List of sports team names and mascots derived from indigenous peoples
While the history of colonization and marginalization is not unique to the Americas, the practice of deriving sports team names, imagery, and mascots from indigenous peoples of North America is a significant phenomenon in the United States and Canada. The popularity of the American Indian in global culture has led to a number of teams in Europe also adopting team names derived from Native Americans. In Asia, Africa, Australia and South America, the adoption of indigenous names generally indicates that the team members are themselves indigenous. While there are team names in North America derived from other ethnic groups, such as the Boston Celtics, the New York Yankees, the Montreal Canadiens, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Minnesota Vikings, these are names selected by immigrant/settler groups to represent themselves.
The rise of indigenous rights movements has led to controversy regarding the continuation of practices rooted in colonialism. Such practices maintain the power relationship between the dominant culture and the indigenous culture, and can be seen as a form of cultural imperialism. Such practices are seen as particularly harmful in schools and universities, which have the a stated purpose of promoting ethnic diversity and inclusion. In recognition of the responsibility of higher education to eliminate behaviors that creates a hostile environment for education, in 2005 the NCAA initiated a policy against "hostile and abusive" names and mascots that led to the change of many derived from Native American culture, with the exception of those that established an agreement with particular tribes for the use of their specific names. Other schools retain their names because they were founded for the education of Native Americans, and continue to have a significant number of indigenous students.
The trend towards the elimination of indigenous names and mascots in local schools has been steady, with two thirds having been eliminated over the past 50 years according to the National Congress of American Indians. In a few states with significant Native American populations, change has been mandated by law, such in Wisconsin, Oregon, and Washington.
Little League International has updated its 2019 rulebook to include a statement prohibiting "the use of team names, mascots, nicknames or logos that are racially insensitive, derogatory or discriminatory in nature." This decision has been applauded by the National Congress of American Indians.
Professional/Adult teams
Current usage
[American football]
- Bristol Aztecs - Bristol, England
- Bürstadt Redskins, an American Football club in Bürstadt, Germany
- Eberswalder Warriors, an American Football club in Eberswalde, Germany
- Garland Aztecs, Garland, Texas - Semi-Pro
- Mayas CDMX - Mexico City, Mexico
- Mexicas CDMX - Mexico City, Mexico
- Kansas City Chiefs - While adopting Native American imagery, the team was named in honor of Kansas City mayor Harold Roe Bartle who was instrumental in bringing the AFL Dallas Texans to Kansas City, Missouri in 1963. Bartle earned his nickname as founder of a regional Boy Scouts honor camping society, the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, in which he was "Chief" Lone Bear. In 1989 the Chiefs switched from Warpaint, a Pinto horse ridden by a man in a feathered headdress, to their current mascot K. C. Wolf. Warpaint returned in 2009, but is ridden by a cheerleader.
- Southern California Apaches -
- Florida State Seminoles NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference
- Utah Utes NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference
American 7s Football League">A7FL"> American 7s Football League
- New Jersey Savage
- Spanktown Boyz - Uses a Native American wielding a tomahawk as its logo
- Union City Chiefs
[Association football]
- K.A.A. Gent, Ghent, East Flanders - Known as the Buffaloes, the team uses an Indian head logo and a mascot in faux Native costume.
- Guarani Esporte Clube, Juazeiro do Norte
- Guarani Esporte Clube, Divinópolis
- Guarani Futebol Clube, Campinas
- Guarany Futebol Clube, Bagé
- Guarany Futebol Clube
- Guarany Sporting Club, Sobral
- Associação Atlética Guarany, Porto da Folha
- Esporte Clube Guarani, Venâncio Aires
- Sociedade Esportiva, Recreativa e Cultural Guarani, Palhoça
- Sport Club Guarany, Cruz Alta
- Tupi Football Club, Juiz de Fora
- Tupynambás Futebol Clube, Juiz de Fora
- Colo-Colo, Santiago de Chile. Name relates to the Mapuche
- Lautaro, Buin. Also called Guerreros de Buín
Paraguay
South Africa
- Kaizer Chiefs F.C., Johannesburg
Australian rules football
- Flying Boomerangs, in reference to the boomerang, an indigenous Australian hunting tool and instrument.
