Karleigh B

Mascot Essay

Many schools on or near the reservation choose a mascot for the school that is affiliated with Native Americans.  Although some people see no problem with this, many individuals feel offended by some of the schools chosen mascots.  I feel that people for and against these mascots both have a logical point of view. 

Although I don’t find any of the schools’ mascots offending or problematic, many people are insulted by them.  Certain individuals feel that some of the schools’ mascots are mocking the Native American traditions and way of life.  Tayla D., a fellow classmate, said that she feels that if a school has a mascot affiliated with Native Americans, it is degrading and mocking to their culture if the mascot doesn’t resemble traditional Native American dress.  If the mascot resembles a cartoon character that is dressed in phony looking Native American clothes, it is as if the school is mocking Native Americans and their culture. 

Along with people feeling that Native American culture is being mocked, many people feel that the schools should have acquired permission from the tribe, if they’re using a tribe’s name, such as the Fighting Sioux.  If the school had asked the chiefs of the Sioux tribe, people may not have felt that the school was being racist towards their culture.  They may have been honored to know that the school wanted to use their name to represent them.  If the school had gone about naming their mascot differently, members of the Sioux tribe could have given the school some information on how to make the mascot traditional and respectful.

Although I can see validity as to why schools shouldn’t be allowed to use Native American affiliated names as their mascots, many people disagree.  Some people feel that simply affiliating certain names and phrases with Native Americans isn’t a reason for Native American people to deny a school to use the mascot. Native Americans, it doesn’t mean that Native American people have a right to say that a school cannot use a tribal name or phrase as their school mascot.  I assume this is why some schools don’t ask the tribe for permission. 

 I believe that Native Americans should feel honored that a school would want to use a tribal name as their mascot.  If the mascot is designed in a way that resembles traditional Native American dress, I don’t believe that people should feel like the mascot is mocking Native American culture. 

 Mascots that are affiliated with Native Americans often receive a lot of negative exposure.  Although I agree with some people’s negative opinions about the subject, I can also see the logic in the arguments of people who are in favor of the mascots.  Basically if a school would like to use a tribal name as its mascot, the entire conflict could be avoided if they asked the tribe for their permission and asked for help to design a mascot that won’t make Native Americans feel like they’re being mocked.  If every school took into consideration how their chosen mascot will make people feel, I believe that there wouldn’t be a problem.