Fake Pensacola Mayoki Indians tribe sparks outrage on social media

Wearing neon feathered headdresses and leg wraps with skimpy outfits and war paint, the fictitious Mayoki Indians tribe has taken part in Pensacola Mardi Gras and Fiesta of Five Flags activities since 1961.

The group says it has been endorsed by local Native Americans, but photographs of the popular krewe holding what it called a "Pow-Wow" on Pensacola Beach on Saturday drew widespread backlash on Facebook and Twitter.

Many questioned the appropriateness of non-Native people wearing headdresses, mimicking tribal dances and calling themselves by made-up, Native American-sounding names. The popular Twitter account Racism WatchDog drew attention to the photos by commenting on the News Journal's post sharing the images.

"The lack of any ppl of color wearing the war bonnet is quite telling," wrote one Twitter user.

"A whole lot of racism by white people," wrote another Twitter user upset by the display.

When contacted through the krewe's email account, smokesignal@mayoki.org, an unnamed representative of the group replied with a brief statement and wrote that the Mayokis are "a board-run organization" and would consider answering questions posed by the News Journal at their next board meeting if provided a list of questions in advance. The email did not give a date for the next meeting and the email's author declined to give their name or the names of any krewe members.

Pensacola attorney John Merting, a member of the krewe who is also listed as its business agent, referred questions about the social organization to its board. Other current and former Mayoki members also declined to speak with the News Journal.

"Since 1959, the Mayoki's were endorsed by and involved local Native American people as both members and participants in our events, as evidenced in articles and photos in your News Journal," the group said in an emailed statement.

Another email from the group stated "the Creek Nation east of Mississippi endorsed the group in 1959 and members of the Creek nation are also members of the Mayoki tribe."

Representatives of the Poarch Creek tribe based in Atmore, Alabama, and the Creek Nation based in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, did not return phone messages seeking comment.

According to the Mayoki website, the fictitious tribe was "organized to perpetuate the spirit of friendship and hospitality by Indians to Don Tristan de Luna and his colonists in 1559 when they landed on the white sands of the Pensacola area."

Dwanna L. Robertson, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and a professor of sociology at Colorado College, called the Mayoki's activities "blatantly racist."

"It is social harm. It is harmful to all of society. The people that are participating in these racist acts are harming themselves and their children and generations to come," Robertson said.

Robertson added people sometimes mistakenly think they are showing appreciation of a culture when they are actually appropriating the culture.

"There is not a thin line between those two things. The line is as wide as the Mississippi River. They are taking a people's culture without asking. It is up to the people who have the culture to say whether or not they want to share their culture," she said.

Robertson said it is also troubling that many of the group's activities include alcohol, something that perpetuates negative stereotypes.

But Native Americans rarely have a voice when it comes to people wrongly using their images or traditions, she said.

"This legitimized racism is so common and so accepted that it becomes invisible," she said.

Lauren Anzaldo of Pensacola wrote a letter to the editor to the News Journal criticizing the Mayokis in 2010. Anzaldo said Wednesday that she was moved to write the letter eight years ago, but hasn't taken up the issue since.

"It seems like there wasn't much community will to do anything about it," said Anzaldo, who added her concerns about the tribe haven't changed.

"Whether or not the Mayoki krewe realizes it, their costumes and performance mock actual Native Americans. They've turned a culture into a burlesque show," she wrote.

Ellison Bennett, vice president of Pensacola's NAACP organization, said the Mayoki krewe is not something the local public has expressed much concern about through the years.

"But it's just not right," he said. "If you want to honor a tribe, honor the Seminole Indians or another real tribe instead of just making stuff up."

Margaret-Anne West, the marketing coordinator for Pensacola's Fiesta of Five Flags organization, declined comment on whether the group has received complaints about the Mayokis' participation in its event.

"They are not part of the Fiesta of Five Flags, they are just one krewe that participates along with 50 or 60 other krewes," she said.

Danny Zimmern, president of Pensacola Mardi Gras Inc., said the Mayokis are "primarily a Fiesta of Five Flags organization."

"Fiesta is a great organization that promotes our history with pride and provides the community with great entertainment events that we can all enjoy," he said.

Zimmern said the Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade has more than 200 entries each year and usually includes several Mayoki floats.

"Many of the krewes offer a lighthearted theme from many eras; whether it be conquistadors, gangsters, Mafioso or Indians," he said in an emailed statement.

"We do not see it as our role to restrict access to those who dedicate their time and money to bring cheer to members of this community," he said.

Melissa Nelson Gabriel can be reached at mnelsongab@pnj.com or 850-426-1431.