The American view of the Indian Image

"Throughout a long history of Indian play, native people have been present at the margins, insinuating their way into Euro-American discourse, often attempting to nudge notions of Indianness in directions they found useful."  - (Deloria 8)

 Above is an example of chief Illiniwek of the University of Illinois.  The mascot has since been retired due to complaints from the Native American community.  I included this example to illustrate a modern example of an image of freedom symbolized by an "Indian Image". 

While Americans may have desired the freedom adopting an Indian image provides, there is much debate over what it really means.  Also, mascots of "Indians" have often been deemed as disgraceful.