To the Editors:
It was pleasing to hear that my Utes are still Utes, and mostly by virtue of a “close relationship” with the Ute tribe. I feel and have felt that it’s generally more a tacit recognition of admiration for schools to identify themselves with the qualities of native American peoples, rather than a denigration.
This raises one important point though. What percentage of the sales of “Ute”-branded merchandise goes to the tribe? Certainly they deserve royalties for what is a very lucrative trade in mugs, sweat and tee shits, banners, hats and who knows what.
In fact I think tribes around the nation should enter into contractual arrangements that would reward the use of their symbols, names and traditions.
James KellerHBA ’66, MSW ’71
