Victoria's Secret model in a headdress

There's No Doubt that will cause controversy: Karlie Kloss dons a Native American headpiece as she walks the runway at Victoria's Secret Show

By Louise SaundersShe may have looked utterly breathtaking as she strutted her stuff on the runway at the 2012 Victoria's Secret Show on Wednesday night.

But there's No Doubt Karlie Kloss will have caused controversy thanks to her Native American headgear.

The 20-year-old model's catwalk appearance came just days after No Doubt's latest video was withdrawn amid complaints of 'racism' from the Native American community.

Featuring frontwoman Gwen Stefani dressed as a Native American woman, being tied up by cowboys and cavorting with a wolf, the video for new single Looking Hot immediately proved unpopular with fans.

And while Karlie looked simply stunning as she took to the runway on Wednesday at New York's Lexington Avenue Armory, she may have caused a similar issue thanks to the controversial nature of her accessory.

More photos of Kloss in costume:

Karlie Kloss & Lily Aldridge--Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012

What's wrong with this?

Victoria's Secret: Bikini War Bonnet Disaster

By Ruth HopkinsJust last week, No Doubt released a video for its latest single,' Looking Hot.’ To our dismay, the video turned out to be little more than a Native appropriation extravaganza, paying homage to cheap, inaccurate, stereotypical Dime Store turkey feather accoutrements and the hypersexualization of Native women. Natives once again stepped up to the plate to defend their cultural dignity, and No Doubt apologized, pulling the video from circulation.

Now, Victoria’s Secret has upped the ante. Wednesday night, their fashion show featured model Karlie Kloss in a leopard print bikini accessorized with turquoise jewelry and fringe covered heels, strutting down the catwalk in a floor-length, feathered war bonnet.

As a Victoria’s Secret customer, I am livid. After years of patronage and loyalty to the Victoria’s Secret brand, I am repaid with the mean-spirited, disrespectful trivialization of my blood ancestry and the attempted degradation of the proud Native identity I work hard to instill in my children. Well I’ve got news for you, Victoria’s Secret. Consider yourself boycotted. Perhaps it’s time for us to resume the feminist practice of bra burning. Regardless, this Native girl is ready to go commando.

What is it going to take before the fashion industry, and mainstream society in general, realizes that making a mockery of Native identity is unacceptable?

Why is this practice offensive to Natives? Let’s peel away the layers of this tacky, racist onion. For one, Ms. Kloss has no business wearing a war bonnet at all. Not only is she not Native, she hasn’t earned the honor. Among my people, the Oceti Sakowin (Sioux), war bonnets are exclusively worn by men, and each feather within a war bonnet is symbolic of a brave act of valor accomplished by that man. Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry had the privilege of wearing a war bonnet. Who wears a war bonnet? Tatanka Iyotanka, Sitting Bull. Not a no-account waif paid to prance around on stage in her underwear. This brings me to my next point: the hypersexualization of Native women. Unfortunately, these days, if you search under ‘war bonnet’ or even ‘Native’ on the internet, you’re likely to come across dozens of pictures of naked, or nearly naked, white women wearing headdresses. Given the epidemic levels of sexual violence Native women and girls are faced with in the United States, why can they not see how incredibly insensitive and inappropriate it is to equate Native womanhood as little more than a sexual fetish?

Note also the mingling of the Plains headdress and Navajo jewelry, which implies all Native cultures are interchangeable. Also the leopard-spot bikini, which implies Indians are savage and animal-like. And her hand near her mouth, which suggests she was making a "whoo-whoo" gesture.

Then there's this odd note:

Karlie Kloss Aimed to Hurt Cherokee Ex-Boyfriend With Inappropriate Outfit?Was Victoria’s Secret angel Karlie Kloss trying to get back at ex-flame Sam Bradford by wearing an Indian-themed headdress and get-up in a recent runway show?

Cherokees are chattering that the obvious slight was meant to be an arrow through the heart of Bradford, a citizen of the tribe and current St. Louis Rams quarterback.

All was well with the couple earlier this year when they were caught kissing at a music festival in California in April. But the relationship apparently soured fast—to the point of Kloss being willing to mock Bradford’s culture.

The last laugh goes to the Heisman Trophy winner for now with the love-scorned attempt backfiring big time on the sexy model, having generated major controversy in Indian country, with some Indians saying she is racially insensitive and needs to apologize—not only to Bradford but all of Native America.Comment:  I'm pretty sure models don't get to choose which outfits they wear. But it's mildly interesting that Kloss had a Native connection before this controversy arose.

Because Kloss wasn't in charge, the blame goes to Victoria's Secret, not to her. Her only option was to refuse to wear the stereotypical outfit. If she was even aware of the issue, it's unlikely she was brave enough to challenge the system.

For more on the subject, see Crystle Lightning in a Headdress and Boutique Lookbook's Stereotypical Fashions.

