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From: "CATHERINE DAVIDS" <cdavids@flint.umich.edu>
Organization: The University of Michigan - Flint
To: <<clipped>>
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2000 16:07:02 EDT
Subject: Re: MICHIGAMUA

 
This article appeared in the Detroit News on Tuesdsay,
 February 8, 2000.  It is written by Josi S. Cohen.

The accompanying photograph shows a young man
standing in a window and a sign has been hung stating:
ANISHINAABE (The People's) Study Lounge.

MICHIGAMUA MEMBERS
Former President Gerald Ford
Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Frank Murphy
NFL Quarterback Jim Harbaugh
Michigan Senator Bill Bullard
CBS commentator Dan Dierdorf
Former UM Athletic Director: Fielding Yost
Detroit's Mayor: Dennis Archer's son Vincent is a member
Former Tiger's outfielder: Rick Leach
Michigan State University diving coach: John Narcy

***************************

Text of article:

Initiates call themselves Fighting Wolves.
They yell and whoop during their group's theme song, which included a verse
about being a "very  powerful clan."
They also meet in what they call a wigwam - the  seventh floor of the
University of Michigan's student  union.
These are among the century-old traditions of  Michigamua, UM's version of
the secret societies that  exist at colleges nationwide.  Until Sunday,
members of  Michigamua had exclusive access to the seventh floor of  the school's
student union.
But eight protestors have moved into the top-floor  territory, demanding
that UM administrators sever all  ties with Michigamua because, they allege, the
group  continues to exploit and stereotype Native American  culture.  Michigamua
members signed an agreement in  1989 to stop any offensive rituals or
traditions.
"My anger was taken to a whole other level when  my eyes saw the things
displayed in this room," said  Jujuan Buford, a senior who has sat on the
seventh  floor since 8:30 Sunday morning.  "There is blatant  racism and
misappropriation of culture."
The protestors, calling themselves Students of color,  say UM administrators
condone the society's actions  by allowing them sole access to the union's
top floors.
The group's members say they won't leave until  administrators eliminate the
exclusive use of that area  and turn it into a cultural study lounge
available to all  students.  They have hung a sign from the window with  the words
"Anishinaabeg Study Lounge," meaning "The  People's Study Lounge."
Michigamua, one of three servicce-oriented secret  societies, was founded in
1902 and has included  prominent alumni such as President Ford and former
Michigan Supreme Justice Frank Murphy.  About 25  students join Michigamua
each year.
The society brings together campus leaders who  promote loyalty and service
to the UM.  Alumni  contributed a large amount of money to build the  student
union in the 1900s with the understanding that  they would have exclusive
access to the top three  floors, UM spokeswoman Julie Peterson said.
But the protestors who are inhabitating the room  say there are many
indications that the group continues to use artifacts and practices of the Native
American culture.
Plaques on the wall honor the organization's  founders, including Great
Scalper Yose, otherwise  known as former athletic director Fielding Yost.
Protestors also found arrowheads, stacks of  headdresses, and a peace pipe
that smelled of freshly  smoked tobacco.
These decoractions foster insensitivity and ridicule  toward the Native
American culture, protestors said.
Michigamua members told administrators that they  don't use the Native
American objects in the room,  Cianciola said.
Alumni say the rituals were never meant to be  offensive.  The Native
American theme was selected  because the founders had respesct for the cultural
traditions, alumni said.
"It was done out of respect for the way they  organized and did things," said
Daniel Reddan, a  Michigamua member who said the group had begun to
eliminate Native American references when he was a  member in the
mid-1990s.
Mike Dames, who graduated in  1988, said  Michigamua has striven to bring
together student  leaders for community service.
But despite the group's community involvement,  there has been a long history
of protests against their  use of Native American symbols.
In 1973, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission  ruled that the organization
could not publicly mock  NativeAmericans because it was "unlawful
discrimination."
The ruling came after a graduate  student filed a complaint with the
commission, accusing Michigamua and UM officials with "permitting ridicule of a culture."
Some of the traditions stopped, including pounding  drums and whooping during
initiation ceremonies.  The  soceity also changed its name from "tribe" to
"pride."
The formerly all-male group began admitting women  last year after
administrators said they would be denied  funding if they didn't comply
with Title IX, the law  that requires gender equity.
Secret societies at campuses nationwide were  created in the late 19th
century and many still exist.  A  University of Kansas society, Pachacamac, close
din  1992, but organizations at Yale University and the  University of Virginia
still draw
new members.
 

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