- Indigenous All Stars, formerly known Aboriginal All-Stars
[Baseball]
- Gauting Indians, a baseball and softball club from Gauting, a suburb of Munich, Germany. The women's team is the "Squaws".
Major league
- Atlanta Braves - originally Boston Braves, then Milwaukee Braves. The mascot Chief Noc-A-Homa existed until 1983 season, Princess Win-A-Lotta was introduced late 1970s, dropped at same time as Noc-A-Homa. In 1991 the Braves adopted the Tomahawk Chop from Florida State University when Deion Sanders joined the team.
- Caribes de Anzoátegui - While Caribe is another name for the Kalina people, it is also a local term for piranhas, particularly in Venezuela. The team has no apparent use of indigenous imagery.
- Cleveland Indians - Receives the most attention due to its mascot, Chief Wahoo. While the origin of the name is sometimes attributed to Louis Sockalexis from the Penobscot tribe having played for the team, documentary evidence indicates otherwise.
- Indios de Mayagüez - Puerto Rican Baseball team from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
- Mayos de Navojoa - The Mayo people are indigenous to Sonora
- Yaquis de Obregón - The Yaqui are indigenous to Sonora
Minor league
Affiliates of the Atlanta Braves:
- Danville Braves
- Gulf Coast League Braves - The team plays at the Walt Disney World Resort.
- Mississippi Braves
- Rome Braves
Affiliate of the Texas Rangers:
All three existing National Basketball Association teams that previously used indigenous imagery have stopped doing so..
- Bendigo Braves play in the South East Australian Basketball League
- Guaiqueríes de Margarita, - named after an indigenous people of Northern Venezuela also known as the Waikerí.
- Indios de Ciudad Juárez, Mexico,
- Indios de Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Superior Basketball League
- Portland Chinooks, Portland, Oregon,
[Ice hockey]
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Chilliwack Chiefs - While retaining their name, the team has retired their mascot "Chief Wannawin". The chief of a local First Nation applauds the move but is disappointed mascot was part of team for 20 years.
- Frölunda Indians
- Johnstown Chiefs — Named after the Charlestown Chiefs, the fictional team in the movie Slap Shot. Team moved and became Greenville Road Warriors in 2010.
- Macklin Mohawks, Macklin, Saskatchewan
- Malmö Redhawks
- Moose Jaw Warriors
- Morden Redskins,
- Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Portland Winterhawks
- Seattle Thunderbirds
- Spokane Chiefs
- Whitley Warriors, Whitley Bay, United Kingdom. The women's team is the "Squaws".
[Lacrosse]
- Alberta Lacrosse Association
- * Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League
- ** Junior B Lacrosse
- *** Edmonton Warriors - Indian head logo
- Ontario Lacrosse Association
- *Major Series Lacrosse:
- **Brooklin Redmen, Whitby, Ontario - Logo incorporates the Indian head used by the NHL Blackhawks
- **Six Nations Chiefs, Six Nations of the Grand River
- **St. Regis Indians, St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, New York
- *Senior B Lacrosse
- **Six Nations Rivermen - Logo is an Indian paddling a canoe
- *Junior A Lacrosse
- **Burlington Chiefs, Burlington, Ontario
- **Mississauga Tomahawks
- *Junior B Lacrosse
- **Elora Mohawks, Elora, Ontario
- Quebec Senior Lacrosse
- *Kahnawake Mohawks - Cartoon Indian head logo
- *Kahnawake Tomahawks - Indian head logo
- West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association, British Columbia - The Association logo features an "Indian Head"
- *Coquitlam Adanacs - Although "adanac" is Canada spelled backward, their logo features a First Nations woman.
- *Langley Warriors
- *North Shore Indians
[Rugby union]
- The Chiefs, formerly the Waikato Chiefs - a rugby union side in the Super Rugby competition. Their logo is a male figure holding a Māori club.
- Griquas, South African team named after the Griqua people, however their symbol is an oryx.