Bradford named Nike N7 Ambassador

Nike Announces Sam Bradford as Nike N7 AmbassadorNike just announced that St. Louis Rams Quarterback Sam Bradford is joining the company as a Nike N7 ambassador. The athletic apparel company launched its N7 campaign targeted at American Indians in 2007. “Inspired by Native American wisdom of Seven Generations,” according to the N7 Facebook page, the N7 brand is Nike’s “commitment to bring sport and all of its benefits to Native American and Aboriginal communities in the USA and Canada.” Through purchases of N7 products, Nike supports the N7 Fund, which provides Native and Aboriginal communities with grants to fund sports and physical fitness programs.

Nike shared the news and Bradford’s new role in Washington, DC, on April 27, when Bradford joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to encourage American Indian youth to eat healthy and stay active.

Bradford, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, planted heirloom American Indian crops and indigenous vegetables in a garden, called The Roots of American Agriculture, with more than 30 American Indian students and USDA officials on April 27. Practicing traditional native planting techniques, they celebrated the enormous contributions American Indians have made to the foods eaten regularly across the country and globe. The garden is part of the USDA’s People’s Garden Initiative, which promotes the establishment of school and community gardens.Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, NFL Quarterback Sam Bradford Urge Native American Youth to Get ActiveAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack welcomed St. Louis Rams Quarterback Sam Bradford to the Agriculture Department today and joined him in urging Native American youth to spend the summer pursuing healthy outdoor activities. Bradford, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, participated with over 30 Native American students at USDA's People's Garden in planting a Native American garden, called The Roots of American Agriculture.

"Through programs like 'Fuel Up to Play 60' and Let's Move!, the Obama administration is helping get kids active in order to help them have a healthy future," said Vilsack. "Our partners at the NFL and across the country are key to engaging kids in an exciting way that teaches them that physical activity can be fun, while also important to their health."

Bradford and Vilsack noted that a recent study of four year-old children found that obesity is more than twice as common among American Indian/Alaska Native children than among white or Asian children. In 2002, nearly 15 percent of those receiving care from the United States Indian Health Service (IHS) were estimated to have diabetes.Comment:  I criticized Bradford before for not helping his Native brethren. For not even acknowledging them. But now he's put himself into the game, to use a sports metaphor. He's walking the walk as well as talking the talk.

For more on the subject, see Bradford Promotes Healthy Lifestyles.

Woods, Bradford to golf with Begay

Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge Teed UpNotah Begay (Navajo/Pueblo) and the Oneida Indian Nation are teaming up for the fourth time in their fight against obesity and to promote youth sports and wellness within American Indian communities. The fourth anual Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation Challenge is slated for July 5 at Turning Stone Resort’s Atunyote Golf Club.

The event has once again attracted huge stars from both the sports and entertainment worlds, with golf giant Tiger Woods and rising star (and part Navajo) Rickie Fowler teeing off alongside NFL quarterbacks Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys and Sam Bradford, Cherokee, of the St. Louis Rams in the two-person team, best ball 18-hole shootout.

Proceeds from the tournament go directly to the Notah Begay II Foundation, which has raised more than $2.4 million in the first three years of the event.Notah Begay Promotes Healthy Living to American Indian StudentsThis weekend, four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay III, who comes from the Navajo, San Felipe Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo tribes, will advocate leading a healthy lifestyle to American Indian youth and draw attention to the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes in Indian Country.

Begay is returning to his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he will lead a series of televised events expected to reach 97 percent of all American Indian students nationwide.

As a guest on Native America Calling from 11 am to noon on April 29, Begay will spread his wellness message to more than 67 tribal and public radio stations. Begay will speak in-studio with high school and college students from the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians of California, who participate in a leadership development program sponsored by the the NB3 Foundation, the nonprofit organization that Begay created with his father to help fight childhood obesity and diabetes. The students are partaking in a journalism seminar intended to expose them to career opportunities in news and media, such as radio, television, magazine and social media platforms.Comment:  For more on the subject, see 3rd NB3 Challenge Raises $125 Million and NB3 Foundation Fights Obesity.

Bradford promotes healthy lifestyles

Sam Bradford to promote healthy lifestyles in USDA visitSam Bradford, a member of the Cherokee Nation who plays for the St. Louis Rams, will promote healthy lifestyles for Indian youth during a visit to the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday.

Along with Secretary Tom Vilsack, Bradford and more than 30 Indian students will plant a garden with vegetable seeds that are indigenous to the Americas. The garden, called "The Roots of American Agriculture," is part of the People's Garden at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C.Comment:  For more on Bradford, see Bradford Is Rookie of the Year and Bradford Talks the Talk at Ceremony.

Bradford is Rookie of the Year

Bradford wins AP Rookie of Year AwardIt wasn’t the trophy Cherokee Nation citizen Sam Bradford wanted to hold following his first NFL season, but it’s one he accepted Feb. 4.

The St. Louis Rams quarterback won the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, receiving 44 of the 50 votes.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Rams Pick Bradford No. 1 and Bradford Talks the Talk at Ceremony.

Rams pick Bradford no. 1

Sam Bradford2010 NFL Draft

Although he likely would have been one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2009 NFL Draft, Bradford decided to return to Oklahoma for his junior season in January 2009. But on October 25, 2009, Bradford announced he would forgo his final year at Oklahoma and enter the 2010 NFL Draft. Commonly considered one of the top prospects available, Bradford was projected as high as the No. 1 overall pick for most of the preseason and the early part of the regular season.

