Long before lacrosse was played under stadium lights, it was the Creator's Game, a gift carried through generations in the stories and communities of Indigenous peoples.
This Native American Heritage Month, USA Lacrosse is honoring that legacy through the work of Jordan Thompson, an artist from the Mohawk Nation, commissioned to create an original piece celebrating the game's roots.
The one-of-a-kind artwork is featured on a specialty "Creator's Game" shirt, available now at shop.usalacrosse.com. All proceeds from sales of the shirt benefit Indigenous causes, including the 4 the Future Foundation and Native American applicants in USA Lacrosse's national grant program.
We spoke with Thompson about his heritage, his pen-and-ink craft and the legend that inspired the design.
Can you tell us a little about yourself, your Indigenous heritage and how you first got into art?
My name is Jordan Tehaweiakaron Thompson. I’m Turtle clan from the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. I grew up on the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation in northern New York/southern Ontario.
As far back as I can remember, I always had a love for art. I grew to love the art medium pen and ink. My heritage and wildlife have always been my biggest inspiration.
How would you describe your artistic style, and what influences have helped shape your work?
I always liked black and white artwork. Growing up I had a couple artists I looked up to and who inspired me to try pen and ink. It’s always been my culture and wildlife that influenced my work.
How does your cultural heritage influence the stories you tell through your artwork?
My artwork was always my way of keeping a close connection to my culture. What really influenced my artwork was listening to elders tell stories and legends. I tried taking what I learned from my elders and put it down on paper to make visual. This was also my way of sharing my culture with the world.
What was your inspiration behind the piece you created for USA Lacrosse?
The piece that I created was inspired by a lacrosse legend called the Creator's Game. This legend was one of my favorite legends because I grew up playing lacrosse and my community has a strong connection with the game. Like a lot of our legends, this legend has wildlife. The legend tells a story of a famous lacrosse game between the Four-Legged Creatures and the Winged Creatures.
Can you walk us through some of the symbolism, colors and design elements in the piece and what they represent?
The design created for USA Lacrosse depicts the captains of the Four-Legged Creatures and the Winged Creatures. I separated the teams with placing a small wooden lacrosse stick down the middle — the same small wooden lacrosse stick I gave both my sons when they were babies, which they still have today. One day they can pass it along to their children as the game passes down from generation to generation.
The images are all set on the turtle. The turtle is not only one of three captains of the Four-Legged Creatures in the legend, but it also represents Turtle Island (Earth). This is why I made the design all within the turtle.
What does the game of lacrosse mean to you personally and to your community?
My community and nation have a strong connection with the Creator's Game. I grew up playing the game at a very young age. Besides enjoying playing the game, playing was an outlet. It helped me forget about the problems and struggles in the world. It has been truly my medicine.
THE CREATOR'S GAME
Honor the origins of lacrosse and support Indigenous causes — and look good doing it.
Proceeds support the 4 the Future Foundation and Native American applicants to the USA Lacrosse National Grant Program.
