To Remove Indigenous Slurs, These 7 MA Landmarks Will Get New Name

WASHINGTON, DC — Several federally owned landmarks in Massachusetts will get a new name after the U.S. Department of Interior declared "squaw" to be a derogatory term.

The list of 660 geographical sites released in February includes seven Massachusetts landmarks. In November, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland created a task force to recommend new names for the lakes, creeks and other sites on federal lands that use the word "squaw."

The task force is composed of representatives from federal land management agencies as well as diversity, equity and inclusion experts from within the department.

"Racist terms have no place in our vernacular or on our federal lands," Haaland said in a news release. "Our nation's lands and waters should be places to celebrate the outdoors and our shared cultural heritage — not to perpetuate the legacies of oppression."

The Massachusetts landmarks on the list include:

1) Squaw Island Marshes, Barnstable County. Proposed new names include Halls Creek, Hyannis Point, Sunset Hill, Schoolhouse Pond and Simmons Pond.

2) Squaw Island, Barnstable County. Proposed new names include Halls Creek, Sunset Hill, Schoolhouse Pond, Eddie Woods Rocks and Hyannis Port Beach.

3) Squaw Peak, Berkshire County. This site was renamed Peeskawso Peak in 2021 by The Trustees of Reservations, with input from the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohicans.

4) Squawbetty Hill, Bristol County. Proposed new names include Taunton River, Cotley River, Richmond Pond, Barstows Pond and Deep Pond.

5) Squawkeag historical site, Franklin County. Proposed new names include Montague Power Canal Reservoir, Connecticut River, Smead Island, Deerfield River and Rawson Island.

6) Squaw Rock, Norfolk County. Proposed new names include Nickerson Beach, Chapel Rocks, Squantum Marshes, Squantum and Squantum Peninsula.

7) Squaw Swamp historical site, Plymouth County. Proposed new names include Bass Creek, Sagamore Beach, Peaked Cliff, Scusset River and Moss Hill.

Historically, the term "squaw" was used as a racial and sexist slur directly primarily at Indigenous women.

The task force is now accepting public comments on the proposed names before they are approved by the Board on Geographic Names. Comments can be sent by mail and online.

The Native American Rights Fund has applauded federal efforts to address derogatory place names, saying action by the federal government is long overdue.

"Names that still use derogatory terms are an embarrassing legacy of this country’s colonialist and racist past," John Echohawk, the group's executive director, told The Associated Press. "It is well past time for us, as a nation, to move forward, beyond these derogatory terms, and show Native people — and all people — equal respect."

Editor's note: A previous version of this story did not include the new name of Squaw Peak in Berkshire County. The site was renamed in April 2021 by The Trustees of Reservations with input from the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohicans.