Dear Chairwoman

My name is Brad Lopes, and I am writing to you today from a place of deep emotion and trauma. It has come to my attention that there have been efforts underway to establish tribal support or involvement in the Dartmouth mascot issue. Although I understand that there is a personal connection to the Dartmouth area for yourself and a desire to create an honorable symbol for our people, I would like to strongly discourage us from continuing this endeavor in any way and instead support the removal or ban of indigenous mascots. 

Native American mascots can have a harmful effect on the development of self in indigenous students, even in settings where the tribal entity has been involved in these designs. The American Psychological Association acknowledges the negative impacts these mascots can have on students, and I was one of those kids unfortunately. I attended Skowhegan High School, which was the last Native American mascot here in Maine. Due to our “Indian” mascot, which was meant to “honor the Wabanaki people”, I faced continually bullying and torment from students and some staff as well. I found my daily life in that school to be about survival, and whenever I could pretend to be white, I would. This has taken me years to unravel and heal from. I would not wish a similar experience on any other indigenous student. 

Even when done with care and involvement, mascots can still form a colonial symbol for non-indigenous communities to use as they see fit. As a people, we have long endured a battle over our identity, and I would like to see us maintain our identity, rather than give over any aspect of our identity to a colonial force, as public schools are largely a remnant of colonialism and result in many indigenous students focusing on survival rather than learning. I fear even with our involvement, it would fall victim to settler colonialism and still be utilized to stereotype and harm indigenous students. Additionally, I do not feel there would be any significant benefits from doing so, economically or socially. I feel I can say this from personal experience, because there was no honoring of the Wabanaki people in Skowhegan. In fact, in my time there, never once was I taught about the Wabanaki Nations, despite Maine having LD 291, which requires schools to do so. My time there was spent enduring insults and “war chanting”, being asked to be the mascot, navigating stereotypes, and simply surviving. 

Additionally, I feel as though such support of a mascot or similar imagery would need to be discussed with the General Membership. It is the voice of the people that guides our nation, and I would like to hear what they have to say about this issue before any official acknowledgement is suggested, as was done so on Channel 13 WGME here in Portland, Maine yesterday (2/16/22). During that segment, it was presented that the official position of the tribe was in support of the mascot. I strongly disagreed with that statement, as well as other members of our nation. 

As we seek to strengthen our sovereignty and continue to fight for land back, I feel any efforts toward establishing indigenous mascots should be halted in any way. I do not feel it is a helpful endeavor. As you know, there is a bill before the Massachusetts legislature that would ban such symbols, and I meet with a core group of Massachusetts Ministers who are also in favor of this bill. Several young Wampanoag advocates have fought hard to pass this bill, and feel their efforts and voices are being undermined by such efforts in Dartmouth. It is my understanding that a letter was published indicating the official stance of the tribe to be vehemently against this bill, without approval from Tribal Council or General Membership. This is unacceptable. As a representative of our nation, the voice of the people needs to be considered and heard before any such decisions should be made. 

I worked alongside members of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Nations here in Maine in an effort to ban mascots, with that bill passing, and would also think it would be wise to hear from them why. I do not feel this would provide any benefit to our tribal nation, and may in fact just create another symbol that Thomas King would describe as a “dead Indian” for colonial narratives to use as they see fit. We are Wôpanâak after all, not “Indians” or objects. 

I can understand if we are in disagreement on this issue, and I hope we are able to continue this conversation to ensure all voices are heard. I hope that you are willing to hear my voice, listen to my experience, and consider what I am asking. Kutâputush for your time. 

Sincerely,

Bradford Lopes II