On April 22, 2010, Bradford was selected by the St. Louis Rams as the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Personal

Bradford is an official citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and is also listed on the tribe's rolls. He is one-sixteenth Cherokee through his paternal great-great-grandmother, Susie Walkingstick, who was a full-blooded Cherokee. Bradford is the first person of Cherokee descent to start at quarterback for a Division I university since Sonny Sixkiller, a full-blooded Cherokee, who played for the University of Washington during the 1970-72 seasons. Greg Maddox, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, started for James Madison from 1996–98 and is the last Native American to hold the distinction before Bradford. Bradford also holds the distinction of being the first Native American to win the Heisman Trophy.Comment:  No doubt Bradford just accomplished some more firsts, such as being the first enrolled Native to be drafted no. 1.

Good thing Sam Bradford went to the Rams rather than the Washington Redskins. Otherwise we would've had to spend weeks discussing the issue.

Someone mentioned that this would've raised awareness of the mascot issue. True. But unless Bradford took a stance against playing for the Redskins, we would've had the same old debate we've had a thousand times. The majority who see nothing wrong with Indian mascots would've trotted out the same old arguments: "It doesn't hurt anyone. We're honoring Indians. You're being PC. Don't you have anything better to do?" Etc.

There's no evidence Bradford would've spoken out against his employer and jeopardized his career. In fact, he said he was willing to play for the Redskins.

So I think dodging this debate is for the best. I can just hear the naysayers now: "If an enrolled Indian says there's nothing wrong with playing for the Redskins, who are you to say differently? His presence proves the name isn't offensive to Indians."

For more on the subject, see Bradford May Play for Redskins and Bradford Talks the Talk at Ceremony.

Bradford may play for Redskins

Redskins Journal

Native American QB Sam Bradford willing to play for "Redskins"

By Rich CampbellSam Bradford, the University of Oklahoma quarterback who is part Cherokee Indian, will be drafted with one of the first 10 picks in April--as long as his surgically repaired right shoulder is healthy--and many draft analysts believe he'll end up with the Redskins.

Bradford said today at the NFL scouting combine that he has no problem with that, despite how offensive some Native Americans consider the "Redskins" nickname to be.

It would be an interesting match, considering that Bradford is one-sixteenth Native American. One American Indian group appealed to the Supreme Court last year to have the team's trademarks invalidated, but the court declined to take up the case.

Things could become awkward for Bradford if the Redskins draft him because he's viewed as a role model by many Native Americans. That status increased dramatically in 2008 when he became the first Native American to win the Heisman Trophy.Comment:  Can you imagine what a statement it would make if the Redskins drafted Bradford and he refused to play for them? He could put the mascot debate on the front page of every sports newspaper and website in the country.

Alas, it isn't going to happen.

Coming from a guy who considers himself more of an American than a Cherokee, Bradford's statement isn't surprising. Other than saying he's proud to be a Cherokee, he hasn't shown any interest in his culture or heritage that I'm aware of. He continues to demonstrate that jocks don't make good role models.

For more on the subject, see Bradford's Durability in Question and Bradford the Messiah?

Below:  Two oddly dissimilar "redskins."

Bradford talks the talk at ceremony

Cherokee pride:  The OU quarterback is recognized by his tribe during a ceremony in TahlequahBradford, a Cherokee citizen and Heisman Trophy winner, was recognized by his tribe and honored by seven other Indian nations during a ceremony attended by about 1,000 people at the American Indian school.

"God has given me a great platform, and my Native American roots extend that platform even more," said Bradford, who is one-sixteenth Cherokee. "There's a difference between talking the talk and walking the walk.

"Obviously I'm Native American and I'm proud of it ... but beyond knowing I have roots with this culture, I don't know much more than that. For me to come here today, it's just a way for me to learn about the culture."

Bradford's great-great-grandmother Susie Walkingstick was a full-blooded Cherokee. His heritage was referenced often when he won the Heisman Trophy, and he spoke about educating himself more on his culture.

On Friday, he accepted Chief Chad Smith's open invitation to visit the Cherokee Nation. Bradford met with Sequoyah students, visited the tribe's museum and even tried his hand at stickball.

"That's nice of him to come to Sequoyah and learn about where his ancestors came from," Sequoyah senior Jamie Wagnon said. "You can't know about your future if you don't know about your past."Comment:  When Bradford refers to "a difference between talking the talk and walking the walk," I presume he's the one who's talking the talk. He hasn't done much walking the walk when it comes to being Cherokee.

So Bradford is proud of being Native? So proud that he's willing to educate himself about Cherokee culture? And visit the Cherokee Nation--perhaps for the first time? Wow.

What would Bradford's life be like if he wasn't proud of being Native? Would there be any perceptible difference? Not that I can tell.

I guess I'm prouder of my Native associations than Bradford is--even though I'm not Native. Because I've educated myself about Indian cultures for almost 20 years. And I've visited dozens of reservations. Read Newspaper Rock or give me a call, Sam, if you need help in walking the walk.

For more on the subject, see Jocks Aren't Good Role Models and Bradford the Accidental Hero.

