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A Ciesla Foundation Film
Native American mascoting contributes to the ongoing bastardization of the history of Indigenous People.
Imagining the Indian
Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting is an award-winning documentary that examines the movement that is ending the use of Native American names, logos, and mascots in the world of sports and beyond. The film details the current uprising against the misappropriation of Native culture in a national reckoning about racial injustice that has succeeded in the removal of Confederate imagery, toppling statues of Christopher Columbus and forcing corporate sponsors of Washington’s NFL team to demand it change its most-offensive name. It examines the origin and proliferation of the words, images, and gestures that many Native people and their allies find offensive. Imagining the Indian explores the impact that stereotyping and marginalization of Native history have had on Native people. It chronicles the long social movement to eliminate mascoting.
As many schools, teams, and institutions choose to make the change and others meet with continued resistance, The Ciesla Foundation invites you to engage with the film and consider the important subjects it addresses.
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Brave-Less New World
Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting—Only once, in the nearly four years I lived in Washington, D.C., did I go to an NFL game. I was mostly indifferent to sports in general and to football in particular, but my girlfriend at the time was a rabid lifelong fan of the team there. It was the hardest ticket in town to get, so she was thrilled when she landed a pair somehow, during the 1991 season when they went on to win the Super Bowl.
What I remember is that when we walked in to the game on that very cold and cloudy November afternoon, a good-sized group of Native American protestors were drumming and chanting outside RFK Stadium. They were there, of course, in opposition to the team name and mascot.
“It’s time for a reckoning.”
“This is an important subject and an important film.”
“Racial slurs shouldn’t be a regular part of everyday conversations, let alone cherished and institutionalized. It’s time for sports fans to open their eyes.”
Tribal Council
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
Northern California
Committed to
Our Mission
Our goal is to raise awareness of the issue of Native American Mascoting, expand the understanding, and appreciation, of Native American culture, and empower a movement towards widespread social sensitivity.
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Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
Lead Executive Producer | Website
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Executive Producer | Website
Jessica and Steve Sarowitz
Co-Executive Producer
Aviva Kempner
Director & Producer | View Bio
Ben West
Director & Producer | View Bio
Sam Bardley
Producer | View Bio
Kevin Blackistone
Producer | View Bio
Barbara Ballow
Editor | View Bio
Yancey Burns
Producer | View Bio
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Expand your image of the Native American!






The Ciesla Foundation
Imagining the Indian is produced by The Ciesla Foundation. For forty years, Ciesla has produced documentaries that investigate non-stereotypical images of Jews in history and celebrate the untold stories of Jewish heroes. Imagining the Indian will further Ciesla’s mission of bringing important stories to the forefront, this time focusing on the movement to eliminate Native American mascoting.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Ciesla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public, tax-exempt educational organization. Ciesla was founded in 1979 by filmmaker Aviva Kempner, who serves as the executive director. Ciesla’s films have received numerous honors and awards including top honors from the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, a George Peabody Award, and the CINE Golden Eagle Award.