Aboriginal Motifs

Functions and Philosophies

Communication, Consultation and Consent
To design a logo and miscellaneous for an aboriginal community-based footy team presents a number of challenges.

Using images created by indigenous communities or ritual imagery without any sensitivity can be disrespectful. Traditional artists need to be sought out, or a representative from the traditional land owners. A translator may be needed and the discussions may take time, especially if the work includes a secret or sensitive parts. One big issue is photography of indigenous people. Photographs (especially of the deceased) can cause distress to relatives, especially if these images are published.

Secrecy & Confidentiality
Awareness of secrecy and confidentiality needs to be maintained. This is especially a problem if the artwork contains initiation or religious practices. Some work is considered sacred, this should be respected. Secrecy and confidentiality of individual people needs to be honoured, especially of the deceased.

Moral Rights and Issues
Moral rights for Indigenous art is covered by the same copyright as elsewhere in Australia. This includes "the right to be attributed as an artist", "the right not to have work falsely attributed to another artist," and "The right of integrity" (doing things that damage or mutilate the work, even as minor as photocopying it at poor quality!)
Protocols for producing Indigenous Australian visual arts

But there is more. Indigenous Australians are so community based that even their artwork can be seen as community owned. A draft amendment to the Copyright Act was proposed in 2003 to recognize this fact.


Bibliography

http://keystone.collectionsaustralia.net/publisher/Outreach/?p=4248www.copyright.org.au
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/declaration.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australians
http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/aboriginal_and_torres_strait_islander_arts/reports_and_publications/indigenous_arts_resource_list
Protocols for producing Indigenous Australian visual arts: by the Australian Council for the Arts

Native American Motifs

Syracuse Chiefs

Current Logo:

Cap Logo:

Alternative Logo:

 Logo 1997-2006:

Logo 1987-1996:

Logo 1961-1979:

The current logo contains the text 'chiefs', and incorporates train symbology in a very stylised manner. Colours silver, blue, white and black merge to give a metallic stylized look.

The logo is trying to play on the theme of the railway chiefs such as the Super Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles, and Amtrak's Southwest Chief. This is despite the fact that neither went anywhere near New York's city of Syracuse. The baseball club is trying to tap into that tradition of railway chiefs, despite having not exactly earned it.

The Syracuse Chiefs didn't have the train theme in its initial years. Initially the Montreal Royals, they moved to Syracuse in 1961 and had the rename. Their logo became an illustrated representation of a native American's head, complete with feathered headdress. It became very stylized in 1987. Ten years later they were re-branded as the Syracuse SkyChiefs in an attempt to respect native Americans. However they have reverted back the the 'Chiefs' and now have the new train logo.

While changing the 'chiefs' meaning to 'railway chiefs' tries to respect native Americans, even the 'railway chiefs' themselves had their name and theme derived from Indians. Also of note on the Syracuse Chief's website was the 50th season anniversary logo: it has a traditional native feather headdress draped over it. If this is a show of respect, it seems to be a very shallow one.

Sources:
http://www.csrmf.org/
http://www.atsfrr.com/resources/Haben/Life/4-18-38.htm
http://www.sportslogos.net/team.php?id=936
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t552