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Chief Illiniwek was the mascot[1] of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), associated with the university's intercollegiate athletic programs, from October 30, 1926, to February 21, 2007. Chief Illiniwek was portrayed by a student to represent the Illiniwek, the state's namesake, although the regalia worn was from the Sioux. The student portraying Chief Illiniwek performed during halftime of Illinois football and basketball games, as well as during women's volleyball matches.
Since the 1970s, Chief Illiniwek had been the center of a controversy between fans and alumni who view the mascot as part of the UIUC tradition; while Native American individuals and organizations, social scientists, and educators view such mascots as cultural appropriation of indigenous images and rituals, which perpetuate stereotypes about American Indian peoples. In 2005, Chief Illiniwek was one of 19 mascots cited as "hostile or abusive" by the NCAA in a policy that banned schools from full participation in postseason activities as long as they continued to use such mascots.[2][3]
The University of Illinois retired Chief Illiniwek in 2007, with his last official performance on February 21, 2007.[4] UIUC has not selected a replacement. A non-binding resolution to make "Alma Otter" the official mascot was placed on the spring 2019 student election ballot, but failed to receive a majority, although some see the vote as a sign of progress.[5] In 2020, the belted kingfisher received a majority of student votes as a possible new mascot.[6] In September 2020, the University Senate overwhelmingly endorsed the kingfisher as the new mascot, voting 105 to 2 with 4 abstaining.[7] Support is building on campus and among alumni for the kingfisher,[8] but as of December 2022, some alumni are opposed to the new mascot, and several online petitions continue to advocate for the return of Chief Illiniwek.[9]
Supporters of Chief Illiniwek sometimes object to the use of the term "mascot", and instead refer to the Chief as a "symbol" of the university.[10]
- ^ "Mascots in Court, Not on the Court". Campus Reform. June 14, 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-08-28. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
- ^ "UIAA at Urbana". Illinois Alumni Magazine. Archived from the original on December 16, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
- ^ Brand, Myles (October 24, 2005). "NCAA correctly positioned as a catalyst for social change". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
- ^ "Mascots in Court, Not on the Court". The New York Times. March 4, 2007. Archived from the original on 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
- ^ Julie Wurth (March 8, 2019). "UI students vote down resolution to make 'Alma Otter' next mascot". The News Gazette. Archived from the original on 2019-03-12. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
- ^ John Keilman (March 10, 2020). "Could the belted kingfisher, an orange and blue predatory bird, become the University of Illinois' new mascot?". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
- ^ Aliza Majid (September 22, 2020). "University Senate endorses kingfisher mascot in landslide vote". The Daily Illini. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ "The Kingfisher is taking up space, and we're here for it - Opinion". 14 September 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Tribune-alumni-merchwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cohen, Jodi S. (January 28, 2007). "Illiniwek: Symbol or Mascot?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
The chief's supporters prefer the term "symbol" and say that "mascot" has become the politically correct word used by critics who believe the chief is a politically incorrect representation of Native Americans. They say the anti-chief camp uses the word "mascot" to make it sound as if the chief is demeaning to Native Americans. What chief supporters don't seem to realize is that their choice of the word "symbol" is just as political as "mascot." They think "symbol" makes the chief sound more dignified and better describes their view that the chief is a respectful tribute to the native people of Illinois.