Your thoughts on the Chief’s last dance
This entry isn’t for me, it’s for you.
I’ve enjoyed watching the Chief since the moment I got here. Let’s get that straight first. However, I do feel that the time was right for the Chief to be retired among all the controversy and problems that arose since the NCAA first deemed it “hostile and abusive.”
Standing in my nosebleed seat in the C-section, I was able to see the entire stadium during the final performance. I was touched and moved by the way the Chief left and thought it was the most honorable sendoff the University could have given him. The maturity of the fans and students and how they handled the final performance was an overwhelming sight and truly captured everything that is great about this University.
But that’s just me. How about you?
Putting aside all political ideologies and personal vendettas, what did you think of the Chief’s last dance and the way in which he left?
(For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, here’s the video: The Last Dance . Watch it and let us know what you think.)
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:13 am
[…] Minor update: Share your thoughts with the DI’s Sports Wrap-Up Blog about the Chief’s final performance. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:55 am
the qualities I always admired in historical Native americans, dignity, courage, fierce independence, spirituality, leadership were shown this night by a “white college kid” dressed up to honor (in his mind -and the audiences) the great people that are no more and the great University o f Illinois. If the chief haters had shown some of these qualities during the past 20 years of fighting this issue, maybe the loss of the Chief wouldnt have been so bitter. Lynne
February 22nd, 2007 at 8:13 am
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
February 22nd, 2007 at 8:33 am
A SPIRIT CAME TO ME IN A DREAM
TOLD ME HE WAS THE OLDEST OF THE ILLINI TEAM
A SPIRITUAL WITNESS OF THE STARVED ROCK HOLOCAUST
WHERE HIS CHILREN’S CHILDREN WERE SLAUGHTERED IN THE FROST
ANOTHER TRIBE HAD WIPED THEIR CULTURE FROM THIS LAND
LONG GONE, LONG FORGOTTEN, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN
ANOTHER IN A LONG, LONG LIST OF VICTIMS LOST TO DIVERSITY
BECAUSE THEY DARE THINK FOR THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF BOWING ON THEIR KNEE
HE TOLD ME THAT SOCIAL ELITISTS WERE ALWAYS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PLOT
CONSTANTLY PREACHING DISSENTION, EVER STIRRING THE POT
SELF-IMPORTANT PEOPLE WITH PSEUDO SCIENTIFIC DEGREES
PONTIFICATING ALL INCLUSIVENESS, FOR YOU AND FOR ME
WHILE ALWAYS STANDING ABOVE US, AND ALWAYS LOOKING DOWN
THEY TELL US HOW TO THINK AND SALUTE THEM IN THEIR GOLDEN CROWN
EQUALITY THEY RANT, IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
THEM UP ABOVE AND ALL OF YOU DOWN BELOW
HE TOLD ME THAT ALL OF OUR ELDERS ONCE WERE MEMBERSOF GREAT TRIBES
BUT ONE BY ONE THESE TRIBES CAPITULATED THRU DECEIT, LIES, AND BRIBES
GONE MISSING, CULTURALLY ERASED FOREVER FROM THIS LAND
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS BURIED THEM DEEP BENEATH THE SAND
WE THE ILLINI, CHOSE A FAR DIFFERENT PATH
WE KEPT OUR SOUL AND SUFFERED THE ULTIMATE WRATH
IMAGINE HOW WE FELT WHEN A GROUP OF STUDENTS SET THAT SOUL FREE
WHEN THEY ADOPTED AND REVERED OUR NAME AT THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY
OH THE ROAR AND EXULTATION THAT A HAIFTIME DANCE BRINGS
LIFTS OUR COLLECTIVE SPIRIT HIGHER THAN ON AN EAGLE’S WINGS
DECADES OF ADORATION AND TRADITION NOW HAVE PAST
ONCE AGAIN THE ELITISTS’ SPELL HAS BEEN CAST
THEY WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT WRONG IS RIGHT
PSYCHOBABBLE AND GUILT HIDE THE TRUTH FROM YOUR SIGHT
ELITISTS STOLE YOUR TRIBE FROM YOUR ANCESTORS MANY MOONS AGO
DON’T LET THEM TAKE YOUR ADOPTED ONE, ALONG WITH PART OF YOUR SOUL
RAJA
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:46 am
Years ago, I watched the Chief perform a few days before I left for Vietnam. I wondered if I’d ever see him again. A year and a half later, I was back, sitting in Memorial Stadium, watching the Chief again. But, I wondered how many of my Illini comrades in arms would never get the chance to see him again. Nostalgia, foolish sentiment? Perhaps, but not to me. “They” can take away the Chief, but not my memories.
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:20 pm
the poem says it all . perhaps it could be published for wider circulation.
. i believe you can be certain next will be attempts to remove illini , and fighting illini. a very black day i am ashamed of the university .
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:15 pm
It looked horrible and ridiculous. This dance that was supposed to honor Native Americans made a mockery of their culture, religion, beliefs, etc. It may as well have been a “sambo” performing for the “Massah.” As an alumnus from the U of I and a current graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, I have to say that, while I was attending undergrad at U of I, I NEVER attended athletic events due to this in humane charicature. Even upon graduation I would have NEVER returned to the school to view the blatant racism that this symbol portrayed. Now I can say firmly, that I wouldn’t mind coming back to the U of I to witness a racist free sporting event.
