Ethnic Ignorance

False Depiction of a race, or an act of tradition, Charlene Teters a Native American activist fights for the removal of the University of Illinois mascot Chief Illiniwek. In the film “In Whose Honor”, Charlene Teters is a mother of two, and an art major from Santé Fe, New Mexico, took her kids to an Illini football game in 1988.  This is where Charlene learned of the hurtful depiction of her people. The University of Illinois had a 60+ tradition of the celebration of Chief Illiniwek, and mascot created and performed by a student of the university. Watching the Chief Parade around the football caused a feeling of embarrassment and shame over Teters.  From that point on Teters decided to make a stand on the issue and can’t allow this injustice to go by unchallenged. “It still makes me angry because I know they are hurting other people when they do that. And I knew that I couldn’t be here and not address that issue.” Teters began picketing outside the stadium, despite harassment from jeering students and unsympathetic administration officials.

The slander of these people are faced with has become to a point of racism. The treatment of a ethnic group after pleading to remove the name is a form of abuse. As seen in the movie their where 4 flag pennants, in the scene you see four ethnical groups. The groups had been slandered and had been banned from use because of the negative connotations. Yet we are still supporting teams that are not certified to use the mascot. People like Teeters do not deserve the abuse from the University and students for being who they are. The University should drop the mascot when asked.

Overall the movie was very biased toward the side of the University. Since the warrants of the movie was pro equality, and the ban of the word Indian. The author used the music, and visuals with very dark colors to express the grief that was brought on by dishonoring the Native American people. The music felt as it was important to the culture of the Native Americans. The narration was stern yet soft a feeling that could bring you to tears. The movie was put together very good with plenty of research, and interviews. Even though teeters did not narrate the film the author portrayed her pain very well. Especially for an older film it caught the focus of the emotions, and feelings of both sides. It gave my peers a different outlook.