The Fighting Illini mascot is a controversial symbol associated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The mascot, which is a Native American chief, has faced criticism for perpetuating cultural stereotypes and for being insensitive to Native American communities. The controversy surrounding the mascot stems from the use of Native American imagery and symbols, which many argue is offensive and disrespectful. The use of mascots depicting Native Americans has been criticized by Indigenous groups, who argue that these images reinforce harmful stereotypes and trivialize their culture. Supporters of the mascot argue that it is meant to honor Native American history and that it is a source of pride for the university. They argue that the mascot is not intended to offend, but rather to celebrate the history and traditions of the Fighting Illini.

What is an Illini? Explaining the origin of Illinois' nickname, mascot history

For more than a century, Illinois' athletic teams have been known as the "Fighting Illini." And for more than a century, people have been wondering what the heck that means.

The Prairie State's flagship university in Urbana-Champaign has been using the term to describe its students, athletes, faculty and alumni for generations. The first recorded use of the word dates all the way back to 1874, less than 10 years after Illinois native Abraham Lincoln was assassinated during his second term as president.

But what exactly is an Illini, anyway? Well, the history of the word goes back even further than the school — or even the state — itself.

They argue that the mascot is not intended to offend, but rather to celebrate the history and traditions of the Fighting Illini. In recent years, the University of Illinois has taken steps to address the controversy surrounding the mascot. In 2007, the university retired its previous mascot, Chief Illiniwek, after years of debate and protest.

What is an Illini?

Originally, Illini was a term used to refer to a group of Native American tribes that lived in the Mississippi River Valley. The group of roughly 12 or 13 tribes occupied land in what is now Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. The words "Illinois" and "Illini" were the result of French explorers in the area attempting to spell the native word for the group of tribes: ilinwek.

Due to war and disease, the population of the Illini people declined sharply to just a few hundred in the late 18th century. The last remaining members of the tribe relocated to Kansas and then Oklahoma, where their descendants can still be found today within the Peoria Confederation.

In 1867, about 100 years after the Illini people left the state, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was founded. Seven years later, the school's weekly student newspaper — which was originally called The Student, changed its name to The Illini. This was the first official use of the word at the university.

Pretty soon, people were using the term to refer to students, staff and the campus as a whole. The first recorded use of the word to describe the school's athletic teams is believed to have happened in 1911 in an article in the student newspaper.

“Only a small crowd turned out to see our fighting Illini chase the Gophers back to their holes," the reporter wrote, presumably in reference to a game against Minnesota.

The name quickly stuck, and by the late 1920s, it was widely used as the unofficial nickname for the university's sports teams. No one is sure exactly when it was officially adopted, but it has now been in use for a century.

The word's background as a Native American term was also apparent in the school's now-discontinued mascot, Chief Illiniwek. The character, played by a student in costume, was created to represent the leader of the Illini tribes.

He performed at halftime during football, basketball and other University of Illinois sports games from 1926 until 2007, when he was retired due to concerns over cultural appropriation.

The Illini were wiped out by a competing tribe in the 1760s. Chief Illiniwek is not a real person. The costume is Sioux. His "authentic Indian dance" was made up by whatever student played the character at the time. pic.twitter.com/6cE5D3rlK2

— Knowing Better (@KnowingBetterYT) September 5, 2022

It's possible the university could decide to retire the nickname for similar reasons, but there are no plans to do so in the near future.

For now, "Illini" remains one of the most unique and beloved sports nicknames in the entire country. Perhaps it will stick around for another few generations to come.

Conn: Why the belted kingfisher works for the Fighting Illini

A proposed mascot for the University of Illinois, the belted kingfisher.

PROVIDED BY SPENCER HUSLEY VIA CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Before a dive into the Illinois mascot/logo debate and an argument the belted kingfisher IS a good option, it’s worth pointing out that very few people’s sports rooting interest has anything to do with the mascot or logo.

The reality is geography, media access and Q score play way bigger roles. Are the Chicago Bulls one of the most popular NBA teams because of the Benny the Bull and the Bulls logo, or because the greatest player ever played most of his career in one of the biggest cities in the country and won six titles?

I’m a Cardinals fan not because of Fredbird or the birds on the bat, but because my dad raised me as a Cardinals fan, we could listen to every game on the radio and I’ve lived my entire life within three hours of St. Louis. I’m an Illinois fan because . I’ve always lived in Illinois.

I don’t judge anyone’s fandom. There are people who liked the Dolphins logo as a kid and become Dolphins fans, though that's rare — especially among "serious" fans.

Many Illinois fans still clamor to bring back the former mascot — Chief Illiniwek. Say what you want about the "tradition," but the reality is the costume was Sioux, no student who portrayed the Chief in 82 years was Native American, and the dance was authentic to no tribe.

Bringing back Chief Illiniwek would be in direct violation of the NCAA’s ban on abusive Native American imagery, which would mean Illinois could no longer host postseason events — not something the university deemed worth giving up to keep the mascot when it was banned in 2007. I doubt that’s changed.

A look at the student-led logo and the mascot proposal.

And — this is something I don't think Chief fans consider — what kid was wanting to bring home a stuffed Chief doll (we don't even need to discuss how wrong that would be), or scanning the stadium for a chance to get a picture with him? Kids may not often become fans of a team because of mascots, but they certainly gravitate towards them. Ever go to a Cardinals event with Fredbird? Kids will literally run past major league players to get this man or woman in a costume to write "Fredbird" on their baseball.

