(CNN) — Disney said it regrets a performance by a high school cheerleading squad at its Orlando theme park, which included a racist chant, following drawing strong criticism of the depictions of Native Americans during the performance.
A widely circulated video of the “Indianettes,” from Port Neches-Groves High School in Texas, shows the team dancing and singing “Scalp ’em Indians, scalp ’em.” scalp them,” in a historical reference to Native Americans having this practice once morest their enemies. Footage also shows the cheerleading squad performing moves that seem to co-opt Native American culture in a parade at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park.
“The live performance at our park did not reflect our core values and we are sorry it took place,” Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said in a statement. The performance “does not match the audition tape provided by the school and we immediately We take measures so that this does not happen once more,” he added.
Tara Houska, an attorney and advocate for the Ojibwe tribe, tweeted the video.
“Shame on @DisneyParks to be hosting this,” Houska wrote. Nostalgic racism is RACISM.
“This is our eighth time at Disney”
In its Web page, the School District indicates that the team “Indianettes” is a tradition of more than 50 years. CNN reached out to the School District on Saturday and Sunday for comment but did not hear back. The School District’s Twitter account was removed.
In a statement to KFDM, a school spokesperson said the team had previously performed the routine at Disney without a problem.
“This is our eighth time at Disney,” the spokesman said. “They don’t ask what you’re going to do performance-wise. It’s just a pageant video and they see the uniforms. They didn’t ask for anything else. This is the same performance we’ve done all eight times,” he added.
Port Neches-Groves High School has previously faced calls to change its mascot, which is listed on its website as “Indians,” and is represented by a Native American man wearing a feathered headdress.
The Cherokee Nation said it has communicated with the School District and the board in recent years “asking them to stop using these images, chants, symbolism and other offensive practices in their school traditions,” said the Cherokee Nation’s principal chief, Chuck Hoskin Jr. on Friday in a statement regarding the recent performance in Orlando.
Criticism for racist singing comes following a controversial week for Disney
The online criticism of the parade comes following a controversial week for Disney.
Last Friday, the company’s CEO, Bob Chapek, apologized for his previous public silence regarding a controversial Florida bill that would ban certain instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade. degree. Critics have dubbed the bill “Don’t Say Gay.”
Chapek initially said the company would not publicly condemn the proposal. Some of the company’s employees organized short protest strikes.
The organizers of these walkouts at Disney have not been identified, but they have a Twitter account, @DisneyWalkout, and a website, whereischapek.com. Last week they wrote an open letter that they posted on their website, saying Disney’s recent statements “completely failed to address the magnitude of the LGBTQIA+ security threat posed by this legislation.”
It is unknown how many employees are involved. But Disney’s LGBTQ+ employee resource groups are not involved, a source familiar with the matter told CNN earlier this week.
Chapek later apologized for his initial response. “Talking with you, reading your messages and meeting with you has helped me better understand how painful our silence was,” Chapek wrote in a letter to employees last Friday.
CNN Business’s Frank Pallotta contributed to this story.
