Chief Illiniwek's Last Dance

[CrazyEyez]

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I'm somewhat flabbergasted that it's taken this long to realize that treating people who white america [censored] gennocided and marginiziled this way isn't ok. Hi, we stole your land, we killed a fuckload of you, and we're also going to jack your culture and make it a halftime show?


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I actually agree with this.

I don't agree that the race of the person doing the dancing makes a difference. If they found some native american to do the same dance, it wouldn't be any more or less offensive. It's still a halftime show. That is what I was arguing in my last several posts.

[Josh11]

While I'm certainly pro-Chief, I haven't gotten concerned or angered or anything over the issue. That said, halftime at football/basketball just won't be the same anymore and I will miss Chief's performances dearly. There's nothing quite like how it can dominate all of Memorial Stadium or Assembly Hall and the feeling of unity one gets when singing the alma mater. Shame to see that tradition end.

EDIT: MyTurn2Raise makes several good arguments in the Sporting Events thread and seems very well educated in the issue.

[forshure]

The Chief is thought of as much more of simply like a symbol and tradition of the UofI that people are proud of much more then that of mocking other people. It is much like a family tradition that often you think is dumb or whatever but do it because it is tradition. To most people here, it is such a tradition.

[Case Closed]

My room mate told me there was a girl crying on tv over the chief. This is just insane...it's a mascot or a symbol. There is so much going on that I am disappointed that this is what people get riled up about.

[MyTurn2Raise]

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I'm somewhat flabbergasted that it's taken this long to realize that treating people who white america [censored] gennocided and marginiziled this way isn't ok. Hi, we stole your land, we killed a fuckload of you, and we're also going to jack your culture and make it a halftime show?

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ummmm...that wasn't the situation at all with the Illini. They don't fit the prototypical native american/white immigrant relationships.
The Illini had a very good working relationship with the first white settlers to the region. So much so, that the Illini took up arms with the whites to combat other local indian nations. Those other indian nations pretty much exterminated the Illini.
Am I wrong to thus feel the Illini are much more a part of my history than some of the tribal councils calling for Chief Illiniwek's removal?
Side note: a large majority of native-americans were not against indian names for sporting teams in the last major poll. This is a very small, activist minority pushing their interpretation of history upon the rest.

[MyTurn2Raise]

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My room mate told me there was a girl crying on tv over the chief. This is just insane...it's a mascot or a symbol. There is so much going on that I am disappointed that this is what people get riled up about.

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nearly everyone I was sitting around was choked up/had tears in their eyes/etc. I'm pretty sure that any school with a tradition that has been around this long would have tears in the stands. That girl was beyond ridiculous though. I saw the clip on ESPNU; you would think her parents died.

[4_2_it]

Florida State seems to have a handle on the right way to do this. LINKY

Excerpt from the website:

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"Look, those little differences don't bother us," Jim Shore, legal counsel for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, said in an Aug. 16, 2005, article in the Tampa Tribune. "An (actual) Seminole warrior of the 1800s couldn't be depicted in modern time. But this character has a great resemblance to what he should be. It's modernized, not theatrical. The school has checked with us, over and over again. And we have no objections to how he's portrayed. It's always respectful."


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[MyTurn2Raise]

Florida State bows down and gives lots of $$$$
That is the unwritten rule



here is what I wrote in sporting events
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alright, I unfortunately know way too much about this whole 'debate'

This thing has raged every since the late 80s and is a taboo topic to bring up in polite conversation--like abortion, politics, religion

here are the bad and the good about the chief

The Bad:

-It's a white american in face paint in front of a largely white crowd

-The dance moves are exaggerated in order for a whole stadium to see the dance

-The dance is done with a headdress on, which is not what would have happened

--the Peoria tribe, the closest connection to the Illini nation still in existence, changed its position on the chief 4 years ago IIRC. After long-time support, the tribal council voted 3-2 against its the university using the chief.

-people outside the program who don't know the history lump it together and stereotype it as blatant racism

The good:

-The school originally had the name Illini in order to honor the past of the state and to identify the students and alumni. The Illini tribe co-operated with and worked together with the original white settlers of the state. The whites and Illini shared quite a bit and were on the same side in nearly every skirmish. The Illini were pursued by other tribes and basically forever extinguished by other indian tribes in the area. It is no surprise then that these other tribes were among the first to call for the removal of the Illini name.

-The word 'fighting' was added in front of Illini to athletic teams after WWI in order to honor those within the university community who perished in the Great War. (Side note: Illinois' football stadium, Memorial Stadium, is a tribute to those victims as well and there is one column for every student/alumnus who perished during the war.)

-Chief Illiniwek was developed between the band director and the head football coach in the mid-1920s. Illiniwek is a carefully chosen word by Zuppke meant to convey the ideal he wants from his young men. Illiniwek: "The Whole man: physically, intellectually, and spiritually"

-the Chief has never been a mascot and doesn't do mascoty things. You'll never see a foam #1 finger. You'll never see back-flips and rah-rah cheers. The Chief doesn't stand on the sidelines throughout the game.

-The Chief is only used in a halftime celebration of tradition and honor to the state's and university's past and present. He does a dance, based on authentic moves, and stands solemnly in the middle of the field/court to lead the crowd in a singing of the alma mater.

-Chief Illiniwek's outfit is authentic.

-Chief Illiniwek is not a caricature being laughed at by the crowd. His movements inspire unity and promote tradition.

--The Chief is an honor to the past of my state and my university. The Illini are a part of my history of which I am proud.

-I've been to many places and seen their traditions-scrip 'i' at Ohio State-Varsity at Wisconsin. I haven't seen one that bonds the whole stadium like Chief Illiniwek.

For those who don't know, This is the Chief's halftime football performance
clip of the stands at a basketball game


obviously, I'm pro-chief. I find it an honor to the history of my state. I take umbrage with those that divide this into a native-American v White-American argument. I don't see this as a we v they history. I see the Illini tribe as every bit a part of my history. I also see the university uses Chief Illiniwek and the name Illini in a respectful manner. I do wish they could improve slightly, like only have the head-dress on during the solemn singing of the alma mater and not during the dance. However, I am against the removal of the Chief that highlights the original founding of my home state.

I do see the need for removal though based mainly on the point I bolded. Most people cannot see the unique situation and will prejudge it as racism. Despite a well-thought out and well-debated issue in the local region, those outside the area perceive us all as bigoted hicks.

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[illini43]

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My room mate told me there was a girl crying on tv over the chief. This is just insane...it's a mascot or a symbol. There is so much going on that I am disappointed that this is what people get riled up about.

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nearly everyone I was sitting around was choked up/had tears in their eyes/etc. I'm pretty sure that any school with a tradition that has been around this long would have tears in the stands. That girl was beyond ridiculous though. I saw the clip on ESPNU; you would think her parents died.

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Some people were balling, and I was up in C section. I did feel a bit emotional (not close to crying or anything), but there was definately a different type of feeling last night knowing that the performance was the last, regardless of how inaccurate it is, etc.