Some Comments on Indian Sports Mascots

Larry J. Zimmerman, PhD, RPAIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis & Eiteljorg Museum

With thanks to American Indian Sports Team Mascots  web site for portions of this material

Why must blatant stereotypes in the US be such an issue?

The power of popular culture to shape the way we see people.

Consider the psychological impacts of the issue

The intensity of feelings about the NCAA's decision to come down on Indian sports mascots is instructive.

It’s probably just ‘political correctness.’ Do sports mascots really have an impact?

"We simply chose an Indian as the emblem. We could have just as easily chosen any uncivilized animal.“

Eighth Grade student writing about his school's mascot (1997)

"... racial stereotypes are offensive, no matter what their origin....Images like these have no place in today’s world.” 

White House spokesman Scott McClellan responding to Mexico's use of  the Memin Pinguin character on a postage stamp.

It’s just some ‘bleeding heart’ liberal thing.

Most Indians don’t really care.Only 9 percent of those polled said the name of the NFL team is "offensive," while 90 percent said it's acceptable, according to the University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey, released Friday. Annenberg polled 768 Indians in every state except Hawaii and Alaska from Oct. 7, 2003, to Sept. 20, 2004.

According to a poll of American Indians on and off reservations conducted by Sports Illustrated and the Peter Harris Research Group, when asked if high school and college teams should stop using Indian nicknames, 81 percent of Native American respondents said no. In pro sports, 83 percent of Native American respondents said teams should not stop using Indian nicknames, mascots, characters and symbols.

Over 500 Native organizations, hundreds of tribes and petitions with signatures in the tens of thousands have called for the retirement of these mascots.

In a survey by Indian Country Today, 81 percent of respondents indicated use of American Indian names, symbols and mascots are predominantly offensive and deeply disparaging to Native Americans.

"Do Indian mascots predominantly honor or are they predominantly offensive to Natives?"

Honor  10%Offensive  81%

Unsure  9%

Hmm, then why this?

Over the course of the school's 154 year history only 3 members of the Seminole Tribe have graduated from FSU.     

About 75 percent of the Seminole live in Oklahoma.

There actually are three Seminole tribes in Florida, and only one tribal government - the one that uses the name "Seminole Tribe of Florida" - has formally signed on to the use of the mascot.

The June 2005  resolution passed by the solitary Seminole Tribe of Florida regarding FSU's mascot was done so at the request of FSU President T.K. Wetherell. 

Prior to getting the June 2005 Seminole tribal endorsement Florida State announced, along with a number of other incentives, the establishment of scholarships covering 80% of tuition costs for "Seminole Scholars" recruited from reservations.

Consider the Seminole tribe’s endorsement of the Florida State U. mascot…

Do all Indians think alike about sports mascots?

No. Why should they?

Nobody else does…

So where’s the problem?

Sporting activities are representative of

ritualized/socialized combat

Unbridled aggression, deception and relentlessness are highly valued.

These values fit the “savage Indian” stereotype.

By coupling American Indians to such traits to mascots and nicknames, negative stereotypes, simplistic thinking, and historical inaccuracies are subtly encouraged and perpetuated.

This is especially troublesome in public schools where lifelong attitudes and constructs are being formed.

The savage stereotype has a long history.

Published in September of 1862

So, you think it’s not a problem?

American Indians (generically) supposedly being war-like and violence prone allowed for the justification of heinous acts against them in the name of "civilizing" the so-called "primitives."  

By portraying Indians in association with aggressive sporting activities,  this same justification is erroneously applied today with negative consequences for contemporary Indian people.

Justifying violence toward Indians

Children learn their ttitudes at an early age when they are highly susceptible

to influence and social pressure. 

Example: Adolph Hitler who paid particular attention to conditioning youth to adopt his philosophy and strategies.

Spectacle events were typically present at Nazi gatherings including cheering crowds, martial music, marching, and lights (such as are used in night games). These are also regular parts of high school athletic events.

Kids are extremely impressionable.

Stereotypic and cartoon-like imagery tends to dehumanize

the subject. This mechanism is well-known and is often used during times of war to dehumanize an enemy.

The result allows the portrayer to trivialize the concerns of the one being portrayed.

Simultaneously helps protect self-esteem by relieving guilt feelings arising from hostile acts directed at the subject.

Stereotyping and dehumanization make it easier to turn Indians into objects. 

Native Peoples are turned into depersonalized, one-dimensional "things" having very limited scope.

Can Indians be anything but warriors?

The concept of mascots and nicknames "honoring Indians" is an

ego defense mechanism.Helps preserve self-esteem by protecting the individual from facing the reality of what actually happened to Indians.

Indian" mascots "freeze" Indians in time

The warrior image is from a romanticized historical period that ended over a century ago. 

Continuing to portray American Indians in such a manner subverts contemporary Native American realities.

Long-term use of Indian mascots has become institutionalized.  

Having been  institutionalized, recognizing discriminatory and racist practices for what they are becomes very difficult.

Be aware that these ideas also apply to other segments of popular culture,

notably films and videos about Indians.

The use of American Indian mascots is not a trivial matter. The Commission has a firm understanding of the problems of poverty, education, housing, and health care that face many Native Americans. The fight to eliminate Indian nicknames and images in sports is only one front of the larger battle to eliminate obstacles that confront American Indians. The elimination of Native American nicknames and images as sports mascots will benefit not only Native Americans, but all Americans. The elimination of stereotypes will make room for education about real Indian people, current Native American issues, and the rich variety of American Indian cultures in our country.

The United States Commission on Civil Rights

April 13, 2001