Sequoit [seé-kwoit]
noun – rhymes with Detroit

The question “What is a Sequoit?” is not as easy to answer as one might expect. It is not an Indian tribe – there were no Sequoit Indians. The word Sequoit has Native American origins, but its meaning as a mascot name is somewhat more complicated.

In his comprehensive book on Illinois high school mascots Why Mascots Have Tales, Fred Willman explains where the word Sequoit comes from and what it means:

“The word Sequoit is a form of spelling of the Iroquois Indian word Sa-da-quoit, which was the name the Iroquois Indians gave to a stream that flows through Oneida County in New York state. In the Iroquois language, Sa-da-quoit literally means ‘smooth pebbles in the bed of a stream.’ When white settlers moved into Oneida County, they modified the spelling and pronunciation of the stream to Sauquoit Creek.”

In 1837 two white settlers from that region, Darius and Thomas Gage, headed west and ended up in what is now Antioch, becoming its first settlers. They named the stream that ran past their land Sequoit Creek because it reminded them of Sauquoit Creek in New York. Many businesses and landmarks in the area used the word Sequoit in their names. And from the start, ACHS sports teams have always been known as the Sequoits.

Years ago, students dressed in Native American costumes would perform at assemblies and sports events. These “Indian Chiefs and Maidens” were gradually phased out, as was the use of Native American caricatures. In the 1970’s the current logo came into use on football helmets and printed material. It was soon adopted as the unofficial school emblem. Superfan Stan debuted in the fall of 2006 in response to students’ desire to have a costumed mascot character appear at sports events and other occasions.

Still, the name Sequoit survives, and signs of its Native American roots remain in the logo’s arrow and feathers.

So, what is a Sequoit, then?

We are the Sequoits.