Warriors Honour First Nations Celebration, Presented by TD, with Squamish Nation Design

The Vancouver Warriors are hosting their First Nations Celebration, presented by TD with a logo design that honours the history and impact of the Creator’s game.  

Pete Natrall worked on the design alongside culture preserver of the Squamish Nation, Vanessa Campbell, and Squamish Nation graphic artist Ryan Johnson. 

Lacrosse has been a lifelong sport for Natrall, who says having a professional lacrosse team in Vancouver is impactful and these nights are special for their community and the lacrosse community as a whole. 

“I was really inspired by having the Vancouver Warriors in our community. It brings all of our teams and associations together in one night, in one arena, and be able to share our story as Coast Salish people,” Natrall said. 

“The Squamish Nation has been playing lacrosse for hundreds of years and the game has a cultural connection to our community. It inspires our youth, drives them to play today and inspires them to potentially be a Vancouver Warriors player.” 

A logo that honours and celebrates the sport's powerful, Indigenous West Coast heritage.

Learn more about the Vancouver Warriors First Nations Celebration Night logo, designed by artist Pete Natrall.

— Vancouver Warriors (@VanWarriors) January 23, 2025

He says the Coast Salish people are inherently visual storytellers and each part of the design was thought out to recognize the past, present, and future generations, starting with the three North stars.  

The three stars highlight the connection of generations of Coast Salish people, while the Coast Salish eye represents the ancestors watching over and protecting them. 

“That design of the face is actually taken from my late grandfather’s design,” Natrall shared. “K’EMK’EMELA’ÝKINM is a Squamish word for Vancouver Warriors which is what you see in the logo.” 

In the middle of the W is a whale tale, symbolic of the killer whale, which represents community, family, and strength. The feathers on either side of the top band of the crest represent a ceremonial headpiece. 

He hopes that Warriors’ fans celebrate the deep connection that Indigenous people have to the game of lacrosse and celebrate that collectively in the community. 

“I want to represent lacrosse as a West Coast sport, honouring the ancestors here who created the game and share the story of its local heritage,” Natrall said. 

In his spare time, Natrall also creates customized lacrosse sticks, continuing his storytelling through art. When Natrall’s son started to customize his own sticks for field lacrosse, Natrall took it up as well. 

“That reignited my spark for lacrosse and being able to create customized plastic sticks, customized wood sticks and have an international following. It’s really amazing to be able to share what I do as a Squamish Nation person,” he said.

For Natrall, this project represents the opportunity to share the history of the Squamish Nation and inspire the next generation to embrace the Medicine game. Lacrosse is more than a sport to him, it is a connection to his ancestors, a celebration of community, and a path forward for youth and he hopes this design unites everyone with the spirit of the game.