A Commentary by Karl Dockstader
Last week the United States Patent and Trademark office decided that the Washington “Redskins” logo and name were disparaging to Native Americans in the United States.
As a First Nations person this is a satisfying moral victory on the one hand, on the other hand, this begs the question: Why hasn’t ownership decided to change the Thorold Blackhawks logo (for a hoockey team in that Niagara, Ontario community)?
Much like the situation garnering national attention South of the Niagara River, Niagara has it’s own controversy over the Thorold Blackhawks logo. Local Niagara area Aboriginal community member Mitch Baird has been working hard to bring attention to the offensive logo and the town of Thorold will be removing it from the arena funded by taxpayer money. Team ownership is not as progressive it seems.
The team ownership who may possibly be wary of the financial ramifications of changing the logo could easily follow the model of the Nepean “Redskins” who graduated out their teams name and looked to the community for the financial support needed to make the change.
The key difference between Nepean and Thorold is a willingness to change. The team is steadfast in it’s support of the racist logo stating on it’s official website: “It helps our children to learn history and pass a valuable heritage on to succeeding generations.”
The history that it seems to be showing my children is that racism is alive and well in Thorold. I could maybe buy the “we are honoring you” argument if the logo wasn’t so ignorant.
When my Oneida father served with the Army overseas it was because he saw it as a duty to protect the freedom that we all enjoy everyday. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy declared war on the Nazi threat in World War II and our warriors, including my grandfather, answered the call of duty to support freedom on Turtle Island. This is a history that I am proud of and that I want to pass on to succeeding generations.
When I think of Thorold I think of it’s attractive downtown area, it’s special place in the history of the canal project, I beam with pride that NHL players Nathan Horton, Owen Nolan and Dwayne Roloson laced up their skates here in Niagara playing for Thorold. This is more history and honour that should be shared.
What should not be shared is that this wonderful town’s rich history was associated with a logo that is at best insensitive, at worst a racist reminder that many aboriginals were subjugated by the Canadian government and the private sector followed this lead by expropriation of our symbols and leaders as mascots.
It is 2014 and Canada’s most populated province has a gay woman as a Premier. There is a highway named after Canada’s first black Member of Parliament. Canada would bask in it’s progressive pride if not for it’s lack of remediation with Native people.
The racist Thorold Blackhawks logo is not an honour. We First Nations people are not your mascots. Is it too much to ask in 2014 that the owners of the Thorold hockey team actually honour the thousands of Natives in the Niagara area by changing the logo?
Karl Dockstader is a resident of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Turtle Island. He is a father, husband, and lover of all of creation, including animals, and is an occasional contributor to Niagara At Large.
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Niagara At Large 
Excellent points Mr. Dockstader!
What is it with some of the businesspeople in Niagara?
They don’t seem to understand that some of their actions are cruel and despicable. But they seem to think that doesn’t matter, so long as they are making money.
I am referring of course, to the ownership of the Thorold hockey team and to the ownership of that so-called “amusement park” that insists on torturing animals.
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This is a great article. Very balanced and reasoned. Kudos to the writer.
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I’d like to see some local, Indigenous artists commissioned to collaborate on a new logo for the team.
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When you do not have a valid argument, support your opinion by shouting “racism” !Just go to Wikepedia- the number of sports teams that use the name of “Blackhawk” is around 15 or so,other organizations use the word “Blackhawk” in volume ,the use of it is not racist only the person decrying it. St. Catharines during the ’30s,’40s, and later had a hockey team called the St.Catharines Saints ! Was there any religious complaints ! How about the Blackhawk Helicopters of the military. Don’t forget the many graduates of the St.Catharines TPs like Bobby Hull,Stan Makita, played for the Chicago Blackhawks ! By the way, the Six Nations are not indigenous to Ontario, hence what is Karl Dockstader whining about ? The Six Nations came here in 1784 by invitation-had to get the OK of the Mississauga to come. The Mississauga are indigenous to Niagara ! Are they whining ?
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Tom, clearly you misunderstand the issue. Should we continue to allow cultural appropriation in this day and age simply because society didn’t have any problems with a religious team name 70 and 80 years ago? So you mean to say that society hasn’t made any progress in social consciousness? Or that what we call progress was due to a misguided understanding of cultural respect and social justice, and that we should ignore this so-called progress? It seems to me that justifying the present with the errors of the past is a slippery slope indeed.
Your point about the Six Nations is irrelevant. The author is discussing all First Nations. And yes, all First Nations are “whining” about cultural appropriation and discrimination from misrepresentation. But you would do better to recognise the difference between whining and defending human rights.
PS: To the admin — I don’t use my last name on my WordPress account and obviously will not change my profile simply to post this comment, but out of respect for your requirements, I hope you will still post my comment with my full name included in the content. Signed, Julie Dupuis
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The use of the word “Black Hawk”, to describe any sports team, military or like group, naval ship or any organization, if you bother to read the history of the his life,, describes and honours the great leader of the Sauk tribe and their allies the Fox tribe during the late 1700 and early 1800’s. During the War of 1812, he led successful military campaigns against American forces in support of the Shawnee warrior leader Tecumseh. To cite the use use of his name as “racism” slurs his name and memory. It has been quite common to name vigorous sports teams, military weapons(helicopters), firearms, naval ships(at least four)),a Machine Gun Division of the American Army in World War One, proudly bore his name. Those who actually read his biography such as the one published by the Black Hawk State Historic Site, will agree the claim that calling anything “Black Hawk” is racism, displays how ignorance supports racism.
By the way, the warriors he led were called in his day, “the British Band”. Can you work that one into “racism” ?
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I would think there’s a reason the author chose to put the word “racist” in quotation marks in the title. In general, that indicates a usage other than the common one, FYI. But still, you raise a valid point, one which, if you “bother to read” into it, to use your condescending turn of phrase, is at the heart of the problem with a name like Blackhawk:
“Sentiment like that is part of the problem with the use of Indians as mascots. The typical logo relegates native people to a certain time in history that’s not today, and it’s intended to do so. It’s not something that reflects anything that’s current. It kind of keeps us in the backwater of history” (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-06-19/news/ct-met-indian-mascots-20130619_1_american-indians-black-hawk-mascots).
Another article demonstrates that there are opposing points of view regarding the team name in Chicago. Some think it’s easier to go with the flow (note that doesn’t mean they agree with the name or logo), while others think it’s inappropriate. (http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/212137041.html)
Let’s identify why a name like Blackhawk offends Natives:
“Mascots are meant to be ridiculed. Mascots are meant to be toyed with. They’re meant to be pushed around and disrespected. To have stuff thrown at them. That’s what happens at these games. There’s a lot of ridicule of Native American people. You have people walking around in face paint, fake war paint on their cheekbones, feathers in their hair.
…No matter what your intentions are, when you make a Native American person [your mascot], you have no control over what happens at that stadium. And [Native Americans] lose control over what our image is.
[…]
[Blackhawk] is not a slur but it’s an appropriation of our culture. Any team name that references Native Americans should go. No matter which way you swing it, you as a team owner and we Native Americans have no control over the type of imagery fans are going to seize on at your games.” (http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/06/amanda-blackhorse-washington-football-team-trademark-lawsuit)
The bottom line is that it’s not up to white people or anyone else to decide what is offensive to Natives, nor to object when Natives say something offends them.
-Julie Dupuis
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