The Albuquerque Isotopes are celebrating Native American Heritage Night tomorrow. When the ‘Topes take the field, they’ll be wearing special caps and jerseys designed by Native artists. Evone “Snowflake” Martinez is a pottery artist from the Pueblos of Cochiti and San Ildefonso. She designed the beautiful jerseys, which feature designs from traditional pottery, including terra cotta graphics with black accents.
KUNM's Mark Haslett spoke with Martinez to learn a little about the inspiration and meaning behind the designs.
Martinez: Because we're so connected to Mother Earth, a lot of our designs are instituted with Earth itself, or the elements: air, wind, fire, rain. Because stories tell us a long time ago, we used to be able to talk to the animals, but we owe respect to the stories that we're told and we still do today is to honor animals and the elements of life every day, giving them thanks for giving the air to breathe, the food that to provide for us on the table when we go hunting, the harvest that we have, whether it be an abundant year, or maybe a scarce year, is the fact that we do have food on the table, and so a lot of our designs are based on all of these things, pretty much life itself.
Haslett: Some elements from the jerseys honor missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Martinez: So when you look at this shirt, you will see what I have is like an eagle feather design on it. It's pretty much around the whole shirt itself, and on the shirt is like a red dot, which symbolizes the missing, murdered. The eagle is our messenger creator, and putting it on him. So when the eagle flies to Creator, taking our prayers and our messages, he carries them with him to Creator, so that Creator can get their spirits and at least put their spirits at peace wherever they may be. So, in the sense, it's a prayer at the same time.
Haslett: An online auction of game-worn jerseys will benefit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s Bob Chavez Scholarship for the Arts. Gates will open at 5:30 for tomorrow evening’s Native American Heritage Night at Isotopes Park. The Albuquerque Isotopes are hosting the Sugar land Space Cowboys. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35.
