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Mascot Issue

Thursday, December 08, 2005


Indiana high schools hold fast to Indian nicknames

STEVE HERMAN
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS - Chief Wawasee's head is superimposed over the letter W, the
symbol of Wawasee High School's Warriors. The Anderson Indians play
basketball in a historic gymnasium still known as the Wigwam.

From Shakamak to Elkhart, the state's deep Indian heritage is firmly
entrenched in the names of schools and communities.  But whether Indian nicknames are hostile and offensive references, as the NCAA has contended with some colleges, or show respect and admiration for Native Americans is a close call these days.

"The word Warrior places us in the gray area of being disrespectful," said
Mary Hurley, the athletic director at Wawasee, which means "Full Moon" and
is named for a Miami Indian chief who lived in what is now northern Indiana.
Gray area or not, high schools nationwide are holding fast to tradition,
refusing to follow the NCAA's lead in requiring teams to remove Indian
nicknames or logos from team, cheerleader and band uniforms in postseason
tournaments.

The Indianapolis-based National Federation of State High School Associations
has taken a hands-off approach, saying the nickname issue is best left to
individual schools and districts.

"There are so many and such a wide variety of names across this country - we
don't have any authority in that area, and we just feel that's a local
matter," said Bob Gardner, the head of the federation and a former Indiana
High School Athletic Association commissioner.
"They (NCAA) have taken their position, and I guess it works for them," he
said, "but we just feel like at the high school level, there's such
tradition."

That tradition is front and center in Indiana, which means Land of the
Indians. The 2000 U.S. Census found that it is home to about 18,000 American
Indians and Alaska natives, although there are no federally recognized
tribes in the state.

Eighteen of the more than 400 schools in the Indiana State High School
Athletic Association use the nickname Warriors. That's second only to
Panthers, used by 19 schools. Nine schools have Braves as their nickname and
eight have Indians. Others include Cherokees, Mohawks and Redskins.
Wabash High School became the Apaches in 1932 - even though the Apaches did
not inhabit Indiana - as the result of a school contest to replace the
former nickname Hill Climbers.

"Apaches was selected mostly because of Geronimo and the image people had of
Apaches as tough and strong," athletic director Matt Stone said. "Our symbol
is a true-to-life head shot of an Apache Indian, and we have done
everything possible to show pride in the Apaches and not degrade them.
"I feel that if you have pride in your mascot and do nothing to degrade or
insult the mascot, whether it is Apaches, Vikings, or Fighting Irish, it
should be no big deal."

Some schools have kept their Indian nicknames only after careful review.
Lake Central, in northwestern Indiana's Lake County, opted to stick with
Indians after a school committee reviewed how that portrayed Native
Americans.

"I don't believe it is offensive in how we use it," athletic director Mark
Peterson said.

Brebeuf, a Roman Catholic school in Indianapolis, decided to keep the name
Braves but has done away with all Indian imagery.
"We also have stopped doing the war chant, tomahawk chop during our
contests," athletic director Brian Brase said.

Wawasee phased out the use of a live mascot at games nine years ago and
replaced a Warrior caricature with a "more dignified Warrior," Hurley said.
"Obviously, with the past importance and heritage of Native Americans to
this locale, we have attempted to treat all use of a mascot or symbol with
respect and with honor," she said. "We educated our students to eliminate
degrading or negative stereotypical Indian behaviors. We do frown upon the
use of a Warrior in any disrespectful role, such as a scalping."

The city of Anderson, which is named for Chief William Anderson, whose
mother was a Delaware Indian, has used the nickname Indians for more than
70 years.

"We haven't heard a word (of complaint)," athletic director Steve Schindler
said. "I don't know if it's because of the Indian history in town - there's
some Indian festivals, Mounds Park here in Anderson is an Indian burial
ground, Muncie is an Indian city - it hasn't been an issue yet."
The state athletic association doesn't plan to make it one.

"It's not something we need to take a position on ... telling them what they
should be called and what they shouldn't," the IHSAA's Jason Wille said.
"Obviously, with the NCAA taking the position they did, we just didn't feel
in the same situation."

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