Rob doesn't understand "mutts"?

Someone named Allysha wrote a long, thoughtful response to Are You a Reeeeeeal "Part" Injun? Here are some excerpts and my responses:I understand where you are coming from, but there is one thing you have to understand. Some people are just mutts. Furthermore, Heritage is heritage whether or not the culture is a part of your life. When I say I have Cherokee ancestry, I mean it and I know it and I can tell you all about it because my family has done extensive genealogical research.I don't think I've ever criticized someone for having Cherokee (or other Indian) ancestry. Or for stating that fact accurately. I'm all about defining things as accurately as possible.

But saying you have Cherokee ancestry is different from saying you are Cherokee. I.e., it's different from saying you're a full-fledged Cherokee with all the knowledge and understanding pertaining to your background. You don't have the same background as someone with substantial Cherokee "blood"--not to mention an enrolled tribal member--so you (probably) don't have the same knowledge and understanding.

In other words, I'm not criticizing "mutts" who say what they are and accept what they are. I'm criticizing "mutts" who claim they're much more than what their fractional heritage gives them a right to claim. The word for these people is "wannabes." They're claiming to be full-fledged Cherokees--as authentic as Sequoyah or Wes Studi or whoever--even though their background is no different from yours.

Criticizing people's ignorance?Do you realize that quite often you are criticizing these people that know nothing about the culture of the people from which they claim to descend, when the reason they know nothing is the consequence of the choice of a distant ancestor? The reason many of these "white, blonde haired, blue eyed" people UNKNOWINGLY offend you by offering physical features as proof of their heritage is that it's all that they have left as proof of from whence they came. Would you deny a black person's their claim to African descent? I highly doubt it.As I indicated above, the people I criticize are usually the opposite of the ones you describe. They're people with a tiny fraction of Indian "blood" who claim to be full Indians based on something they read in a book or learned from a "shaman." In other words, wannabes.

There are probably tens of thousands of Cherokees who know little about their traditional culture. The same applies in other regions where Indians were forced to intermarry and assimilate--e.g., New England or California. If I've ever said anything critical about these anonymous Indians, I don't recall it.

In fact, in "Actual Indian" Defined I stated their right to call themselves Indians. If they have the blood quantum or the tribal enrollment or the acceptance of other Indians, I consider them Indians. It doesn't matter to me whether they practice their traditional culture or not.

About the only time I've criticized someone (e.g., Sam Bradford) for not knowing his culture is when others have held him up as a role model. If Sam Bradford wants to be one of the tens of thousands of anonymous enrolled Cherokees whom I know nothing about, I won't say one word about him. I couldn't care less whether he practices Cherokee traditions in the privacy of his home.

But if someone suggests him as a role model for others, then I'll speak up. Winning the Heisman Trophy doesn't make Bradford a great Cherokee, it makes him a great athlete who happens to be a Cherokee. As I've said many times, we should admire Indians who uphold their Native values and give back to their fellow Indians more than those who don't. If someone just happens to be an Indian, that's nothing to admire.

Criticizing people's looks?Furthermore, I'm hearing a lot of "I hate when white, blonde haired, blue eyed girls say 'yadda, yadda, yadda.'" I have very fair skin, blonde hair and gray eyes. It's kind of harsh to criticize me for my coloring. I have an inverted breast bone, large earlobes, almond shaped eyes, lustrous smooth thick hair, second toes longer than my big toes and a big gap in between them, a slender, athletic figure, "shovel teeth", crooked pinkies and, yes, I even have high cheekbones. These physical features are all MEDICALLY and SCIENTIFICALLY considered indicative of Native American Heritage.Ironically, I just posted something on Chauntal's Doritos Commercials. She's a fair-skinned blond who is "Choctaw/Osage on her mother's side." Since her peers accept her as an Indian (again, see "Actual Indian" Defined), so do I. I generally don't criticize Indians (e.g., John Herrington or the Mashantucket Pequots) for not looking "Indian" enough.

If you're referring to my criticism of someone like Johnny Depp, you've ignored the context. I haven't criticized Depp for looking exactly as Indian as he is--which I gather is 1/8th Eastern Cherokee or thereabouts. I've criticized Hollywood for casting him--a Caucasian actor with a bit of Eastern Cherokee ancestry--as Tonto the full-blooded Apache.

If a role called for a 1/8th Eastern Cherokee, I'd be the first to say Depp was perfect for it. But that's not what we're talking about here. Depp doesn't look like an Apache or know the Apache, so he's wrong for this role.

Again, it's not a matter of criticizing people for who they are. It's the exact opposite: criticizing people for who they aren't, not who they are. Depp isn't an Indian by any of the standards I've listed, and he's absolutely not a full-blooded Texas Apache. A major Native role like Tonto, Jacob Black, or Friday should go to someone who matches the role as closely as possible.

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

Below:  Depp the Apache wannabe.

Bradford t-shirts at bowl game

Role model:  Bradford embraces Indian storylineTake it to the bank: Sometime during tonight’s telecast of the BCS national championship game, mention will be made of Sam Bradford’s American Indian heritage. It’s become quite a story.

