Illini Weighing Options on Mascot Ban
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Aug 24, 2005 10:50PM
As Chicagoist covered last week, the NCAA has banned the use of 18 college nicknames and mascots because they are abusive and hostile towards Native Americans. Among those on the list was the University of Illinois' Fighting Illini nickname and Chief Illiniwek mascot.
The NCAA is allowing schools on the list to appeal their decision. Illinois officials are considering their options
and have not yet decdided whether to appeal. They have until February 1, 2006 to do so.
University officials maintain that "Illini" and "Fighting Illini" don't directly refer to indian tribes, pointing to a student newspaper editorial from 1874 as the first reference to the Illini designation. The editorial referred to the state name, Illinois, but there's no reference to Indians.
According to the State of Illinois Blue Book, Illinois is actually the term French explorers used to describe the area and people who lived here in the late 1600s. "It is derived from the Indian word
'Illiniwek,' which means 'tribe of men,' and was the name of a Native American confederation of five tribes that lived in the area, the Blue Book states." So it's not referring to Indians, it's just referring to the people who lived in what is now Illinois in the 1600's. And were there any people who lived in the area who weren't Native Americans in the 1600's?
While it's a matter of sematics whether or not Illini refers to Native Americans or not, the "Fighting" part seems more related to the activities of Illinois students rather than a reference to war-like tendancies of the Natives.
"The term 'Fighting Illini' was first used in reference to the 1919 championship football team at the school, [executive director of university relations Thomas] Hardy said.
"It was later used in 1921 in fund-raising appeals for the construction of Memorial Stadium, which was dedicated to students and alumni who fought and died in World War I. The Chief Illiniwek mascot -- a student donning Native American dress and dancing during sporting events -- didn't appear until 1926."
It is perhaps that Chief Illiniwek icon that causes the most controversy, in good deal to the lack of authenticity of the traditions. Florida State University has enjoyed a postive relationship with the Seminole Tribe, which assists the university with its pageantry and celebration of its culture and supports the school's use of its name. That relationship caused the NCAA to reverse its earlier decision regarding the Seminoles nickname this week. But Illinois' use of
Illini is not the same. Technically, there is no Illini tribe to ask for support. And as such, Chief Illiniwek cannot be anything other than an characterization of Native American culture.
So how should the University of Illinois and the NCAA proceed? Chicagoist thinks that the university should drop its Native American imagry -- including the Chief. A case can be made for Illini to refer to people of the area in a more general way, like Indiana residents are Hoosiers or Oklahoma residents are Sooners. Maybe drop the Fighting, too, if that'll make people feel better.