Rochester is home to 6 Native American nations of the Haudenosaunee people.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Knighthawks announced on Tuesday that the team will support the ‘Every Child Matters’ movement in partnership with the National Lacrosse League and Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino on Friday, April 22 when the team plays host to the Calgary Roughnecks at Segar & Sciortino Field at the Blue Cross Arena.
Observed by all 14 NLL member organizations, and inspired by its teams and players, the league-wide movement is designed to educate and promote awareness of the global impact of Native American residential schools on Indigenous people and communities.
“The Every Child Matters initiative has been a staple of the National Lacrosse League and its teams this season and we as an organization are thrilled to have the opportunity to do our part in supporting the movement,” said Knighthawks Vice President of Business Operations Rob Minter. “New York State has deep-rooted Native American history as the home to several sovereign nations and the sport of lacrosse is an important piece of Indigenous culture. We are forever grateful for the opportunity to live, work and play lacrosse in this region.”
As part of the initiative, all NLL players this season wore orange-colored warm-up shirts along with matching helmet decals featuring the design of a left-ward facing palm print and feathers in support of the ‘Every Child Matters’ movement.
The wearing of orange shirts also coincides with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, instituted by the Canadian government in 2020, which has since become an annual event. People across Canada wear orange every Sept. 30 to participate in Orange Shirt Day to recognize and raise awareness about the history and legacies of the residential school system in Canada.
New York State is home to the Seneca, Tuscarora, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk nations, all of which collectively comprise the Haudenosaunee people. Each Nation retains its own language, culture and traditions. To this day, the region is still their home.