ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES
Honoring ancestors, uplifting her people: Isotopes jersey design is about more than baseball
Specially-designed Isotopes jerseys will be a part of Native American Heritage Night on Aug. 8 at Isotopes Park
Published
Modified
Her Tewa name is Snowflake.
Her Christian name is Evone Martinez.
Her life is dedicated to telling stories through her art.
To some, Wednesday鈥檚 news of her design of a new jersey to be worn by the Albuquerque Isotopes at their Aug. 8 Native American Heritage Night game might be just another Minor League Baseball promotion.
To Martinez, of the San Ildefonso and Cochiti Pueblos, it was an opportunity for her to honor family, mentors, and the people of New Mexico鈥檚 23 federally recognized tribes.
鈥淭his jersey isn鈥檛 about me; it鈥檚 about my ancestors,鈥� Martinez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about their stories, their memories, their advice, their teachings, and their voices (which) are no longer heard, but can be written and heard out loud in the work that they have behind, so that we never forget it.鈥�
Wednesday, at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, the Isotopes and IPCC announced their joint venture partnership for this year鈥檚 Native American Heritage Night game that will include not only a specially-designed hat given away to the first 2,500 fans through the gates and a postgame fireworks show, but the Martinez-designed jerseys the Isotopes will wear during the game. The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off with all proceeds benefitting the Bob Chavez Scholarship for the Arts, as will 10% of all sales of the limited-edition jerseys sold that night exclusively in the Isotopes Park Pro Shop.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center鈥檚 mission remains both preserving history and sharing it.
鈥淭he Indian Pueblo Cultural Center formed in 1976, five decades ago, to do exactly what we鈥檙e doing today 鈥� to share and uplift who we are as Pueblo people, to ensure that we鈥檙e seen, that we're in community,鈥� said Monique Fragua, IPCC President.
鈥淣ew Mexico history is Pueblo culture. You see it in the architecture. You see it in the stories told and the language spoken, and now we get to see it through our partnership with the Albuquerque Isotopes and the game-worn jerseys. I couldn鈥檛 be more thrilled.鈥�
The intricately-designed jersey, Martinez explained, didn鈥檛 come without praying and talking with plenty of people and families she knew to draw inspiration. Each number on the jersey 鈥� 0 through 9 鈥� has its own design.
As she meticulously went inch-by-inch over the jersey design at a media presentation at the IPCC on Wednesday, it was clear far more thought went into every part of these jerseys than any casual observer could ever know.
There is a turkey feather, steps that represent the four stages of life, serpents, water, balance in life, a spirit line and so much more.
On the horizontal bar across the midsection of the jersey that looks like a familiar and recognizable decorative belt seen during many Native American ceremonies, for example, Martinez explained with deep emotion the thought and meaning behind every brush stroke of the design.
鈥淗ere are the eagle feathers,鈥� she said, her hands pointing to that portion of the jersey. 鈥淭he eagle to us is our messenger to Creator. ... When we pray, we use an eagle feather to carry the messages to Creator. But if you see inside each one (of the eagle feathers) is a red dot, and that holds a special place as well because it鈥檚 my symbolization of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. The color is red. They鈥檙e on the eagle feather wings for a purpose because he carries the message to Creator, so that Creator will hold it in his heart and protect our people that are lost.鈥�
While Native American Heritage Night games aren鈥檛 new to the Isotopes, with culturally-themed dancers, presentations and artists often being able to display work each year at the special game, the two organizations chose this year to step up their partnership into what is traditionally the most popular and fan-friendly of all promotions at a Minor League Baseball game: jersey giveaways.
鈥淣ative American Heritage Night is one of our most meaningful annual celebrations, and we鈥檙e proud to partner with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and acclaimed artist Evone 鈥楽nowflake鈥� Martinez to showcase the rich cultures and traditions of New Mexico鈥檚 Native communities,鈥� said Isotopes General Manager Chrissy Baines.
Reach Geoff Grammer at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) .