This symbol dehumanized a group of marginalized native people, who were SYSTEMATICALLY ANIHILATED,
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Until the University of Illinois Board of Directors comes to their senses and reinstates Chief Illiniwek, my husband and I will no longer make any donations to my alma mater. I am encouraging all of you who love and honor Chief Illiniwek to do the same.
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I drive 2+ hours to every home game. I would not have missed last night if I would have had to drive in a blizzard. It was handled so so well. The basketball team honored Chief while honoring the seniors the Chief was awesome at half-time and his “extra bit” was just right. Long live the memory of the Chief. Current Students PLEASE do NOT let the name Fighting Illini be handed the same fate.
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:03 pm
The NCAA still allows Chief Osceola to perform at FSU games. The difference is that FSU provides scholarship money to the Seminole tribe in return for their support. The decision to retire the Chief has nothing to do with respect for Native American culture. Its all about “show me the money”!
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:13 pm
All you chief haters who got your wish, you can now move to Tallahassee, FL, and try to get Florida State’s mascot retired. For those of you that don’t know, he is dressed as a native american, rides a horse, and throws a flaming spear in the ground on the football field. What Chief Illiniwek portrays is nothing compared to that.
What I saw last night is what loyalty and tradition is all about. If the university thought what took place was degrading and made a mockery of the Illini tribe, it would have been ended years ago. Start thinking with your brains instead of sitting on them.
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:42 pm
May the memory of the chief be with you forever. Today I am angry, but that will pass. What will not pass is the decision I made today to stop my support of the University. I will not reward cowardice. I encourage all Alumni to vote with their dollars. Even these wimps will understand that. Long live the Chief. Go Illini….
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:39 pm
The Chief is strange to this Chambana outsider, and probably always will be; there’s so much talk about how dignified and majestic it is, but to these eyes, it all seemed so… well, goofy!
It’s a perspective which makes the wailing and mourning at the Chief’s removal seem just as surreal as if we were mourning the passage of the McRib into history.
I imagine that’s how it looks to a lot of people who aren’t from around here.
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:23 pm
I dont appreciate opera or classical music but when i see people being moved by these I am respectful and I have no doubt they are sincere. I also feel that it is me that lacks something (the ability to understand and appreciate) and not the opera/classical music lovers. With so many people of backgrounds from the most educated to least, froom the richest to poorest,oldest to youngest…doesnt it occur to those who dont “get it that mabe they are missing someething that goes deeper than their undertanidn rather than the 10s of thousands of people have lost their minds?
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:26 pm
When Stanford dumped their cherished Indian symbol back in 1972, furious alums promised to withhold their donations too.
Didn’t work.
Stanford got over it. So will Illinois.
February 22nd, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Pascal is exactly right…this is about money. Unfortunately, it’s also about the few “professional victims” who have some need to feel aggrieved about something.
February 22nd, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Cannae,
Those are strong words. If you NEVER attended an event here how can you possibly pass judgement on what the Chief was about? Don’t tell me “I saw him on TV” because you can’t get the impact if you aren’t there. Last night you ALMOST could, but I’m sure it wasn’t the same.
As far as dehumanizing and systematically anihilating goes….NO one can be dehumanized unless they do it to themself. Anyone who saw the Chief and felt themself to be less than human…well, don’t really know what to tell them.
But last time I looked, anihilation meant wiped out…gone…no more….
That being the case, it’s safe to see the Chief was dehumanizing to NO ONE because they were anihilated long ago. Or was that a bit of rhetoric on your part?
Agree with everyone who is planning to cease donations. Sad to do, but unfortunately, honor doesn’t count with this BOT…only money!
I know, since we can’t have OUR Chief….maybe we can play Florida State and they can bring THEIR Chief and let him throw his flaming spear and whoop his war cry and teach us how to be NOT OFFENSIVE, HOSTILE, or ABUSIVE when we portray an American Indian chief!
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
How right you are when you say it’s all about the money !!
Help me understand - if this was really about racism why didn’t the Board of Directors have the guts and courage to take a stand and propose that 50% of the revenue received from hosting post-season events would go to scholarships for Native Americans or how about fighting the destructive disease of alcoholism that has left so many Native American families so broken.
I find it so ironic that the more activists shout and scream about injustices rarely do we actual see them get in the drenches and do the real work and come up with creative solutions.
We all have a vote - Alumni you can vote by not sending your hard earn money. I myself will vote by making sure when my children select a university to attend they will chose one that is lead by people with honor, commitment, and courage not by people who check the wind direction for their values.
Alumni always be proud of the tradition, heritage and what The Chief stood for in your hearts.
‘Chief-Haters’ you got your victory now it’s your turn to show us - do you REALLY care about racism or is it a just a bumper sticker. So….
“Show Us The Money” and where it’s really going !!!
