GRAND FORKS HERALD
Opponents of UND’s Fighting Sioux nickname brought to campus Wednesday morning one of the big guns in the battle against American Indian nicknames to help rally the base.
Clyde Bellecourt, a founder of the American Indian Movement and a leader in protests nationwide against such nicknames, inspired the crowd with stories of protests past. “We are winning,” he said. Schools and universities around the country have dropped their nicknames, he said, including ones he thought would never relent, such as the erstwhile Salmon, Idaho, “Fighting Savages.” Still on his list are the Atlanta Braves, the Washington Redskins and, naturally, the Fighting Sioux.
Bellecourt also showed some of the fire he’s known for when he sprinkled tobacco on the ground and offered prayers for “those that are scholastically retarded about us and our culture.” The Herald counted about 75 rally participants, including organizers and speakers. At a panel discussion that followed, there were seven Indian students in attendance. UND has a student population that includes more than 400 Indians, the largest among the state’s non-tribal colleges and universities.
Bellecourt came at the request of UND’s Indian students that oppose the nickname.
One of the state’s two Sioux tribes, Spirit Lake, already has issued a resolution offering UND “perpetual” use of the nickname after a referendum in which 67 percent of tribal members supported the nickname. Nickname supporters at the other tribe, Standing Rock, are agitating for a referendum of their own and predict that the results would be similar.
In fact, a counter-protester was seen with a sign that said “Democracy above all.” To that, Spirit Lake nickname opponent Erich Longie, replied, using the Dakota word for whites: “We Native Americans experienced the wasichu democracy and it killed a lot of us. … We Native Americans experienced the wasichu democracy, and we have no civil rights at all.”
Amber Annis, one of the rally organizers, said this is not an issue for voters on just two reservations, but an issue that affects all Indian students, no matter their tribe. Why, she asked, do the voices of people living on the reservation matter more than that of students forced to deal with the controversy everyday? “It is the Indian people on campus, near campus and in this community who receive the brunt of the insults,” she said.
But that really depends on who you ask. Some who voted for the Spirit Lake referendum in April said at the time that they are UND alumni or had friends or relatives who are. They didn’t feel disrespected by the nickname, they said. Many expressed pride, sporting Fighting Sioux sweatshirts or jerseys.
Celeste Melander, a UND student from Standing Rock, called the Herald after hearing about the protest and said she didn’t feel disrespected, either. Growing up on the reservation, she said, she knows what racism is. Some incidents that nickname opponents claim are racially motivated, she said, are just kids misbehaving and not race hate.
There’s little agreement whether Sioux is even a derogatory word for the peoples who call themselves Dakota, Lakota and Nakota. Dave Gipp, president of the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck and a UND alumnus, said “Sioux” was a name imposed on his people by white Europeans. Yet, at Standing Rock, when given a chance to change the tribe’s official name from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to Standing Rock Oyate, voters chose to keep the name.
Monday, October 5, 2009
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I guess I don't understand. Why would people, specically Native Americans, be against this? It's not being offensive to them, in fact, it's the exact opposite. The "Fighting Souix" nickname is honoring the Native Americans. I will agree that the "Fighting Savages" nickname in Salmon, Idaho is unnecessary. But the Fighting Souix, Washington Redskins, and Atlanta Braves are completely reasonable. Of course the Souix "fought", but white people did as well. All races have done things in the past that could be considered wrong, including whites, blacks, hispanics, etc. But we get past these things and respect them for who they are as a whole. Would I be politically correct by making my team name the "Fighting White People"? Personally I wouldn't mind, because white people HAVE fought before. My point is that this is yet another instance in today's society where race and political correctness get in the way of seeing the world clearly.
ReplyDeleteI should add that when I say "seeing the world clearly" I am referring to political correctness in general, not specifically this one instance. I should also add that sometimes policital correctness isn't all that bad. But usually political correctness tends to cause people to see what something isn't (such as, in the case of the Fighting Souix, something being offensive to Native Americans)rather than what it is (an honor to Native Americans everywhere and a symbol of pride in UND).
ReplyDeleteI do not have the problem with the name the Fighting Sioux, but you have to give Native Americans there rights to change and abolish what they think is wrong. The Sioux name was given to the Indians of the Dakota's to mean "snake-like" by the Europeans. This is an insult to there culture. This would equal some of the slang words we use today. Would we want to be called the Warroad Weirdo's or maybe the Warroad Wimps. Of course we wouldn't. The name Sioux is an insult to many of the Native American's culture. We should give them the right to say yes or no to these proposals that have came out in the passed couple years. Yet again do i think the Fighting Sioux name is bad, no, but give the people of there nation the right to say YES or NO.
