ST PAUL, Minn. — A piece of hockey equipment worn as a quiet act of rebellion is now part of the Minnesota Historical Society's (MHS) permanent collection.
While warming up before a Wild game on Nov. 24, goaltender Marc-André Fleury wore a special mask designed by Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor, defying an NHL rule banning players from using equipment that shows support for special causes or initiatives.
The game was part of the Wild's Native American Heritage Night, a celebration that holds a special place in Fleury's heart as his wife Veronique, an Indigenous person from Canada.
Taylor, who has served as a Native American Artist in Residence at the MHS, was asked to design the mask. He used markings, symbols and "Mni Sota Makoce," a phrase that contributed to our current state name.
The Dakota phrase Mni Sota Makoce means Land Where the Waters Reflect the Clouds, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.
"I knew that I wanted to do Dakota florals to talk about Dakota aesthetics and culture, and the fact that Fleury's nickname is Flower, his name means flower, it just all aligned really, really well," Taylor reflected of the mask's design. "Having the language, the term on it was just about acknowledging our language as the first language of this area... land the Wild play and practice on."
“This mask is at the intersection of contemporary Native arts, sports memorabilia, and current discourses on the tension between sports and politics,” added Angelica Maier, curator of 3D objects at MNHS. “Bringing the mask into the MNHS collections will further our ongoing effort to bring forward, tell, and preserve Minnesota’s stories.”
MHS purchased the goalie mask for just over $35,000, which will go to the Minnesota Wild Foundation and the American Indian Family Center. A team from MHS met with the legendary NHL goaltender to accept the mask and a Native American Heritage jersey Fleury signed.
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