Perhaps they’ll show Cherokee Nation officials giving away T-shirts at the game, as the tribe plans to do. The shirts have Bradford’s name and football jersey number written in Cherokee.

Bradford’s Indian bloodlines were never part of coverage during his outstanding high school career at Putnam City North. Why? As his father Kent told The Oklahoman’s Jenni Carlson during Sam’s breakout season as Oklahoma’s quarterback in 2007, "We actually have never been active in Indian affairs or culture. Not that we aren’t proud of the Cherokee heritage, but we were simply raised as middle-class, Oklahoma City people.”

Bradford’s great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee. He is one-sixteenth Cherokee. Best we can tell, Carlson was the first to publicize this, in her ’07 story about the Oklahoma Indian community’s pride in his success. She said OU’s sports information office asks each of the school’s athletes if they have American Indian ancestry; Bradford said he did and added, "But I don’t know much about it so call my dad.”

He knows more now, after winning the Heisman Trophy and being asked frequently about the subject, and says he hopes to learn more about his ancestry. No fan of the limelight, Bradford has nonetheless embraced this piece of his celebrity. "God has blessed me with a great platform,” he told the Orlando Sentinel.

What’s Cherokee for class act?Comment:  What's Cherokee for "Call my dad"? Because that was Bradford's first response when he was asked about his Cherokee heritage.

"God has blessed me with a great platform” doesn't sound like a huge embrace of Bradford's Cherokee heritage to me. It sounds more like a (politically) correct answer to a question. "Being Cherokee is a blessing...although I still don't know anything about it...next question."

Bradford's Heisman acceptance speech seems like a truer expression of his feelings to me. In several minutes of talking he didn't have anything to say about his Cherokee background. Apparently he referred to being "blessed" only during a Q&A after that.

I'm glad Indians have found someone they consider a role model. And I'm glad the Cherokee are getting exposure through their connection to Bradford. But I'm not as impressed as this writer seems to be.

Bradford still "says he hopes to learn more about his ancestry." Great. Let us know when he stops talking about embracing his Cherokee roots and actually embraces them.

For more on the subject, see Bradford the Messiah? and Basking in Bradford's Glow.

Below:  "Cherokee Nation Chief Chad Smith is shown from behind as he wears a t-shirt with Cherokee Nation citizen and Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford's name and jersey number written in the tribe's alphabet. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 in Hollywood, Fla."

Bradford the messiah?

Oklahoma's Sam Bradford is inspiration to a nation

Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford's Cherokee heritage stirs hope, pride throughout Native American community"I was speaking in New Town, North Dakota, recently, and I met this Native American family of five," said Chance Rush, an Oklahoma-based activist who speaks on a Voice of Virtue tour. "They were all wearing Sam Bradford jerseys with his No. 14 on them. I travel a lot, and I'm getting requests from people all over the country, from as far away as Alaska, wanting me to bring them Sam Bradford jerseys."

Bradford is quickly becoming the Native American Hope.

Rush knows firsthand that's no overstatement. Native American youth leaders see almost a messianic quality in Bradford's emergence these past two years. They see in him so much more than the power to score touchdowns and win championships. They see in him the power to change lives through his own example.

That came through to Rush on his trip to North Dakota when tribal leaders there wondered if he had enough influence to woo Bradford north to address the substance-abuse problems plaguing their region. Bradford's reputation as an outstanding student with reports of a 3.95 GPA as a finance major meant almost as much to tribal leaders as Bradford's record-breaking statistics as a passer.

"They thought Sam could make a real difference speaking there," Rush said.Comment:  I'm glad tribal leaders recognize Bradford for his GPA. But do everyday Indians also make this distinction? Are any of them waving their report cards because they got A's like their hero?

So far I haven't heard Bradford say anything profound or inspirational. I wonder what he could say that would change the lives of youngsters. "You too can be like me if you were born with my family's genetics and environment. I hope my Heisman-winning arm will inspire you to develop your Heisman-winning arms also."

When I was growing up, I had millions of white role models to choose from, of course. But I tended to admire fictional characters such as Superman, Batman, Captain Kirk, and Mr. Spock. It never occurred to me to look up to athletes. That is, to think, "Wow, that Sandy Koufax is a great pitcher. That Jerry West is a great ballhandler. I sure wish I could be like them."

If I were a young Indian, I think I'd be more impressed with Ryan Red Corn's graphics business...Arigon Starr's albums and plays...or Douglas Miles's artistic skateboards. Most people can't aspire to be great athletes, but they can aspire to be great artists or entrepreneurs.

For more on the subject, see Basking in Bradford's Glow and Bradford Like Thorpe, Obama.

Below:  A "Hail Mary" pass takes on a whole new meaning?

Basking in Bradford's glow

Native Americans Proud of Bradford’s HeismanSince Sam Bradford won the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious individual honor in college football, earlier this month, Native Americans have been basking in the glow.

They see the talented quarterback, a registered Cherokee and finance major with a 3.95 GPA, as a significant role model for aspiring young athletes who share his heritage.

Bradford, who is from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a sophomore quarterback at the University of Oklahoma and only the second sophomore ever to win the trophy that goes to the Most Outstanding College Football Player in the United States.

