Tomahawk Chop

The Tomahawk Chop and its accompanying "war chant" is a part of the Atlanta Braves' culture that has been considered controversial. The origins are not steeped in Braves history like the Braves name or even Chief Noc-A-Homa. Actually, both the chant and chop are fairly recent additions dating back to the early 1990s at least within the Braves culture. The chant and the chop originated with Florida State University. The University adopted the Seminole Indian as its mascot, nickname and symbol back in 1947. During the 1960s, the marching band "the War Chiefs" introduced a Seminole cheer, which was called the "massacre" in which the band chanted to a "Native American" beat. This was apparently the first stage as well as the long version of the current popular Seminole cry.

According to most sources, the Tomahawk Chop was said to have been introduced in at an October 13, 1984 game against Auburn University in which the Marching Chiefs began the cheer. Students sitting behind the band joined in and continued the cheer after the band stopped. It is believed that students from a fraternity section of the stadium began waving their arms in a "chopping motion", a repetitious bend at the elbow, to symbolize a tomahawk swinging down. At the time it wasn't very coordinated among the fans. Other Florida State alums date the gesture's origins to the 1983 football season. In any case, it was used again in following years, and was picked up by the cheerleaders some time later on. It was worked on and perfected so that by 1985 it became well known throughout Doak Campbell Stadium.

It was introduced to the Atlanta Braves in 1991 by baseball/football player Deion Sanders. Sanders was a one-time athlete at Florida State, so it was only natural that he would have picked it up there. Today it is a part of Braves' culture. It has been said that both the chop and the chant have little basis in Native American history though the tomahawk was in fact used by Native Americans. In line with the movement to ban team names, mascots and logos deemed offensive by Native Americans, the gesture has generated a lot of criticism, as perpetuating stereotypically false images of native savagery. Moreover, both the chant and chop came under fire back in 2012 when members of then Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown's staff used it in mocking his political opponent Elizabeth Warren due to her claims of Native American Ancestry. It again came to forefront when the Braves reached the World Series in 2021 and there were numerous calls for them to stop encouraging the custom.

Sources

• Florida State Seminoles
• Official story
• LV Anderson
• Florida Sun-Sentinel
• Forum