Exeter Chiefs supporters petition for club to drop 'racist Native American branding'


A petition calling for Exeter Chiefs to change their branding has gained over 600 signatures this week

By
Ben Coles, (Telegraph)


A group set up by Exeter Chiefs supporters have called for the club's "racist use of Native American imagery and branding" to be dropped, comparing the use of the headdresses and chanting the Tomahawk Chop to blackface.

A petition started earlier this week by Exeter supporter Ashley Green has gained more than 550 signatures, with Exeter's Labour MP, Ben Bradshaw, also publicly backing the move.

Members of the group, speaking to Telegraph Sport, described Exeter's use of a Native American mascot, the tomahawk chant and adoption of headdresses by supporters as "demeaning". The group added there was no issue with keeping the 'Chiefs' name, pointing to Exeter's history of Celtic tribes in the region during the pre-Roman era and calling for the club's image to be built around that period of time as opposed to appropriating Native American culture.


Exeter Rugby adopted the 'Chiefs' brand in 1999. The club were then promoted to the Premiership in 2010 and have since established themselves as a major force in both English and European rugby, winning the Premiership title in 2017.

"I do believe that Exeter Chiefs are a great club who do so many great things both on the pitch and off it. How they have risen to become the best team in England and one of the best teams in Europe has been nothing short of remarkable," explained Ben, a season ticket holder for seven years.

"During the last few years, I have also learnt about the offence that [the branding] causes, having your culture, your identity appropriated by sports teams. The headdress or warbonnet is revered in many cultures, and we use it as a way to play fancy dress. We just use the term Native American as a catch-all, not realising that there many distinct tribes throughout North America. But we use a stereotype."

Referencing the momentum for change created recently by the Black Lives Matter movement, another petitioner, Mary, compared the use of Native American branding to blackface.

"If Exeter Chiefs had a Golliwog as their icon now, we would all have an issue with that. Essentially, what they are doing with the branding, is the First Nation equivalent of blackface. Native American people do not consent to you using their image. Why are you still doing this? It is just so demeaning."

The use of Exeter's mascot, named 'Big Chief', has also come under fire. "People might ask, how is it racist? Firstly, it’s a cultural appropriation. Second, the feathers are sacred, so there is a desacralisation," explains Abdenour, a PHD candidate at Exeter University.


Others criticised Exeter's lack of communication over the issue. "They have been consistently and shamefully silent on the issue," added Elena. "The conversation isn’t a new one. The club’s response has been the same every single time."

Laura, another long-term Exeter supporter, added that the use of the branding had prevented her from purchasing replica jerseys. "I live away from Exeter and would love to be able to wear the kit with pride and show my roots with my home town, to get the kit for my daughter, and introduce her to our family team."

Exeter Chiefs had no comment regarding the petition when contacted on Wednesday.

I'm sure they're earning loads of Woke Points.

I’ve never understood what Exeter rugby Club had to do with Native Americans. Neither are in the same continent. Sale has never struck me as being a coastal town, Bristol has no bears. At least Leicester play in stripes although not black and orange. Rugby league isn’t much better. Even the Cricket teams have silly American add ons for some reason. It can’t be that hard to think of something big, menacing, fierce or traditional that originated from where the team is based.
   

Kebab shop owners? Or is that just in Slough?

I read today that William Shatner, James T Kirk, has been asked to apologise for when he wore a German uniform in an episode of Star Trek. What next? Do we need Clint Eastwood to do the same for Where Eagles Dare? As for wearing Roman uniforms then Richard Burton's family needs to also apologise.

And Monty Python comedians dressing up as Romans? Do you know how many native peoples the Romans slaughtered in their conquests?

And Monty Python comedians dressing up as Romans? Do you know how many native peoples the Romans slaughtered in their conquests?

That was us!

The English!

Quote from: DOK on Today at 06:58 pm
And Monty Python comedians dressing up as Romans? Do you know how many native peoples the Romans slaughtered in their conquests?

That was us!

The English!

Not me! Cromwell and King James came through Ireland and stomped on my ancestors! Took our castles, our titles, our lands, our wealth and turned us into outlaws. I'm a kind of Robin Hood, you know!

The thing is how far back to you go with this? Anyone who owns some land probably took it off someone else originally with a large lump of metal. Look at those racist Normans, came over here in 1066, if anyone was a Saxon they got thrown off their land and it was given to a Norman. How racist is that?

And outside parliament is a statue of Richard the Lionheart. Richard the Lionheart? Do you know how many atrocities he committed? Did you know he wasn't really an Englishman, spending all of 6 months in England during his reign (and 4 of those were for his coronation). He had 3,000 Muslim prisoners, men, women and children beheaded and disemboweled in sight of Saladin's army to speed up an agreed payment.

Where does this end? Vikings fought Alfred for England. Angles, Saxons - they were all German invaders.

And Harlequins? Aren't we based on some Italian Jester figure? Isn't that some kind of cultural appropriation?

Eskimo is derogatory.
It is Quinn the Inuit

It is quite amusing how everything is rasist or offensive.

Just carry on living people and live your life how you would want to be treated yourselves.

Can't do much more than that. You will never change everyone's attitudes.