Welcome to the Honor the Chief Society

HONOR the Names, RESPECT the Traditions, EDUCATE the Community

A Not for Profit Organization

Dedicated to the Preservation of Positive Native American Symbolism

News

Website Re-Release

For many years, the Honor the Chief Soceity has remained dedicated to honoring and preserving the Chief tradition.  With the digital age advancing us everyday, and the need to unite our membership constatntly increasing, we realized that our old website was in need of modernization.

 

For those who visited our old site, we underwent a major update about three years ago. Our detailed history page was preserved and expanded, and many other sections were updated as well.  You can find our still-evolving story in our "History" Tab. Merchandise is also still available through the site, and more items are coming soon! 

 

This year, we've begun to add additional resources! Becoming a member is now easier than ever! Prospective members can still join using the traditional paper forms, however we have also added a feauture that takes care of everything entirely online! Just click "Join the Movement" and fill in your info in the boxes provided!

 

We also hope to provide as many educational resources as possible. Check out our "FAQ" section, which features inquiries from both supporters and critics!  Have a question that's not already in the FAQ?  Submit new questions in the "Community Support" area, or see if other users have asked a similar question. Think you already have all the answers?  Great!  Write to us and we may feature your perspective!  Be sure to keep an eye out for new updates in our news and media section, too!

 

We are still looking to build content and add links, so please be patient as we continue to make our website a place of honor, respect, and education.  Thank you all for your continued support and passion.  Please feel free to follow us on social media, and share our new website with your friends, family, and all of Illini Nation!

The Squanto Symbol: Another History Forgotten at Illinois

  I am a graduate of what was then called the College of Agriculture when I attended the University of Illinois back in the early eighties.  Early in my college career, I remember attending an event sponsored by the Agronomy Club where they had T-shirts for sale featuring a cartoon image of a stereotypical Indian: beak nose, bare chest puffed out, a single feather sprouting from the back of a headband.  He was standing next to a stalk of corn and leaning on a soil auger.  I assumed the image had some sort of connection with the Fighting Illini and the Chief Illiniwek imagery. 

 

  As a person of mixed American Indian and European ancestry, I had actually had a positive feeling about how Chief Illiniwek was portrayed, but conversely this little cartoon Indian didn’t hold much appeal to me…that is until the Agronomy Club advisor explained to me what the image was all about.  Turns out, the image didn’t have anything to do with the Illini tradition, but was meant to be a depiction of Squanto. 

 

  Although some of the facts have been lost to time, many American schoolchildren have heard the story of the Wampanoag man who helped the Pilgrims weather their first years in the New World.  Squanto had been a captive of earlier settlers and learned English very well.  He was sent to converse with these strangers and help them to understand what wild flora and fauna were edible in the unfamiliar world that they had come to settle.  Perhaps more importantly, he taught them how to grow the now all-American staple crop: corn.  The story goes that Squanto even taught these pilgrims early agriculture technologies like bio-solid fertilization using dead fish and crop rotation with beans and squash. 

 

  What the School of Agriculture was trying to convey with the image on the T-shirt was the American Indian contribution to modern agriculture; honoring Squanto as the country’s first agronomist.  Admittedly, I still didn’t like the picture, but I gained a much greater appreciation of what the Agronomy Club was doing.  I thought it was pretty cool to see the one of the nation’s premier agricultural colleges acknowledging the role American Indians played in not only introducing the settlers to the crop that is still king throughout the Midwest, but also the skill in cultivating it in a sustainable manner to increase yields. 

 

  To be honest I didn’t buy the shirt, and even though I was impressed by the meaning at the time, I didn’t give the image much more thought.  Years later, when I returned to the area for a homecoming event, I learned the club had given up the Squanto symbolism and replaced it with entirely with the moldboard plow (a technology that was perfected in Illinois by John Deere) as a symbol of the club.  As an agronomist, I could appreciate the contribution of John Deere to modern agriculture, too…but as an environmentalist, I also have a little pang of angst when I think about all of that native prairie that was turned under by the plow and all of the erosion from those bare soils. 

 

  When I asked why they ditched Squanto for the plow, I was told that Squanto had become a victim of a handful of complaints over the use of American Indian imagery (the same sort of complaints that would later lead to the official retirement of the Chief).  I couldn’t get a good answer as to why there wasn’t more of an attempt to replace the cartoonish picture with something more acceptable. 

I realize now that nothing short of the total removal of any American Indian symbolism would satisfy the complainers.   Still, I think all cultures involved have truly lost something here at the University of Illinois.  Maybe I’m still naïve after all of these years, but I still can’t help but think there must be a way we can share elements of our cultures.

