'Native' Halloween costumes still available for sale at specialty store

Once again Spirit Halloween has come under fire for selling what some consider to be racist costumes.

In Sudbury, a group of university students and their professor want the offensive items removed from store shelves.

It was last year when Laurentian University education professor Jan Buley was made aware of certain costumes for sale at Spirit Halloween in Sudbury.

The store has about half a dozen costumes it markets as native or Indigenous.

But Buley says the costumes further stereotype Indigenous people, and sexualize women.

"We've got so much work to do in getting beyond the Disney Pocahontas and the Disney cowboy and Indian issues," she told CBC News.

Buley says she asked the owner of Spirit Halloween in Sudbury to remove the items.

She and a group of Laurentian students also began a letter writing campaign.

They've written to the mayor of Greater Sudbury about allowing this pop-up store to do business in the city. They've also writtento Spirit Halloween, and to federal and provincial ministers.

Buley says they want the costumes removed and would like to seeGreater Sudburytake a positive stand on this issue.

Neglect of cultural significance

But their efforts haven't been successful at getting the costumes off the market.

LU student Ben Bradley says Canada is a diverse country something that is not reflected in these costumes.

"That's not the image, nor is it the representation that we're looking to put out as the country that we are," he said.

"They're inexcusable, they're offensive."

Student Alicia Delaney says the costumes neglect the cultural significance of Indigenous items.

"A sacred headdress that someone is given out of respect and they're a leader in the community and we're using it as a joke," she said.

"We see it in costumes, and at festivals, and people using them as their everyday garb. That's taking someone's culture and making it okay to represent in a different way that it's not meant. Again that just discounts our aboriginal community. They are a huge part of Canada and its history."

In a statement to CBC News, Spirit Halloween says it always strives to present its costumes in a responsible and respectful manner.

• Indigenous costumes won't be pulled off store shelves, Spirit Halloween says

However the company says the costumes will not be removed.

Similar concerns about racism have surfaced at Spirit Halloween stores in Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg.