March 18, 1993 - “No, I’m not a caricature, mascot, or logo. I have feelings just like you."

 South administration to change 'Redmen' logo

      As the controversy over the Indian “Redmen” logo at South High School ended with the school administration’s decision to change the name, a new level of discussion was reached among the students, faculty, alumni, parents, and others tied to the school.

      Some common questions heard by athletic director Jamie Berlin were:

• Why do the Indians feel the logo is racial, or
• Why do we have to change?

      Hugh Danforth, an Oneida, United Nations Indian, was the first speaker to open the program announcing that he was an “urban Indian or one who has moved off the reservation in order to assume the culture of modern Americans.

      “The Indian sports figures were bothersome to me, but I didn’t know why, I had become so modernized that I didn’t understand my own culture, said Danforth after he talked about moving at a young age. 

       Danforth began to see the prejudice against his culture when his sister’s son attended a football game where the opposite side shouted rude comments about Native Americans.

      Danforth said, “If someone comes and steps on your foot only you know how it feels, no one else; it hurts.”

      The second speaker Beth Hawkins, a Menominee/ Chippewa Indian attended North High School, and commented that attending North/South basketball games was upsetting, because of the unrealistic dances and headdress displayed by South High School.

      “With a student out on the floor hooting and hollering, it is hard to bring the word out that this is not how it is done,” said Hawkins. 

      Accurate Native American ways are much different than those exhibited during an athletic game. Each piece of clothing presented to an Indian has spiritual meaning, and is worn with great respect.

      Hawkins added, “I wish you would all be better educated on our culture. It (the mascot) is offending the majority of our population, and I thank you for changing it.”

      The crowd stirred as Art Shegonee, a Menominee/Potowatami Indian, director of Native American Center in Madison, stood, clothed in authentic Native American apparel.

      He began his student address by saying, “No, I’m not a caricature, mascot, or logo. I have feelings just like you,” a statement which instantly quieted the snickering audience. 

      … “We are culturally raped victims. We have homes, we have cars, and we have feelings too,” he said. 

      Shegonee concluded by stating, “We want to be respected for who we are. Kids are not culturally aware and maybe they don’t want to be. Your school will be looked at as changing to help us. I say thank you.” 

      Sandra Charnon, an Oneida Indian, lives in Cleveland… “I understand that the students at this school hold the term ‘Redmen’ with great respect. However, some of the things done, are done with a lack of knowledge. She added that other schools take the Indian logo much too far, culturally attacking the Native American culture; she feels that by keeping the logo, South High is providing an atmosphere for these racial comments. ….

1993 March 18, The Sheboygan Press