The following transcript is from the 4/14/00 Chief Illiniwek dialogue "intake session". It is an unedited excerpt from the original U.I. document.

The Indian Relocation Act of the 1950s, along with the federal policy of selective termination of tribal status, was a concerted attempt to break up the reservation system. Implementation of the Relocation program sent thousands of Native Americans to the city to face difficult challenges in an unfamiliar environment.

In response to these needs of the new Chicago community, the American Indian Center was formed and has been operating continuously since 1953. It is the oldest urban Indian Center in the country.

I am an enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, I say that so there is no doubt that I am an American Indian. My family came to Chicago on the relocation program and I was raised in Chicago. I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the American Indian Center. And I say that so there is no doubt that I represent the Chicago American Indian Center, its Board of Directors, its staff and its membership.

Our message is simple: We are not honored by Chief Illiniwek. And we believe he should be retired as the symbol of the University. One of the most common arguments for having and keeping Chief Illiniwek is that he is honoring Native people. On behalf of the American Indian Center of Chicago, I am here to say that we are not -- that you are not honoring us.

You say that you are doing this out of respect for Indian people. Well, it appears that you do not respect us enough to listen to us. How many times in how many ways and for how long do we have to say that we are not honored by Chief Illiniwek?

You say you want to honor us, how about honoring our feelings. There are generations of us here today from elders to young people to tell you that we are indeed offended by Chief Illiniwek.

A second purpose as stated on the Chief Illiniwek web site for having and keeping Chief Illiniwek is that most knowledge of Native culture will be lost. Somehow you believe that you are keeping Native culture alive by dressing up and pretending to be an Indian, not an Illini, but your concept of what an Indian should look like. He has exaggerated the dance and the face paint and is not dressed appropriately for those people who you claim to be honoring. He is dressed in the plain style, reminiscent of all the old western movies, that showed tepees set up down in the southwest. It is inaccurate.

Does this institution of higher education really want to be known for teaching inaccuracies, mocking other cultures and that racism is acceptable? Chief Illiniwek is not keeping Native culture alive, he is keeping a stereotype alive.

Part of the mission statement of the American Indian Center reads, "To create bonds of understanding and communication between Indians and nonIndians in this city."

The American Indian Center has been working with the University of Illinois at Chicago for the last three years to host our annual pow-wow at their facility. UIC, by the way, changed their sports name to the Flames. We value this relationship because we are sharing our culture our way.

We also have good working relationships with the College of Lake County, Joliet Junior College and the College of Du Page, because they too are understanding and respectful of the traditions that we hold dear.

Last year we began a cultural tour program for schools and other groups throughout Chicago and the suburbs to come to the Indian Center and learn about traditional and contemporary Native America. Over 100 groups with school age children have visited the Center so far. One school teacher remarked that this tour should be mandatory for all third graders.

In fact, today, April 14, as this hearing is going on, the American Indian Center is hosing 150 Chicago area cointegrating school teachers who want to learn about Native people from Native people.

It will take time before these school age children attend this University, when they get here, will we be having this same argument? I believe the answer is yes. As long as Chief Illiniwek is here.

Once again, the message from the American Indian Center of Chicago is simple: We are not honored by Chief Illiniwek and we believe he should be retired as a symbol of the University. Thank you.

MODERATOR GARIPPO: We will now take a 15 minute break.

(A break was taken, and the intake session continued as follows:)

MODERATOR GARIPPO: Please take your seats.

See the U.I. Dialogue on Chief Illiniwek page for more transcripts and information.