Blackhawks to Read Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Before Home Games

The Chicago Blackhawks will read an Indigenous land acknowledgment before home games, beginning in the 2020-21 season. 

In a statement released Monday, the Blackhawks said they "acknowledge that the team, its foundation, and the spaces we maintain, work, and complete within, stand upon the traditional homelands of the Miami, Sauk, Fox, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, and the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations.

"We understand that this land holds immense significance for its original stewards, the Native Nations and peoples of this region."

The Blackhawks are named after Sauk War Leader Black Hawk. In the statement, the team said its acknowledgment of the land is an "expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial."

The Blackhawks are also planning on additional ways to honor Indigenous culture, though educating fans and employees alike on the history of Black Hawk.

"As we to look to expand our efforts, we will continue our genuine dialogue with local and national Native American groups and are committed to collaborating with Native American people and communities. It is through these collaborations that we've begun the thoughtful and focused process of implementing more Native American-led initiatives centered on education, contemporary art, athletics, and Indigenous food systems, and this expanded foundation will continue to grow during the 2020-21 season and beyond," the statement said.

Some have called on the Blackhawks to change their logo and nickname due to its use of Indigenous imagery. The Washington Football Team changed its nickname after decades of outcry because it was a racial slur for Indigenous people.

The Blackhawks' statement indicates the franchise plans to move forward with an educational relationship, rather than undergoing a rebranding. However, the team has announced a ban on fans wearing headdresses and Indigenous garments that could be considered offensive.