- Māori All Blacks, previously the New Zealand Māori, a rugby union side whose members must be at least 1/16 Māori
- The New Zealand Warriors,, plays in the Australian NRL competition. The team logo indicates the "Warrior" is an indigenous reference.
- Northland Taniwha, a rugby team in the Mitre 10 Cup named after a being from Māori mythology
- Exeter Chiefs, a rugby union side in the English Aviva Premiership, also uses the FSU war chant and an American Indian logo.
[Rugby league]
- Indigenous All Stars a.k.a. Indigenous All Stars or Indigenous Dreamtime. Dreamtime is an indigenous Australian religious/mythological term.
- New Zealand Māori rugby league team
Other
- Indianerna are a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Kumla, Sweden at
Prior pro usage
Old Name | Sport/League | City, State | Year Changed | New Name | Notes |
Akron Indians | National Football League | Akron, Ohio | Defunct | Akron Pros | Changed back to the Indians in 1926, then folded |
Tri-Cities "Blackhawks" | National Basketball Association | Moline, Illinois | 1951 | Atlanta Hawks | Team was also the Milwaukee & St. Louis "Hawks" |
Buffalo Braves | National Basketball Association | Buffalo, New York | 1978 | Los Angeles Clippers | Also the San Diego Clippers |
Burlington Indians | Minor League Baseball | Burlington, North Carolina | 2006 | Burlington Royals | Changed affiliation from Cleveland Indians to Kansas City Royals |
Canton/Akron Indians | Minor League Baseball | Akron, Ohio | 1996 | Aeros | Former farm team for the Cleveland Indians |
Cleveland Indians | National Football League | Cleveland, Ohio | Defunct | ||
Cleveland Indians | National Football League | Cleveland, Ohio | Defunct | ||
Duluth Eskimos | National Football League | Duluth, Minnesota | 1927 | Defunct | also known as the Duluth "Kelleys" |
Edmonton Eskimos | Canadian Football League | Edmonton, Alberta | 2020 | Edmonton Football Team will be the interim name. | |
Flint Indians | Michigan Baseball League | Flint, Michigan | 1941 | NA | |
Golden State Warriors | National Basketball Association | Oakland, California | 1971 | NA | Originally Philadelphia Warriors, then San Francisco Warriors, dropped Indian imagery when they move to Oakland |
Gwinnett Braves | International League | Lawrenceville, Georgia | 2017 | Gwinnett Stripers | Originally Richmond Braves, renamed as Gwinnett Braves upon move, rebranded after 2017 season. The Stripers continue to be the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. |
Indios de Ciudad Juarez | Minor League Baseball | Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico | 1984 | Defunct | |
Kansas City Scouts | National Hockey League | Kansas City, Missouri | 1976 | now the New Jersey Devils | First moved to Colorado and became the "Rockies" |
Kinston Indians | Minor League Baseball | Kinston, North Carolina | 2012 | NA | replaced by the Carolina Mudcats |
Mexico City Aztecas | Continental Basketball Association | Mexico City | Defunct | Only one season 1994-95 | |
Oorang Indians | National Football League | Defunct | Consisting mostly of Native Americans | ||
Ottawa Tomahawks | National Basketball League of Canada | Ottawa | 2013 | Ottawa SkyHawks | Name changed shortly after announced due to controversy, team folded after one season. |
Salisbury Indians | Minor League Baseball | Salisbury, Maryland | Defunct | ||
Sheboygan Red Skins | Basketball | Sheboygan, Wisconsin | 1952 | Defunct | |
Springfield Indians | American Hockey League | Peoria, Illinois | Rivermen | First moved to Worcester and became the IceCats | |
Streatham Redskins | NIHL South Division 1 | London, England | 2016 | Streatham Ice Hockey Club | |
Syracuse Chiefs | Minor League Baseball | Syracuse, New York | Changed from Native American logo and name in 1997 to "Skychiefs" with aviation theme and reverted to "Chiefs" in 2007 but with train logo. | ||
Swift Current Indians | Western Major Baseball League | Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada | 2017 | Swift Current 57's | The team dropped the "Indians" name in 2016. |
Toronto Tecumsehs | National Hockey Association | Toronto, Ontario | 1913 | Toronto Ontarios | renamed the Toronto Shamrocks in 1915 and ceased operations later that year |
Washington Redskins | National Football League | Landover, Maryland | 2020 | Washington Football Team will be the interim name. See Washington Redskins name controversy |
Colleges and universities
Secondary schools
Non-scholastic youth teams
Baseball
- American Indian Little League, Palmdale, California
- Dornbirn Indians, Redskins, and "Little Indians", a :de:Austrian Baseball League| youth baseball club in Austria.
