Lily Gladstone is the first Native American woman to be nominated for an Oscar for her role in Martin Scorcese’s latest, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’
And she has a problem with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
‘You Could Hold Both Teams Accountable’
In a recent podcast interview, Lily Gladstone said that she thought the names of both teams were culturally insensitive.
Fox News reported, “Gladstone, who was born in Montana and is of Piegan Blackfeet, appeared on the ‘Variety Awards Circuit’ podcast, which was released Thursday. Variety noted that Gladstone’s comments came before the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.”
“She took issue with the 49ers nickname and almost everything about the Chiefs – from the nickname to the tomahawk chop fans have done to root for the team,” the report noted.
The story continued:
“Honestly, you could hold both teams accountable,” she told the outlet. “The 49ers are based on the California Gold Rush, which was an incredibly brutal time for California Indians.
“And then the Chiefs. There are many ways that you could interpret the name ‘chief.’ It’s not just the name that bothers me. It’s hearing that damn tomahawk chop. Every time, it’s a stark reminder of what Hollywood has done to us, because the tomahawk chop directly ties to the sounds of old Westerns where we were not playing ourselves, or if we were, we were merely backdrop actors.”
Specifically, Gladstone suggested it was a farce to say that doing the tomahawk chop was an “honor” to Native Americans.
Gladstone’s Criticisms Can Be Applied to Other NFL Teams
“Native Americans have protested the Chiefs’ name in the four recent Super Bowls,” Fox News observed. “The team has been in as it came under fire in the midst of the Washington organization changing its name from Redskins to the Washington Football Team and then to the Commanders.”
While as a Native American, Gladstone is entitled to her opinion on these subjects more than others, it should be pointed out that we could apply some of her standards to many NFL teams.
The Viking era was also brutal, but that doesn’t appear to be the message Minnesota football fans are trying to send.
The everyday Steelers who worked in that industry in the 19th and 20th centuries often labored in environments that were less than ideal, but that doesn’t seem to be what Pittsburgh football fans are celebrating.
The Old West as lived and portrayed by Buffalo Bill wasn’t exactly a great time for Native Americans either.
Maybe Lily Gladstone might say the same about that last example too.
Regardless, this is America, where everyone is entitled to their opinion.
