fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 
headdress

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs will no longer be able to wear American Indian headdresses to games at Arrowhead Stadium, the NFL franchise announced last Thursday in a statement.

In addition, the team announced it will prohibit face painting that appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions. If fans arrive at the stadium with inappropriate face painting, they will be asked to remove the paint prior to passing through security screening.

The team says it began a dialogue with a diverse group of local American Indian leaders in 2014 “to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.”

The changes announced on Thursday will go into effect immediately.

“We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders,” the team said. “It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”

For Rhonda LeValdo, a faculty member at Haskell Indian Nations University, the football team did not go far enough.

“Our group, Not in Our Honor, is not backing down from changing the name. Just because they get rid of some things that are racist, it does not mean that it still isn’t racist. You can’t be a little racist, you either are or not,” LeValdo told Native News Online.

The changes from the Kansas City Chiefs come after the Washington NFL franchise moved to change its controversial name and logo in July. 

More Stories Like This

Potential First Native American Federal Judge in Oklahoma Advances Toward Senate Confirmation
Photos from the 2023 White House Tribal Nations Summit
Native News Weekly (December 10, 2023): D.C. Briefs
December 10th is the 75th Human Rights Day
Vice President Harris Addresses Indian Boarding Schools at the White House Tribal Nations Summit

 
In a world filled with inaccurate narratives about Native Americans, we spotlight the overlooked, unheard and underrepresented stories that are often overlooked by the mainstream media. Our journalism is free for all to read, but it is not free to produce. Your donation provides the much-needed financial support for us to produce inclusive Indigenous journalism that inspires, informs and uplifts Native Americans. Thank you for being a force behind our work. Together, we are rewriting the narrative.
 
About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].