Raptors showcase new logo for Indigenous Heritage Game

By Sam Laskaris

TORONTO – An Anishinaabe artist has received some major league exposure.

Luke Swinson, a member of Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, designed the logo for the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors that was showcased during the team’s Indigenous Heritage Game on Jan. 6 versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

“This opportunity means so much to me,” said Swinson, who lives in Kitchener. “Representing what’s important to me and my community through such an iconic and recognizable logo is incredible.”

Swinson took the Raptors’ current logo and made alterations to it so that it became an Indigenous-themed one.

“Growing up, seeing this kind of representation would have filled me with such pride and inspiration and I hope to share that feeling with Indigenous youth of today,” he said.

With his logo design, Swinson was keen to showcase the resiliency, strength, and enduring spirits of Indigenous peoples. His logo includes two Indigenous people playing basketball, and below them is a river flowing over hills. The logo also includes the sun setting, an eagle flying, and a feather and the four sacred medicines of tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass.

Raptors’ head coach Darko Rajaković wore a hoodie with Swinson’s logo on it during the team’s pre-game press conference at its Indigenous Heritage Game.

The Toronto bench boss said representatives from the organization had a challenging time selecting the final piece of work Swinson created. He submitted five slightly different versions of an Indigenous-themed logo.

“We had a lot of headaches with the logo because we had so many different options,” Rajaković said. “And inside the organization, we voted for the best one.”

Rajaković praised the one that was eventually selected.

“This one was a little bit better,” he said. “Just one per cent better than the other ones. I love it.”

Rajaković was also pleased to see the Raptors stage their third annual Indigenous Heritage Game.

“I think it’s very important to recognize the history, to learn valuable lessons, and also to pay a lot of attention to traditions that Indigenous people have on those lands here,” he said. “I think it’s very important for the community. It’s very important for the organization. And our organization is always trying to recognize situations like this to support.”

Katherine Allen, the Raptors’ manager of social impact, echoed this sentiment.

“As an organization, Toronto Raptors and MLSE have such a huge responsibility to leverage the platforms that we have, to amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples and communities,” she said.

Allen was pleased to see Rajaković don a hoodie with Swinson’s logo.

“Coach Darko was happy to wear it,” she said. “He’s been a huge advocate and supporter of our work within Indigenous communities and he gets really, really excited to get involved around anything to do with Indigenous communities.”

Allen said she’s also very fond of Swinson’s logo.

“I think it’s very beautiful,” she said. “First and foremost, we were able to lead with Indigenous voices there and be able to use it as an opportunity to learn about the various symbols that mean so much to Indigenous communities.”

She added the logo has plenty of detail in it and can create awareness for those who do not know much about Indigenous heritage.

“So, it’s a great learning opportunity for us to be able to amplify Luke’s vision and Luke’s story and to be able to share that with our fans,” she said.