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The Daily OrangeBattle | Forced to drop mascot, D-III Texas school goes nameless
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 11/28/06, 10:30 PM EST Section: Sports
McMurry's long-standing Indian heritage began with its founding president James Winford Hunt, who was born and raised on a Kaw reservation in Oklahoma in 1875. Hunt chose the nickname to honor his time living and working with Native Americans.
He chose the nickname "Indians," instead of a single tribe like the Seminoles of Florida State, because there are so many different tribes dotting the landscape of Texas and Oklahoma. The nickname Indians was to honor the Kaws as part of all Indian cultures.
The NCAA first took action against Florida State in 2005 in response to its mascot and the famous tomahawk chant. The Seminole Tribe of Florida insisted Florida State maintained tribal traditions, and the NCAA allowed the nickname's usage. The same happened when the Ute tribe allowed Utah to use the nickname "Utes." People at McMurry think their school is being unfairly picked on.
"The irony of everything the NCAA is doing can be found in the letters they have sent to us saying our mascot is hostile and abusive," Holmes said. "Look at some of the bigger schools with the same mascots and the NCAA has OK'd it. It's OK for Florida State to do the tomahawk chop even though it is hostile, abusive and demeaning. We can't help we're a small school."
Even though McMurry agreed to remove the Indians logo and mascot from its athletic program, the school is continuing to use the nickname everywhere else. Every year, the week before Homecoming, different student groups build tepees and wigwams representing different tribes after they are required to study the history of the specific tribe.
On Homecoming day, Native Americans from the different tribes visit the "tepee village" and judge them based on their authenticity. Hundreds of people visit the festival every year to see and take pictures of the structures.
"We will continue the tradition of the tepee village because we will continue to honor the culture of Native Americans and Indians," McMurry Athletic Director Bill Libby said. "We will continue to have Indians on our campus, and we will continue to teach courses about the history and heritage of Indians in the southwest."
He chose the nickname "Indians," instead of a single tribe like the Seminoles of Florida State, because there are so many different tribes dotting the landscape of Texas and Oklahoma. The nickname Indians was to honor the Kaws as part of all Indian cultures.
The NCAA first took action against Florida State in 2005 in response to its mascot and the famous tomahawk chant. The Seminole Tribe of Florida insisted Florida State maintained tribal traditions, and the NCAA allowed the nickname's usage. The same happened when the Ute tribe allowed Utah to use the nickname "Utes." People at McMurry think their school is being unfairly picked on.
"The irony of everything the NCAA is doing can be found in the letters they have sent to us saying our mascot is hostile and abusive," Holmes said. "Look at some of the bigger schools with the same mascots and the NCAA has OK'd it. It's OK for Florida State to do the tomahawk chop even though it is hostile, abusive and demeaning. We can't help we're a small school."
Even though McMurry agreed to remove the Indians logo and mascot from its athletic program, the school is continuing to use the nickname everywhere else. Every year, the week before Homecoming, different student groups build tepees and wigwams representing different tribes after they are required to study the history of the specific tribe.
On Homecoming day, Native Americans from the different tribes visit the "tepee village" and judge them based on their authenticity. Hundreds of people visit the festival every year to see and take pictures of the structures.
"We will continue the tradition of the tepee village because we will continue to honor the culture of Native Americans and Indians," McMurry Athletic Director Bill Libby said. "We will continue to have Indians on our campus, and we will continue to teach courses about the history and heritage of Indians in the southwest."
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