Edmonton's CFL team refuses to comment on report of name change - APTN News
July 16, 2020: TSN says the team has made an “internal decision” to drop the name. The team is
considering dropping name after 2 major sponsors say they will pull their money. Earlier in the week
team closed a survey targeted for “key audiences and shareholders” but open to public and was outrage
about questions being biased and leading. “Do you believe that when the name was originally chosen,
the intent was to be disrespectful of Inuit or Indigenous people?” one question read. Also sent delegates
to Inuit communities in October 2019 to ask what people thought of the name. results say 78% opposed
the name change in the western Arctic, 55% opposed it in Nunuvat, and in the eastern Arctic 69% said to
keep the name according to the report. “If a CFL team who makes a lot of money off a derogatory term
that Inuit and our ancestors have faced for decades, then really where are we in 2020?” said Mumilaaq
Qaqqaq, who is Inuk from Baker Lake. “The name of Edmonton Eskimos is not objectionable to me. This
does not mean they should keep the name. But, I think the discussion should be around how the Inuk
people feel about it. Some might feel pride. Some might feel hurt. Either way, that is the group that
should be consulted.” Jordin Tootoo said in a statement. Washington’s NFL team also dropping name and
logo after pressure from activists and major sponsors saying they will pull money if they don’t make the
change
https://www.npr.org/2022/02/06/1078571919/washington-commanders-name-change-nativeamericans
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/hundreds-of-schools-are-still-using-native-americans-as-teammascots/
What is the injustice:
Using derogatory names like Redskins and Eskimos for team names and profiting off of these for millions
of dollars is not only cultural appropriation but also offensive when major national teams apart of
national leagues are using offensive and derogatory names for their profit. For example for the former
Washington Redskins, the name is offensive to many Indigenous peoples who viewed the name and
branding as a slur and a disparaging stereotype grounded in America’s history of violence against
Indigenous peoples. Suzan Harjo, a 76-year-old advocate for changing Washington’s name says in her
experience, the "R-word," as Harjo calls it, is inseparable from harmful, racist attitudes that have
translated into "emotional and physical violence" against Native Americans."If it's permissible to
say such things to us, such names, then it is permissible to do anything to us," she said . "I had lots
of things in my personal life using that word," said Harjo, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho
tribes. "When I was a girl, you barely could make it through your young life without getting
attacked by a bunch of white people — whether they were boys or girls or men or women. And
they would always go to that word." Dan Snyder, team owner of the Washington Commanders
changed the name in 2020 when the backlash had peaked.
Connections to colonization:
Connections to colonization with this would be how the origins of these words date back to the
colonization of North America and with Redskins, for example, the word refers to the grotesque
act of hunting down and skinning Indigenous ancestor's scalps for cash bounties.
https://apnews.com/article/mlb-nfl-sports-entertainment-north-carolina79faa415bffb240465decfd96832bcd1
https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-native-american-mascot-chiefs41397b038e03c01865d42a3f77766c98#:~:text=In%202014%2C%20the%20Chiefs%20launched,gam
es%2C%20sometimes%20offering %20ceremonial%20blessings.
Why is it important/relevant:
There are still hundreds of high schools and even major national sports teams using offensive
names like the former Redskins for Washington, the current Chicago Blackhawks and the former
Cleveland Indians still. Especially in high school settings, research has shown the use of Indigenous
imagery and stereotypes in sports have negative psychological effects on Indigenous youth and
encourage non-Indigenous children to discriminate against them. Phil Gover, founder of a school
dedicated to Indigenous youth in Oklahoma City says, “It’s demeaning. It tells Native kids that the rest of
society, the only thing they ever care to know about you and your culture are these mocking minstrel
shows.” And he adds that all non-Native children learn are stereotypes instead of real cultural
knowledge. It is also important to note how views on subjects like this can differ just in the Indigenous
community itself as well as can be seen with the Atlanta Braves and how the MLB Commissioner Rob
Manfred has stated the name will not be changed because,” the Native American community in that
region is wholly supportive of the Braves program, including the chop. For me, that’s kind of the ed of
the story. In that market, we’re taking into account the Native American community.” In these quotes,
he is referring to the support of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians located a couple hours from
Atlanta, whose principal chief Richard Sneed also says,” I’m not offended by someone waving their arm
at a sports game, I’m just not. If somebody is, that’s their prerogative, it’s their right. They can be
offended… I don’t know very many, maybe one or two, from my tribe who say, ‘Yeah I don’t like that.’
But at the end of the day, we’ve got bigger issues to deal with.” Sneed continues saying the problems
with crime and poverty remain largely ignored when the national attention has been on team names
and the tomahawk chop. “There’s just so much happening and the frustrating part for me as a tribal
leader is when the only issue that seems to be discussed is… ‘How offended are you by the chop and
should the Braves change their name?’… Really, it is the least of our problems, I guess is what I’m
saying.”