Fighting the Fighting Sioux Brand

Posted by Abe Sauer on September 30, 2009 02:50 PM

Yet another brand built around an ethnic stereotype has entered modern times.

The North Dakota Fighting Sioux brand, used for the school's athletics programs, appears to be coming to an end. October 1 is the deadline for the school to reach a settlement with Native American Sioux tribes if it wishes to continue using the nickname and Indian head logo. Though the Board of Education may extend the deadline, prolonged negotiations seem unlikely.

The retirement of the Fighting Sioux brand will leave only about 400,000 similar Native American nicknames and logos in America, including, most prominently, the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians—as well as consumer goods incorporating Indian themes such as Indian motorcycles, Land O’Lakes dairy, and Leinenkugel’s Brewing Co.

Fighting Sioux brand supporters argue that the name and logo honors the Sioux warriors of the past, and that the residents of North Dakota respect the brand. They argue that the logo has years of history and brand loyalty.

But many of the area’s Native Americans see the logo as a reminder of a legacy of racism. The heated debates have deeply divided the community, culminating in a $100 million hockey arena donated by Ralph Engelstad who, recognizing the growing controversy, inlaid thousands of Fighting Sioux logos in the building specifically to make removal prohibitively expensive. Also, many Fighting Sioux logo supporters say they will only be more loyal to the brand if it goes, and will wear and display it prominently.

More about: Design, Sports, Fighting Sioux, North Dakota

Tommy O. says:

So is it the image offensive or historically inaccurate, is the Sioux reference intellectual property? I think the word "Redskins" is suspect, but how would this be different from say the Minnesota Vikings? Honestly? I'm not trying to be insensitive - I really want to know what the issue is.

September 30, 2009 05:06 PM #

Abe S says:

The Fighting Sioux name opposition is along the same lines as that of the Redskins. There is currently a suit maybe going to the supreme court this year on that (Redskins). Opponents say it is different because Sioux and Redskins pejoratively refer to populations that were the victims of racial abuses in the very country that now adopts their names "honorably." That's not true with Vikings.

September 30, 2009 07:08 PM #

Tim says:

Being of Scandinavian (Norwegian) heritage and from North Dakota...I would suggest, Abe, that you don't know of the pejorative use of the term...I find the term to be negative and demeaning in its depiction of we of that heritage as mauraders, pillage, violent, uncouth and without redeeming social position...someone to be looked down upon. It would seem, the argument goes, that if that is the way I feel then I should be able to force any and all elements using or referring to the term to cease and desist.

October 1, 2009 10:25 AM #

Ken says:

The name of a team or institution reflects their desire to embody the traits of their namesake. It would be an honour to have a team named after my family background. Would these groups in opposition to the use of these names prefer that we forget about their legacy and pretend that they never existed? Like Tommy O, I'm not trying to be insensitive, I just do not understand the issue.

October 1, 2009 09:32 AM #

My understanding from those who I have talked to who oppose the logo is that saying these logos "honor" Native Americans is preposterous because the nation for most of its history used every underhanded trick to wipe out and destroy Native American culture and THEN has the audacity to say its teams "honor" these warriors. They would ask, how about a basketball team called the Moscow Fighting Rabbis?

October 1, 2009 09:56 AM #

Brion says:

Seems a bit extreme...I am part Irish and have no issues with Notre Dame's use or depiction of a Leprechaun to represent the ethnicity of Irish people - if anything I think that's a bit more slanderous than a mighty Indian riding on a horse representing the Sioux Nation. Now the use of "Redskin" does cause me concern due to it's use as a racial descriptor, but once again "Fighting Sioux" or "Fighting Illini", "Fighting Irish", etc. does not represent anything defamatory or malicious to me.

October 1, 2009 09:54 AM #

The argument re: Fighting Irish is the the school chose that as a representation of itself and its population. Unlike the Native American brand examples.

October 1, 2009 12:02 PM #

So the school did not choose to be called Fighting Sioux? Or are you saying there was no such thing as a fighting Irish until Notre Dame coined the term (hardly believable)? Or that the population of Notre Dame students are all Irish...Please clarify.

