ASU Indian Family
Encyclopedia
The ASU Indian Family is a trio of mascot
s for Arkansas State University
in Jonesboro, Arkansas
. The family consists of Chief Big Track (named for a prominent Osage
chief), an unnamed brave and an unnamed princess. It is one of the few trios of athletics mascots for a university.
The tradition, which had been dormant for years, was revived in 1996 by new athletic director Barry Dowd. During the process of reviving the tradition, Dowd sought permission and advice from the Cherokee
and other local tribes on attire, dance and appearance. The various groups which restarted the tradition, including a former "Brave" and "Princess," were responsible for the creation of all outfits. The beadwork was done by the Cherokee as well as tribes from Texas.
Today the Family is run by the ASU Spirit Club, a joint venture of the school's Student Athletic Board and Student Government Association.
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
s for Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public university and is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System, the state's second largest college system and third largest university by enrollment. It is located atop on Crowley's Ridge at Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA...
in Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city in and one of the two county seats of Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 US Census, the population of the city was 67,263. A college town, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the fifth most populous city in the state...
. The family consists of Chief Big Track (named for a prominent Osage
Osage
The Osage Nation, a Native American tribe in the United States, is the source of most other terms containing the word "osage".Osage can also refer to:*The Osage language, a Siouan language traditionally spoken by the Osage Nation...
chief), an unnamed brave and an unnamed princess. It is one of the few trios of athletics mascots for a university.
The tradition, which had been dormant for years, was revived in 1996 by new athletic director Barry Dowd. During the process of reviving the tradition, Dowd sought permission and advice from the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and other local tribes on attire, dance and appearance. The various groups which restarted the tradition, including a former "Brave" and "Princess," were responsible for the creation of all outfits. The beadwork was done by the Cherokee as well as tribes from Texas.
Today the Family is run by the ASU Spirit Club, a joint venture of the school's Student Athletic Board and Student Government Association.