Offensive 'Sq___' Term Prompts Renaming Of Desert Sites

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The word "squaw" was officially removed from the name of sites in and near the Coachella Valley following historic efforts by federal officials to remove the offensive term from geographic spots across the country, including 80 in California.

Squaw Hill summit near the Thousand Palms Visitor Center is now called Múmawet and the Squaw Tank reservoir in Joshua Tree was renamed Paac Küvühü’k, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The renaming was part of a final vote Thursday by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names on replacement names for nearly 650 "geographic features" that included the offensive word, which was historically used as an ethnic, racial and sexist slur, particularly for indigenous women.

One other Riverside County site was also renamed. Squaw Mountain is now called Tenaja Mountain, according to the list of all new names and a map of locations. The 2,687-foot peak is situated just west of Murrieta and Temecula, near the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve in Southwest Riverside County.

One California site, Squaw Valley, has not been renamed — yet.

"Noting that there are unique concerns with renaming ..., the [Board on Geographic Names] will seek out additional review from the local communities and stakeholders before making a final determination," according to a U.S. Department of the Interior news release.

The renaming is an important process and marks a significant step in honoring ancestors "who stewarded our lands since time immemorial,” according to Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

“I feel a deep obligation to use my platform to ensure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming. That starts with removing racist and derogatory names that have graced federal locations for far too long,” she said. “I am grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to prioritize this important work. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.”

Thursday's final vote reflected a months-long effort by the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force that was established by Haaland and included representatives from the Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, National Park Service, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service, according to the news release.

The task force received more than 1,000 recommendations for name changes, and nearly 70 tribal governments participated in nation-to-nation consultation, which yielded another several hundred recommendations, according to the news release.

While the new names are effective immediately, the public can still propose changes for any geographic feature — including those announced Thursday — through the regular Board on Geographic Names process, according to the news release.

The task force considered only the derogatory term "squaw," but a process is underway to formally receive public comment regarding other possible offensive terms currently used for U.S. sites. Next steps are expected to be announced by the U.S. Department of the Interior in the coming weeks.