Education

University starts discussion on seal that excludes Native people

Monday, May 16, 2016

Native students and their allies are calling on the University of New Mexico to abolish its seal. Photo from The Red Nation / Twitter

The University of New Mexico has opened discussions on the institution's official seal but Native students and their allies aren't happy with the approach.

The symbol features a Spanish conquistador with a sword and a European settler with a gun. A Latin phrase written at the feet of the two figures translates to "light the life of man."

Missing is an acknowledgement of the Native people who have lived in New Mexico for tens of thousands of years, their role in building the state or the negative treatment they suffered under Spanish and United States' laws and policies. Native students say they are focused on eliminating the seal altogether.

"This is not about revising the seal. It's about getting the seal abolished," Nick Estes, a doctoral student and a co-founder of The Red Nation, a group that has drawn attention to the issue, told the Associated Press. "It's racist."

UNM President Bob Frank, who previously said he did not consider the seal to be racist, has acknowledged Native students' complaints about the seal. It would be up to the school's UNM board of regents to make any changes.

"Good conversation about our seal today. One proposal, remove the weapons, add a Native American in the center reaching toward the sky," Frank wrote on Twitter last week.

Get the Story:
Discussions start on a new seal for UNM (The Albuquerque Journal 5/14)
University of New Mexico Eyes Seal Amid Racial Concerns (AP 5/13)
Some Native American students condemn seal campaign approach (The Daily Lobo 5/6)
UNM Provost seeks student input on seal (The Albuquerque Journal 5/4)