MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins are celebrating the Dakota culture with a custom jersey and two hats, designed by artist and Dakota Nation member Leah Thomas – Zintkada Zi Win, and produced in partnership with the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino. The exclusive jersey will be given away to the first 5,000 fans in attendance for the annual Native American Heritage Night at Target Field, set for tonight, Monday, June 22, when the Twins host the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The limited-edition hats can be purchased exclusively at the Twins New Era Team Store at Target Field, also beginning tonight, while supplies last.
Tickets for the entire June 22-24 Twins vs. Dodgers series are available online at twins.com/tickets, via phone by calling 1-800-33-TWINS, or in person at the Target Field Ticket Office. First pitch for Twins vs. Dodgers for tonight’s Native American Heritage Night is set for 6:40 p.m., with gates opening at 5:30 p.m.
Celebrating Dakota Culture, In Many Forms
The jersey and hats were designed by Leah Thomas - Zintkada Zi Win, a member of the Dakota Nation, representing the Bdewakantunwan Os’paye by way of Tinta Wita, the Prairie Island Indian Community. In all three items – jersey and two hats – hues of red, shades of blue, dashes of green, and black and white accents form floral designs that evokecthe natural geometry of the Upper Midwest landscape, the traditional homeland of the Dakota people.
“It is an incredible honor to create a design to represent the strength and pride of the Dakota Nation for the Twins’ Native American Heritage Night,” Thomas said. “The Dakota floral designs showcased in tonight’s apparel are an extension of the beautiful lands and the people that I come from.”
In addition to the jersey and hats, and pregame dance performances, a tipi will be set up on the Gate 34 lawn inside the Target Field gates, for fans to explore and learn more. The Dakota word “thípi” translates to “they live”. Thípis were traditionally made of buffalo hides and a lightweight, straight, sturdy wood such as pine. Each piece of the thípi has its own significance, and fans can learn more about these meanings at Target Field on Monday.
“The Minnesota Twins proudly honor our state’s Dakota heritage through our longstanding partnership with the Prairie Island Indian Community,” said Nancy O’Brien, Twins Senior Vice President, Community Engagement. “May and June is when the flowers bloom across the plains of our great state, and Leah Thomas’s beautiful designs bring these colors to life. Native American Heritage Night is a celebration of Dakota culture, and we are grateful to Leah and our partners at Treasure Island Resort & Casino for helping us do that at Target Field.”
“We look forward to this special night with the Minnesota Twins every year and with such gratitude for the opportunity to share our Dakota culture with Twins fans,” said Grant Johnson, Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council President. “We congratulate our Tribal member, Leah Thomas, on her beautiful design for the hats and jersey, and hope people wear them proudly.”