One of the biggest stories in sports in the past couple weeks was the NCAA's new restrictions on Native American mascots/imagery in college tournaments. Basically, they're prohibiting anything "offensive" during the postseason. That's entirely subjective and a half-assed attempt at appeasing the PC cops, but I digress - that's a whole other can of worms. Regardless, this has been a problem since sports emerged as a major industry and integral compenent of North American culture in the 20th Century, and the fact it's still an issue today is both discouraging and frustrating.
Growing up on the reserve, watching sports was one of the few things I looked forward to. When I was a kid, seeing teams like the Indians or the Redskins succeed was like, “Wow, looks like we will make it after all!” There weren’t many other Natives making successful runs in the mainstream, so I figured hey, why not let others do it for us. They’re proud to be “Chiefs” and “Braves” even though they’re not, really, which was sadly more than could be said for a lot of the rest of us. I cheered for these teams until I grew a little older and wiser, when I realized that the whole charade was pretty bunk. Trivializing my culture and traditional imagery in such a way is like an eternal kick in the balls from Custer himself.
So let’s take a look at some of these examples in professional sports. Although the current context focuses on the NCAA, that was something I wasn't really exposed to as a kid. So I can't legitimately comment on specific college mascots/names/etc. In the big leagues, some are okay with me - like the Chicago Blackhawks and Kansas City Chiefs, because they’ve abandoned offensive “rituals” (e.g. “chopping”, “war-dancing”) and racist imagery - but others are in need of serious overhaul. We’ll go in order from west to east, reverse Manifest Destiny.
Cleveland Indians
According to the organization, the Indians adopted their current moniker in 1915 as a living tribute to the first Native American to play professional baseball: Louis Sockalexis, a pitcher/outfielder for the Cleveland Spiders in 1897. However, critics refute this claim, saying Sockalexis was frequently singled out and taunted with racist remarks, driving him to the bottle and eventually, death. Regardless of the name’s origin, my key beef is with the mascot, lovingly referred to as “Chief Wahoo.” Have you ever seen an Indian that red? This isn’t a tribute. This is a hairless, one-eared Bugs Bunny replica grimacing through a colonoscopy.
Atlanta Braves
Beginning in Boston before moving to Milwaukee and finally Atlanta, this team has always been called the Braves. Although “Brave” is a noble term, it does have primitive connotations. Whatever. But the “tomahawk chop?” Give me a break. I cheered for Atlanta in the 1991 World Series until I saw drunken Georgian rednecks “chopping” with their flabby arms while bellowing an undignified and horrendous “war cry.” Minnesota - where you’ll find way more “Braves” than in Georgia - ended up winning the title anyway.
Washington Redskins
“Redskin” is the worst racial slur you can dub a Native American. It’s just as bad as “nigger”. Sure, we jokingly refer to each other as “Injuns” or “Redskins”, but as soon as you say it, prepare for certain stern repurcussions. This NFL franchise – originating in Boston – was known as the Braves (no relation to the aforementioned baseball team) until it moved to Fenway Park in 1933, when it became the Boston Redskins. The name stuck after the move to Washington, D.C. in 1937. There are many conflicting reports of its source: some say it’s in honor of Lone Star Dietz, an Indian who once was coach; others say it refers to the white colonists who dressed up in Indian garb for the Boston Tea Party. Despite its foggy derivation, it’s a shitty name, and even if the Pope called me a “redskin” I’d punch him in the throat.
Then why are the “Chiefs” okay, you ask? Well, probably because Kansas has such a large Native American population; years ago they stopped doing asinine routines like the chop and riding a white guy in warpaint and a headdress around the stadium on a horse. Plus, “Chief” is a revered title, unlike Indian or Redskin. On top of that, Joe Montana played for these guys for a couple seasons. On the other hand, I’d say the anonymous Blackhawks mascot is a somewhat dignified image because his skin color more closely resembles mine: a glistening, gorgeous bronze hue.
There are much more monumental problems that face Native North America: suicide, substance abuse, lack of identity, and internal corruption, to name just a few. The whole sports controversy is pretty petty compared to these, but the bottom line is they continue to perpetuate negative stereotypes and false representation. If these mascots and labels haven't been overhauled by now, they probably never will. I suppose the NCAA can be slightly commended for its efforts, but at this point it seems too little, too late. Until the pros undertake similar initiatives, all we can do is keep educating. Yes, "redskin" is an offensive term, and no, our people don't really look like that. A boycott is a little futile, considering the large markets these teams inhabit, but as long as we speak up, maybe we can get mainstream media and the corporations who own these teams to think a little differently.
Posted by waub at August 19, 2005 10:39 AM