Especially for a school that prides itself so much on its communal spirit, Dartmouth's lack of a mascot is shameful. Harvard shares this distinction, and any similarities with that school should be setting off alarm bells. "Big Green" is really just as bad as "Crimson".
The American Indian mascot that was used unofficially until the 1970s probably would not be the most appropriate design. This mascot hails from the same tradition as the Hovey Murals, which adorned the walls of Thayer Dining Hall until they were covered in the 1970's, portraying drunk, naked Native Americans in a stereotypically primitive light. Another problem with the mascot is that it groups diverse Native American tribes and nations into a single racial group.
However, a new mascot honoring the local Abenaki tribe could avoid the pitfalls of the American Indian mascot while paying homage to Native Americans and to the unique founding mission of Dartmouth. College founder Eleazar Wheelock would be proud of the important role Native Americans have come to play in the Dartmouth community during recent years, and we should continue to build upon what we've started.
Although Dartmouth founder Eleazar Wheelock failed in his efforts to "educate" Native Americans, we can still be proud of the College's founding. Wheelock successfully prepared the Mohegan Samson Occom for an illustrious career as a Presbyterian minister in an era when only the most progressive-minded would have tried. Although he and Occom had considerable success raising money, many of the Native American youths who came under Wheelock's care died from disease or became profligate.
After founding Dartmouth, Wheelock left the church in Connecticut he had served at for 35 years, trading it for a rough lifestyle in the wilderness of Hanover, where survival was the primary concern in his first winter. This dedication seems a testament to his belief in the radical mission of the College. Wheelock's desire to integrate Native Americans into Christianity may not have been respectful of their ancient traditions and lifestyle, but if his efforts had truly succeeded, the fate of American Indians could hardly have been worse than the terrible persecution they have endured since then.
Because of Dartmouth's complex and problematic history, community members have been too afraid to even touch the subject of the mascot and to consider possible compromises. It is preferable to confront the College's troubled past than to ignore it, as the Dartmouth Native American Council decided in 1993 when it recommended uncovering the Hovey Murals for the sake of providing material for understanding Dartmouth's history. Former director of the Native American Program Colleen Larimore '85 said at time, "This is a turning point for Native Americans at Dartmouth. While we still consider the murals to be degrading and offensive, we cannot deny how Native Americans were viewed in the past at Dartmouth and in the country."
We should speak to the Abenaki and ask what they think about the general idea of a mascot honoring their tribe. We would need to have a dialogue with them about specific designs to determine what would be to their satisfaction. An Abenaki mascot could be appropriate because it doesn't categorize Native Americans into one broad racial group and also because the Dartmouth campus sits on historically Abenaki territory. This design could reflect the College's close relationship with nature while satisfying many alumni who already feel a close connection with the Dartmouth Indian. It would also be a symbol with special meaning because of the College's unique, albeit dark, history of association with Native Americans particularly with those of geographical proximity such as the Abenaki.
An obvious concern is that an Abenaki mascot could give cover for Native American stereotyping. Some Dartmouth supporters might attend athletic events wearing "Indian" garb without particular sensitivity to the uniqueness of the particular tribe our mascot would be portraying. Although this is a problem, we could move away from the old Indian mascot by bringing attention to stereotypes and showing how they don't reflect the Abenaki. There is often little we can do in the short term about people who want to be offensive, but where offensiveness is unintentional we can all work hard towards improving awareness. Let us not be so worried about giving people an excuse to be offensive that we cannot bestow honor where honor is due.