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Ok seriously….you all are a bunch of idiotic white folks whose idea of nostalgia and memory of a “great tradition” I find very disturbing, but typical of white people. Your colelctive mourning and nostalgia reminds of another time when white southerners were mourning the loss of a certain tradition that had been unfairly ripped from them. The students for “Chief” Illiniwek remind me of the many organizations that arose after the loss of that tradition in order to preserve and fight back the tide of change. I hope the subtlety wasn’t lost on you but just in case any of you want to play dumb, i am talking about slavery and the KKK, the White Council, countless others. of course the “Chief” is not like slavery directly however it is another example of white racism and oppression being inflicted upon those who are non white. The Students for Chief Illiniwek are liek the KKK in that they are a reactionary organization based on the premise of protecting a tradition they were able to enjoy because of their white privilege. So when people call you all a bunch of racists and among every other name except the one your momma gave you, you will be able to put this into some kind of historical context thats a bit more heavy for you…racists, white supremacists (redundant) crackers…you starting to get it now.
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Kevin, I will waste very little time addressing your ignorance but I do hope its just for show and to stir things up. you are like the person who looks in the mirror and criticises his own reflection thinking it is someone else. You are so deep in your stereotyping and villifing of a very diverse group of people that the KKK might be able to use you. If this country ends up in ethnic war it will be becasue of people who think as you do. If it werent for the malignant affect your mentality has on society I would just be amused by it. I pity you personally just as I pity anyone who hates others on the basis of their group status and cannot seem to get to Martin Luther Kings dream of judging others as individuals on the basis of our actions as a reflection of our character. Your type of thinking (or non thinking) poisons everything around it including this blog.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:41 am
If the Chief was so racist, then why do AFRICAN AMERICANS on the campus support him too? If you watch the video from the last dance there are several AFRICAN AMERICAN Illini basketball players on the floor clapping, cheering, and saying goodbye as well. If the Chief’s purpose was to portray Native Americans as stupid savages I would be all for retiring him. I didn’t realize that attributing STRENGTH, HONOR, COURAGE, AND BRAVERY with Native Americans was offensive. According to the the activists out there we should only portray Natives as the weak and helpless victims of the evil white people. Native Americans themselves are VERY divided on the issue of Native Symbols. Many support the dignified ones, like the Chief and the Seminole. Sorry honoring the people who once lived on the land and asking that their tradition traits of honor, power, strength, and bravery be examples to students and athletes is so offensive to some who lack many of those qualities.
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:43 am
Kevin K- It is people like you that give the anti-chief crowd a bad name. You don’t speak for all minorities on this issue and you sure as hell don’t speak for me.
I’m glad the Chief is gone, but to see a bunch of self-righteous demagogues rally against some disembodied problem by attributing everything that they disagree with as merely “just another case of white privilege” makes me sick. You are no closer to being the next Dr. King than Students for Chief Illiniwek is to being the KKK. I could say you are ‘like’ a jar of mustard because you display the intelligence of one, but that doesn’t make it so.
Learn how to spell and how to politely engage those with whom you disagree. Otherwise, you’re doing nothing but dragging the rest of us down with you and that certainly wasn’t what MLK wanted.
And seriously, will blaming white people for everything really solve your problems? Or does it just feel like it will?
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:40 am
So Cannae, you’re at UPenn right now? I should hope you stand by your convictions and do not attend any of the UPenn activities because their “Quaker” mascot is a cartoonish caricature built on and perpetuating stereotypes. It blatantly dehuminizes those still of the Quaker religion and all their decendents. I’m appalled that you would even attend UPenn since they’re no different and you’re apparently so insensed by the Chief. You’re not really standing very strong in your own ideals.
February 23rd, 2007 at 8:37 am
My gosh, Kevin. When this furor is over, who will be the target of your hatred then? Do you intend to spend the rest of your life thinking of and referring to all Anglos as “crackers”? If so, then it sounds as if you will have a pretty unhappy life.
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:14 am
We lived in CA for 52 years. Stanford got rid of their Indian mascot. Now they have a dancing tree and a color (cardinal–not the bird). People in CA have this “feeling” now when they think of Indians: Casinos (gambling) and Reservations. (drunk, uneducated, and lazy) Neither is a positive image. I was saddened when I learned about this “way of thinking”.
But when we moved to Illinois, we were delighted to see something positive through Chief Illiniwek image. (bravery, honesty, etc. etc. etc.)
Now this small minority of Indians students have decided to finalize the “wipe out” of anything positive in their culture with the backing of some radical elements. You would have thought they would be fighting to keep it.
I don’t know how they think this is going to help them–in fact..I’d be willing to bet in a few years we will be joining CA in their thinking! How sad.
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:25 am
nKarento,
Who are you to say what another culture should want their own image to be? It amazes me that it’s always these white boys who insist that they are honoring another’s culture, while refusing this other culture any consideration whatsoever. That is white privilege, and incredibly racist.
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:27 am
I just sent my Alumni Card to Eppley and told him to shove it up his —. I told him to send it back when he resigns or the Chief is reinstated. I am thru going to Illinois sporting events, thru contributing, and told my son to start looking at Michigan. Life goes on, I’ll just be cheering for someone else until this insanity ends.
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:02 am
In response to Ashley: MANY NATIVES SUPPORT THE CHIEF AND SEE HIM AS WE DO. For some reason people like you choose to ignore them, like they aren’t real people. Wake up Ashley, many Natives do not feel the same as you.
