The heads of two Native American tribes that once inhabited Georgia are praising St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Helsley for criticizing the Atlanta Braves’ tomahawk chop, saying the tradition reinforces decades-old stereotypes and should stop.

Cherokee and Creek tribal chiefs told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they support comments made last week by Helsley, a member of the Cherokee Nation who bashed the Braves’ 27-year-old practice while accusing the team of misrepresenting Native Americans as “caveman-type people” who aren’t intellectual.

“It reduces Native Americans to a caricature and minimizes the contributions of Native people as equal citizens and human beings,” Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James R. Floyd said in a statement.

The ubiquitous chant at Braves’ home games is simply not an “appropriate acknowledgment of tribal tradition or culture,” Floyd continued.

Chuck Hoskin Jr., the head of Cherokee Nation, also praised Helsley for “speaking out against stereotypes,” which he hopes will lead to further change after the Braves did not distribute the red foam tomahawks to fans before Wednesday’s National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals following Helsley’s comments.

“Hopefully Ryan’s actions will better inform the national conversation about inappropriate depictions of Native Americans,” Hoskin told the newspaper.

Team officials have said they will hold talks with Native Americans in the offseason regarding the future of the tomahawk chop.

A team spokeswoman, meanwhile, referred to a statement released last week when asked over the weekend about the long-term status of the controversial celebration, the Journal-Constitution reported.

“We will continue to evaluate how we activate elements of our brand, as well as the overall in-game experience,” the Braves said in a statement. “We look forward to a continued dialogue with those in the Native-American community after the postseason concludes.”

But the head of the North Carolina-based Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — a Braves corporate sponsor that owns Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort — said there shouldn’t be much left to debate, calling for an immediate end to the tomahawk chop.

“That’s just so stereotypical, like old-school Hollywood,” Chief Richard Sneed told the newspaper, adding that the team’s name is not problematic since it honors the warrior spirit. “Come on, guys. It’s 2020. Let’s move on. Find something else.”