Sundance (activist)
| Sundance | |
|---|---|
| Residence | Oberlin, Ohio |
| Nationality | American Indian |
| Occupation |
Civil rights organizer Executive director of the Cleveland Autonomous American Indian Movement (AAIM) |
| Years active | 2008-Present |
| Organization | Cleveland Autonomous American Indian Movement (AAIM) |
| Known for |
Successful conversion of Oberlin High School offensive mascot to one of neutral nature Opposition to Chief Wahoo and other Native American mascots |
Sundance is an American Indian civil rights activist. He is perhaps best known for being one of several prominent American Indians to spearhead the movement against the use of Native American imagery as sports mascots.
Early life
Sundance is a member of the Muscogee, a tribe of Native American people living in the southeastern woodlands.[1]
Career
Sundance is the director of the Cleveland branch of the American Indian Movement (AIM).[2]
Activism
Sundance has voiced his opposition against the use of Chief Wahoo as the mascot for the city's baseball team, the Cleveland Indians.[3][4][5][6]
He has protested against the use of the team's use of the controversial mascot since 2008.[7] "We want the logo gone. We want the team name changed," he said. "You can't do one without the other. There is this propaganda around Cleveland that somehow they are honoring us by having a team named the Indians and the Wahoo logo. So the tide is turning, the wind is changing. They feel that perhaps the Wahoo logo is not honoring us, but somehow the team name is and they haven't listened to the message."[7] Sundance also describes the argument in the backdrop of the historical context in which these images are used, and the perceptions that are evoked as a result. "This behavior is exploitative, bigoted, racist and shameful," Sundance told the Plain Dealer. "It makes fun of genocide and mocks mass murder. The logo is just the head of an Indian. That means he is an ex-Indian. This has been going on for more than 50 years. I hope it does not continue for another 50."[5]
Before his participation in protests on the national level began, Sundance was able to effect change at the localized level. Shortly after arriving in Oberlin, Sundance came across the local highschool's, Oberlin High School, use of an offensive Native American mascot emblem used as the school's mascot.[3] He decided to petition the local school board in order to convince the school to adapt another mascot, in spite of opposition which argued in favor of the mascot's "insignificance"[3] Although several discussions took place before the final decision was rendered, in 2007, the school officially decided to change its mascot and team name, going from the Oberlin Indians to the Oberlin Phoenix.[3]
References
- ↑ Withers, Tom (4 April 2014). "Native Americans, others protest Cleveland Indians 'Chief Wahoo' logo prior to home opener". Mass Live. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ↑ Sangiacomo, Michael (1 April 2014). "Native Americans to mark Cleveland Indians 1st games with annual protest of Chief Wahoo logo (poll)". Cleveland Local News. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 "Native Americans protest Cleveland Indians 'Chief Wahoo' logo". The Guardian. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ↑ "Protesters speak out vs. Chief Wahoo". The Atlantic. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- 1 2 Schilling, Vincent (17 April 2014). "Standing Up And Staying Put: Four Decades of Protesting the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo". Indian Country Media. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ↑ Glasier, David (4 April 2014). "Fans brave weather for Cleveland Indians, Lake County Captains home openers". The News-Herald. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- 1 2 "Native Americans, others protest Indians' logo". USAToday. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.