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:58 am
Stanford soon got over losing their Indian chief when it was removed way back in 1972, despite the furious protests of alums who threatened to withhold their donations (at a private university, that’s a real threat to the bottom line). Needless to say, Stanford was not hurt by these threats–largely because Stanford alums had the good sense to recognize that their university is far more important than a sports mascot (”symbol,” whatever…). Let’s hope U of I alums are as smart.
The U of I is not the Chief.
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Are we honestly supposed to believe that a tradition arising when Native Americans were just as marginalized on this campus (non-existent then and practically non-existent now) is meant to honor them? Nice Try. So you also want us to believe the same people now defaming the Native American population and their supporters in the Chief struggle as a “whining minority,” are the same people who were desperately seeking to honor them through the Chief in the form a half-time minstrel show? Okay, try again. It’s mind boggling to see how in today’s society people have the unmitigated gall to complain about others being TOO politically correct, when the perceived minority has won a battle. Perhaps, though, people need to start being more politically correct. Literally. If that happened maybe I would stop hearing all the complaints about how taking away the Chief is suspending individual rights. If you want to dress up in Indian garb, prance around like a fool, and do a half assed toe touch, in the name of tradition disguised under the pretense that you want to “honor Native Americans” that is definitely your individual right. But the University, as an institution, does not have that right and justice has finally prevailed. I say justice in terms of morality and what is intrinsically right, because the actual merits of law are rarely found in cases of civil rights (and yes, this is a civil rights issue). Furthermore, if you believe getting rid of the Chief suspends your right, and logic tells us that there are two sides to every story, wouldn’t that have had to mean that keeping the Chief, in fact, suspended someone elses right? So I guess that’s the dirty laundry Pro-chiefers don’t want to air. I know, it’s hard to believe that someone else has rights. I find it hilarious when after years of the “tyranny of the majority,” pleas for democracy have resonated all over this campus in the hopes that one will now feel pity for those who once perverted it all because you have flipped the script declaring some sort of “tyranny of the minority.” It’s interesting though to watch this unfold, because truth be told I do understand the position of the pro-chiefers. Really, I do. But this mascot to you, is another person’s culture and no person should have to endure such mockery. I guess one will never understand the accusation of the Chief as being racist without having personal recognition of American tradition to transform cultural images of minorities into stereotypes and methods of degredation. I understand if you don’t see why the Chief is racist. That is the privilege you have. But we’re not talking about privilege. We’re talking about rights and it is my right not to live in a hostile campus environment. Please, believe me it is hostile. Just look at the people who announced on a Facebook group that they were “planning” on becoming racists if the Chief was retired. But if they think they were “planning” on becoming racist, they obviously didn’t give themselves enough credit. They are all ready there. And you may object to me calling the Chief racist if you support him because you may think in turn I am calling you a racist, but I am not. It’s just that to you…tradition is to the Chief, while to me the Chief is to racism. So I guess we both agree afterall. The Chief does represent a tradition. But while you believe tradition must live on, as I look at slavery, the reign and terror of the Nazi party, the Ku Klux Klan, the Jim Crow Era, de facto and de jure segregation, the burning and stealing of Indian reservations, and I could go on and on…I realize that some traditions simply have to die.
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Cannae,
Well I suppose we can sign you up for four season football tickets now that the Chief is gone and that was the reason you were not supporting the team or the University. But to get the good seats you will need to donate $1000 to $3000 a year as well. Your new found supoort of the team will be greatly appreciated. See you at the first game and bring your checkbook.
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Brittany - In essence you have proved my entire point about activists.
It’s all about the money!!
You gave us a great story but no solution. Tell us how you personally have taken on the plight of Native Americans. Your words and ideas are great and well formed as a position paper, however, where’s the work?
Were you at the Board of Directors meetings asking for money or programs geared to offering solutions for Native Americans? Were you using your gift in writing by sending letters to people in leadership supporting these type of programs? or; Maybe serving time with non-profit organizations that work with Native Americans struggling with alcoholism.
What I think you have misjudged about many of us is we would gladly dialogue and find workable solutions.
Through these whole discussions I have yet to hear any of the “Chief-Haters” discuss how they are willing to help Native Americans. Please explain how getting rid of the Chief has helped fund even “one” scholarship for a young Native American wanting to go to college but doesn’t have the opportunity or means.
Activism does work - it takes hard work, actions and reaching out. Mere words make for great dissertations and where do we keep dissertations…in the library.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Harjo: Illiniwek fans missed the Indians for the ‘Chief’
by: Suzan Shown Harjo / Indian Country Today
© Indian Country Today February 23, 2007. All Rights Reserved
“Chief Illiniwek'’ was 81 years old when he was finally forced to retire on Feb. 21. His many fans are pledging undying devotion to their ‘’Chief'’ and cursing Indians and everyone else who made him stop dancing.
This sounds like one of those conflict television programs that academicians look down on, but it’s not. This gnashing of teeth and idolatry is coming from the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois and these fanatical devotees are alumni of the esteemed school.
