The West Coast League’s newest coastal team is not just in Canada, and in British Columbia, and on Vancouver Island. This — is Snuneymuxw territory.
The Nanaimo NightOwls are also the Snuneymuxw NightOwls, and will honour the territory’s rich and proud First Nations history with a special logo, designed by an amazing artist in Noel Brown of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
The NightOwls, who have worked very closely with Snuneymuxw First Nations members throughout the team’s steps to inception, planning to begin play in June, and are proud to adopt an alternate logo that will be on the team’s home jerseys, with a line of SNUNEYMUXW NIGHTOWLS shirts, hoodies and t-shirts that will uniquely celebrate the relationship
A Snuneymuxw NightOwls jersey will be developed for a future season, with input from Brown and the Snuneymuxw leadership.
“Noel is well-known for his tremendous skills and bringing great pride to the Snuneymuxw First Nation, and we are glad to be a part of the start of the NightOwls baseball team,” said Chief Michael Wyse. “This team, playing in our traditional territory, will be a team we can all cheer for as a community, celebrating that we can all come together. There is a lot of excitement about the NightOwls with our Snuneymuxw people.”
The distinctive owl in Brown’s artwork clearly defines what a grey owl symbolizes in the Coast Salish culture — a messenger, with a nasty streak. The dialect combines two words, snet and spulqwitth’e’, to form NightOwls.
“What a pleasure it has been to work with Noel, and with representatives of Chief Wyse in developing this Snuneymuxw logo,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner/GM of the NightOwls. “Those who saw our team announcement, and the naming unveiling, have seen how important this is to us, and we think this amazing logo will be heralded by all who see it as a tremendous addition as the team builds a history in this region.
“Working with Councillor Billy Yoachim, a long-time friend and competitor in baseball, as we commissioned this logo with Noel, was a truly delightful part of bringing this team to fruition.”
The garments were produced by Island Print Group, which will be the official merchandise company of the Nanaimo NightOwls. More Snuneymuxw NightOwls items will be available as the team expand all merchandise offerings.
The Coast Salish peoples have a proud history as a vibrant group located in the Gulf Islands, eastern coast of Vancouver Island, and the Fraser River delta, encompassing the rich resources of the Salish Sea.