Ben & Jerry’s, the popular ice cream maker, has ignited controversy once again, this time by calling on the US to return “stolen Indigenous land,” including Mount Rushmore. The company tweeted on July 4th, stating that the United States was founded on land taken from Indigenous peoples and urged the country to commit to returning it. Ben & Jerry’s specifically singled out Mount Rushmore, claiming that the faces on the monument symbolize the destruction of Indigenous cultures.
In response to the tweet, Don Stevens, the chief of the Nulhegan Band of The Coosuk Abenaki Nation, expressed his desire to discuss the land beneath Ben & Jerry’s headquarters in Vermont. Stevens highlighted that the corporate headquarters is situated on Western Abenaki land, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and benefiting Indigenous communities. Stevens explained that the Abenaki people consider themselves as stewards of the land and believe in the responsibility of humans to protect and care for resources.
Stevens urged the company to reach out to him and engage in meaningful dialogue if they are genuinely interested in supporting Indigenous people. Meanwhile, Ben & Jerry’s has included a link to a petition calling for Mount Rushmore to be returned to the Lakota peoples. However, Stevens refrained from speculating on the Lakota’s reaction to Ben & Jerry’s comments.
The Abenaki, who are part of the Algonquian-speaking confederacy, merged with other tribes in the 17th century to fend off threats from other tribes. Historically, around 10,000 Abenaki people resided in what is now Vermont, and today, the tribe has approximately 2,500 members in the state.
Despite the brewing controversy, Stevens admitted to enjoying Ben & Jerry’s ice cream while acknowledging it as just another product. He emphasized that the ice cream maker had not approached him to discuss the possibility of returning the land to the Abenaki people.
Ben & Jerry’s Fourth of July message received mixed responses, with some calling for a boycott of the brand. The backlash has affected the corporate parent, Unilever, as the company’s market value decreased by $2 billion following the tweet. Unilever’s share price also experienced a decline in the days following the controversial post.
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