A symbolic merger of sports, art, and heritage has made its way into the historic archives as the Minnesota Historical Society recently snagged a unique goalie mask, designed by Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor, and worn by the Minnesota Wild's talisman Marc-André Fleury. According to CBS News Minnesota, the mask features distinctive Dakota florals and cultural motifs. It debuted during the Wild's Native American Heritage Night warm-up last November and fetched a cool $35,100 at auction, with proceeds earmarked for two charitable causes.
The mask also serves as a nod to Fleury's wife, Véronique Larosee Fleury, who is Indigenous, out of Canada; it's storytelling stitched into sportswear, that it seems elegantly eludes just being a flashy prop as it pegs an emotional score in the heritage game. Angelica Maier, MNHS curator of 3D objects, heralded the mask as a fulcrum where "contemporary Native arts, sports memorabilia, and current discourses on the tension between sports and politics" all intersect, revealing the influence of such items in both the understanding and preservation of the complex tapestry that is Minnesota's stories.
The mask itself apart from its visual appeal is laden with symbols inherent to Dakota heritage including water lilies and wild rice. Both prominent elements are representative of Minnesota's natural gifts and historic indigenous harvests, respectively. Taylor, reflecting on his work in a Facebook post, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to spotlight his Dakota ancestry on such a platform and saw it as a vehicle to relay the enduring legacy of his community.
NHL regulations, however, placed Marc-André Fleury in the position where he couldn't wear the mask for the game but he expressed deep appreciation for Taylor's artistry and the chance to shed light on Native American culture, he said, "To be able to showcase the mask, to showcase the tradition, right? And I guess it's an honor for me to be able to wear it or have it," Fleury told CBS News Minnesota. Beyond the game, beyond the sport, it appears that this mask has flared up a conversation, bridging divides and ornamenting the halls of history, much like the detailed patterns on its surface seeking to tell a story much larger than the game it was made for.
