous artists before stealing from an entire nation's cultural identity. That nation in particular being comprised of a group of warring tribes from a loosely defined geographical area in the occupied PNW.

Who's to say how this controversy will end. The Vancouver Canucks owner, Francesco Aquilini has already tried to commit seppuka, a public ritual-suicide in an effort to decolonize himself and restore his team's honor after Holtby's macro aggression woke the Canuck's ownership to its own appropriative Orca logo.

Details have emerged however that Aquilini survived the attempt, having his chosen second swap his wetted Japanese katana for a composite hockey stick at the last second, in an effort to demonstrate complete remorse by not appropriating yet another nation's culture... from the other side of the globe. He is now on life support at Vancouver's BC Children's Hospital and expected to fully be given a second opportunity to end his shame.

 

[Attila Umbrus]

5 hours ago, tigerswaggerman said:

In other important news,
Glamour shots of Braden Holtby's new mask for the upcoming 2021 half-a-season have been released to the media. And despite its attractive and traditional design, it has garnered a lot of attention from the NPC community, that is, the community of non-playable characters. Along with the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, formerly known simply as LGBT2SQ+ victims of old white men, BLM activists, ADL and SPLC representatives, the Indigenous Members of Parliament, formely preferring to be referred to as Aboriginals of Canada, as well as all of the mothers against drunk driving or madada, have all voiced there unanimous concern about the appropriative mask's problematic existence in the current year 2020.

To make matters worse, Braden Holtby, while being the first NHL player to march in the DC Pride Parade, is unmistakably white.

But that's not all folks.
Holtby's long time friend and artist who created the aggro symbol of oppression, eerily similar to masks worn by colonialist war criminals, is also himself a non-Indigenous occupier. Don't let his Swedish name of Gunnarson fool you into thinking he's a safe and subdued man. While indigenous to Sunniweden, he has spent much of his life in occupied, Indigenous-American land.

And there's more.

Gunnarson didn't consult any Indigenous artists before stealing from an entire nation's cultural identity. That nation in particular being comprised of a group of warring tribes from a loosely defined geographical area in the occupied PNW.

Who's to say how this controversy will end. The Vancouver Canucks owner, Francesco Aquilini has already tried to commit seppuka, a public ritual-suicide in an effort to decolonize himself and restore his team's honor after Holtby's macro aggression woke the Canuck's ownership to its own appropriative Orca logo.

Details have emerged however that Aquilini survived the attempt, having his chosen second swap his wetted Japanese katana for a composite hockey stick at the last second, in an effort to demonstrate complete remorse by not appropriating yet another nation's culture... from the other side of the globe. He is now on life support at Vancouver's BC Children's Hospital and expected to fully be given a second opportunity to end his shame

 

Bravo, laughing my ass off here. I even read this using Norms voice too...classic lol.

 

[Silky mitts]

19 hours ago, Squamfan said:

Guess which podcast is offended by this

Broadscast?? Lmao they are such a joke.

[EddieVedder]

19 hours ago, RWMc1 said:

Does this mean I can't play the blues anymore?

And does it mean i am not allowed to dance the bhangra at my friends wedding?  

[CaptKirk888]

Hopefully not Alberta 

[CaptKirk888]

15 hours ago, RWMc1 said:

"over the mountains" as well. Where the heck is it coming from?

Hopefully not Alberta

[-DLC-]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

 

I understand and respect cultural appropriation.  The whole cowboys and indians of the past thing which really needed addressing.  Seeing drunk people dressed up at Hallowe'en in headdresses and things reserved for very special ceremony/people is not tolerable.  I get it.  There have been some really horrible portrayals of people who had to endure so much and deserved so much more in life.  Such a lack of insight and respect into the rich history and deep spirituality of these customs and traditions.

 

However....art is expression and I feel it can pay tribute rather than simply "rip off" something beautiful.  Flattery more so than thievery. 

 

I usually hate even delving into this stuff because, well, I grew up privileged (yet poor) and it's not really my place to tell others how to feel.  With that, I feel that there is no end to this and everything from the past could be wiped out if we look hard enough.  Perhaps, instead of "erasing" everything we should use it as a reminder and grow from it.  Acknowledge the pain and suffering by being absolutely respectful and sensitive.  Considerate.  (So maybe this artist's work IS something to challenge if it brings pain?).

