Native Americans deliver blessing at Arrowhead before Chiefs’ AFC Championship Game
A day after a Native American elder was mocked by teenagers the Lincoln Memorial, two members of the Kickapoo tribe of Kansas delivered a spiritual blessing before the AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots.
“It’s a good thing when we can share our culture with other people,” said Russell Bradley, commander of Native American veterans association and former tribal chairman.
Bradley and Fred Thomas, vice-chairman of the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, stood at midfield some 20 minutes before the game and delivered the Blessing of the Four Directions.
It was the third time this season Thomas and Bradley delivered the blessing, including last week’s playoff game against the Colts.
Thomas and Russell, both from Horton, Kan., are U.S. Army veterans who followed the events in Washington, D.C., Saturday with disappointment.
Videos of the confrontation show a smiling young man in a red Make America Great Again hat standing directly in front of the elder, who was playing a drum and chanting. Other kids could be seen laughing, jumping around and making fun of the chants.
“I respect every man’s right to say what he wants and I’ll defend their right to say it,” Thomas said. “But I will not stand for the disrespect that was shown.”