Saturday, Sept. 12, is gonna be a day for the history books, not just a typical gridiron clash. Two college football squads, South Dakota and Eastern Washington, are stepping onto the field to celebrate Native American Heritage Day in a way that’s straight-up awesome: they’re rocking helmets with their team names in native tribal languages.
The Coyotes Bring the Culture
South Dakota is bringing back their “Sungmanitu” helmets, which is Lakota for “coyote,” a design that first hit the field back in 2025 against North Dakota. These aren’t just cool decals, either. Their helmets also feature a stripe with a design that represents the Seven Council Fires, a powerful alliance of the Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota peoples. It’s a huge honor, as the South Dakota athletics department themselves said, calling it a “unique event” and prioritizing ways to “elevate the Native American Heritage games each year.” The talent behind it is just as important, with Sadie Red Wing of Spirit Lake Dakota designing the decals and Jerome Kills Small, an Oglala Lakota member, leading the translation. This isn’t just about football, it’s about deep respect and heritage.
Eagles Soaring with Salish
Over on the Eastern Washington side, they’re not messing around either. Their helmets will flash “uł pql̓qeyn,” which translates to Salish for “group of eagles.” These beauties first dropped in 2024 and were back on the field last year. If you can’t catch them this Saturday, mark your calendars: they’re wearing them again on Oct. 31 when they face Montana. It’s a powerful statement from both teams, showing how much emphasis they’re placing on this event.
Beyond the Game
This whole event is more than just a helmet design, seriously. Before the game kicks off, students from Mahpíya Lúta Middle School, hailing from the Pine Ridge Reservation, are gonna sing the Lakota Flag Song. And during the game itself, Native American students, staff, and alumni are all getting recognized. It’s a full-on celebration. Plus, South Dakota’s roster even features players with Native American lineage, like starting quarterback Austyn Modrzewski (Chiricahua Apache), defensive lineman Kainen White (Cherokee), and defensive lineman Max Coles (Shakopee Mdewakanton). This is about bringing their history and identity right onto the biggest stage.
So yeah, while these teams are battling it out on Saturday, Sept. 12, the real win is this incredible cultural display. Eastern Washington will be back at it with their “uł pql̓qeyn” helmets on Oct. 31 against Montana, so if you’re a fan of history being made on the field, keep an eye out. This ain’t just a game, it’s a statement, and it’s awesome to see.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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