Cultural appropriation is an interesting subject, however mascots and club branding based upon generalisations and long ago held historical perceptions can negatively impact on the behaviours of those that then meet people from the culture appropriated.
Of course in sport passions run deep, our team is core to our lives, and in many cases support for our team runs through the generations, and we expend a lot of our time, money and emotions journeying with our club. Of course that means the imagery, club badge and how we behave as supporters is also deeply felt, and when challenges arise that work against that which we hold dear, it can lead to strong emotional turmoil.
My suspicion with Exeter Chiefs is that everything is so remote for them. The club in 1999 decided to utilise the historical perception of the native Americans, this included utilisation of war chants, aggressive posturing with a multi purpose tool the tomahawk, which is recognised as a weapon -not inaccurate- as cinema regularly used it in the westerns most of us will have watched growing up. The club badge shows headdresses which not only honour senior native Americans, but is easily recounted in the mind to generate images of crazy horse and sitting bull, who given the defence of their lands are remembered as warriors and leaders of people who attacked and killed.
The above does not fairly reflect the history of this people, but pushes a more war like, aggressive population. And equally it does not reflect who they are as a people today. As uncomfortable as the recognition of this is, it is why sporting teams in America have changed their ways, as they live with the descendants of these people, and it is this cultural misappropriation that can lead to negative stereotyping, which in turn leads to unpleasant behaviour towards and marginalising of native Americans.
This is why my sentence above about all of this being so remote for Chiefs supporters was stated. This is an issue that is lived by people in America, but not by those in the West Country. When you do not experience in your lives the impacts of such decisions, then it is hard to draw accurate conclusions, and thus when something to which we hold dear and has importance in our lives comes under criticism it is hard not to react in defence.
This is the uncomfortable truth that Chiefs are facing, but also why it is also important to recognise that though no offence was made by their club or those that support them. But when we learn that what we do has a negative impact on others, then we must strive to change for the better.
https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2021/more-than-mascots-its-time-to-end-cultural-appropriation-of-native-americans-in-sports/Chris
Once a Wasp ALWAYS a Wasp!