Signs of the Times
The Coeur d'Alene Tribe is working alongside the American Association of University Women to rename a number of locations in Idaho whose names demean women.
From the Spokesman Review:
Members of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe call it the "S word" and are pushing for 13 squaw references to be erased for good from maps of the Inland Northwest.But some local politicians have vowed to fight the change, saying the colorful history of the Wild West should not be plowed under simply to be polite.
The issue of potentially offensive place names has been simmering for years, but it could boil over in coming months as a recent proposal from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe makes its way through state and federal agencies charged with overseeing map names. The tribe wants to replace the names with terms that honor women or reflect the history of the place. If approved, the changes could happen as soon as next year.
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Although linguists continue to debate the true meaning of the word, there's no such debate within the Coeur d'Alene Tribe or other tribes across the Northwest, Peone said. Like most other American Indians, Peone believes the word is a derogatory reference to a woman's genitals. This term is never uttered on the reservation. Seeing it on highway signs and maps is disturbing, she said.
"We know why they used that word back in the day. My family comes from a long line of French trappers. We know what they meant," Peone said.
Changes have already started across the region, with Washington removing at least four references to squaw in the last decade and Montana scratching off about 20, according to research conducted by Janet Ward, a Boise resident who has taken up the cause on behalf of the American Association of University Women. Four such changes have already taken place in Idaho, mostly on the Nez Perce Reservation, but Ward said the state has a long way to go.
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"Why should you continue to demean women to preserve colorful history?" Ward said. "There are no names in Idaho that would refer to a man in that way."
The AAUW has been working with tribes in Idaho for six years to push for the changes. The Idaho chapter of the group has even convinced all other state chapters of the organization to take up the cause nationwide, Ward said.
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