<+>=<+>KOLA Newslist<+>=<+>
[source: NativeNews; Tue, 22 Feb 2000 22:32:02]
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/chief22.html
<clipped excerpt>
Is Illiniwek's halftime dance nearing end?
February 22, 2000
BY CARLOS SADOVI STAFF REPORTER
He's been the object of more than a decade's worth of protests and support,
an
Illinois House debate, countless telephone polls, a federal civil rights
investigation and even a documentary movie.
And lately, a university accreditation group is using him to arm-twist
University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign officials to better communicate with its
own students.
He's one Chief Illiniwek, a fictitious 74-year-old "symbol" who dances
through
halftime portions of football and basketball games at the University
of Illinois
wearing face paint, feathered head garb and buckskin costumes.
To about half the people over the years, this character--brought to
life each year by
a member of the school's marching band--has been seen as a way to celebrate
Illinois'
Native American history.
"Chief Illiniwek is a revered symbol of pride for University of Illinois
students and
alumni everywhere . . . He does not mock Native American traditions,
he brings them
honor," said Brian Kozminski, a Chicago resident and 1992 graduate.
But to the other half of people, he's seen as a racist symbol that is
anything but
respectful.
"We believe Chief Illiniwek is fundamentally racist, it takes Native
American symbols
and mocks them during a halftime football event," said Brooke Anderson,
a student
whose Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative group has been fighting
to give the
chief his walking papers.
Since 1989, the group, made up of students, faculty and community members,
has led
protests and rallies, printed pamphlets and shown movies in an effort
to pressure the
school to stop using the mascot, said Anderson, the group's co-coordinator.
Students even tried, unsuccessfully, in 1994 to get the U.S. Department
of Education
to rule that the chief violated their civil rights.
Late last year, the group went to the North Central Association of Colleges
and
Schools complaining that the school's Board of Trustees was not listening
to their
concerns about the chief. The accreditation group urged school officials
to change
the way they've been handling the issue.
Anderson, who spoke with representatives from the accreditation group,
hopes that
trustees will finally listen to opponents of the chief.
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