Peterborough hockey squad celebrates Indigenous Heritage Night

By Sam Laskaris

PETERBOROUGH – Deborah Jacobs has served as a councillor for the Curve Lake First Nation since 2010, but the veteran councillor had not performed a certain duty until recently on Feb. 27.

Jacobs was part of the contingent that took part in the ceremonial opening face-off at the Peterborough Petes’ Indigenous Heritage Night.

The Petes are one of 20 clubs that participate in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a Major Junior circuit that features the highest level of junior action in the province.

Besides Curve Lake First Nation, representatives from Alderville First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation also took part in the puck drop where youth from Curve Lake First Nation School sang the Canadian national anthem in the Ojibwe. Other youth served as flag bearers, skating onto the ice with flags from their First Nation.

Alderville First Nation performers, dancers, and singers, performed throughout the match.

Jacobs was pleased her First Nation was included in the evening.

“We’re very proud of it,” she said. “We think that it is a good start for just recognizing our heritage.”

Jacobs, who said the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens are her favourite team, said she doesn’t attend many Petes’ games.

“But everyone from our community, they all support this team,” she said.

The Petes, founded in 1956, are one of Canada’s most storied junior hockey franchises. They have captured 10 league championships, most recently in 2023.

Jacobs added Curve Lake First Nation has its share of talented hockey players. This list includes Dalyn Wakely, an Edmonton Oilers’ draft pick who is playing with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, and Mikayla Williams, who is a rookie with New York’s Niagara University.

Jacobs was thrilled she was asked to be part of the opening face-off.

“I’ve never done that before,” she said. “But it’s for our community. And it’s nice to be recognized.”

Jacobs was equally pleased to have youth from her First Nation sing the national anthem.

“It’s just so amazing to hear them do that,” she said.

Unfortunately for the hometown Petes, the celebratory evening did not assist their on-ice efforts.

The Peterborough squad was downed 7-1 by the Windsor Spitfires, a club that is expected to challenge for the OHL title this season.

As for the Petes, they’ve only managed to win 16 of their first 58 regular season contests. They are sitting at the bottom of the standings in the OHL’s 10-team Eastern Conference and are not expected to qualify for the playoffs.

As part of their Indigenous Heritage Night, the Petes once again utilized a promotional logo designed by Kory Parkin, an Indigenous painter and digital creator from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.

Parkin designed a Petes’ logo replacing the word Peterborough with the word Nogojiwanong, which translates into “place at the foot of the rapids.”

“Since the land today is preoccupied by many Indigenous groups, I thought it would best represent those who came before by changing Peterborough to the name it went by before,” Parkin said. “Known as a great fishing spot and the word meaning, place at the end of the rapids, that’s why I included the canoe and the water behind to give a rapid look to the water.”