Wild goalie mask designed by Indigenous artist acquired by Minnesota Historical Society
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A goalie mask designed by an Indigenous artist and worn by Minnesota Wild's Marc-André Fleury is now part of the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society.
Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor created the mask for Fleury, who wore it while warming up during the Minnesota Wild's Native American Heritage Night in November.
Fleury says he was honoring his wife, Véronique Larosee Fleury, who is Indigenous out of Canada.
The historical society purchased the mask for $35,100 at an auction. MNHS says the money raised will support the American Indian Family Center and the Minnesota Wild Foundation.
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"This mask is at the intersection of contemporary Native arts, sports memorabilia, and current discourses on the tension between sports and politics," Angelica Maier, curator of 3D objects at MNHS, said. "Bringing the mask into the MNHS collections will further our ongoing effort to bring forward, tell, and preserve Minnesota's stories."
Taylor spoke with WCCO in November and explained the meaning behind the mask.
"Dakota people, we are known for our floral designs, which are really distinct and very specific to us as a people," Taylor said.
There are water lilies to represent the state's lakes and rivers and wild rice in honor of the essential food source Native Americans harvest to this day.
"Then it was really, really significant because they're like, 'Yeah, Fleury, you know his nickname is the flower,' so I was like oh like perfect, so it just kind of came together very much so," Taylor said.
New NHL rules meant Fleury could not wear the mask during Friday's game, but that didn't change his appreciation of Taylor's work, nor the opportunity to bring some spotlight to the Native American community.
"To be able to showcase the mask, to showcase the tradition, right? And I guess it's an honor for me to to be able to wear it or have it," Fleury said.
In 2014, Taylor was a Native American artist-in-residence in a program run by the MNHS Native American Initiatives Department. The program is meant to engage Native people and nations through the state to make sure Native perspectives are addressed in MNHS's work,
NOTE: Video is from Nov. 22, 2023
