University of Illinois: Chief Illiniwek is being retired.

[Pixiesmom, BSN, RN]

URBANA, Ill. (AP) -- The University of Illinois will retire its 81-year-old American Indian mascot, Chief Illiniwek, following the last men's home basketball game of the season on Wednesday.

The NCAA in 2005 deemed the buckskin-clad Illiniwek an offensive use of American Indian imagery and barred the university from hosting postseason events.

American Indian groups and others complained for years that the mascot, used since 1926, is demeaning. Supporters of the mascot say it honors the contributions of American Indians to Illinois.

On Thursday, two students who portray Illiniwek filed suit seeking...

Read the rest of the story here:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/ncaa/02/16/illinois.chief.ap/index.html?eref=si_ncaaf

[cholul]

That school had their mascot wearing the "garb" of the wrong tribe and flailing about like Big Bird on drugs. The school said (a) he never was a real person and (b) if he was, he wouldn't have any living descendents today.

His name was Mamenthouensa, a.k.a. Francois-Xavier Rouensa. He was the Chief of the Illiniwek Confederation of Five Tribes and a personal friend of the King of France. (Letters preserved in the Court of France). As for his not having any descendents today - my grandsons, and the thousands of other children across this nation who descend from him are not exactly invisible. They have a proud heritage and there would have been no problem at all if that school hadn't been arrogant about the issue, if they had used the correct mode of dress, and the correct dances. We were offended by the disrespect they showed our ancestor and ended up having to force them to stop.