We are the Warriors

David Camlin, Megan Grumbling

2023 / 72 minutes
United States / United States
English

As the harmful practice of using Native American mascots continues to be challenged across the nation, public school systems are confronting their own use of Indigenous team names, icons, and imagery. We Are The Warriors is a documentary that follows the residents of Wells, a small town in Maine, as they grapple with this polarizing issue after public allegations that Warriors football fans mocked Indigenous culture. In response, the school district investigates the incident and forms a Mascot Advisory Committee to hear Wabanaki perspectives and consider the fate of their beloved mascot. We Are The Warriors reveals how difficult conversations about identity and history are crucial to addressing Native American mascots. The film’s co-directors, both graduates of Wells High School, gathered interviews and insights from Wells residents and Wabanaki people from what is now Maine, Québec, and the Canadian Maritimes. Revelations about the town’s brutal colonial history and challenging discussions about the true impact of the intended “honor” played a key role in changing the hearts and minds of committee members. The film highlights the evolving opinions of residents, with a secondary focus on the region’s history. After months of informed consideration, the committee ultimately votes to recommend retiring the mascot to the school board, and the policy is adopted.