 

The past was terrible...despicable.  But the resilience of those who fought through it shines on and people who have been misrepresented, stereotyped, abused, victimized and  marginalized can teach us a lot.   I have nothing but respect for First Nations people ... so really, it's not my call on this.   It's theirs.  Just sharing an opinion and fumbling through learning of how to get it right.   So absolutely open to being told I'm wrong on this.

 

I, too, wish people would make use of authentic art and artists....we have so much to offer here in that regard.   But this guy is a trusted "hockey" artist it seems...so it's likely that he knows how to practice his craft on the difficult canvas of hockey helmets.  Maybe he does have to create art that keeps this all in mind?  I see him building off it more than copying it but...it is what it is.  Open minded about it all because, again, it's not my place not to be.

 

One thing I remind everyone of is....if we're getting tired of "hearing about" it, imagine how those who lived through it felt?  Just something to keep in mind.

[Chickenspear]

16 hours ago, RWMc1 said:

"over the mountains" as well. Where the heck is it coming from?

[MeanSeanBean]

12 hours ago, Battlemonger said:

Orcas have feathers? Cool.

No. But the inspiration behind the mask, the Thunderbird, does. It's almost like if you read the article it would help you understand the concept. fancy that.

[-SN-]

People here complaining about the mask: 0

People here complaining about people complaining about the mask: 8

 

Who's more sensitive? 

 

I can't say I like the mask myself. Something about the airbrushing looks...amateur. Great concept, not great execution. 

[SilentSam]

When have Artists not been inspired by the art of others?

Its a crazy world when the inspiration separates itself from the eyes that see or here it because of race, colour, or creed it originates from.

Paying homage, was always respectful,.

Now it becomes a fire to light in disguise of a “cause”.

                       Is music next?

    Do we shame Led Zepplin ?

 

[Squamfan]

I still can’t believe people are offended by this and now are offended by the orca

[tigerswaggerman]

So what they're telling me is that I shouldn't wear a sombrero, poncho and ammo belt at a Halloween party. No matter how sober and genuinely respectful I am.

 

One of the uncomfortable facts of history is this, the pioneers and settlement phase of North America was actually the most humane example of mass migration in the recorded past. Made such because of the Christian ethos of the immigrant peoples, who themselves didn't have control of the reigns of power in DC and London.

Factually, many atrocities were committed on both sides, as is the nature of war, let alone a 400 year conflict.

Also, the violence between indigenous peoples was extreme and shocking to the colonists upon arrival. So bitter and hating of neighboring nations they were, the native-Euro alliances were entirely welcomed by less powerful tribes in order to keep them protected from the genocidal practices of their warring neighbors.

 

The "Mexicans" hated the Apache and the documented violence between those two peoples is interesting to find out about. Their "war-time" actions were similar in harshness to the shocking tit-for-tat that we still see today between Hindus and Muslims.

 

And to qualify myself and my privilege,  I have family members who went through the abusive residential school system. My cousin is an indigenous artist. I have complete respect for their culture and blood ties.

But this topic of reparations theology is a tricky one. How many generations removed does it take for other people who are generations removed from past events to finish paying for an ongoing perceived victim hood. 

 

I'd like to have this conversation, in this country without being attacked ad hominem. My grandmother immigrated to Saskatchewn from Brazil, by oxcart, in the year 1900. My dad had dirt floors and no electricity. He worked harder in his life than anyone on this message board has or will.

Privilege is everywhere. Its also a gradient concept that shouodnt be used to play identity politics.

[JM_]

It is a fair point to make, if you're going to use NW Coast art, you could think about including a NW Coast artist somehow. Its not a requirement but would be a good gesture to support local artists if possible. 

 

But having said that, If you look at the Holtby's social media accounts, they seem like quite decent folks who I don't think would ever set out to offend anyone. Certainly not deserving of cancelling or whatever else some sad podcast is trying to gain from it. 

[SilentSam]

To me, this issue is case positive in some one paying respect to a culture and time .. it tells a story of not only how much it is appreciated,

But how it still survives,  even past the racial division.

art was never created to divide our races or heritages,.  But to create an appreciation and respect, hoping to survive the decades ahead of itself , sharing with each other in eternity.

 

My hat goes off to Mr Holtby for paying this homage to the distinctive culture that has existed on the west coast.

[Ghostsof1915]

If it scares the crap out of opposing players then it's a win. 

[Heretic]

I totally disagree that a culture's background means only someone with that background should be allowed to create art for it.

 

People need to be inclusive - not silo'ing - how the bleep are we to put aside our differences if we can't embrace them instead?

 

The mask - I love it.