posted on: October 19, 2020
It was an idea of creating a Native American as a mascot. Too suggestive of Indian feathers.
In 1927, Central went with the name Bearcats. “The NCAA designated all those for review. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account.
Points are always awarded for mascots with disproportionate anatomy. The other 15 either changed their mascots or convinced the NCAA to take them off the list. For years the U.S. government school brought thousands of Native Americans into the territory, Sweeney said. ( Log Out /
CMU’s line coach, Lawrence “Doc” Sweeney, wanted a new name for the team that would bring about more “showmanship and pageantry.” The change of name was brought to the governing board for students – known today as the Student Government Association. Then in 1926 in the archives of the student newspaper, Central Normal Life, there was a suggestion for Central to as adopt the name Dragons. Now all of our mascot friends are together in one convienent location! Rob Wyman, director of athletic communications, said when the list was put together all it did was clump together the schools with Native American nicknames.
According to a former Central Michigan Life article, there was an investigation of campus opinion and approval of a name change for Central Michigan college athletic teams. This list included the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, Illinois Fighting Illini, Florida State Seminoles, Utah Utes as well as CMU. “Coach Sweeney cited many reasons, and there were few objections,” Whitledge said. CMU needs to grow some stones - if you chose an Indian name for your athletic teams, you need to follow up with an Indian mascot. (Graphic provided by CMU athletics). “Here at CMU, that would mean a MAC tournament game,” Whitledge said. “Some of the reasons were that the Bearcat means nothing. Pack up the tee-pee kids, CMU can't afford the lawsuits. This was important because the NCAA governs any postseason play outside of football, which includes March Madness. “Then, just like that, there was this shift toward being politically correct.”. In the 1940s, Chippewa was the name of the university’s yearbook and the river that flows through town.
In 2005, the NCAA put 18 universities on a list of schools that used hostile or abusive mascots and imagery. CMU’s ResponsibilitiesIt is your responsibility as a CMU student or faculty/staff member to use the Chippewas nickname in a respectful and understanding manner. “He said, ‘it opens up unlimited opportunities for pageantry and showmanship for the band as well as athletic teams.
“Our university was improperly highlighted by the NCAA,” said Dave Heeke, CMU’s athletic director. After banning the spear on the helmet, CMU also investigated the use of the name Chippewas for a three-year period beginning in 1989. The historical helmet designs for CMU from 1960 to 2014. However, I envision one day adding features like "my favorite mascots" or "best inanimate objects mascots" or something of the like. ( Log Out / OK Friends - I finally figured out this whole new-age blog thing. Calls made to Florida State and Utah athletic departments were not returned. It is incorrectly used by the media and others when they refer to it as that way.
Now they are known as The Cardinal, where their mascot is a tree with bulbous eyes at football games. In 1989, there was a moratorium – a suspension of activity – about the use of native imagery for the Chippewa mascot. “‘The Indian pow wow could replace a pep meeting.’”. Osceola rides his horse Renegade before a Florida State football game on Nov. 4, 2006. “In that time the administration issued a directive prohibiting all Indian-themed imagery being used from athletic teams,” Whitledge said. Around the same time this was taking place at Eastern, CMU took another look at the name that had been in place for more than 40 years. But a change in mascot is not one of them.
(Image courtesy of The Eastern Echo). Originally, in 1926, Central Michigan’s nickname was the Dragons, and then, a year later, a group of students suggested that they be named the Wildcats. The name offers nothing in the way of background for showmanship or pageantry.”. THE MASCOT MESS As a mascot, the Chippewa name has gone through the NCAA, the Central Michigan University student body and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal council members. (*1) Worn during the 2013 home game versus Michigan State. I feel sorry for Central Michigan students who will never witness their own foam-headed figure acting a fool on the field. Such efforts to ensure the nickname is used properly include CMU copyrighting the Chippewas nickname to gain control over unauthorized use. These type of events bring in tons of money to the university, and is a reason to recruit kids to their school.”. “I emphasize it’s NOT a mascot. You can learn about this tribal nation’s rich heritage and respectfully use the Chippewas nickname by: Copyright Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Mich. 48859 | Phone 989-774-4000 Nondiscrimination Statement | Privacy Policy | Web Accessibility Notice | Website Feedback | Desktop View, The Central Michigan University Chippewas, Taking time to understand the Chippewa culture and history, Attending Native American cultural events, Enrolling in a Native American studies course, Knowing the difference between respectful and disrespectful uses of the nickname, Refraining from disrespectful behavior such as dressing like an “Indian” or performing the “Tomahawk chop”, Upon learning the culture and history, let others know what it REALLY means to be a Chippewa. The Central Michigan University Chippewas In 2002, Maynard Kahgegab, Jr., then chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Michael Rao, president of Central Michigan University, signed a proclamation pledging their support for strengthening the relationship between the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and Central Michigan University “for the enhancement of each other’s goals and visions and for the greater … While the NCAA granted an exception to CMU, Florida State and Utah received similar exceptions. Clearly, Central Michigan is a place of higher learning. If a university was on this list they could also not host postseason events. The logo for the Eastern Michigan football team from 1976-1990, prior to its mascot name change to the Eagles in 1991. We don’t have a mascot at Central Michigan University.”. Now he intends to make sure CMU is not known for having a hostile mascot. “You saw a lot of universities using similar aggressive Native American symbols for their mascots,” Whitledge said. In 1988, the university issued a report at Eastern about the negative connotations that come with the use of it. The two are mascots for the Seminoles, where they introduce the team by riding to midfield with a burning spear and planting it in the ground. In the university’s beginnings, it had a hard time finding its identity. The Central Michigan University Chippewas In 2002, Maynard Kahgegab, Jr., then chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Michael Rao, president of Central Michigan University, signed a proclamation pledging their support for strengthening the relationship between the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and Central Michigan University “for the enhancement of each other’s goals and visions and for the greater … The origin of the name was presented for a variety of reasons, with one of the main intentions being an increase in showmanship and pageantry from the student body. “Whenever they played against Alma there was a Dragon that came out and breathed fire,” said Bryan Whitledge, reference assistant at the Clarke Historical Library. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. (*2) Worn during the 2013 home game versus Toledo. The Indian chief would be an outstanding marker for athletic uniforms,’” Whitledge said. “They worked hand-in-hand with the tribe to talk to the NCAA and present our case, and I believe we were one of the first, if not the first school granted removal from that list.”. He argued that the Bearcat was too unfamiliar a mascot to provide the kind of atmosphere desired at athletic events and “the Chippewa name opens up unlimited opportunities for pageantry and showmanship.” In practice, this amounted to stereotypical imagery and mockery of Native ceremonies.The mimicking, stereotyping, and misrepresentation of Native American cultures and people are attitudes and behaviors that will not be tolerated and must be part of the past. “So the spear and the Indian head, which had been used for the previous 40 to 50 years were now no longer allowed.”. “Seemed to be an interesting thing. Sweeney wanted Native American ceremonies to be used on many occasions, school flags and pennants could be made much more attractive.
The school began a two-year search for a name while only playing six games a year in football. At Stanford, the mascot was a Native American in the 1930s called the Big Red, and then in 1972 the symbol was dropped and they changed their name to the Cardinals. AUBURN, MI – The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe wouldn't mind seeing some changes at Bay City Western High School. However, the administration that instituted this folded, and a new university president was brought in, leaving the issue of the nickname unanswered.
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