In recent years, high school and professional sports teams have faced pressure to remove Native American mascots due to their racist and offensive nature. These mascots, often caricatures or stereotypes, have long been criticized by Indigenous groups and their allies for perpetuating harmful misconceptions about Native cultures.
In a newly released movie released on Netflix, an all-Indigenous high school basketball team on the Navajo Nation is reclaiming Native imagery on their sports jerseys.
Rez Ball follows the Chuska Warriors as they deal with issues that disproportionately affect Indigenous communities, including suicide and alcoholism.
The team is made up of all-Indigenous high schoolers, and their jerseys and practice uniforms feature traditional Indigenous warrior themes. The team’s jerseys are displayed prominently throughout the film which follows the players as they bond, persevere, and face rival non-Native teams.
SpringHill Company, Lebron James’ film production venture, produced the film. However, despite the basketball legend's lifetime deal with the company, the film’s wardrobe didn’t feature Nike-exclusive clothing. Instead, the players wore uniforms designed by Shiprock, New Mexico resident Roddell Denetso.
Denetso runs Black Streak Apparel, a one-person business that designs Indigenous-themed sports apparel for youth teams all over Indian Country. He often designs teams’ jerseys based on their tribal imagery. Denetso designed the Chuska Warriors’ home and away uniforms, a turquoise championship colorway, shooting shirts, team bags, travel gear, full zip jackets and pants, the cheerleaders’ uniforms, and other apparel seen throughout the movie.
“I'm just this little Rez kid with a shop that I ran out of by my house from Shiprock,” said Denetso.
Denetso said the stakes were high as a large film crew relied on his designs to be ready.
“If we ever miss a deadline on something that hurts everything because it stops a whole day or two of production, like $50,000 lost,” said Denetso,
Denetso got to watch his jerseys in action on set. As a resident of Shiprock, New Mexico, he felt emotional watching the filming in and around the community.
“I was able to be on set when they shot at Shiprock High. My ‘coming to reality’ moment was when they were unloading stuff to go on set, and they had a cart (that) said Black Streak Apparel,” said Denetso.
Denetso played basketball throughout his youth, moving to state and national championships. He said he identified with the Chuska Warriors dealing with issues of alcoholic family members.
“That's how I grew up. I come from having an alcoholic mom and alcoholic stepfather, not having my father in my life, and having basketball as my outlet. 99% of my games all through high school, my mom and stepdad showed up intoxicated or hungover,” said Denetso.
Denetso is proud of his hard work and shares a message for those struggling with trauma.
“Hey, if I can do it, you can do it,” said Denetso, “It's just all about how you use the generational trauma that we deal with. You can use it as a crutch, or you can use it as motivation to do better and to change the cycle,” said Denetso.
Roddell Denetso hopes to inspire young people to show pride in their culture. And he hopes to reach more customers for his custom-made garments now that his work is reaching a large audience on Netflix.
