Nike's 'Air Native' shoes draw some complaints

The New York Times focuses on some complaints in cyberspace about Nike's new shoe that was designed specifically for Native Americans.

"If this isn’t an example of corporate manipulation of race, I don’t know what is," someone on The Rapid City Journal's website said.

“They probably brought in a Native consultant and heard what they wanted to hear, which is that Native Americans like sunrises and rainbows and feel real connected to the earth and the night sky and stuff," someone else on The Portland Mercury's website said.

The Nike Air Native N7 features feathers, arrowheads and a sunrise symbol. Author Sherman Alexie wonders if there might have been other more appropriate designs.

"The day it was announced, I thought: ‘Are they going to have dream catchers on them? Are they going to be beaded? Will they have native bumper stickers on them that say, ‘Custer had it coming’?" Alexie tells The Times.

Get the Story:
Nike Adds Indian Artifacts to Its Swoosh (The New York Times 10/3)
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Relevant Links:
Nike - http://www.nike.com

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Nike develops the 'Air Native N7' for Native feet (9/26)