Canada Soccer Joins Nation in Honouring Truth and Reconciliation Day

On this National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, we honour the Indigenous Peoples and their lands, in which we get to live, work and play. Together, we commit to building bridges of understanding, compassion, and hope.

This year, we’d like to highlight an Indigenous Artist, Jamin Zuroski (tlaliskasu). Jamin has created an Indigenous design for the Canada Soccer community and all peoples of our country, in honour of the Canadian Residential School Survivors, their families and the students who didn’t make it home.

Jamin – who lives and breathes Indigenous art and design, is of ‘Namgis First Nation and Polish descent. For over 25 years, Jamin continues to learn, practice and create Indigenous art for this country and the world.

“This design highlights our Indigenous ancestors, their stories, their connection to soccer and how the sport has been a saviour to their lives and many others, across this country.

Through soccer, we come together, learn, listen, unite and do our best to build community connections. Like the butterfly and wolf, we’re reminded that transformation happens each day. Together, as a pack, let’s heal, grow and fly as a nation.“

-Jamin Zuroski

A note from the artist 

Thank you Canada Soccer for highlighting this art and story. I feel the more we collaborate, the more we can heal, respect, continue to grow as a Nation.

My grandmother Ruth Cook (aged 93, member of ‘Namgis First Nation) and uncle Alex Nelson (aged 77, a member of Musgamaqw-Dzawada’enuxw First Nation) both attended St. Michael’s Residential School. Located in the village of Alert Bay, on the lands of the ‘Namgis Peoples, this school opened in 1894 and operated until 1974. It wasn’t until 2015, that the school was taken down.

More than 130 Residential schools were built in Canada, funded by the government and run by the churches, to “take the Indian out the child” and assimilate the students into Canadian Society.  The students who attended these schools faced numerous tragedies, such as emotional and physical abuse, while also losing their language, cultural identity and even their lives.

As a Nation, we’re still affected by the systemic tragedies that took place the Residential School system and the traumas that still exist today.  

I would like to personally honour the strength and resilience of my uncle Alex Nelson. He’s been a mentor to me since I was a little boy. He’s had many struggles in residential school but managed to somehow channel his feelings and emotions into the sport of soccer.

Alex played, coached and fundraised all his life – for the spirit, comradery and cultural connections of the game. He knew that this sport was a vessel for him to learn and grow as an individual and with the community. He knew the sport was bigger than him and continues to see that development even today.

Alex was inducted in the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame, the BC Sports Hall of Fame, the North American Indigenous Games Hall of Fame and coming up in October of 2024, the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Alex is truly a builder of culture and community. He coached me many times in life and continues to teach me every day, of how to become a better person and contributor to society, while embracing our cultural knowledge. Through role modelling, Alex taught me how to be humble, respectful and to share our natural born gifts.

I hope that with the sharing of our stories, we can continue to grow as a nation, as I know we’re all healing with loss and intergenerational trauma. My uncle Alex is my hero and continues to be an inspiration for me. Thank you, uncle, I love you.

Respectfully,

Jamin Zuroski
‘Namgis First Nations Designer
Jaminzuroski.com

Additional Resources

For more information around Truth and Reconciliation Day, please research Phyllis Webstad, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the Indian Residential School Survivors Society, the Witness Blanket, Chief Alex Nelson and Chief Robert Joseph.

To download a mobile wallpaper version of Jamin’s artwork, click here