Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee May Have to Change Names Soon
| guideautoweb.com 23 Feb 2021 at 10:58 |
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“I’m sure this comes from a place that is well-intended, but it does not honour us by having our name plastered on the side of a car,” he told Car and Driver .
His wish is that people learn about the Cherokee Nation’s role, history, culture and language, and have meaningful dialogue with federally recognized tribes on cultural appropriateness.
Photo: Jeep
Hoskin, Jr. believes today’s corporations and team sports should retire the use of Native American names, images and mascots from their products.
He referred to teams like the MLB’s Cleveland Indians or the NFL’s Washington Redskins which recently decided to drop their names. It’s the same with the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos and the McGill University Redmen, the latter now known as “Redbirds.”
Jeep, which has also used Native American names like Comanche and Mojave, is well aware of the Cherokee Nation s request. In response to the story, the company said that its "vehicle names have been carefully chosen and nurtured over the years to honor and celebrate Native American people for their nobility, prowess, and pride.”
Times are changing, however. Sensibilities, too. In fact, it’s the first time the Cherokee Nation is publicly asking Jeep to change the name of its Cherokee and Grand Cherokee vehicles.
