"When someone says you are hurting them by your action, if you persist - then the harm becomes intentional." Barbara Munson (Oneida)

Natives as Mascots

• Native people are the only group of living people used as mascots in professional sports (NFL, MBL, etc.)

• None of these other images (left) would be seen as acceptable by the public.

Why are mascots offensive?"This is a human rights issue, we are being denied the most basic respect. As long as our people are perceived as cartoon characters or static beings locked in the past, our socio-economic problems will never be seriously addressed. Also, this issue of imagery has a direct correlation with violence against Indian people and the high suicide rate of our youth."     Michael S. Haney (Seminole)

Natives are people not mascots• In Illinois Native dolls were hung

from trees and balconies when a rival team with a Native mascot was in town.

• In Arizona, “Scalp the Indians” was chalked in large letters on the lawn when a rival team with a Native mascot was in town.

• In South Dakota students wear “The Sioux Suck” shirts and chant this saying while playing a rival team with a Native mascot.

• The New York Post has headlines such as “Tribe on Warpath” and “Take the Tribe and Scalp ‘Em” when the NY Yankees play the Cleveland Indians.

• High schools post “Scalp the Indians” when playing rival teams.

Fall 2006 at Dartmouth

• Fraternity pledges disrupted a drumming circle on Columbus Day

• The crew team held a “Cowboys & Indians” party

• Homecoming shirts showed a Holy Cross knight performing a sex act on an American Indian caricature

• This was the cover of the Dartmouth Review.

• www.cnn.com 11/30/06

Would Oregon allow this at a game?

• Students to wear afro wigs and black face?

• Perform half time shows as priests or nuns?

• Play gongs and slant their eyes with their fingers?

• Wave toy crucifixes every time the team scores?

• Yell “Kill the Mexicans!”• How is this different than

the way Native people are ridiculed at games now?

In our back yard…• Aloha High School: Warriors, 6A• Amity High School: Warriors, 3A• Banks High School: Braves, 4A• Chemawa Indian School: Braves, 3A• Lebanon High School: Warriors, 5A• Mohawk High School: Indians, 1A• Molalla High School: Indians, 4A• North Douglas HS: Warriors, 2A• Philomath High School: Warriors, 4A• Reedsport High School: Braves, 3A• Rogue River HS: Chieftains, 4A• Roseburg High School: Indians, 6A• Scapoose High School: Indians, 4A• Siletz Valley School: Warriors, 1A• The Dalles Wahtonka HS: Eagle

Indians, 5A• Warrenton High School: Warriors, 3A• (www.osaa.org/)

Oregon School Activities Assoc.• Comprised of 279

schools • Governs all regular

athletic districts in the state

• Includes 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A schools.

• A member of the National Federation of High Schools

14 Types of Racial Mascots

• Indians/Eagle Indians- 5

• Warriors- 7• Braves (Including

Chemawa Indian Boarding School run by the BIA)- 3

• Chieftains- 1

Why are Native mascots offensive?

"Native mascots and symbols are all that the kids at school know about my people, and they make fun of me for following traditional ways.  These fake images make me feel sick inside.  They make fun of who I am.  They imitate and mock our sacred feathers, dance and music. We honor our leaders, not use them as entertainment."     Wayne Crue, 12 years old    (Shoshone-Bannock )

Don’t you want all your students in our Oregon schools to:

• Be educated?• Feel safe?• Feel empowered?• Be respected?

It’s Time for a Change1988: Charlene Teters stands alone

outside an Illini game to protest the use of Chief Illini. A movement is born.

2005: the NCAA prohibits the display of hostile and abusive racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, nicknames or imagery at any of the 88 NCAA championships (www.ncaasports.com)

2006: the NCAA prohibits schools with hostile or abusive mascots, nicknames or imagery from hosting any NCAA championship competitions (www.ncaasports.com)

Going into 2007: However, high schools, colleges, and professional sports nationwide still use Native American mascots.

Charlene Teters

It’s Time for a Change

• Native people should be represented with true honor and respect.

• We as young people must begin the change.

• The Oregon Department of Education can help us make this change.

• Help us end the misrepresentation of our people through mascots.

Questions?

I Am Not

Your Mascot

Created By:

Che Butler & Luhui Whitebear

2006