UIUC, home of the ‘’Fighting Illini'’ sports teams, is part of the ‘’Big Ten'’ conference and the NCAA’s 1-A division. Other Big Ten schools said they’d play games with UIUC, but it had to leave Illiniwek at home.
The NCAA told UIUC it couldn’t play in championship games at all if it brought Illiniwek. In order to host playoffs, UIUC had to give up the Chief.
The Chief was a halftime performance character portrayed by a white student in red face. The barefooted chief did turns and leaps in a buckskin costume and a garish headdress of orange, red, black and white feathers.
Chief performers, past and present, banded together in a ‘’Council of Chiefs.'’ Two enactors wrapped themselves in the First Amendment the way they’d so often donned their Chief costume and went to court for their ‘’right'’ to play ‘’Indian.'’
They asked a state judge to save their careers as the Chief - claiming that UIUC was violating their free speech, freedom of assembly and academic freedom - but the judge denied their request.
Usually a source of fascination and amusement, this mascot worship stopped being funny when it turned into Chief hysteria.
To all those fans that are weeping and wailing over the Chief, I can only say one thing: Get a grip!
Pull yourselves together and go learn something about real Native people. Not any sports symbol; not a cartoon version of a historical Indian figure; not the Indian butter maiden; and not an Indian in a cupboard.
Learn about actual flesh and blood, life-sized Native people.
If you simply must have an ‘’Indian'’ mascot nexus, learn about the 2,000 dead mascots and the real Indian people who piled them onto the bonfire of history.
Learn about the National Indian Youth Council and its great Ponca leader, Clyde
Warrior, and the Native students at the University of Oklahoma who started in the early 1960s to get rid of the OU mascot, ‘’Little Red.'’ They finally succeeded in 1970, with help from a cross-cultural coalition, much like the one that brought an end to UIUC’s mascot.
After ‘’Little Red'’ was retired, Stanford University and Dartmouth College dropped their ‘’Indians'’ and Syracuse University traded the ‘’Saltine Warrior'’ for the ‘’Orange.'’ Two-thirds of all the ‘’Indian'’ references in American sports have fallen since 1970, and fewer than 1,000 remain.
I have a theory that some of the Chief fans really don’t disrespect Native people. They just don’t know any.
While fans were collecting their orange Chief T-shirts, mugs, caps and bumper stickers, they missed a few things.
The first dozen years in the life of UIUC’s racial mascot were the last dozen years of real life Yankton Sioux author Zitkala-Sa, well-known for writing ‘’Why I Am a Pagan.'’ Also known as Gertrude Bonnin, she was a musician, composer and the first Native person to write an opera.
Zitkala-Sa taught at the first federal Indian boarding school and later wrote criticisms that helped close its doors. She was an early American Indian rights advocate in Washington, D.C. In the same year that fans concocted the prancing Chief, Zitkala-Sa was busy founding and leading the National Council of American Indians.
Maria Tallchief, Osage, no longer dances, but when she did dance she was a prima ballerina: graceful, dignified and breathtaking. She inspired countless young people to perform. At the same age as the Chief, Tallchief has never caricatured anyone.
Phillip Deere was born in the same year that Chief Illiniwek was invented. A Muscogee ceremonial leader from Nuyaka Tribal Town, he organized leadership and stickball camps for Muscogee youth and was responsible for encouraging a generation of young people to continue and return to Native traditional ways. He often said that people in D.C. cared more for the Washington football team than they did for real Native people.
It’s painful to think that Deere’s lifespan was 22 years shorter than the Chief’s run and that the passing of the real man was less noticed than the retirement of the mascot.
Like the Chief, Leon Shenandoah lived to be 81. He was a real chief; an Onondaga chief, a Haudenosaunee head chief, the Tadodaho of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. He lived a life of service. He danced at All-Night Dance, but only after bearing the weight of all the women’s shawls, of all their sorrows.
Shenandoah spoke, but only after listening to what others had to say. He, like many other Native leaders, left a rich legacy of chiefly wisdom.
This richness of spirit can fill empty places. Find out about Native people now departed and what gifts they left for us: Mad Bear Anderson, Paul Bernal, Ruth Muskrat Bronson, Walt Bresette, Pete Catches, Lucy Covington, Joe DeLaCruz, Carl Gorman, Martha Grass, Bruce Miller, Richard LaCourse, Robert Lewis, Browning Pipestem, David Risling, Esther Ross, Reuben A. Snake Jr., David Sohappy, Frank Tenorio and Annie Dodge Wauneka.
Learn about the heroes among us and celebrate them: Hank Adams, Herman Agoyo, Manley Begay, Ramona Bennett, David Bradley, Maiselle Bridges, Roger Buffalohead, Greg Cajete, John Echohawk, Walter Echo-Hawk, Billy Frank Jr., Joel Frank, Forrest J. Gerard, Russell Jim, Bob Haozous, Joy Harjo, Keith Harper, Lance Henson, Tim Johnson, Oren Lyons, Henrietta Mann, Chris McNeill, N. Scott Momaday, Alan Parker, Allen V. Pinkham, Tom Porter, James Riding In, Lois Risling, Mateo Romero, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Wes Studi, Robert Trepp, John Trudell, Carey Vicenti, Floyd Westerman, W. Richard West, Richard Ray Whitman, Dan Wildcat, David Wilkins, Frances Wise, Pemina Yellowbird and Patricia Zell.