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ReplyDeleteYou're right, Souix did mean "snake-like." But that's not what it is known for. When I hear the word Souix, the first thing that comes to my mind is the Indian tribe. If I think of "snake-like" at all, it is the last thing that ever comes to mind. Back in the time of the Europeans, Souix meant snake-like. But over time, different things are associated with different words. Personally, I don't use the word Souix to insult someone, I use the word Souix when I am referring to the Indian group. I guess what I am trying to say is that the how the word Souix is used today is different than it was many years ago.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Sioux should have to change their name. There is such a great tradition associated with the Sioux, for athletics and for academics. The people who wear the Sioux logo and represent the teams and school are proud to do it and they don't look at it in a negative way. Everyone should be able to respect it and the indian tribes should be proud that a nationally known school would want to use their name.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the Sioux name should have any effect on anyone but you still have to respect there rights to take away that name. If our name was taken away would i be mad? Yes, but it's not what's on your jersey. It is how you play on the field, or for many others how you perform in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteExactly, you should have the right to take away the name. But it must be debated like it is now. Perhaps both sides can come to a compromise that benefits everybody. I also agree with you completely that it isn't the name that defines your team. It is how you play. This is another reason that makes me wonder why people would take the time to rally against a nickname that not only honors Native Americans but is a symbol of pride in UND.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Justin when he said that the "Fighting Sioux" nickname is more honoring to the Sioux tribe than an insult. And, yes Ross, it isn't all about what's on the jersey but how you play on the field. But, even with that said, I would still be sad to see the name go. When I hear "Fighting Sioux" I think of power and pride. I also wonder, even though they have the right to speak their minds against the nickname, how in the world they can view this as a slam?! When I try to put myself in their position, I think about how honored I would feel to have my heritage displayed and remembered that way. You know... this entire debate has been going on for a really long time, and nothing has changed. I believe that way to much time is being spent on this. I hardly believe that any student at UND, or any "Fighting Sioux" supporter, wears the name in a way to make fun of or put down the tribe. They wear it out of Pride and Honor for their team and school.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Indians should not be making a big deal about the name, because the school has had that name for a very long time. I beleive that it is a good thing that one of the Tribes is ok with the school keeping the name. I also agree with Justin when he says that the name is honoring to the Sioux Tribe and not an insult.
ReplyDeleteNick C7
ReplyDeleteI think that the "Fighting Sioux" nickname is not a big deal. If one of the indian tribes is fine with the name then i think that the nickname should be able to stay. They have had that nickname for a long time and no one ever said anything. The nickname was given to the Sioux from an Indian so that should mean that it should be able to be used. The nickname to some people mite mean bad to them and others don't even think of it as a bad way. I dont think of it as a bad way. No one will ever agree on a name so then it is pretty much the same situation as they are in now and then they will just argue on that name. I think that they should be able to just keep the nickname because it honors the Sioux tribe to. People just wear the "Fighting Sioux" jerseys and shirts in honoring and suporting the teams at UND.
I agree with Cole they have had the Fighting Sioux nickname since before my dad went to school there. I've been to the campus there and there is no disrespect toward the tribe at all. All the students there have pride in the Fighting Sioux nickname If you have ever been to a Sioux football or hockey game or any UND sports event the always announce that they are proud to have the Sioux nickname and that the Sioux and Indians are a proud tribe the won battle. So I think that there shouldn't be a fight over the nickname and it should stay the same.
ReplyDeletebrady f7
I think it is up to the state's two tribes to decide if the Sioux name is wrong. If a college is insulting the American Indian than it should change its name. I think we should only honor them with a name that they agree to and if we can't do that with the Sioux name than it is time for a change but the decision should be up to the Sioux tribes and not some National Political guy or some local North Dakota businessmen who have don't have anything to do with the tribes. I am not American Indian so I don't know if the Sioux name is insulting but if it is I don't think that is right. Schools have had to change names before and its not a big deal.The high school in Grand Forks used to be Central Redskins but now it is Central Knights. My uncle was a senior when they changed and he wasn't too happy about it. He used to wear a Redskins Forever tshirt but then he said he realized he might be insulting somebody and it was time for a change. So basically Im agreeing with Ross and if Fighting Sioux is insulting it is ok to change.
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