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KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
The Chiefs announced Thursday a series of sweeping policy changes for fans at Arrowhead Stadium when the national spotlight shifted to Kansas City following the Washington Football Club announcement of their
team and logo changes in mid-July.
The Chiefs said they are adopting the following measures and policies moving forward:
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- “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.”
The Chiefs said they began a dialogue about policy changes with leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds in 2014.
“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,” the Chiefs said.
“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.”
The Chiefs said it is important that they continue the dialogue on these “significant topics.”
“We look forward to working together in the future,” the club said.
americanindian.si.edu