- Skokie Indians, Skokie, Illinois
- Whalley Chiefs, Surrey, British Columbia
Association football
- Raynes Park Little League, Kensington, England - Redskins
American football
[Pop Warner Little Scholars]
- Albemarle Redskins, Albemarle County, Virginia
- Antioch Redskins, Plant City, Florida
- Bennetts Creek Warriors, Suffolk, Virginia
- Derby Red Raiders, Derby, Connecticut
- East Bay Warriors, Oakland, California
- Fort Braden Chiefs, Fort Braden, Florida
- FW Redskins, Goodyear, Arizona
- Immokalee Seminoles, Immokalee, Florida
- Lower Sussex Indians, Sussex County, Delaware
- Nonnewaug Chiefs, Woodbury, Connecticut
- Oak Cliff Redskins, Dallas, Texas
- Pomperaug Warriors, Southbury, Connecticut
- Reynolds Corner Redskins, Toledo, Ohio
- Southeast Apaches, San Antonio, Texas
- Southland Comanches, Colorado
- Stratford Redskin, Stratford, Connecticut
- Water Oak Indians, Watertown, Connecticut
- Western Albemarle Chiefs, Crozet, Virginia
- Willamette Redskins, Eugene, Oregon
Youth/Junior football
- Antioch Redskins, Plant City, Florida
- CLCF Football, Cranston, Rhode Island
- Catawissa Redskins, Catawissa, Pennsylvania
- Donaldsonville Redskins, Donaldsonville, Louisiana
- Fauquier Youth Football, Fauquier County, Virginia
- Grayling Redskins Youth Football, Grayling, Michigan
- Kanawha Youth Football Redskins, Richmond, Virginia
- Lancaster Junior Redskins, Lancaster, New York
- Loudon Redskins Youth Football, Loudon, Tennessee
- Patterson Redskins Youth Football & Cheer, Patterson, California
- Rochester Redskins Youth Football & Cheer, Rochester, Michigan
- Sarasota Ringling Redskins, Sarasota, Florida
- South Cherokee Football and Cheer "Redskins", Woodstock, Georgia
- Southwest Redskins, Houston, Texas
- Sterling Heights Redskins, Sterling Heights, Michigan
- Vienna Youth Inc. Football Chiefs, Vienna, Virginia
- Washington Redskins Midget Football, Washington, New Jersey
- Whittier Redskins, Whittier, California
- Woonsocket Redskins Youth Football and Cheerleading, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Ice Hockey
- Chilliwack Chiefs, Chilliwack, British Columbia
- Copper Cliff Redmen, Copper Cliff, Ontario Team name has changed to the 'Reds'
- Johnstown Tomahawks, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
- Onion Lake Border Chiefs, Onion Lake Cree Nation
- Saddle Lake Warriors, Saddle Lake, Alberta
- Tavistock Braves, Tavistock, Ontario
Lacrosse
- Akwesasne Indians, Akwesasne, a Mohawk Nation that intersects the United States and Canada
- Elora Mohawks, Elora, Ontario
- Kitchener-Waterloo Braves, Kitchener, Ontario
- Kahnawake Hunters, Kahnawake, Quebec
- Mississauga Tomahawks, Mississauga, Ontario
- Six Nations Arrows, Hagersville, Ontario
- Six Nations Rebels, Hagersville, Ontario
- Six Nations Warriors, Hagersville, Ontario
- Tomahawks, Palo Alto, California
- Whitby Warriors, Whitby, Ontario
Wrestling
- Little Redskins, Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation sanctioned club in Morris, Illinois – Uses a version of the DC team logo