powwow

There are a number of words associated with Native American peoples, like brave, chief, powwow, or warpath, that have been appropriated, especially for use in sports and business. While the words are not offensive in straightforward denotative use (e.g., the chief of a tribe in Oklahoma), they become problematic when dissociated from their Indigenous referents and used to evoke a culture that the people using these words don’t know anything authentic about. Use of these terms is beyond problematic, and truly offensive, when used to evoke a caricature or stereotype, or when used as a mascot or costume, as is the case sometimes in sports. When speaking or writing about members of Tribal Nations or First Nations, it’s best to understand the history and governance of the group in question, and to reflect the language used by the members of this specific tribe or nation. Fidelity to the group’s own naming is important. In other contexts, these Native-evoking words can and should be replaced with more neutral language, where your boss is not “the chief” and there is no need for a “powwow” because teams of co-workers can just chat, meet up, or have a brainstorming session.