WHL’s Regina Pats Mark Indigenous Celebration Night With Star Blanket-Themed Jerseys

The Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats turned to a powerful symbol to celebrate Indigenous culture in their home province this week.

On Friday, February 7, the Pats sported special jerseys for their Indigenous Celebration Night against the Wenatchee Wild. The jerseys were designed by Rodger Ross and Quentin Karmark of local design and consulting agency 4 Claws Inc. and featured a design resembling a star blanket, “an emblem that represents respect, honor, and community within Indigenous culture.”

The design of the jerseys is centered around an eight-point star, a symbol that holds deep meaning in Indigenous traditions. Known as the symbol for the Morning Star, it represents the beginning of a new day, signifying life given by the Creator. The eight-point star also serves to honor, protect, and celebrate the individual. The incorporation of this symbol into the jersey’s design emphasizes both the shared values of hockey and Indigenous culture, highlighting the themes of harmony and unity.
— Regina Pats

Photos by Keith Hershmiller via **Regina Pats**

“Quentin and I are honoured to have been asked to design the Indigenous inspired Jerseys for the Regina Pats Organization,” Ross said on the Pats’ website. “Being a Regina boy and member of George Gordon First Nation, I am especially proud.”

The jerseys had a navy blue base with tonal geometric lines all over. At the bottom of the front of the jersey and the sleeves, the diamonds moved from white to blue to orange to yellow and then back to white. The star pattern also featured on the socks.

The Pats’ script logo appeared on the chest overtop of the star blanket pattern. The Pats’ usual red patches honoring their namesake, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, also appeared on the shoulders. The collar and stripes around the cuffs and waists were solid red.

Numbers on the sleeves were white with navy blue outlines, and names on the back were one-color white. Inside the white outlines on the numbers on the back, the star blanket pattern continued with colors filled in, radiating out from the middle from white to navy blue.

Photo by Keith Hershmiller via **Regina Pats**

“Each year we strive to grow our Indigenous Celebration Night in an effort to highlight and celebrate Indigenous traditions and culture,” Pats CEO Gordon Pritchard said on the team’s website. “As we began planning for this year’s game night, we wanted to bring greater awareness to Indigenous art and culture and thought what better way than with an Indigenous themed jersey designed by local Indigenous artists. Through our partnership with George Gordon Developments Ltd., we were connected with Rodger and Quentin of 4 Claws Inc. to design a one-of-a-kind jersey. We are extremely proud of the Star Blanket jersey designed by Rodger and Quentin. It will be an honour for the Pats to wear this jersey on Indigenous Celebration Night.”

The star blanket motif has also been used in recent seasons by the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers in their Indigenous-themed logo.

Aside from the jerseys, the Pats’ star blanket pattern was also used on game pucks and merchandise. Game-worn jerseys were auctioned off online, with proceeds benefiting the SCEP Centre Society of Regina Early Intervention and Training Services.

Other Indigenous Celebration Night festivities included dance and vocal performances from local Indigenous performers, a pre-game ceremony honoring Chief Shawn Longman of George Gordon First Nation and in-venue public address announcements in Cree.