“Having an intelligent, well-spoken, poised Cherokee citizen play quarterback for the Sooners means a lot to Cherokee people all over the country, not just the ones here in Oklahoma,” says Chad Smith, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. “It means that people see a different image of Cherokees than the ones they may have had before, but it’s also a reflection to our community of the success we can achieve for ourselves and our families, our children and grandchildren.”

Smith adds that the chance to see “a Cherokee succeed at the highest level of college football, and to do it while keeping his GPA at 3.95, shows the values that we have always treasured in Cherokee society: education, selflessness and working together as part of a team or community.”Comment:  Ah. Now I see a good reason to consider Bradford a role model. It's not his success at throwing a ball around a field. It's doing so while while maintaining a 3.95 GPA.

Yes, that's something Native children should emulate. Go to college, major in a serious subject, and get good grades. And if you have time for extracurricular activities, so much the better.

Funny that none of the articles on Bradford have mentioned his scholastic success until now. I wonder why that is. Could it be that a few people admired Bradford for the wrong reason: because he won football games? Hmm.

For more on the subject, see Native Athletes Who Do Good, Two Sooner Role Models, and Jocks Aren't Good Role Models.

Bradford wins Heisman

Sam Bradford Wins the Heisman TrophyOklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford arrived in Norman three years ago with modest hype and low expectations. The Sooners’ coaches acknowledged that they had recruited him for depth behind Rhett Bomar, who had been the country’s top quarterback prospect.

But Bradford’s rise from relative obscurity to national pre-eminence was sealed Saturday night when he won the Heisman Trophy, which is given annually to the country’s most outstanding college football player.And:Bradford is the fifth Sooner to win the Heisman, joining Billy Vessels (1952), Steve Owens (1969), Billy Sims (1978) and Jason White (2003). Only Southern California, Ohio State and Notre Dame have had more Heisman winners; each university has had seven.

Bradford will also hold a place in Heisman history in that he became the first American Indian to win the trophy since Jim Plunkett of Stanford in 1970. Bradford is one-sixteenth Cherokee and has become a role model in Oklahoma, a state with a rich American Indian heritage.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Bradford Like Thorpe, Obama and Cherokee Quarterback Leads Sooners.

Bradford like Thorpe, Obama

Native son:  Okla. QB Bradford brings pride to CherokeesThe Sooners' star is four generations removed from the last full-blooded Native American in his family, and his suburban rearing came with little exposure to American Indian culture. But he's Indian nonetheless, a registered Cherokee. And Saturday's prospective Heisman coronation—near the end of a season in which Bradford has led No. 1-ranked Oklahoma to the cusp of a national championship—is momentous and moving for many Native Americans.

"It opens everything up for us," says Ray Brady, a Riverside junior and tight end on the football team. "Like Obama becoming President."

Nearly a century has passed since Jim Thorpe, a Sac and Fox Indian also born in Oklahoma, began shaping his legend as the greatest all-around athlete the modern world has seen. It has been 44 years since Billy Mills, a Sioux, ran to a 10,000-meter gold medal in the 1964 Olympics. They remain the standards of Native American athletic excellence.

Elders like J.R. Cook, a Cherokee who heads United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY), an Oklahoma City-based agency designed "to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development" of young American Indians and Alaska Natives, rank Bradford right behind them.

"It's not just that he's a college football player," Cook says. "He's the quarterback, a team leader. He's admired by his peers and coaches. They speak very highly of him. … And being a serious contender for the Heisman, that's not happened before."

He adds, "It's a little sad that you have to go back 40-some years to find a role model of this quality."Comment:  For more on Bradford the athlete, see The New Jim Thorpe and Cherokee Quarterback Leads Sooners. For more on Bradford the role model, see Native Athletes Who Do Good and Jocks Aren't Good Role Models.

Native athletes who do good

Library honors Native athletes at festival“We are the Native people. We were the first people here. And today we celebrate what our heritage has taught us about the connection of the body, mind, and spirit,” Master of Ceremonies Patrick Redbird said as the Norman Public Library Native American Festival began.

An audience gathered Nov. 9, in celebration of the tradition of a people whose roots are tied into the red dirt of Oklahoma. This year’s festival had a special theme: Native American athletes. The event honored past athletes like Jim Thorpe, Allie Reynolds and Andy Payne as well as today’s athletes.

“This day is yours oh, God. This day is yours.” A blessing to honor the day was given in Kiowa, then in English by Steve Littleman before things got underway.

Two Native American fitness figures were honored by the Norman Public Library: Steve Daugherty, Director of OKC Indian Clinic Wellness Center, and Caitlin Baker, 14-year-old competitive swimmer and youth advocate of living a healthy lifestyle.

After receiving her award, Baker spoke of her recent trip to New York City and how she talked with children who asked questions like, “In Oklahoma do you wear the same clothes as us?” and “Do you ride a horse and live in a tepee or do you drive a car?.”

Baker said she didn’t realize how strong some of the stereotypes of Native Americans were and that she was honored to be a part of a day about education and respect.Comment:  Let's compare this posting to Jocks Aren't Good Role Models and see what the difference is.

