Essay: The native American mascots controversy

« Essay: The native American mascots controversy With the growth of different sports in the United States in the early 20th century it became more and more popular to use native-themed mascots and logos because they are supposed to show strength, endurance, and team spirit.

A significant number of these teams still exists today like teams such as the Redskins, Braves, Indians, Blackhawks, Chiefs, Warriors, and Eskimos. Although some fans pretend to be honouring the Natives, most Native people see them as a reminder to the country’s long history of racism and discrimination against Natives.

In the 1960s Native activists began a movement to end the use of Native-themed names, mascots, and logos in American sports.

Although the movement has achieved some successes its efforts justly continue today and must be sustained as long as necessary. Therefore, we must ask ourselves whether these mascots, logos, and names should be prohibited or if they are merely a sign of respect towards the Natives. Firstly, those mascots are nothing else but stereotypes of Native American minorities, who have been treated poorly since European settlers came to America.

They reduce native culture to one single aspect, often inaccurately.

As a result, many sports fan who might not know American history and culture very well get a completely wrong image of the native culture, reducing them to the few aspects that are shown by the mascots of football or basketball teams.

This is the case of the Kansas City Chiefs whose logo is an arrowhead that reminds the old fighting methods of Native American.

The stereotype that Natives are a bunch of brutal tribes who fight with antic weapons is spread like this, giving a false picture of today’s Native people.

While some may argue that those symbols represent the strength and courage of Native Americans, this may have been the case 200 years ago. Today they are mostly peaceful and have little in common with their ancestors, who were warriors in a different world.

The term “chiefs” refers as well to a time long ago.

As of today, Natives often live normal lives without a chief who is their leader.

Once again, this symbol is related to an old tradition, reducing Natives to only their history rather than their present. Using those symbols and words not only is stereotyping but also cultural appropriation. Symbols like the tomahawk, the arrowhead or the war bonnets often have a deep meaning or a high value.

These factors are ignored by sports teams who use those items without considering their true significance in Native American culture.

Using them reduces complex cultures into simplistic stereotypes, focusing on war bonnets, tomahawks, and teepees rather than celebrating their rich histories and traditions.

As a result,.... »