A Statement From The Kansas City Chiefs

[kcchief4lif 910]

In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences. As an organization, our goal was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.

These meaningful conversations with the American Indian Community Working Group helped us educate ourselves and our fans, and our partnership with these leaders has helped guide our American Indian Heritage Month Games, as well as the ceremonial Blessing of the Drum and the Four Directions of Arrowhead Stadium. Our discussions also led us to discourage fans from wearing ceremonial headdresses and American Indian-themed face paint in our stadium. We are grateful to the members of the working group for their counsel and collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.

In addition to that ongoing collaboration, we recently expanded our efforts through consultation with a national organization that works closely on issues affecting American Indian people and tribes. Based on those conversations, as well as the work we've done alongside the local working group over the past six years, we will be adopting the following measures/policies going forward:

• While we have discouraged fans from wearing headdresses for several years, effective immediately, fans will be prohibited from wearing headdresses into the stadium.
• Face painting is still allowed for all fans, but any face paint that is styled in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions will be prohibited.
• Fans will be asked to remove any American Indian-themed face paint prior to passing security screening outside the stadium.
• We are engaged in a thorough review process of the Arrowhead Chop and plan to have additional discussions in the future.
• We are exploring all options for a modified engagement moment from the Drum Deck that maintains a unifying effect between our fans and our players but better represents the spiritual significance of the drum in American Indian cultures.
• This includes discussions around how to shift the focus of the drum to something that symbolizes the heartbeat of the stadium.
• As allowed by NFL guidelines and the City of Kansas City Health Department for the coronavirus-impacted 2020 season, we will continue with many of the traditions that we have introduced over the past six years, including the Blessing of the Four Directions, the Blessing of the Drum, as well as inviting members of tribes with a historic connection to our region to participate in our American Indian Heritage Month Game.
• Finally, we are exploring the creation of a more formalized education program with input from both our local and national partners.

We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders. It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.

 

[oldtimer 8,686]

yawn

[DefensiveMan 758]

Will they still micromanage for Halloween?

[xen 1,010,220]

Any guy that wears a headdress or facepaint to a football game is probably an idiot anyway.  I'm not really a play dressup kind of dude though, so JMO.  Hot chicks can wear whatever they want.  Don't @ me.  Thems the rules.

[azchief21 5,278]

We need the games to start

[mex 65,581]

59 minutes ago, xen said:

Don't @ me.

@hole

[Adamixoye 604]

It seems like ultimately they're really trying to protect the name and team history even if it means sacrificing some of the fan activity, sort of the Florida State model of having a relationship with the Seminole tribe.

Not really sure I trust Joe Security Guard to distinguish between face paint that "references or appropriates American Indian cultures" and face paint that doesn't.

[jetlord 10,209]

2 hours ago, xen said:

  Hot chicks can wear whatever they want.  

and the less, the better.  JMHO

[Balto 723]

Everything I read says no this, no that when “ENTERING” the stadium.  Sooooo paint face when inside?  Sooooo put headdress on when inside?

And I see zero ability to stop 60k+ fans from chopping

[Handswarmer 645]

9 hours ago, Balto said:

Everything I read says no this, no that when “ENTERING” the stadium.  Sooooo paint face when inside?  Sooooo put headdress on when inside?

And I see zero ability to stop 60k+ fans from chopping

60,000 fans won't be there.....duh

[sith13 1,746]

Nobody likes a guy with the headdress in the stands blocking their view. I say good riddance to that annoying habit. 

Hot chicks have a Constitutional right to wear/do whatever they want and hopefully we'll get to see a few of them in Arrowhead with Mahomes in town. 

[Balto 723]

1 hour ago, Handswarmer said:

60,000 fans won't be there.....duh

Oh cool, I didn’t see it say the ban was only for this season.  

[SarcasticOne 24]

And they wonder why fans are turning them off on Sunday?  I know I, as one, in honor of Saint Kapernik (I don't think I spelled his name correctly and I don't care), didn't renew my NFL Ticket this year.  If the NFL wants to stop racism, and numbers are prima facia cases of racism, I'll renew whenever the NFL "Looks like America" and white are properly represented on the team. 

[jetlord 10,209]

What happens if an Indian chief wants to come to the game?  (or Lizzie Warren)

[Adamixoye 604]

5 minutes ago, jetlord said:

What happens if an Indian chief wants to come to the game?  (or Lizzie Warren)

She gets to keep 1/1024th of the feathers