DOWAGIAC, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Tribal Council of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana has renewed its call for the Dowagiac Union Schools to drop the district’s use their Chieftains logo.
The announcement follows a letter sent to the Pokagon Band Tribal Council by the Dowagiac Union Schools Board of Education August 9 announcing it has declined to change the logo, despite calls for change from several organizations including the tribe’s Representations Outreach Board.
In March 2021 the Pokagon Band Tribal formally adopted a resolution condemning the use of Native American imagery by non-native organizations. Dowagiac Union Schools are located on the homeland of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.
Several school districts in Michigan have recently retired their Native American logos, mascots, and nicknames. In 2022, the Native American Heritage Fund announced funding to four Michigan school districts to assist with the cost of replacing their mascots including Saranac Community Schools, Hartford Public Schools, Lansing School District, and the Chippewa Hills School District.
A statement from the Pokagon Band Tribal Council Monday said, “It is the long-held view of the Pokagon Band, as well as the view of many other Tribal Nations, that the use of Native American-themed imagery, along with mascots, symbolism, logos, and nicknames by non-Native institutions, organizations and entities, promotes harmful stereotypes and has a detrimental effect on our Native American youth. Although some view Native American-themed mascots and nicknames with reverence, Native American-themed imagery and references perpetuate harmful stereotypes of Indigenous peoples. Generations of Indigenous people have faced oppression, genocide and erasure for hundreds of years and the impacts of which can still be felt throughout our communities to this day. As we rebuild and work to strengthen our Tribal Nations, we also must work to educate the public about who we are. School districts that continue to use Native American-themed imagery and references that disparage Indigenous cultures, make it harder to build meaningful and accurate relationships within the communities in which we reside.”
In August, Dowagiac Union Schools Board of Education President Brent Brewer issued a statement, saying, “The board is committed to continued engagement with the tribal council to ensure that the history and the culture of Michigan’s Native American, especially the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, remain an important part of the district’s curriculum and educational experience. In large part because of this commitment and the long standing agreements between the council and the board, we respectfully decline to change our logo. As fully exemplified by the party’s history, the board and district have treated the Chieftains logo with dignity and respect. The board believes that the Chieftains logo has been an important and valuable part of facilitating students’ education and guarding Native American history and culture.”
