Natives in Entertainment: Perpetuating Stereotypes.

             Ever since Europeans first colonized North America there has been an ongoing .

             struggle between native and non-native peoples. Even now after many bloody wars have been fought and land claims settled there continues to be many issues that need to be resolved. One such issue is the racist and stereotypical portrayal of native people in modern media. Although depictions of native people for entertainment purposes can sometimes be dignified and honouring, nevertheless such depictions are usually derogatory towards native people because they are culturally offensive, racist, and stereotyping. .

             On the forefront of the issue of native images in modern media is the use of native names and logos by sports teams. Many professional and amateur sports teams use native names and logos that create culturally offensive depictions of native people. In recent years attention has been brought to such use, and despite severe protest teams continue to refuse to change their attitudes towards the use of these offensive images. Ted Turner, media magnate and owner of baseball"s Atlanta Braves, contests that " the use of Native American names and symbols is not meant to be offensive to native people" but instead is "meant to honor them"(New York Post). .

             Joseph P. Gone, a native writer for New York Magazine, does not believe that such portrayals are honouring towards native people. In his article Chief Illiniwek: Dignified or Damaging, a follow-up to the movie In Whose Honor: University of Illinois Chief Illiniwek, Gone points out that " the University"s portrayal of the Chief is manifested by several inaccuracies." Gone goes on to say:.

             For decades the University promoted – and the students believed – that the cheifs dance was an authentic form of some Indian tribal celebration. Whether or not the Chief"s Dance was originally derived from a Lokota ritual, it was adapted early on for sports events and currently resembles no traditional or contemporary expression of dance known to native people (New York Magazine).