 

  To this day, the Agronomy Club, now “Field & Furrow”, utilizes the plow as their ultimate symbol of American Agriculture.  The Squanto imagery is completely expunged, save a few retro stickers that still adorn the windows of Turner Hall.  For our modern generations unlucky enough not to have learned the contributions of Squanto in childhood, Illinois continues to ignore the opportunity for that cultural and historical education.  Corn remains king in Illinois, but the contributions of America’s first agronomist who helped crown that wonder-crop are completely ignored…lost forever in the effort of student enlightenment.  If Illinois emerges as a producer in something other than corn, it may be irony.

The Chief in Africa

While many of us were ringing in the New Year with friends and family to begin 2018, former Chief and HTCS board member Ivan A. Dozier was on an airplane to Uganda.  Ivan helped plant trees, spent some time working on a farm, and donated some of our “Continuing Tradition” shirts to the locals.  We wanted to share with you some of Ivan’s impressions from the trip:

 

“One of the things I realized on this trip was my passion for sharing culture.  When I travel, it’s not just about seeing exotic locations or landmarks; the true value for me comes from meeting people and learning from their unique perspectives and experiences.  Of course, I returned the favor, as well, because I believe that culture is something that is most valuable when shared and celebrated.

 

I worry that this facet of diversity is sadly lost by many at the University of Illinois.  At Illinois, too many professors and administrators seem caught up in who they feel is allowed to access culture; more concerned with what they want than what is best for the community. What people fail to realize when they try to limit others is the value in celebrating unique culture and the true diversity that it brings.  Rather than focusing on what I can take away, I have made it my mission to protect and share what we have.

 

That’s why when I embarked on my trip, I brought with me a bundle on brand new Chief shirts to share with my new friends.  One of the ongoing programs at UIUC is a t-shirt buyback initiative, where organizations like the Native American House are offering to take and destroy people’s ‘racist’ t-shirts.  In practice, their definition of a ‘racist’ shirt is any garment that features Native American imagery…the Chief or otherwise.  This past semester, ISG members Raneem Shamseldin and Tara Chattoraj-Mukherjee successfully petitioned for over $10,000 of taxpayer funds towards projects to eliminate Native imagery on campus.

 

While the ISG continues to focus on what they can take away from people, I instead look to give.  For a fraction of the price, and using my own money rather than the public’s, I was able to order a batch of shirts and hand-deliver them to people in need.  The locals loved them!  They were happy to receive new shirts as a gift, rather than the faded and worn shirts that often arrive in donation boxes from the States.  They appreciated the symbol as well, saying it reminded them of their local tribal and spiritual leaders.  They also were familiar with the word ‘Chief,’ both from describing their traditional leaders, but also in a more modern context, as the “Chiefs” is not an uncommon soccer club name.

 

One thing that was a little disheartening for me, was learning that the people of Uganda largely aren’t even aware of Native American people, let alone Native American cultural history.  Though this was disappointing to hear initially, it was amazing to see the Chief symbol in action.  Because they were exposed to the Chief, they began to ask questions about the people and the culture that it represented.  These people that didn’t even know Native Americans existed were engaged and interested in learning about the rich cultural heritage that we fight to preserve on the other side of the world…and it all started with a symbol.  I’ve always felt the Chief served as an important bridge in our community, often acting as the first step getting people engaged and interested in learning about Native culture.  It was amazing to see that role in action, especially in a community other than our own. 

 

Whether it be in the distant jungle of Uganda, or in our own backyard, the chief has and always will have the power that we give to it.  If we remain strong with our ideals of preservation of unity, we can see those values reflecting in the people around us…making the world a better place with every opportunity in which we choose not to take, but to share.

 

October Update

Along with showing honor and support to the tradition of the Chief, education is one of the primary goals of the Honor The Chief Society. It is our hope to provide our members and the public at large with information about the Native American peoples that once inhabited the lands of modern Illinois (Peoria, Tamaroa, Cahokia, Kickapoo, etc.) and the greater Midwest region. We cannot change the history that occurred here but we all can and should learn about the full history of this great state and region, especially after reflecting on some of the activities that have occurred in the last few days, weeks.

 

Earlier in October

 

An Honor The Chief Society officer registered the organization to march in the University of Illinois Homecoming Parade and later received confirmation. The confirmation also reminded the Board of the 2013 UI/HTCS settlement related to the Chief and various logos and words. The confirmation message noted that the organization’s float intended to include the Chief in regalia and a blue car (which happens to have the Davis symbol, classic circle chief head logo, on the hood) and that the settlement required a few stipulations. The Board acknowledged the confirmation and that we would abide by the settlement.

