Jeep models have decided to change the name and abandon the use of the word Cherokee due to criticism from the Indians, reports The Wall Street Journal. The head of the Stellantis corporation, Carlos Tavares, said that the firm as a whole is ready to take such a step. At the same time, he clarified that the company “is ready to discuss this issue with the appropriate people and without intermediaries.”
The claims of the Cherokee Indians became known at the end of February. Tribal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said on this occasion: “I’m sure it was done with the best intentions, but putting our name on board the car does not honor us in any way.” In his view, the time has come when both corporations and sports teams should stop using Native American names, names and mascots to market their products.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, a Cherokee Tribe spokesman announced that “the Stellantis tribe and leadership are now in open dialogue and open to further discussion.” However, there is no talk of any concrete decisions yet. Jeep has used the word “Cherokee” in a number of models since the 1970s and is now one of the most popular in the lineup.
In the summer of 2020, in the midst of Black Lives Matter and mass protests, some sports teams changed their names. For example, the Washington Redskins had to change their name and logo because of accusations of racism. The same was true for the Edmonton Eximos club of the Canadian Football League, where the word “Eskimos” was removed from the name.
However, the matter was not limited only to sports clubs. In August 2020, the German brand Knorr decided to change the name of the sauce Zigeunersauce (“Gypsy sauce”), which had existed since 1903, after discussions about racism. The company noted that the concept of “gypsy” can be negatively interpreted. The exact same sauce is now called Paprikasauce Ungarische Art.