Utah
Feds issue new names for 50 Utah locations that previously contained ‘offensive slur’
Squaw Peak in Provo is pictured on Oct. 5, 2017. The height obtained a brand new title Thursday following a call by the federal authorities. It’s now referred to as Kyhv Peak. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information)
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SALT LAKE CITY — A whole bunch of geographic places throughout the nation have new names now following a call by the Division of the Inside to take away the time period “squaw,” which the federal government company deems as an “offensive ethnic, racial and sexist slur, notably for Indigenous ladies.”
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names accepted title modifications to almost 650 geographic places, together with 50 in Utah. Most notably, Squaw Mountain/Peak in Utah County will likely be renamed Kyhv Peak, in response to the U.S. Geological Survey, whereas a valley simply to the north by Lindon will likely be renamed Brook Hole.
Your complete record of recent names for sure places might be discovered right here.
The choice comes a yr after U.S. Secretary Deb Haaland issued secretary’s orders 3404 and 3405, which designated critiques of the usage of what’s known as the “sq-word” and designated a committee to “broadly solicit, evaluate and advocate modifications to derogatory geographic and federal land unit names.”
The division obtained over 1,000 title change suggestions throughout a public remark interval after the declarations had been issued. Dozens of tribal governments participated, as nicely, main as much as Thursday’s announcement, in response to the Division of Inside.
“I really feel a deep obligation to make use of my platform to make sure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming. That begins with eradicating racist and derogatory names which have graced federal places for a lot too lengthy,” Haaland mentioned, in a press release. “I’m grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Process Pressure and the Board on Geographic Names for his or her efforts to prioritize this necessary work. Collectively, we’re exhibiting why illustration issues and charting a path for an inclusive America.”
The choice additionally comes just a little over a yr after the Utah Legislature handed SB10 in its 2021 legislative session. The invoice, sparked by the “sq-word,” approved the Utah Division of Indian Affairs to “assist facilitate the appliance course of for altering location names referring to American Indian phrases.” Legislators famous on the time that last approval must come from the Division of Inside.
Ed Naranjo, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute, requested the change in a letter to Sen. Jani Iwamoto, D-Salt Lake Metropolis, forward of the 2021 session, which he advised KSL-TV in 2020 was impressed by his daughters.
“There’s one thing occurring that is not proper and we have to change that,” he mentioned, on the time. “It has to cease. This can be a new world, a brand new society and all people is attempting to get together with each other.”
A bunch known as the Repeak Committee additionally pushed for a Squaw Peak title change in 2017 after the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted to rename Moab’s Negro Invoice Canyon to Grandstaff Canyon.
In the meantime, extra title modifications may very well be on the horizon, division officers mentioned Thursday. It named members of a brand new federal advisory committee to “assist establish and advocate modifications to derogatory phrases” simply final month. Extra details about their course of to evaluate and probably change names is predicted “within the coming weeks.”