Tribal Council approves ‘perpetual’ use of Fighting Sioux nickname
The Spirit Lake Tribal Council issued a new resolution Friday that gives the University of North Dakota the “perpetual” use of the Fighting Sioux nickname, nickname supporters from the reservation said.
In a statement, Eunice Davidson, a pro-nickname activist, said she felt that a previous resolution of support had been misconstrued by nickname opponents. The new resolution would leave no doubt where the Tribal Council stood, she said.
Nickname opponents had said the earlier resolution merely said there was an election and a majority of tribal members supported the nickname — 67 percent voted “yes” in April — but did not state that the council was also behind the nickname.
The new resolution left little room for doubt. A key provision says: “The Tribal Council hereby amends tribal resolution No. A05-09-186 and affirmatively approves and supports UND’s use of the current nickname and related imagery, and hereby confirms Spirit Lake Tribe’s full permission for UND to continue using the Fighting Sio