Re: Today's Daily Illini's article
Chief's last dance signals end of era
Chief portrayer expresses sorrow over decision

One week ago, Dan Maloney was an anonymous name, but not face, in Champaign's sea of students. He went to class, worked out, grabbed lunch with his girlfriend, and no one seemed to notice. His full color photograph appeared in print across the front of the News-Gazette, video of him aired on Champaign and Chicago newscasts, but never was his image accompanied by his name - only his notorious pseudonym.

That all changed in less than 48 hours last week, as the graduate student who had hid his other identity for half his college life suddenly became the name known across Illinois. For three years Maloney had already been Chief Illiniwek. But now, as word came Friday that the Board of Trustees would suspend the Chief performance, the world wanted to hear from the student charged with maintaining the tradition...

Read more if you wanna at http://www.dailyillini.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=299af6c0-ad29-45e4-a2a7-b7fb5a770996
----

Oh, man. So much time and energy put into being a good The Chief, and now this? Ontological angst city! And at such a tender age. Tough times, tough times.

Well, at least he's young and still relatively plucky. And, who knows... maybe this will be the kick in the pants dude needs to finally call up the police officer, construction worker, leather guy, cowboy, and sailor and go on that reunion tour.

And what a rousing version of "U-I-U-C (i don't dance for no)" they will do to the tune of YMCA! I, for one, can't wait.

Chief Illiniwek "tradition" ends

Aw, man. The Chiefs gone? Maaaaan, I really respected that guy.

I learned a lot from him about respect and honor and tradition and, um, Native Americanness.

I mean, granted, he wasn't really a Native American. Part of the tradition is that it was always a white dude dressed up as a Native American who gets lots of props around these parts for playing the role. That's tradition!

And the dance he did wasn't actually an authentic Native American dance - it was just something dude made up, I guess. I mean, it was nice looking though! A bunch of kicks and stern looks and spins and stuff. I liked it and felt, like, real deep reverence and honor from it that others did too, but, well, I guess it was well known to be insulting to those who do real Native American fancy dancing. But whose tradition and honor is important here, huh?

All recognized Native American groups in the US made statements calling our Chief a distorted and maligning representation of their culture for years and years. But, still, I loved that guy! He helped me make friends and get closer to strangers who drank with me and shared stories about how they loved him too. It was a community. A tradition!

I mean, if I was Native American, I'd like the Chief. I can say that cause I'm not Native American, but I know what I like, and I know I like the Chief. So if I wasn't part of the group ripping this representation off for a good time, but a part of the group whose culture is being ripped off by others who don't care what I or my group thinks, I'm sure I'd totally still like it. And I'd still totally have a good time. Totally.

I mean, how ungrateful of the Native Americans to not let us respect them the way we want to. We're respecting tradition, and honor. What more do they want?

Man, I sure am gonna miss that guy.

***************************************

bye bye, Chief Illiniwek. It's about freakin time.

http://www.retirethechief.org/