Read or listen to anything by Vine Deloria Jr. or John Mohawk. Look at anything by T.C. Cannon, Harry Fonseca, R.C. Gorman, Allen Houser, George Morrison, Fritz Scholder or Pablita Velarde.
After even a brief exploration, Illiniwek fans, you may kick yourself over the great many Indian people you missed while following the Chief.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I wish we could stop talking about whether The CHief honors NAs or not. Thats not the point. first the cHief after 81 years has become ours, the students, faculty, fans community alumni. He is his own entity. Second there are a large % of NAs who feel honored by the CHiefe. Third and most important, it doesnt matter if not one NA feels honored, they still have no right to demand that the rest of us give the Chief up. The CHief and the dance he performs is not dangerous, illegal or leud. It therefore comes under freedom of exression and freedom of pursuit of a happiness.If it is not dangerous to others or illegal it is a right of teh University to decide about and not the NCAA or some small minoirty. I dont care anymore if it offends people. I am offended by Indian gambling in this state (Ca.)which allows 18 year olds to gamble when Las Vegas requires age 21. I know of several 18, 19 year olds who have serious gambling problems and what does the Indian casion due but give these kids free rooms at the motel and a credit card so they can get themselves in real big roub. My neighbors 18 year old has such a bad problem the kind Indians gave him “preferred status” at the casino with his credit card and room so he doesnt have to leave to eat. Thanks alot all of you caring, sensitive, lets all get along Indians. Your casions are far more of a danger and offense than Chief Illiniwek.Why dont you use your tax payer bought educaitons and get into a real profession
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:18 pm
FG-
I am highly perplexed as to how I proved your point about activism and that it is entirely about money, when I spoke nothing about money in the first place. Therefore, I find your whole response to my opinion is moot as well as patronizing and I could stop responding right now. However, I won’t.
I think you are slightly disillusioned. Activism is hardly about the money. Especially in this case of grassroots activism. Activism is about the people who are silenced, marginalized, and oppressed. The response to retire the Chief, made by those who were in charge, may have been about money but don’t you dare say that our struggle was. I won’t say I’ve done everything that I can in this struggle, but I will not be made to feel inadequate by you. Furthermore, my life as a minority and using my life to break stereotypes of minorities being primitive, ignorant, and uneducated is one step closer.
You attempt, but fail to criticize me, because you assume I have not done anything. Yet, while the Chief was here the majority of “pro-chiefers” hid behind the University, because they believed it to be no real imminent danger of the Chief going anywhere. For the past twenty years, fighters of the Chief have been there. Been on the frontline because they did not have a choice. There was no administration fighting for them. They have done the most and I do not take kindly to your innuendos suggesting anything otherwise.
Furthermore, in response to your request, that I “please explain how getting rid of the Chief has helped fund even “one” scholarship for a young Native American wanting to go to college but doesn’t have the opportunity or means,” I ask you to respond how keeping the Chief accomplished that goal? In addition, I believe you meant to ask me to explain how I believe getting rid of the Chief WILL in the FUTURE accomplish this goal. You know considering how he’s only been retired since Wednesday. Give it time, because unlike you we realize that getting rid of the Chief is not the last step but only the first of many.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:24 am
My, oh my, what a great divide. So, this is really the cultural crisis of our time? Wow. At some point, shouldn’t all alumni put their emotions and intellectual righteousness aside and simply ask, “What is the right thing to do”? Let’s face it, at the end of the day people don’t like change. We fear it, it offends our sense of justice, and it is an affront to our protection of the way things used to be.
I love “The Chief” and everything he “symbolizes”, but I have to be honest in admitting that he is a caricature of a culture, and it’s clearly not my culture. I’m not offended by his representation of the Native American culture, and I would argue that most/many others, be they Native or non-Native Americans, probably do not see the Chief as the crowning injustice of these times. However, for those who are offended, it probably is a great offense no matter what the University’s intentions. Even though I would love for the Chief to stay, I have to recognize that there are many, especially the true Native Americans, who watch our half-time show and simply see a white boy dancing around pretending to be an Indian and say to themselves, “that’s just wrong”.
We could argue all day about why keeping the Chief is right for us and our institution and traditions, and others will continue to point out what a horrific marginalization of another minority group this is, but at the end of the day we have to face the reality that the truth of the matter is probably in the middle and simply asks us to do the right thing, even though we may not like it.
We’ll get over it, change will happen, and life will go on.
February 24th, 2007 at 11:31 am
JOn, believe me we will get over this. But we should learn from it not just walk away and say u win some u lose some.. The issue of the erosion of rights due to victim/ethnic PC politics is real and is happening every day from racial preferences in hiring and admissions to in class room intimidations of students who are of the wrong race or opinions. It is a bad direction to be going in a democracy and the only way we are going to stop it is to bust thrugh the PC protective wall and take the heat for telling the truth. the lesson many will learn fromthis experience is its dog eat dog and the ends justify the means. Get yours if u can and the hell with others feelings or wants. That philosphy is well rewarded in our cournty and becoming even more so. As more people cave in and adopt that world view, the civility and enjoyment of life and other people will diminish,
February 24th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
As a Native-American, I must say that I love the Chief. He is noble, elegant, and inspirational. Trust me–the FEW brothers who oppose him see him as a stalking horse.
