1. Racism in Sports Team Images
A Indigenous Perspective
on Trademarks

2. What do you think of when you hear Indian or Aboriginal?

3. Some History and Facts Definitions
Indian – was used by government, outdated
Aboriginal/Native – general umbrella term
First Nations – 50+ different First Nations in Canada
Indigenous – original people of the land
Metis – mixed indigenous/European ancestry
Inuit – indigenous people of Arctic
In US they use the term American Indian or Native American

4. Facts and Figures
Indigenous peoples in North America have lived here for > 10,000 years
Decimation through disease, conflict, uprooting
Current Canadian population approx. 1 million (3% of population), fastest growing demographic
Thriving and struggling communities, resilience

5. What is a trademark?
Word, phrase, jingle, or symbol that identifies a particular enterprise/product
Sports teams names do not have indefinite useful life – they may change trademark

8. Native American Mascots

12. Opposing use of mascots
Perpetuate ignorance/negative stereotypes
Demean traditions, ceremonies
Double standards – no team names for African-Americans, Caucasians or Latin Americans
Most often used in schools – message to youth?

13. Offensive dance – U.S. College basketball

14. Supporting the use of mascots
Say they honor the people (fraudulent claim by Washington and Cleveland)
Say it promotes indigenous culture
Arguments often made by non-indigenous people
Change will alienate alumni, decrease donations, anger fans

15. Cleveland “Indians” Chief Wahoo is mascot
Controversial throughout history
Said the name was to honour a Native American athlete – he asks them to change it though
Protest in 1998, protesters arrested and launch a lawsuit
Financial implications?

16. Financial Implications for name change
financial cost of changing logo, merchandise becomes useless
major sports teams HAVE changed their mascots for non-controversial and financial reasons
Washington Bullets changed their mascot to the "Wizards" over concerns with violent connotations
Tennessee Oilers, changed mascot to "Titans" a full two years after the team's move from Houston.

17. Some Success Indigenous activists work full-time on this issue
Hank Aaron, former baseball superstar lends support
Cleveland Mayor proposes removing Indians logo from all city property
Seattle University changes “Chieftains” to “Redhawks”
California bans “redskins” from license plates
Atlanta Braves changes mascot

18. More success
College teams that aren’t controversial refusing to play with teams that have racist names/logos (Univ. of Wisconsin, Univ. of Iowa)
Newspapers refuse to print offensive team names (referred to as “Washington team”)

19. But…. issue still remains contested today
According to American Indian Cultural Support, 2,498 U.S. schools use racist mascots (2006)
No major changes to professional team names/logos
In Canada Edmonton Eskimos, Brooklin Redmen in Ontario, others? (ironic that Brooklin, a lacrosse team would use such a logo since lacrosse is an Indigenous game)
Danforth Tech in TDSB had to change their Redmen name

20. No more chiefs and Pocohontas!

21. Instead of this…..
Why not this?