As far as the Illini mascot situation, there isn’t necessarily a problem with the way things are now. And this is where there's some confusion. The movement isn't to change the team's nickname to Belted Kingfishers — it would remain the Fighting Illini. While the name of the state comes from French Explorers who named the territory after the Illiniwek tribe, the name "Illini" is just a shortened version of the name of the state. "Fighting" was added later as a nod to soldiers who died in World War I. The point is, a Fighting Illini isn't inherently a Native American.

With campus senate approval, the belted kingfisher continues hopeful dive toward becoming the University of Illinois’ new mascot

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s senate on Monday endorsed the idea of making the belted kingfisher — a blue and orange bird native to the state and known for its high-speed dives — the school’s new mascot.

The 105-to-2 vote, though merely advisory, was a step forward in the long-standing effort to create a mascot for the university that would take the place of Chief Illiniwek, retired by the university in 2007 after the NCAA determined the American Indian-themed image to be “hostile and abusive” (advocates for the Chief reject the charge of racism and refer to him as a “symbol,” not a mascot).

The students who created and pushed for the kingfisher said the next step will be to try to gain acceptance from alumni and others in the university community.

The proposed logo for the new mascot at University of Illinois. (Spencer Hulsey)

“We’re really trying to get everyone on board with this amazing mascot," student senator Dana Yun said.

Chancellor Robert Jones will be the final arbiter of any new mascot, but no timetable or process toward making that decision has been set, a university spokeswoman said.

The kingfisher is the brainchild of recent graduate Spencer Hulsey, who often saw the birds when she was growing up on her family’s farm outside Kinmundy, Illinois. She sketched a version and took it to the Illinois Student Government, which put it to a campuswide vote in March.

The proposal passed by a narrow margin, and since then, Hulsey and others have come up with ideas on how to knit the mascot into campus life, from orange and blue kazoos that would emulate the birds' long beaks to spirit rituals students could perform during games.

“New student section traditions are a vital part of integrating a new mascot into our community,” they wrote in the proposal considered by the senate. “For example, as kingfishers are diving birds, a student could do a simple, dive-bombing hand motion that ends with a ‘splash’ noise or explosion of hands when our team scores a touchdown or a free-throw.”

The authors said some student organizations, such as the badminton and geology clubs, have already started to incorporate the kingfisher into their logos. They added that the resolution did not seek to change the “Fighting Illini” nickname.

During the senate’s discussion, some students said the Block I logo has been an insufficient representation of the university, and that the lack of a mascot has allowed Chief Illiniwek to persevere.

“Without the university taking action to adopt a new mascot, which the student body already voted in favor of adopting, it is easier for these students to hold onto this racist imagery as a symbol of Illinois pride,” said Sofia Sinnokrot, a student senator who endorsed the measure.

Faculty members had little to say on the Zoom conference other than to praise the students for advancing the concept.

“I’m mostly just speaking to thank the students for their continued and enduring leadership on doing something that should have happened 13 years ago, that I’ve been waiting for," said Jodi Byrd, an associate professor of English and gender and women’s studies who is a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.

“I know so many American Indian studies faculty who are no longer here have been fighting to get this addressed. I just wanted to say thank you so much for your efforts and for such a profoundly important step forward, to create this opportunity for us to finally, finally move on."

After the vote, Hulsey said she was gratified by the huge margin of victory.

“We were just so amazed by the response that it got,” she said. “It was a great validation to see that we’re on the right track.”

However, the retired mascot is still a prominent symbol associated with the university and is often seen at sporting events. The university has since formed a committee to explore the possibility of a new mascot, one that is inclusive and respectful to all cultures. This committee has been tasked with engaging with the campus community and gathering input from stakeholders to determine the best path forward. The controversy surrounding the Fighting Illini mascot is ongoing, and the university continues to grapple with questions of cultural appropriation and representation. The search for a new mascot presents an opportunity for the university to promote inclusivity and respect for all cultures..

Reviews for "The Role of the Fighting Illini Mascot in Promoting School Spirit"

1. Laura - 2 out of 5 stars - As a member of the Native American community, I found the Fighting Illini mascot to be highly offensive and disrespectful. It promotes harmful stereotypes and perpetuates cultural appropriation. It is disappointing to see a university using a mascot that disrespects and devalues the culture and traditions of Native Americans. The University of Illinois should reconsider their mascot and work towards embracing inclusivity and diversity instead.

2. John - 1 out of 5 stars - The Fighting Illini mascot is a prime example of cultural insensitivity. It reduces an entire community's rich heritage and history to a caricature. Native American culture should be respected and celebrated, not trivialized and used as a mere symbol for entertainment. The University of Illinois needs to acknowledge the harm caused by this mascot and take steps towards choosing a mascot that does not perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

3. Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars - The Fighting Illini mascot is a relic of a bygone era. It is insensitive and offensive to Native American communities. We should be moving towards a more inclusive and respectful society, and holding on to mascots like this only holds us back. The University of Illinois should prioritize the feelings and dignity of those affected by these stereotypes and reconsider their choice of mascot.

4. Michael - 1 out of 5 stars - The Fighting Illini mascot is a disrespectful representation of Native American culture. It is disappointing to see a university using such a stereotype-laden mascot, especially in this day and age. It is time for the University of Illinois to retire this mascot and show the necessary respect to Native American communities.

A Closer Look at the Symbolism of the Fighting Illini Mascot