Indigenous Mascots in 2024

As thousands of fans fill Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and living rooms across the country, they unite in a familiar ritual: the chanting of the “war chant” and the iconic tomahawk chop. Their team, the Kansas City Chiefs, prepares to battle the San Francisco 49ers for the title of champions in Super Bowl LVIII.

The origins of the tomahawk chop trace back to the early 1980s. According to Tomahawk Nation, a member of the Florida State University (FSU) Theta Chi fraternity named Rob “Sweat” Hill initiated the ritual during a 1983 football game. He raised his hand in a chopping motion, synchronizing it with a traditional Indian war chant sung in harmony with the repetitive drumbeat of the FSU Marching Chiefs. The following year, the chant and chop spread to fellow FSU students at a pep rally organized by a student group known as the Scalphunters. By 1985, thousands of fans at Seminole football games were enthusiastically performing the tomahawk chop. This gesture transcended college sports and found its way into the realms of professional baseball with the Atlanta Braves, American football with the Kansas City Chiefs, and even into Great Britain with the English Exeter Chiefs.

My personal encounter with the tomahawk chop dates back to the late 1990s, during one of my high school football games, likely when I was in elementary or junior high. My alma mater, Logan Elm High School, is among the 73 school districts in Ohio that still employ Native American-themed mascots, as reported by the National Congress of American Indians. Despite Ohio having zero federally or state-recognized tribes, it boasts the highest number of Indigenous mascots in the United States.

Situated on the unceded lands of the Shawnee Nation, Logan Elm High School derives its name from Cayuga Leader, Logan the Orator. In 1774, Logan delivered a speech, now known as Chief Logan’s Lament, during peace negotiations following the murder of his family by white British settlers from Virginia. This speech, delivered under a large elm tree in present-day Pickaway County, Ohio, reflects Logan’s complex relationship with the white settlers and his profound sense of loss and betrayal.

“I appeal to any white man to say, if he ever entered Logan’s cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if he ever came cold and naked, and he cloathed him not. During the course of the last long and bloody war Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, and said, “Logan is the friend of white men.” I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not even sparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it; I have killed many; I have fully glutted my vengeance; for my country I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbour a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan?-Not one.”

While some may argue that the use of Native American mascots like the “Braves” at Logan Elm honors figures like Chief Logan, it’s essential to recognize the harmful impact of such imagery. The American Psychological Association outlines the negative effects of these mascots, including the perpetuation of stereotypes and the creation of a hostile learning environment for Indigenous students:

1. Undermining the educational experiences of members of all communities-especially those who have had little or no contact with indigenous peoples. The symbols, images and mascots teach non-Indian children that it’s acceptable to participate in culturally abusive behavior and perpetuate inaccurate misconceptions about American Indian culture.
2. Establishes an unwelcome and often times hostile learning environment for American Indian students that affirms negative images/stereotypes that are promoted in mainstream society.
3. Has a negative impact on the self-esteem of American Indian children, “American Indian mascots are harmful not only because they are often negative, but because they remind American Indians of the limited ways in which others see them. This in turn restricts the number of ways American Indians can see themselves.” (Stephanie Fryberg, PhD, University of Arizona).
4. Undermines the ability of American Indian Nations to portray accurate and respectful images of their culture, spirituality and traditions. Many American Indians report that they find today’s typical portrayal of American Indian culture disrespectful and offensive to their spiritual beliefs.
5. Presents stereotypical images of American Indians. Such mascots are a contemporary example of prejudice by the dominant culture against racial and ethnic minority groups.
6. Is a form of discrimination against American Indian Nations that can lead to negative relations between groups

Ohio’s Native American population comprises approximately 0.1% of the state’s students, a fraction of whom are actively involved in advocating for their communities. Many Ohioans may never have encountered someone of Indigenous descent white people in their life who claim their great-grandmother was a Cherokee princess (i.e., pretIndians). The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, descendants of the Seneca and Cayuga peoples, relocated to Ohio in the mid-18th century from their traditional lands in present-day upstate New York and Canada. However, they were not consulted when Logan Elm adopted its Braves mascot.

A 2019 report found that 87% of state history standards do not even include education on Indigenous Americans past 1900. During my time as a student at Logan Elm, I was blissfully ignorant of the harmful stereotypes and inaccurate portrayal of Indigenous Americans that were constantly being reinforced. A few examples of this inadequate and culturally abusive reinforcement were:

1. Lack of a proper and accurate curricula about Indigenous Americans, which talked about their individual Tribal and group identities in the present and not solely as one homogenous group of people who existed soley in the past.
2. The completely inappropriate mascot, which used fake regalia and an oversized head, which was supposed to depict a Native American that the cheerleaders would wear at football games and other events (see image below).
3. The tomahawk chop chant and drum beat that the marching band would lead (see the reference from earlier).
4. The use of red face in a 1998 production of Annie Get Your Gun.
5. The marching-band show, “honoring” the memory of Chief Logan, which used appropriated and stereotyped Native Imagery and sound, during the marching-band competition season of 2000.

In my later years, I attended the University of Utah, where the “Utes” mascot pays homage to the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. The former Crimson Warrior mascot was replaced by Swoop, a red-tailed hawk in 1996. The University of Utah has a formal agreement with the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation regarding the use of their name, similar to Florida States agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. However, controversy still persists, with some Utes, Seminoles, and other Indigenous tribes condemning the cultural appropriation inherent in sports mascots.

As institutions of higher education, universities like Utah and Florida State have a responsibility to educate their students about the histories and cultures of the peoples after whom they are named. Yet, the prevalence of Indigenous mascots in sports reflects a broader failure to address systemic racism in our society. While some progress has been made in eliminating offensive imagery, much work remains to be done to create a more inclusive and respectful environment for all.

The push to eliminate Indigenous mascots began in the 1960s and has persisted to this day. Despite the Kansas Chiefs playing in the Super Bowl tonight under the moniker “Chiefs,” significant strides have been made in eradicating Indigenous symbols and imagery from the realm of sports and education. We’ve witnessed notable examples of progress, such as two professional sports teams, the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Guardians, abandoning their former racist mascots, symbols, and imagery.

In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) took a proactive step by mandating that 33 schools conduct self-evaluations regarding their use of Indigenous mascots and imagery. Among these schools, only five were granted waivers to retain their Tribal names, as they had established formal agreements with Tribal Nations. The rest were required to eliminate all Indigenous names, symbols, and imagery from their branding.

More recently, the debate surrounding Indigenous mascots has become increasingly localized, with states initiating bans on the use of such imagery in educational institutions. This trend reflects a growing awareness of the harm caused by perpetuating stereotypes and cultural appropriation.

I extend my gratitude to the Indigenous individuals in my life who have challenged my perspectives and enriched my understanding of their cultures. Their voices remind us that symbols like the tomahawk chop and Native American mascots perpetuate harmful stereotypes and undermine the dignity of Indigenous peoples. As we reflect on the significance of these symbols, let us question who they truly honor and whether they have a place in our society today.