For the Love of Football: The Super Bowl, Indian Mascots, & the Violence of American Football 🏈

02/09/25 • 41 min

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Today is the Super Bowl, and while millions gather to watch, we’re here to ask: What are we really watching? In this episode of All My Relations, Temryss Lane (Lummi Nation) and Matika Wilbur (Swinomish & Tulalip) dive into the deep, complex relationship between Native communities and sport.

American football is more than just a game—it’s a battlefield. From its origins at the Carlisle Indian School to its modern-day spectacle of billion-dollar profits, colonial metaphors, and racialized labor, the sport reflects a larger American story. “Football is about violence. It’s about territory. It’s about power,” Temryss reminds us.

We discuss how sports have been both a tool of oppression and liberation for Native athletes, the NFL’s plantation-like structure, the devastating impact of CTE on Black and Indigenous players, and the erasure of Native identity through mascotry (looking at you, Chiefs fans).

“I can’t unsee it. Football is a game where predominantly Black players put their brains on the line for white owners to get richer,” says Matika. “And yet, I grew up watching it with my grandma, pretending to care at Super Bowl parties, and even playing fantasy leagues for years.”

We hold the contradictions of loving sport, recognizing its harm, and pushing for better. “Sports teach us belonging,” Temryss says. “It’s why Native people are damn good at them.”

Watch the Super Bowl if you must, but listen to this first. And for the record—Go Eagles. 🦅

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Follow us on Instagam @amrpodcast, or support our work on Patreon. Show notes are published on our website, Allmyrelationspodcast.com. Matika's book Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America is available now! T'igwicid and Hyshqe for being on this journey with us.

We hold the contradictions of loving sport, recognizing its harm, and pushing for better. “Sports teach us belonging,” Temryss says. “It’s why Native people are damn good at them.”

Watch the Super Bowl if you must, but listen to this first. And for the record—Go Eagles. 🦅

Send us your thoughts!

Support the show

Previous Episode

The Right to Belong: Are Native Americans Sub-Citizens?

In this episode of All My Relations, Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Temryss Lane (Lummi Nation)—sit down with Indigenous rights attorney Gabe Galanda (Round Valley Indian Tribes) to discuss the mounting legal threats to Tribal Nationhood, citizenship, and sovereignty. As executive orders and court cases attempt to undermine Native status and question our birthright citizenship, we unpack what’s happening and what’s at stake.

Together, we explore the legal history behind Native Citizenship, from Elk v. Wilkins to the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, and how the Supreme Court continues to challenge the political status of Tribal Nations. Gabe highlights the ongoing erasure of Indigenous identity under U.S. law, warning that Native people remain "sub-citizens," not universally protected by the U.S. Constitution, and that our status exists at the mercy of an act of Congress. He raises the unsettling reality that if a simple majority of Congress were to revoke the 1924 Citizenship Act, we could once again be placed in legal limbo.

We also turn inward, examining how Tribal policies around blood quantum and disenrollment are eroding our sovereignty from within. Gabe points out that over 70% of Tribal Nations still use blood quantum—a colonial, racialized construct—to determine belonging. We ask ourselves how we can continue to argue for our political status while using a racial measurement to determine our own citizenship? If we don’t address these internal challenges, are we eradicating ourselves before the government even has the chance?

This episode is an urgent call to rethink Indigenous citizenship and belonging before external forces dictate our future.

Join us in this critical conversation. Please share this episode, support Native-led media, and continue the fight for Indigenous rights. Consider becoming a Patreon subscriber to help sustain these discussions.

Big thanks to our team at Tidelands, our Patreon supporters, and all of you listening. Until next time... All My Relations.

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Next Episode

Lovin’ Ourselves with Vina Brown

Happy Love Day, Relatives! While Valentine’s Day may be wrapped in candy hearts and Hallmark sentiments, its origins are far from sweet. As NPR’s Arnie Seipel reminds us, its history is "dark, bloody, and a bit muddled." In ancient Rome, Lupercalia—a violent fertility festival—was held from February 13th to 15th, perhaps explaining why red became the color of love.

But today, we shift the focus away from romantic love and toward something deeper: self-love, communal love, and intergenerational healing.

In this episode, we are joined by the incredible Vina Brown, the creative force behind Copper Canoe Woman. Vina, from the Heiltsuk and Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, is not only an acclaimed jewelry artist but also a scholar, currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she studies Indigenous food sovereignty and wellness. She is also the co-founder of Rooted Resiliency, a nonprofit dedicated to reclaiming Indigenous wellness practices.

Together, we dive into the messy, powerful, and transformative aspects of love. "Real love is messy," Vina reminds us. "It’s not pretty, it’s not perfect, but that’s what makes it so beautiful." We explore self-care beyond consumerism, moving away from the capitalist version of “self-care”—think retail therapy and spa days—toward a decolonized perspective. Audre Lorde’s words guide us: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."

Vina shares the story of her grandmother Elsie, a residential school survivor who embarked on her healing journey later in life, breaking generational cycles by learning to love openly. We discuss the power of community healing, the necessity of platonic love, and the strength in vulnerability. "We don’t heal in silos," Vina says. "We heal in community."

As part of this journey, we’re also hosting Reclaiming Wellness, a community event featuring Indigenous women leaders focusing on movement, meditation, and reconnecting with ancestral knowledge.

Join us as we recommit to self-love, embrace relationality over individualism, and recognize that healing is a lifelong journey. As Vina reminds us, "Our ancestors knew we were interconnected. The land, the wind, the water—they all hold us."

Let’s reclaim love—love for ourselves, our communities, and our lands. Share this conversation, connect with us, and be part of this movement. ❤️

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