I don't know Steve Daugherty, but it sounds as if he's being honored for starting or running the wellness center, not for anything physical he accomplished. Caitlin Baker was honored for starting a nonprofit healthy-lifestyle organization--again, not for her physical accomplishments.

This tallies with what I said before about athletes such as Sam Bradford. They aren't role models whom we should emulate just because they're good at running or throwing a ball. Only athletes who use their accomplishments to help their people deserve our respect. As the Pacific Northwest Indians showed with their potlatch ceremonies, success isn't about who has the most, but who gives the most.

That's why martial artist Reggie Mitchell is worth admiring but not quarterback Sam Bradford (yet). For more on the subject, see Smashing People:  The "Honor" of Being an Athlete.

Two Sooner role models

Native American tribes look up to pair of SoonersSports heroes have been difficult to come across in the Native American communities of Oklahoma. Rarely have children had the chance to watch someone of their ethnicity, let alone tribe, receive praise for excelling in a nationally recognized sport.

But now, two players from the Oklahoma football team have given these disadvantaged tribal communities a reason to cheer each Saturday. That's because quarterback Sam Bradford and long snapper Derek Shaw, both of American Indian descent, have developed into reliable contributors for the No. 5 Sooners.

Bradford is a descendant of the Cherokee tribe and Shaw is a member of the Osage and Ponca tribes. They have cheerfully embraced their roles as ambassadors of the underrepresented Native American community and wish to set a precedent for others counterparts.

"Around here, Native American people don't have role models, per se, to look up to from their own race or their own tribe," Shaw said. "So at first, it was kind of overwhelming, but the older I got the more I accepted the role. As far as me and Sam go, I think we are trying to be a real inspiration to them and show them they can do whatever they want to do."

So far, they have both proved to be exemplary role models on the field.Comment:  This article claims Bradford isn't "an official member of the Cherokee Nation." Other articles have said he is, and I'm pretty sure he is.

For more on the subject, see Jocks Aren't Good Role Models.

"Actual Indian" defined

In Jocks Aren't Good Role Models, a correspondent questioned my use of the term “actual Indian.” She thought I was referring mainly to “full-blooded” Indians. No, I wasn’t—not even close.

In this blog I’m usually inclusive about whom I label an Indian. The short version of who’s an “actual Indian” is “anyone whom Indians accept as an Indian.”

More precisely, when Indians talk about who’s an Indian, here’s what I think they’re talking about—and therefore what I’m talking about. I’d say anyone who meets one or more of these criteria qualifies as an Indian.

1) Anyone who’s an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe.

2) Anyone who has the genetic markers (i.e., “blood”) of an Indian based on objective evidence—for instance, a DNA test, CDIB (Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood) card, or genealogical records. How much “blood” is enough is an arbitrary and changing standard that only Indians themselves can decide. The CDIB card requires 1/4th Indian blood and many Indians would agree that that’s enough.

Note that this standard doesn’t require people to know about or participate in their traditional cultures. Although being part of the culture is certainly a major factor in how “Indian” a person is, it’s not an absolute requirement.

3) Anyone who is recognized by a Native community or a group of Natives as an Indian.

I believe these were roughly the standards laid out when the Ward Churchill controversy arose. Three of the four standards, anyway. The fourth standard is one that many Indians and I don’t necessarily buy. That standard is declaring oneself an Indian, as Churchill did.

Many wannabes declare themselves Indians after finding a “Cherokee princess” in their family tree. Perhaps they’re even correct that they have one or more Indian ancestors buried in their past. But as I’ve said before, a few drops of Indian blood isn’t enough to make one an Indian.

Who qualifies

How do these standards play out in the real world? Considers several people whom we know to have Indian ancestry:

Elvis Presley
Burt Reynolds
Wayne Newton
John Herrington
Johnny Depp
Sam Bradford

In the case of Presley, Reynolds, and Depp, I’ve never heard that they declared themselves to be primarily Indians. Nor have I heard that Indians declared them to be primarily Indians. If they’re not recognized by the Native community as being primarily Indians, then I don’t consider them primarily Indians either. They’re simply white men who are part Indian.

In the case of Newton and Harrington, I believe they do consider themselves Indians. And the Native community also recognizes them as Indians. Therefore, they are Indians by my inclusive definition.

Growing up, Bradford apparently didn't consider himself an Indian. And he doesn't have more Indian blood than the others. But since he's an enrolled Cherokee, he counts as an "actual Indian" too.

Conclusion

So to address my correspondent’s concern, “actual Indian” does not exclude most mixed-blood Indians. I’d say mixed-blood Indians are actual Indians if they meet one of the criteria listed above. Again, the only people I’d exclude are those who aren’t enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe, have only a tiny amount of Indian blood, and aren’t acknowledged or accepted by their Native peers.

All clear?

For some of our previous debates on the subject, see Educating Russ on Who's an Indian.

Jocks aren't good role models

Cedric Sunray: Athletic lessons in Indian CountryNotah Begay, Joba Chamberlain, Jenna Plumley and … Sam Bradford? Norman Van Lier (former NBA All-Star and Chicago Bulls player) may have said it best when he remarked, "In America there is too much emphasis placed on the value of sports."