 

As an aside, the Honor The Chief Society has been in the Homecoming Parade for several years prior with the Chief and sometimes the car. In other years, Students For Chief Illiniwek would also use a similar arrangement.

 

 

Wednesday October 25th

 

The online magazine Smile Politely published a blog post about the Chief’s intended appearance in Friday’s Homecoming Parade, after someone leaked it to the media. If you read the article, it uses some accusatory language that may have inspired the actions that later followed. You can find the article here: https://smilepolitely.com/splog/it_is_time_to_put_an_end_to_this_minstrel_show_once_and_for_all/#disqus_thread

 

Also on this day, the Illinois Student Government voted to boycott the Homecoming Parade due to the Chief’s intended presence. A coalition of other groups joined in this decision and ISG encouraged “… students, faculty & community members to similarly boycott this event unless Chief Illiniwek is removed.” Quote taken from link provided: https://www.facebook.com/ILstudentgov/photos/a.10150538063769657.464215.239183064656/10156964480879657/?type=3&theater

 

 

Thursday October 26th night

 

Alex Dozier (Our Chief #38 and an HTCS Advisor) gave a presentation to the Illini Republicans about the tradition of the Chief and the history of the Native peoples of Illinois. During Alex’s presentation, a member of the crowd, with an opposing viewpoint on the Chief, became disruptive and was asked to leave. During this person’s disruption, the presentation was halted and a number of promotional fliers, drawings, and other personal items were torn up or damaged. The disruptor was eventually escorted from the room by a campus police officer and the presentation resumed. Research after the presentation pointed toward the disruptive individual being a University of Illinois civil service employee but this has not been independently confirmed.

 

For a video and more information about the disruption, please feel free to follow the link provided below: https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=10056

 

 

Friday October 27th night

 

Members of the Honor The Chief Society, their supporters, and the current portrayer of the Chief marched in the University of Illinois Homecoming Parade. The public reception for this peaceful support of the former University symbol was very positive for the majority of the event.

 

That being said, members of a number of student organizations (Illinois Student Government, Native American House, Graduate Employees’ Organization, …) planned to hold a counter demonstration in opposition to our organization and did not only protest us. When the car transporting Urbana Campus’ Chancellor Jones reached the Alma Mater the group, rumored to be around 100 strong, descended on his vehicle to voice their opposition to HTCS being allowed in the parade. This altercation eventually led to Chan. Jones and his wife leaving the vehicle and being escorted away in a campus police car and parade being cancelled.

 

It has also been discussed that members of the Marching Illini and the Alumni Band were disrupted by a group of protesters near the Alma Mater, where they were forced into an early dismissal. The band was then followed to the Krannert Center by a group of protestors. The Krannert Center staff were said to have turned the protestors away after the band had entered the building.

 

With the road eventually cleared and the subsequent groups not fully notified, the parade continued forward until the HTCS group met with the remaining members of the earlier protest, now numbering around 30 to 50. Our group stood firm initially, then after police advisement, attempted to walk around the protesters before being blocked again. The protestors then moved in and pushed against our supporters, in some cases physically. Subsequent by-pass attempts did not succeed, resulting in the police requesting HTCS to formally leave the parade. We first walked towards the Union as the opposition desired us to leave the parade altogether, however the protesters were not satisfied with us just leaving the parade route. Eventually we made our way into Campustown where the police kept the protestors on one side of the road and the Chief was then escorted from the area in a police car.

 

This stoppage resulted in some members of the public joining HTCS to protect the Chief and we thank them for their support and assistance. We would also like to thank the policemen and women for staying neutral in the event and providing safe passage for the Chancellor and Chief to leave the area.

 

3 HTCS group members and supporters were known to have been slightly injured in this event including bruised ribs and a push towards the ground which resulted in a broken cell phone. The author of this message is proud of how our members and supporters kept their cool in this situation and attempted to protect the Chief without escalating the situation.

 

If anyone would like to see the Illinois Student Government’s video on the event, please feel free to check out their Facebook page at the link below: https://www.facebook.com/ILstudentgov/?fref=ts

 

 

Saturday October 28th

 

With the previous nights in mind, thankfully Saturday was more of a celebratory time as our organization and some new friends came together to celebrate Native American culture and the interest in history that it can foster.

