LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY BANDS OF ODAWA INDIANS

7500 Odawa Circle

Harbor Springs, MI 49740

RESOLUTION #110302-05

Condemning the Use of Indian Mascots, Logos, Team Names and Nicknames

WHEREAS the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians ("LTBB" or "Tribe") is a federally recognized Indians tribe as reaffirmed and restored by the United States Congress under Public Law 103-324, 25 U.S.C. § 1300k;

WHEREAS the Tribal Council is the governing body of the Tribe;

WHEREAS the Tribal Council finds the use of Indian mascots, logos, team names and nicknames in any form for any purpose to be disrespectful, racist, and destructive to the self-esteem of Indian people, particularly Indian children;

WHEREAS the Tribal Council finds that continued use of Indian mascots, logos, team names and nicknames by professional sports teams, universities, colleges, and schools k-12, promotes and maintains stereotypes of Indian people;

WHEREAS the Tribal Council finds that use of Indian mascots, logos, team names and nicknames by public schools within the State of Michigan and through-out the United States harms the self-esteem, self-confidence, intellectual well-being and emotional well-being of all students, Indian and non-Indian, by promoting degrading racist stereotypes;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Tribal Council of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians officially and publicly declares its condemnation of the use of Indian mascots, logos, team names and nicknames by public schools in the States of Michigan and throughout the United States, and urges all LTBB members to file protests, including this Resolution, in all public schools that use or promote such material, requesting the school completely eliminate the use of Indian mascots, logos, team names and nicknames;

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FURTHER RESOLVED that the Tribal Council of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians officially and publicly declares its condemnation of the use of Indian mascots, logos, team names and nicknames by professional sports teams as denigrating the Indian community, culture and people.

Certification

As Tribal Chairman and Tribal Secretary, the undersigned certify that this Resolution was duly adopted by the Tribal Council of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians at a regular meeting of the Tribal Council held on November 3, 2002 at which a quorum was present, by a vote of five (5) in favor, zero (0) opposed, two (2) abstentions, and zero (0) absent as recorded by this roll call.

In Favor

Opposed

Abstained

Absent

George Anthony

X

Gerald Chingwa

X

Fred Harrington, Jr

X

Beatrice Law

X

Rita Shananaquet

X

Janet Shomin

X

Alice Yellowbank

X

Date:_____________                                           ___________________________________

                                                                        Gerald V. Chingwa, Tribal Chairman

                                                                             ___________________________________

                                                                           Frederick R. Harrington, Jr., Tribal Secretary

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Webmaster note:  Thank you to Gary Markowski for forwarding this document and other information to AISTM.org.

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