Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - UND not involved in tribal flag display

UND not involved in tribal flag display

Oct 05, 2008 - 04:05:20 CDT

GRAND FORKS (AP) - A spokesman for the University of North Dakota says the university is not involved with the planned display of tribal flags in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Peter Johnson says the arena on the UND campus is operated by an independent organization.

The arena is planning to display tribal flags today during pregame ceremonies for a UND men's hockey exhibition game, to honor the people and veterans of the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock reservations. It's offering transportation for tribal elders and veterans.

Standing Rock Tribal Chairman Ron His Horse Is Thunder, who opposes UND's "Fighting Sioux" nickname, has said the flag display is not an honor.

A settlement with the NCAA requires UND to gain approval from the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock tribal councils by the end of November 2010 to continue using its nickname without penalties.

A longtime Grand Forks attorney wants the state Board of Higher Education to set aside that settlement and take the case to trial.

Gordon Caldis contends that UND owns the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo and therefore should not be subject to NCAA jurisdiction.

The board is expected to discuss a response to Caldis' argument at its meeting Wednesday in Bismarck, President Richie Smith said.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, who represented UND in the nickname case, said ownership of the nickname or logo wasn't at issue. Stenehjem said the issue was the NCAA's authority to enact its 2005 ban on the display of American Indian imagery during postseason play.

"While I respect Gordon for his strong and honest beliefs, we have accomplished through litigation all that we could," Stenehjem said.

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Comments

Razors Edge wrote on Oct 10, 2008 2:08 PM:

" What about the Cleveland Indians or the Washington Redskins? They haven't changed their names. "

To UND Alumnus from SRST wrote on Oct 10, 2008 5:05 AM:

" I too have experienced Grand Forks for four years and have never seen UND do anything to Native Americans other than honor them and be an advocate for them. I don't doubt some individsuals have done some racially insensitive things but I do not believe they were ever condoned or sponsered by UND. Perhaps your filter only allows you to see discrimination and disrespectful acts against Native Americans and my filter only allows me to see the things that UND has done and is doing to be an advocate for Native Americans. "

UND Alumnus from SRST wrote on Oct 9, 2008 5:04 PM:

" As a proud member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and proud UND alumnus, I'm pleased that Chairman His Horse Is Thunder, Chairwoman Pearson and the Councils are holding their ground against UND. The nickname is an aged, paternalistic symbol of racism and colonization. UND didn't say the nickname and logo were assumed out of honor until Native students at UND began to protest their use back in the 1970s. As for The Ralph paying for elders and veterans to go to Grand Forks, I say let them go. It's one thing to visit Grand Forks for a weekend and it's another to live there for four years and see discrimination and disrespectful acts.

It's time for UND to move on and gain a respectful standing in the higher education community. The UND athletic teams will still win national championships regardless of its nickname. R.I.P., "Fighting Sioux"--1930-2009. "

Ivan Lovejoy Sr. wrote on Oct 8, 2008 8:42 AM:

" hello i am an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Nation and i was an individual that was asked to sing for this flag raising ceremony and thats all it was nothing else but a flag raising ceremony. as individuals we were not there to support or to change the name we were there to honor our flags and our veterans thats why an honor song and a flag song was sung at the Ralph Engelstadt arena. and as for Ron his horse is thunder its up to the people to decide about the name and such not just one individual. (LET THE PEOPLE AND ELDERLY DECIDE ) have a nice day "

Hidatsioux wrote on Oct 6, 2008 9:39 PM:

" Well put Sioux forever... "

Rita wrote on Oct 5, 2008 4:42 PM:

" When a United States Veteran is Honored, Everyone should Honor this Veteran,
Period. Who questions the Race, Color, creed? Except a person that does not appreciate their "own" freedoms that these honorable Military people that served, There are Many Men, Women that paid ultimately. I myself will honor all
military veterans, No matter what building, Prairie, or private homes this Honor is
taking place, It is because of their service to "OUR" country, I can give this humble opinion. "

Sioux Forever wrote on Oct 5, 2008 1:27 PM:

" This just shows what an extremist His Horse Is Thunder really is. The Ralph is honoring the tribes in a tasteful and respectful manner, and he just digs in his heels to further his agenda of being disagreeable. Nice "leadership" Ron... "

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