Arizona indigenous women condemn Trump’s ‘Pocahontas’ comment

PHOENIX — A group of indigenous women in Arizona said President Donald Trump must apologize for mocking a U.S. senator with the name “Pocahontas.”

During a press conference on Friday, the women condemned a comment that Trump made during a ceremony honoring Navajo Code Talkers.

Trump was speaking about Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, with whom he has feuded, this week when he referred to her as Pocahontas because of her claims that she is of Native American heritage.

“We have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago,” he said during Tuesday’s ceremony. “They call her Pocahontas.”

Alvina Begay of the Navajo Nation said while she was not looking to make negative comments about Trump, she would “not be silent while [he] uses a Native American historical figure to mock others.”

Navajo County Supervisor Dawnafe Whitesinger, an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache, said Trump’s behavior was completely unnecessary.

Navajo County Supervisor Dawnafe Whitesinger speaks at a press conference on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (Photo: Kathy Cline/KTAR)

“As a group of people, [indigenous people] have been marginalized throughout history,” she said.

“These types of comments only continue to diminish our presence and significance to the global community.

Related: McCain blasts Trump’s ‘Pocahontas’ comment to Code Talkers

“It is important that Trump recognize his undignified behavior, and the volatility of his comment,” Whitesinger said.

“And, that he appropriately apologize to the surviving members of the Navajo Code Talkers.”

Arizona state Rep. Wenona Benally said the issue does not lie with Warren’s Native American heritage claims, but with the fact that Trump insulted a sitting U.S. senator with a historical Native American figure’s name – further marginalizing Native Americans.

“It was done in front of our Code Talkers – who were gathered there to be honored for their sacrifices and bravery exhibited during World War Two,” Benally said.

“Instead the president hijacked this event and made it about himself – and he did so to score political points.”

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