Team Canada uniforms for 2022 events feature Indigenous inspiration

When Team Canada’s curling athletes take to the world stage in 2022, they will wear not only their Canadian pride on their sleeves, but also a celebration of the Indigenous spirit of these lands.

Now, Curling Canada and its official uniform partner, Dynasty Curling, an Indigenous-owned company based in Manitoba, are proud to unveil the new Team Canada uniforms that will be worn at international events this season.

Team Canada curlers will debut the new uniforms at the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing and will continue to wear them at the upcoming World Junior Curling Championships in Sweden as well as the BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women’s Curling Championship, presented by Nature’s Bounty, in Prince George, B.C., and the World Men’s Curling Championship in Las Vegas. 

Following the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action No. 83, the uniforms were born through a collaboration between renowned two-spirit Anishinaabe artist Patrick Hunter, who created motifs drawn from his home territory and culture, and designer Kevin Hurrie, who ensured those images would shine within the uniforms’s structure.

“For Indigenous artwork to make it to the world stage is such a win for my people and community,” said Hunter, who also recently made headlines with his acclaimed mask design for Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-André Fleury. “I’m beyond stoked for that Indigenous artwork to be mine.”

Set in the iconic red, white and black colour scheme of Team Canada, four key design elements stand out. For the front of the uniforms, Hunter crafted the silhouettes of seven trees. Inspired by the forests of Hunter’s Treaty Three homeland of Red Lake, Ont., these trees represent the seven grandfather teachings sacred to Anishinaabe people, values that are also prized in curling and key to success in sport: love, humility, wisdom, bravery, honesty, truth and respect.

To adorn the sides of the uniforms, Hunter designed four unique eagle feathers. Eagles are revered in Anishinaabe and other First Nations cultures, where being gifted an eagle feather is an honour bestowed on those who have done a great service for their community. On these uniforms, the four feathers join together to represent the united effort of the four curling team members.

The intricate illustration on the inside of the jacket sleeves is a depiction of braided sweetgrass, woven with cedar, tobacco and sage leaves. These are the four sacred medicines used by many Indigenous peoples to cleanse away difficult energy and encourage spiritual and personal strength. Hunter chose this design to provide as much positive energy as possible for Canadian players as they compete on the international stage.

The final element is, of course, the iconic Maple Leaf. On these new uniforms, the lines within the leaf represent the Canadian spirit and the support of all Canadians as Team Canada athletes take on the world.

“We couldn’t have been more thrilled when Dynasty and Patrick Hunter submitted these designs; they represent exactly what our sport and country is about, they send positive messages of inclusiveness, and our athletes should feel proud to wear them,” said Katherine Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada. “The Canadian uniform is iconic in curling, and I can’t wait to see our teams wear them.”

You can purchase your own Team Canada uniform by visiting ca.dynastycurling.com