Congrats, Blackhawks! Now get rid of that mascot. Not a single other team in the NHL is named after Native Americans. There are plenty in other major sports leagues, but in hockey, none. There is not a single other NHL team that takes an entire group of people and packages them into a mute mascot.
Read this great post on why Native American mascots aren’t harmless traditions: http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2010/06/thanks-for-severed-head-youve-proved-my.html#more
One of the best parts of it points out that these mascots and their attendant imagery as bloodthirsty savages has a devastating effect on the psyche of Native American youth across the country. I know the majority population of the States tends to think of Native Americans as wiped out a century ago, but they are alive and well. If ever there were a time to actually think of the children instead of doing useless hand-wringing, this is a good one.
My dad went to University of Illinois, and I know he has a lot of fond memories of attending Illini games, wearing the Chief insignia on his shirts, doing the Illini chant. But those are memories anyone can have with their college sports team; K College students got pretty excited about a giant hornet. You don’t need to appropriate an entire group of people, their history, their culture, their stereotyped image, and make them into a symbol of how fierce, tough, and primitively warrior-like your sports team is. Use an eagle or something.
So Blackhawks, congratulations on your historic win. How about you make more history and change your mascot? Heck, you could even change your name to the Hawks; it’s what everyone calls you anyway. It’s not like you’ll lose your winning reputation — your name will always be more intimidating than the Pittsburgh Penguins.
ETA: I had a conversation with my coworker Branden about this post, and he pointed out how important Black Hawk is to the history of Illinois. I tried to clarify:
“The thing is (which maybe I need to be clearer about) is that there are a lot of things that are important to one group’s history, but that doesn’t mean that that group should be allowed to claim those things for everyone’s history. For example, the Confederate flag is important to a lot of white southerners as a symbol of independence and regional pride. It’s also a symbol of brutal violence, humiliation, and slavery to a lot of black southerners. Claiming the Confederate flag for Georgia, for example, on the state courthouse or whatever, is claiming it for all Georgians, and basically saying, ‘The independence/pride part is more important than the violence/humiliation/slavery part.’ Which is just wrong.
“Black Hawk is an important symbol to some, but to others is part of a long line of mascots that remind Native Americans that they are just symbols of savagery for major league sports teams. You can balance the legacy of Black Hawk with the pride of a sports team without doing that.”
Branden replied: “I wonder what the Sauk tribe thinks about it — I don’t know. They’d be the ones I’d primarily want to hear from. And if they find it offensive, then shoot, call the team the Hawks, like you said. They already have a badass Hawk logo they can use.”
And then he provided this awesome link: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_r8tWGVHrjGI/SHPrp67Fv8I/AAAAAAAAE1I/DwFl7Nff5SY/s320/chicagologo.png
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Or the Anaheim Ducks. The only major league sports team named after a Disney movie!
Lisa,
If there’s one thing you always make me do, it’s think. I have been privvy to the University of Illinois debate (OMG, can we put it to rest now?) over Chief Iliniwek through the website, alumni magazine and a little research on my own. Bottom line? Change the Blackhawks to something else.
Now, here’s what I EXPERIENCED as an Illinois student/fan in the 70’s. Chief Iliniwek was a symbol of pride for me…not of a native american warrior out to scalp anyone..but rather a symbol of pride in the University of Illinois. Honestly, that’s how I saw him. It made me proud to see his triumphant dance. That’s pretty much it, I didn’t read anymore into it (which may be my fault). But, it is clear to me now that for all the reasons you state for changing the Chicago Blackhawk logo, it’s time ti change it….as it was time to change the Illini symbol.
Thanks for commenting, Dad. Yeah, that’s what I’m trying to get at. It’s not like Blackhawks or Illini (or Indians or Redskins) fans are raging racists gleefully celebrating the oppression of Native Americans every time they cheer their team on. (Or at least, most of them aren’t.) But it’s the fact that we white Americans have the privilege of not even considering that as a reading on it, as seeing it as just a matter of team pride, that is the problem, and what I’m trying to draw attention to. The whole idea of privilege (check this out for a brilliant breakdown of it: http://www.nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf ) is that we aren’t even aware of how it benefits us, because the very nature of privilege means that we don’t have to think about it. When someone points out to us a way in which we’re blindly accepting unearned privilege, our first instinct is usually defensiveness, but the best reaction is interest in learning more and seeing what part we can play in being a part of the solution. A listening approach that I know you have found central to your life from other venues.