 

The Native American Guardians Association (an organization that supports the Fighting Illini name and the “…positive, honorable imagery as well as tributes to Native American culture in the American mainstream”), Illinois Pride (“The mission of Illinois Pride USA is to celebrate and promote awareness of the proud history, customs, and traditions of the Illinois Confederated Tribes.”), and members of the Spirit Lake Sioux arranged for a number of supportive Native Americans from North Dakota to perform a few songs and dances for the public that assembled at the corner of First and Kirby in Lot 31 of the tailgates. The group first marched through the tailgates before arriving at the performance location set aside by an HTCS member.

 

NAGA, Illinois Pride, and Spirit Lake Sioux representatives spoke in support of the Fighting Illini and the symbolism that it represents. They performed welcome, honor, and celebration songs before inviting the public to join in a circle dance. The crowd was very supportive of the performances and HTCS hopes to work with these organizations going forward.

 

Following the event, some members of NAGA joined HTCS in the Chief’s halftime horseshoe section appearance. There were thankfully no protests during the game and the crowd and fans showed their support as loudly as ever.

 

For more information about Illinois Pride and NAGA, please see the links provided below. There are/will be pictures and videos of the performance shared on the different pages in the near future.

 

Illinois Pride Website: https://illinoispride.org/

IL Pride Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IllinoisPrideUSA/?fref=ts

NAGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Native-American-Guardians-Association-118431615517537/?fref=ts

 

 

After reading about the events of this weekend, what does this have to do with providing and spreading education related to Native American history and heritage? It shows that we need to provide a positive Native American image, a symbol, that will spark the public’s curiosity and lead them to research further. We must come together to share our mutual support for a symbol that will lead the public to research the Native peoples formerly of this land so as to better understand our collective history.

 

The next question will be, how do we do this? Please consider supporting groups like HTCS, NAGA, and Illinois Pride with your membership and support. You can join the Honor The Chief Society by visiting our website and clicking the “Join The Movement” tab, submitting the initial membership form, and filling out the official form sent to you from the organization’s secretary. You can find the membership form and contact for the Native American Guardians Association through their Facebook page under the “About” tab. You can contact Illinois Pride through the “Contact” tab on their website.

 

Additionally, consider requesting that the University of Illinois join in advocating for more Native American history education, heritage celebrations, and open discussions in and around the Champaign-Urbana area and Illinois. We have provided the contact information for the University of Illinois leadership at the end of this passage so that you can join us in this mission together.

 

We hope that you will join us not only in honoring the Chief and respecting the tradition for which he stands but also educating the community. The Chief has always stood as a symbol of unity, only together can we properly honor that heritage. Thank you.

 

Honor The Chief Society Website: https://honorthechief.org/

Honor The Chief Society Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honorthechief/?fref=ts

Illinois Pride Website: https://illinoispride.org/

Illinois Pride Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IllinoisPrideUSA/?fref=ts

Native American Guardians Assoc. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Native-American-Guardians-Association-118431615517537/

 

 

President Timothy Killeen:

 

Timothy L. Killeen

President’s Office – University Administration

364 Henry Administration Building, MC-346

506 South Wright Street

Urbana, IL 61801

 

Chancellor Robert Jones:

rjjones@illinois.edu

 

Robert J. Jones

Office of the Chancellor

Swanlund Admin. Build.

601 E. John Street

M/C 304

Champaign, IL 61820

 

BOT Chair Tim Koritz:

uibot@illinois.edu

 

Timothy N. Koritz

Board of Trustees Office

352 Henry Administration Building, MC-350

506 South Wright Street

Urbana, IL 61801

 

HTCS Web Design Committee

Special thanks to all of those who made this website possible.  We are still looking to advance and improve, so let us know any suggestions you may have for the website.  

 

HTCS Website Committee:

 

Committee Chairs:

David Shier, Co-Chair

Alex Dozier, Co-Chair

Judi Edwards Smith, Senior Webmaster

 

Committee Members:

Omar Cruz

Bree Mehrtens

Beau Wilson

 

Technical Adviors:

Brandon Burton

Mike Greifenkamp

 

 

A New Chief is Selected

“On my time as the Chief”:

  I have filled the Chief Illiniwek role for five years, longer than any other student in history. During that time, I have felt the impact of several passionate people within the community, some supportive and some disparaging. To my critics, I would like you to understand that anger and pain are something we all go through, but we owe it to ourselves and each other not to pass on the hate. I have seen too many personal attacks and too much aggression fueled by nothing but a lack of education and understanding. If we focus on what is really important: doing what is best in the interest of campus and community unity, we can restore rather than destroy. To those who have supported me, I cannot thank you enough. You have shown me the power of human unity, the toughness and tenacity to never give up on yourself, your culture, and what you believe in. I have seen the Chief tradition persevere through adversity and it would not have done so without the strong and righteous character of the people of Central Illinois and all of Illini nation beyond. Keep your heads held high, stay focused on what we are trying to do in the community, and educate others so that this community can be the same beacon of hope for my successors that it has been for me.

