November 30, 2006

A decent Indian logo

Spokane baseball team works with Indian tribe on new logoThe Spokane Indians on Wednesday unveiled a new logo developed in conjunction with the minor league baseball team's namesake Spokane Tribe of Indians.

In a rare instance of a sports team working with a local Indian tribe on the sensitive issues of racial stereotypes in nicknames, mascots or logos, the tribe gave its blessings to the design.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just E-mailed this to my cousin who is a Spokane Indian. When I hear back from him I will let you know what he thinks.

Rob said...

At least four schools have received exemptions so far, and the battle isn't over yet.

http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=1375

According to the NCAA website, four schools have bypassed the restrictions and been removed from the NCAA lists after receiving specific approval from Native American tribes. The Seminoles in Florida, the Chippewas in Michigan, the Choctaws in Mississippi, and the Utes in Utah have each granted permission to schools for use of their name and image.

Five more, including Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C., and the University of Louisiana in Monroe, La., have capitulated to NCAA demands and changed their nicknames and mascots. Chowan and Louisiana are now, respectively, the "Hawks" and the "Warhawks."

Two schools, Catawba College of Salisbury, N.C., and McMurry University of Abilene, Texas--both nicknamed the "Indians"--are under review.

Bradley University of Peoria, Ill., nicknamed the "Braves," demonstrated its ability to provide an environment consistent with the NCAA. It is the only school placed on the NCAA's watch list for the next five years "to assure circumstances do not change."

Besides Illinois, other schools currently restricted from NCAA championships based on Native mascots include:

* Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pa. (Indians)
* University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D. (Fighting Sioux)
* Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Ark. (Indians)
* Newberry College, Newberry, S.C. (Indians)
* Alcorn State University, Lorman, Miss. (Braves)

Anonymous said...

I am slightly happy that Non Natives are starting to respect some Natives wishes to use other symbols as logos for their teams but i am also confused. I am a young person so maybe i don't understand the long complex politics of this situation. But if you know who you are and where you come from, and the history of your people, why do you care so much that people depicts us this way? You should know thats a false image, you are the one representing yourself and your tribe, so why let it bother you? I am sure once you meet people and they see how Native do represent themselves they will learn that those symbols are not neccessary. So why even bother with "fighting the good fight" against stereotypical images of our people. We are the ones that are Native everyday, we are the ones that give us a reputation, we shouldn't allow an image to ruin the image we create ourselves.

Rob said...

See The Harm of Native Stereotyping: Facts and Evidence for answers to your questions.