February 24th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
I truly believe if this went up the court high enough we stand a good chance of reversing this decision which the BOT did improperly and the NCAA blackmailed them into. I suggest we start with the blogs, my space, leaflets in the CU community and campus (check if legal) and the alumni clubs and start a save the chief legal fund.. It would of course have with full financial safeguards. We will let those fans, alumni, students, etc. know that there is a place they can send the money they were going to withhold from the UIUC anyway and that is the Save the Chief Legal fund.. Quite quickly the press will spread the word. The plaintiffs can be decided by the attys. I can tell u we won’t be short of money. The Loyalty to the chief petition alrady has 12000 signatures and addressed of alumni fans and student who pledge not to send money to the UIUC until this is reversed. It will scare the pants off the admin. and in the long run, if they reverse this, will be better for the university. Even now they may know they made a mistake but how to get out of it gracefully. This may be the pressure to do it. They can always agree that the process by which the decision was made was illegitimate so as to save face
February 24th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Good riddance. All you poor little racists can cry your racist eyes out for all I care!
February 24th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
How did any of you get into college? Seriously. Have you learned nothing of critical thinking?
First off, I’d like to award the title of Virtuoso of Douchebaggery and Ignorance to Dave M. for his profoundly insightful contribution that if African Americans had no problem with the Chief, then it must not be racist. Way to go, Dave! All your education at the university has taught you that all minorities are the same and if one is insulted, they all must be.
Let’s face it. No other minority would tolerate this display of “honor” and given the power differential inherent in predominantly white populations utilizing minorities as mascots (yes, he’s a mascot, genius- he only performs at sporting events no matter how noble and fuzzy you feel inside when you watch him), this really shouldn’t have dragged on as long as it did. The fact is that in Illinois, it is easy to ignore Native Americans- to relegate them to the past and then dress up a white kid any which way and call it honoring.
Would you think it honorable if a group that is different than you and outnumbers you created a mascot dressed in your historic enemies’ clothing? That’s what the “Chief” was. The Illiniwek were historic enemies of the Lakota (Sioux) and yet our “symbol” is dressed as one. That is roughly equivalent to attending a college somewhere in Asia, having a team called the Fighting American Heroes, and having a dancing Hitler as your mascot (and yes, I realize the analogy is offensive as the Lakota are not anything approaching Hitler, but for effect of the “enemy” you catch my drift).
Fact is, there are descendants of Illiniwek in Oklahoma whose most recent vote was against the Chief. We can say we’re honoring until our faces turn blue, but if the objects of our honor aren’t feeling it, then it’s a good time to move on.
But mostly, as college-educated individuals, you should know better. The purpose of college is not just to come away with a diploma- it’s to learn to think critically and analytically. In this, the majority of IL alumns fail. How ridiculous and easily manipulated are you to feel emotions such as honor and courage while watching a white boy prance around in a costume doing a Boy Scout dance? Grow up. Move on. EVOLVE! Quit being so nostalgic for American imperialism. And really, even if you are assigning nothing but positive qualities to an ethnic or racial group in your portrayal, it’s still stereotyping. You’re still reducing a group to your preconceived notions of what that group should represent and behave like.
I used to attend U of I and nothing drove me crazier than this issue and how it divided everyone senselessly. Though the end happened in a way that neither side was too happy about, it would be great if everyone could take part in creating a new mascot and a new tradition that didn’t make a good percentage of people cringe.
February 25th, 2007 at 10:34 am
GEEZ! It is obvious not many of you live in the real world. I am a loyal fan of the Chief. My parents instilled me with values to respect other PEOPLE!
Notice I am not saying “Native Americans”, “African Americans”, “Females”, or “White Boys”. I am saying PEOPLE!
If the Chief is offensive to some PEOPLE, let them try to correct what is viewed as an injustice. If the Chief is viewed as honorable by some, those PEOPLE should be respected for what they believe.
Unfortunately, reading these blogs leads me to believe that the UI is becoming a breeding-ground for all types racism. All the name calling and threats are very distasteful, and let’s be honest: childish.
I chose the UI as an institute of higher learning due to it’s diversity and excellent cirriculum, not because of a sports mascot. I hate to see the Chief go, but does it make any of the colleges less desireable?
It is too bad there is not as much concern for the remodeling of Lincoln Hall! Now there is something worth consideration.
To both sides of opinion: Please do not tear apart the moral and ethical fabric of a great institution with childish outbursts. My son will attend any university he chooses, hopefully due to the educational characteristics of that institution!
February 26th, 2007 at 12:50 am
I say lets guit wasting our time venting and take action. The anti chief group keeps saying move on, give up but they (to their credit never gave up… in 25 years) Why should we?
