Indigenous Canadian Wrestler Touts National TV Debut Of His Heritage On AEW Dynamite
This week on "AEW Dynamite," Sebastian Wolfe took on HOOK in the latter's return to AEW programming. While Wolfe inevitably lost against the former FTW Champion, he left Washington beaming with pride as he became one of the first Indigenous Canadian professional wrestlers to appear on "Dynamite," and he took to social media to share his cultural pride.
Astute viewers may have noticed "wolf" written across Wolfe's gear in Cree. He posted a picture in which his gear took center stage and proudly proclaimed that his gear was the debut of Cree on a nationally broadcast wrestling show.
This is my native language of Cree, it says WOLF. Last night makes the first time this language was ever seen on a national TV wrestling show.
Last night was also the first time an Indigenous Canadian pro wrestler was on #AEWdynamite
Thank you Everett WA 🧡 pic.twitter.com/SiUNRpCkbg
— Sebastian Wolfe (@SebWolfePRO) May 16, 2024
The Cree people are one of the largest First Nations and live both in Canada and the northernmost United States. Wolfe is not the only Cree wrestler to appear on "Dynamite," as Harlon Abbott replied to Wolfe's tweet to cite his roots in the Papaschase First Nation, a subset of Cree people that have their roots in Alberta. However, Wolfe does have the honor of being the first person to display Cree in such a public and high-profile manner.
Wolfe and Abbott are not the only Indigenous performers to grace the AEW ring. Women's wrestling trailblazer Nyla Rose is part Oneida and has proudly showcased her heritage in her gear, similar to Wolfe. There are several Indigenous talent in the professional wrestling world at large. The Brisco wrestling family, consisting of The Brisco Brothers and Wes Brisco, are proudly Chickasaw, and Mickie James is part of the Powhatan tribe. Eddy Thorpe, previously known as Karl Fredericks, is of Native American heritage and is currently slated to return to the ring following a recent hip injury. With his performance on "Dynamite," Wolfe only added to the Indigenous presence in professional wrestling.