Native American Mascots Research Paper

Words: 525
Pages: 3

Would Native American representations of mascots for school be an insult or an honor? Well, it depends on how the school changes it and how they present the mascot. If mascots are an insult, then they would disrespect the tribes they come from. However, if they are an honor, then they would respect the tribes they come from and represent them with honor. Well, this essay will talk about how mascots are an insult or if they are an honor for people and tribes they represent.

Are mascots an insult? According to the University of Michigan, “The tomahawk chop and war chant by fans of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs may seem like harmless fun, but roughly two-thirds of Native Americans who frequently engage in tribal and cultural practices take offense at such actions” (The University Record). This means that not all tribes like that their tribe is being represented in this way. So even though it was not meant to be harmful, it was to the tribes it was representing. So not every tribe liked what other schools were doing with their name.
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According to the University of Kansas, “Teams choose Native Americans as mascots and role models because people admire these people. We view them as strong and courageous with many other positive qualities, not as negative stereotypes. As a white woman, I cannot walk a mile in the shoes of Native Americans, but I admire their way of life and religion more than those of most groups I see today.” (Evolving Views on Native American Team Names and Mascots). This means they use the Native American mascots as their role models. They use them because the tribes are viewed as strong and confident people. So the teams use their mascots to represent the strength and courage the different tribes have and the team wants to show their spirit to