This would be a benefit on every front win or lose. If nothing else it would give empowerment to the Chief supporters who were totally disenfranchised in the decision process and let the UIUC and NCAA know that they will pay a price for such caving in to PC crowd in the future. It will also give us the opportunity to do what the administration of the UIUC were unable to do or chose not to do…provide a full and convincing defense of the Chief to the public. North Dakota and others may join in with us. Judging by the numbers and polls I doubt we will suffer from too little funding. We can contact the alumni clubs in the different states for help. The very possible and best result would be that we may see the Chief bursting out from the ranks of the Marching Ilini again to perform his honorable, dignified moving dance for his loyal fans.
Speaking of lawsuits. How about leaving the UIUC alone and going after the NCAA for capricious implementation of subjective policy that exceeded their (Ncaa”s) authority and resulted in the violation of first amendment rights. The damages to the reputation and image of the UICU as well depriving 10s of thousands of a meaningful tradition could be a beginning. Dan Maloney was deprived of his 1st amendment rights also. How to fund a Chief Legal defense fund? Easy, with the money from fans, alumni, students and faculty who have decided to withhold their money from the UIUC. (See for starters the 12,000+ petition of signatures of people pledging to do just that&g
March 15th, 2007 at 1:33 am
I just got through reading all of these blogs, and for the most part many of you make valid points.I think it is time to put this into perspective. Tradition is a connective tissue from our past to the present. Tradition is what our country practices and embraces. We are human and we need tradition if for no other reason than to be our compass our guide into the future. Tradition binds us together as human beings. Tradition is something to be shared and cherished NOT dismantled, or corrupted by a group of people called the NCAA. I have ceased my alumni membership and any money that I would have considered giving to the University will not be coming from me or my family because of the way this discision was made. It was made clandestinely and haphazardly, and most importantly without the MAJORITY RULE that is also what our United States is based on.There has to be a method and governing of the United States of America and it is, for good or bad, the way our USA makes important decisions.That’s just how it is..so I say that a discrimination lawsuit be filed by someone, anyone, who feels strongly about this dumping of our beloved symbol of our university, against the NCAA and if deemed neccessary a separate lawsuit against the BOT of the University of Illinois. I hate that our governor was reelected because he just proved once again that he can be bought and that he can be swayed. How many of these BOT members gave expensive dinners to raise money for our Govenor. Look at where these people come from. So many from the illustrious North Shore. How many of the BOT members are personal friends of the govenor and that’s why he appointed them. He seems to do alot of that. And Emil Jones.. what’s his vendetta about against the U of I. People lets look at the bigger picture here. 17 years ago the Chief was resolved to stay as the official symbol of our great university. Now with new, Democratic party government in place… things all change?? What is with that? There are so many legal problems here that I think we just need to attack them one at a time and then after the Chief is forever reinstated this issue can be put to rest once and for all.I’m all for setting up a fund to Save the Chief and any money that I donated last year to the U of I, I will gladly give to a group of people who want to fight the NCAA for discrimation and trampling our freedoms and rights. This is ridiculous. Also did any of you happen to see the news broadcast in Chicago where an Indian girl told of how glad she was that we got rid of the Chief and that she hasn’t felt safe for a long time on this campus.. what an innane comment. She’s a grad student for God’s sake and if you have never felt secure here then LEAVE.. GET OUT We don’t want you here if you don’t feel safe here. Go to PennState or anywhere else in the world or are you not sharing something with us… like you are here because of a scholorship perhaps or someone who is also against the Chief is paying your way? HuM it has to make one think? The news is so biased here in Chicago anyway, that’s just what we have come to accept. Pathetic I know, but they didn’t even bother to interview a spokesperson FOR THE CHIEF.. no.. lets just go with the one wounded Indian girl and take her word for it all. I mean really, I’ve heard that there truely is only a group of approx. 12-15 people total who actually were against the Chief and led protests. Who kept getting people all up in arms.. This meager group of 15? Pathetic folks… Like I said let’s take this on. We have to .It is a matter of our tradition of the state of Illinois and our once great university. Chief Illiniwek is our state’s tradition and everyone who lives in the state of Illinois. Why are we just going to lay around and do nothing to appease a vocal MINORITY. We need to fight it all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court or higher if we must. WE need a BOT that is willing to fight and if this board is not willing to, then I say dump them all except for Dorris who really was trying to get his voice heard and make sense of this and give everyone a perspective that was obviously too controversial. Get rid of this BOT and maybe we can force a state wide election for the people we feel should be representing the U of I not some appointee favorites by our Govenor. I think if you were to survey the remaining NA’s in the state of Illinois you would find an overwelming majority of them celebrated the Chief and were grateful for not allowing any do gooders to take their heritage and throw it away, once again stomping on them. So.. I’ve gone on long enough.. but Jason Baker and his online petition said things to me loud and clear. More than 14,000 people want the Chief reinstated… so let’s get at it. I think with as many graduates of the U of I that are lawyers some of you would want to take this case on even if it is just for the preservation of our rights . Isn’t that worth fighting for… We are the Fighting Illini, so let’s act as we are named. Besides , just one more thing.. if we are going to keep the name fighting Illini then what the heck is and Illini if it isn’t an Indian? Could someone please explain? Anyway thanks to all who have read this and at least mulled it over. Let’s stop the name calling and degrading of any group on campus. Let’s move forward in a positive direction… Long live the Chief!!!