October 1, 2009 12:07 PM #

Yes. The last bit. Notre Dame's catholic heritage informed the name. However, the Irish brand's existence doesn't mean it is not insensitive. Especially the leprechaun mascot at games. The Fighting Sioux (like most Nat. American) logos) was chosen largely by Caucasians to represent a school attended mostly by Caucasians. That's usually the difference given.

October 1, 2009 12:22 PM #

Tommy O says:

I get Redskins - it could be perceived as demeaning - like the 'Fightin' Crackers". Which would be a funny team name. I think I'll ™ that. I smell some kind of Nabisco co-branding effort.

October 1, 2009 10:00 AM #

Sorry Tommy, somebody beat you to (a version of) that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Whites

October 1, 2009 12:09 PM #

Obviously, Abe Sauer,the author of the article, conveniently chose to ignore -- or fail to report -- that one of the two North Dakota tribal councils who have some say in this issue recently voted to support the University of North Dakota in it position and were proud of the association with the University and, with the vote of the council, agreed to permit the school to use the name, symbol and image in perpetuity.
Many Native Americans in the state and around the country are proud of their association with University and understand the service the University has provided and developed for and with the Native American communities over a long period of time.
As with the media reports on "tea parties"...it is always more interesting to report on the dissident voices of decent -- collegiality doesn't make good copy.

October 1, 2009 10:06 AM #

Tim: True, several of the five in the state have voted in support. Interestingly and as it applies to branding, the logo only needs approval by the "Sioux" in the sate of North Dakota. Not the MANY others living outside the state, which strikes me as strange, as if it might only be offensive to ND residents.

Anyway, the Board of ED just extended the deadline to Oct 15 so everyone gets to argue about it for another 2 weeks and the school might get the tribe votes and the Fighting Sioux brand can live on... until we do this all again in 10 years.

October 1, 2009 12:08 PM #

Sorry: It was extended 30 days to the end of Oct.

October 1, 2009 12:33 PM #

Howard J. Wilk says:

Humor--old SNL Franken (now a U.S. Senator!) & Davis routine, see books.google.com/books%22cleveland+kikes%22+franken+davis&source=bl&ots=8ywtfdIkPd&sig=b67TGBEJhOQM4XCaMtKQ-oAffzA&hl=en&ei=JNzESqvuGtHS8Qb6tPhH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=%22cleveland%20kikes%22%20franken%20davis&f=false
BTW, cf. their fictional "Cleveland Kikes" with the real-life baseball Cleveland Indians, often called "the Tribe," as are the Jewish people.

October 1, 2009 12:53 PM #

I bet there's figures available, but my guess is, lots of Dakota Sioux have attended UND. What do the "True" Sioux alumni have to say?

October 1, 2009 02:32 PM #

Well, for starters, there are no "true" Sioux as "Sioux" itself is a pejorative from the French. But there are opinions on both sides. I'm not aware of a study of alumni.

October 1, 2009 02:38 PM #

Carla says:

We had this same argument about our high school mascot, the Union Redskins, about ten years ago. I am Cherokee Indian and I have no qualms with "Redskins", "Indian" or any other related names of Native Americans being used in the right context, such as a mascot. In fact, I think of it as a tribute to the Native American tribes. Only when these words are used in a racial context am I offended... this is NOT one of those instances.

I don't believe the Fighting Sioux are being offensive in either name or logo, rather they are complimenting and honoring the strong warrior tribe and people should fight to keep the name "Fighting Sioux".

Just my two cents...

October 2, 2009 10:29 AM #

mass communications degree says:

Unlike the Native American brand examples.

January 8, 2010 08:11 AM #

online human services degree says:

That's usually the difference given.

Great article.

January 8, 2010 08:12 AM #

International business degree says:

They argue that the logo has years of history and brand loyalty.

January 8, 2010 08:13 AM #

Must University says:

Also, many Fighting Sioux logo supporters say they will only be more loyal to the brand if it goes, and will wear and display it prominently.

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