  All good things must come to an end, and I tried my best to make my time count. I hope my tenure as the Chief will be remembered for my focus on education, honor, and unity . . . pillars of the Chief Illiniwek tradition, and noble reflections of the community we represent. I hope everyone in the community strives to learn as much as they can about not only this tradition, but also the rich cultural history that inspired it. I may no longer be the Chief, but I will continue to make myself available for speaking opportunities and fighting for what I believe in; perhaps even writing a book about my experiences.

We trained for about three months leading up to tryouts. Only about half of the people who initially signed up made it to the end, pretty standard for the rigorous workout and demanding schedule that is required. Our candidates worked both physically and mentally, needing not only to perform the dance, but also to fulfill the education and outreach perspective that the tradition now demands. Every one of our final candidates are excellent representations of the upstanding student body we strive for at Illinois.

  Bennett J. Kamps of Barrington, IL has been selected as Chief #39. Bennett strives to make a positive impact in the community, and we feel his goals of local enrichment go hand-in-hand with the direction of the Chief tradition. Bennett is eloquent and polite, and his demeanor is exactly what we want to see representing our student body to alumni and local organizations. In practice, Bennett has never stopped improving and I wish Bennett the best in his goal to reinvigorate the student body and entirety of Illini Nation behind our proud tradition.

  Omar Cruz Aranda of Chicago, IL has been selected as the Assistant Chief, who will appear in tandem or in place of Chief Illiniwek when needed. Omar succeeds previous assistant Katie Birkel of Peoria, IL who served in the role from 2010-2013. Omar has the heart and enthusiasm to unite people and see the big picture. Omar is the type of person to put in the extra hours and extra effort to, not only keep improving himself, but also the people around him. His performance of the dance is live-action artistry and his respect for tradition truly inspiring. I can’t wait to see the tradition’s continued growth as a result of his support.

 

On the role of the Chief:

  Bennett and Omar have been chosen to enter the Chief tradition, an elite fraternity open to only the most dedicated and passionate Illinois students. The Chief tradition takes hard work and demands upstanding character and strong spirit, and for Bennett and Omar to be selected, shows that they exemplify the best qualities our student body has to offer. Despite this, it is important to focus on the fact that the role is not about the individual. It is about the history and culture of our community. The Chief represents who we are and where we have been. The Chief stands for our fundamental goals of education and unity and the undeniable importance of our traditions.

  The Chief’s role on campus will be to work with the Students for Chief Illiniwek, keeping the student body informed about a controversial issue, and working to revive school spirit and unity amongst the student body. The Chief will continue to appear at sporting events such as basketball, football, and volleyball games; however, in the stands with the crowd, rather than dancing on the court. The dance will still be performed; however, as the Chief is available to work with local high schools and other community event centers. Additionally, the Chief(s) will be on call for speeches about the symbol and the culture, history, and tradition of Illinois that is represents.

 

On the future of the Chief:

  Everyone should know that the Chief tradition is alive and well, albeit apart from the University, yet even now the hope for a return of our symbol is within reach. A dialogue between Chief supporters and University leaders is all we need to begin the movement of a return, but so far, campus leaders have ignored our requests to host a conversation. It is a tough fight to be ignored for so long, but worth nothing that many of the University leaders that have staunchly ignored the voice of the majority are no longer on campus. Hopefully, as new leadership enters our campus community, they will not make the same mistakes as their predecessors, and they will grant us an audience so that we might finally restore out rightful cultural symbol to this community. I have no doubt that Bennett and Omar are up to leading the charge in this task, and I have confidence that the community will rise up to support them. To any community members wanting to get involved, I ask you to check out the Honor the Chief Society. Students can get involved through our student organization, and those on social media can follow Chief Illiniwek on Facebook and Twitter. Our tradition will never cease as long as our collective strength and passion endure.

 

The Chief lives! GO ILLINI! Ivan A. Dozier, Chief Illiniwek, XXXVIII

*Chief portrayers not endorsed by the Univeristy of Illinois since 2007.  Chief portrayers after that time have appeared in "Unofficial" status.

Archives:

2021-01 | 2018-04 | 2017-10 | 2016-01

Honor the Chief Society