Recent news reports that Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankee pitcher and enrolled Winnebago, was arrested on a DUI charge in his home state of Nebraska. Following in the footsteps of Navajo PGA golfer Notah Begay. Jenna Plumley, former guard for the University of Oklahoma Sooners women's basketball program and current Lamar University player from Red Rock, Oklahoma, didn't fare much better when she was arrested on petty theft charges arising from an incident at Wal-Mart that eventually hastened her exit out of Norman. And now we have Sam Bradford, starting OU quarterback and Cherokee citizen, to raise up to God status. But there is one catch for this Sooner … does he fit the profile? In a recent New York Times article entitled "Sooners' Bradford is Accidental Cherokee Hero" it reads, "...his father Kent said he had probably only talked to his son about it two or three times as he grew up in Oklahoma City (referring to his Cherokee heritage). His father goes on to say, "There's a lot of people in Oklahoma that have Indian blood. I wasn't brought up to really know much about it. I can't really give him a lot of information either. … At times, it's somewhat awkward in that he and I are portrayed as Indians. … We do have some Indian blood, but that isn't us out here counting that."

Oh, but Indian Country is. Especially in Eastern Oklahoma, where finding someone who doesn't have some minor claim to fractional Indian descent is like finding a needle in a haystack. All one can guess is that once actual Indians fall short of the unbelievable expectations placed upon them, by an at times misguided constituency, we just "create" a new one, even if 99 out of 100 criteria for being Indian can't be justified. To Sam and Kent Bradford's credit, they did not create this Indian perception, it was thrust upon them. For some in athletic circles it could be viewed as much a curse as a blessing. And even more to their credit, they didn't get swallowed up in the rhetoric and "play Indian" like so many others who have recently discovered some Indian ancestry tying them to the Dawes Roll and have run falling all over themselves to the tribal registrar's office at the Cherokee Nation complex.

Notah Begay can swing a golf club, Joba Chamberlain can throw a baseball and Jenna Plumley can shoot a basketball. And did I mention, they can all do these things very well. These qualifications, while impressive in an athletic world, don't necessarily translate to role model material.Comment: I can understand why Indians may be hungry for role models. But here are a couple of guidelines for finding suitable role models:

1) Choose people other than sports figures. Half their success is due to simple genetics, which is nothing to brag about. And half is due to simple hard work and discipline, which is nice but not exceptional. (Everyone from Nobel Prize winners to ditch diggers work hard, so this quality alone isn't worth honoring.)

I'd suggest choosing intelligent, creative people as role models. You know, writers, artists, filmmakers, teachers, researchers, activists, political leaders. In other words, anybody who is concerned and caring enough to address Native issues. And who does so with brains rather than brawn. (Alas, that doesn't include most sports figures.)

2) Choose actual Indians. Not people who have only a fraction of Indian blood through an accident of birth. And not people who know little or nothing about their Indian heritage. Choose people who identify themselves as Indians and work diligently to support and strengthen their heritage.

There are many Indians worth admiring and emulating. Not just elders or celebrities (e.g., Sherman Alexie, Adam Beach). For instance, here are seven Indians under 50 whom I've mentioned before: Deron Marquez, Kalyn Free, Bunky Echo-Hawk, Arigon Starr, James Lujan, Natasha Kaye Johnson, Chad Solomon. They're among the myriad of rising stars in Indian country.

Bradford the accidental hero

Sooners’ Bradford Is Accidental Hero of Cherokee NationEntering Saturday’s Red River Shootout between No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas, Bradford is at the forefront of Heisman Trophy conversations, and at the center of attention in the Cherokee Nation, the second largest tribe in the United States. Bradford is believed to be the first Indian to start at quarterback for a Division I school since Sonny Sixkiller, a full-blooded Cherokee, who was born here in Tahlequah and starred at Washington in the early 1970s.

But Bradford is just one-sixteenth Cherokee and until Oklahoma publicized that heritage last season, his father Kent said he had probably only talked to his son about it two or three times as he grew up in Oklahoma City. Kent Bradford said his great grandmother, Susie Walkingstick, was a full-blooded Cherokee.

The elder Bradford, who was an offensive lineman at Oklahoma in the 1970’s, said: "There’s a lot of people in Oklahoma that have Indian blood. I wasn’t brought up to really know much about it. I can’t really give him a lot of information either."

“At times, it’s somewhat awkward in that he and I are indeed portrayed as Indians," he said. "We do have some Indian blood, but that isn’t us out there counting that.”

That hasn’t tempered interest within Cherokee Nation, which counts 280,000 citizens and consists of a jurisdiction that includes all or parts of 14 counties in northeastern Oklahoma.

Bradford is followed fervently at Sequoyah Schools, an Indian boarding school for grades 7-12 that is financed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and operated by the Cherokee Nation.Comment:  The hunger for Indian role models, for heroes, is obvious in this article.

The actor to play Bradford in his biopic is obvious: Johnny Depp. They're both 1/16th Cherokee, so casting Depp would be perfect. He even looks like Bradford.

For more on Bradford, see Bradford More American than Cherokee and The New Jim Thorpe.