Lily Gladstone seemingly called out the Kansas City Chiefs for “misrepresentation” of Native American people ahead of this year’s Super Bowl.
Speaking as an honoree at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards over the weekend, Lily – who is of Siksikaitsitapi and NiMíiPuu heritage – opened up about recently making history as the first Native American performer nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in Killers Of The Flower Moon.
She called the achievement “long overdue,” before pointing out that “some of the first filmmakers [and] the first film footage was shot by native people documenting our way of life”.
“But that’s a lot of history and a lot of years of exclusion or misrepresentation, and I mean Super Bowl’s tomorrow,” she added. “We haven’t come that far if we look at one of the teams that’s playing.”
Though Lily didn’t address the Chiefs by name, many speculated she was referring to the Missouri-based team who took home the trophy against the 49ers in Las Vegas over the weekend.
Due to the Chiefs’ controversial name, logo and insensitive “tomahawk” war chant, which fuel stereotypes and the appropriation of Native American culture, indigenous communities have long called on the NFL team to change its name and mascot for decades.
Though teams like the Washington Commanders (formerly known as the Washington Redskins) and Cleveland Guardians (formerly the Indians) have made amends in recent years by changing their monikers, the Chiefs have not yet followed suit.
However, back in 2020, they did ban fans from wearing headdresses and face paint at its Arrowhead Stadium, although some have continued to break the rule.
The Chiefs also retired its mascot in 2021, a horse named Warpaint, who would appear during pregame festivities and to celebrate touchdowns.