Tribe Opposes N.D. Using Indian Nickname

Yahoo News ^ | 8/31/05 | NA

[Redmen4ever]

FORT TOTTEN, N.D. - Members of the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe have voted to oppose the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

[Redmen4ever]

In my opinion, the University of North Dakota should drop the name of this Indian tribe, and adopt a name like Homesteaders. Who would want to associate with anybody who doesn't want to associate with you?

[Sometimes A River]

Maybe Notre Dame should consult the Irish too.

And Minnesota should consult with the Norwegians.

And Miami should consult with Katrina ;)

[grobdriver]

Screw 'em.
Use it anyway.

[billorites]

[militant2]

Wish they'd call them the "Fighting Bohemians". I'd take it as an honor, not cry like a baby. Militant

[massgopguy]

North Dakota has a Hitler's birthday celebrating benefactor that has donated about $200 million to the school in the form of a state of the art ice rink. He has threatened to plug the plug if they change the name.

[Lekker 1]

Would "Drunken Sioux" be better than "Fighting Sioux"?

[D Rider]

In my opinion, the University of North Dakota should drop the name of this Indian tribe, and adopt a name like Homesteaders. Who would want to associate with anybody who doesn't want to associate with you?

How about the Buffalo Hunters?

[RightWhale]

There could be a problem here if this keeps up. What are we going to call the State of Indiana? What about Indianapolis? This could get expensive. Think of the letterhead costs alone.

[Leo Carpathian]

OK, change it Fighting Sevens!

[frankenMonkey]

It's not even a Native American word...

The name Sioux was created by the French Canadians, who abbreviated the frenchified Algonquin word Nadouéssioux (from 'naadawesiwag' 'little snakes (Iroquois)', singular 'naadawesi', 'naadawe' 'snake' = 'enemy', 'Iroquois' - e = ç [long e, similar to 'a' in 'late'] in Ojibwe/Ottawa), by which a neighboring Ojibwa tribe, or the Ottawa, referred to the Dakota to the west and south.

This term is popularly interpreted as an insult but it could refer to a time when the Dakota people, like other southeastern tribes, were known to revere serpents (see Serpent Mounds in Ohio, feathered serpent, water serpents - unktehi/uktena, etc.) Today many of the tribes continue to officially call themselves 'Sioux' which the Federal Government of the United States applied to all Dakota/Lakota/Nakoda people in the 19th and 20th centuries.

[TheBigB]

How 'bout the "Injun Fighters"? It's not a tribal name, nor a name for any Indians themselves. So what's the problem?

[Lekker 1]

It's not even a Native American word..

Neither is "Indian". Why do you ask, Two Dogs?

[WKUHilltopper]

I like that one!

[jos65]

Get a grip for Heavens sake.

[Old Seadog]

Let us honor womens lib and change the name toThe fighting Sue

[Jimbo McCormick]

We give these people reservations, we give them casinos, and these ungrateful drunken bastards think they should rule the world.

[texas_mrs]

I never hear any cowboys complaining about these matters.

[militant2]

As a North Dakota State University Alumnus, it would be a real tough transition for me to have to start saying "Buffalo Hunters suck!" Militant

[Vigilanteman]

Fort Totten is over 100 miles away from Grand Forks, where UND is located. They aren't the only Sioux tribe in the state and are nowhere near a majority.

Tellingly is this excerpt from the article:

North Dakota officials have said the school had support from the Spirit Lake tribe to use the nickname. But former tribal chairman Skip Longie said that authorization, granted to the university in 2000, came with a string of conditions, including required sensitivity courses for all incoming freshman and visits to all of North Dakota's Indian reservations.

In other words, the tribe wants to revoke an authorization they gave in 2000 (by what authority is not clear) because the university hasn't groveled enough.

In other words, it is bargaining time-- how much will they pony up to the tribe to get an extension of this "permission" and avoid offending a $200 million plus donor named Chester Fritz?

Simple solution: Get permission from another Sioux tribe.