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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 8, 2005 Erasing ‘squaw’ names proceeds slowly The Associated Press SISTERS — After five years of work, only about 10 of the places in Oregon containing the word "squaw" have been changed, with far more to go. The number of changed names could triple this month when the Oregon Geographic Names Board meets to consider new names for 18 more land features. The word, derived from the Algonquin word for "woman," is now considered a derogatory way to refer to an American Indian woman — and Oregon tribes have pushed to have the word changed. Under a state law passed in 2001, all of the roughly 150 peaks, rivers, buttes, meadows and other land formations in Oregon containing the word were meant to be rechristened by this year. But even if all 18 of the most recent recommendations are accepted by the Oregon board and then approved by a national board, less than 20 percent of the names will have been changed by the law’s deadline. Advertisement One of the most prominent is Squaw Creek, which flows through the town of Sisters — in land ceded by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs to white settlers. The U.S. Forest Service has proposed to call the creek "Whychus," a word derived from the Sahaptin language, meaning "the place we cross the water." Sahaptin is one of the three languages spoken by the Warm Springs tribes. In 1855, a government surveyor recorded "Whychus" as the creek’s original name. The state board is expected to approve Whychus and the other new names, then forward them to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for final approval, said Lewis L. McArthur, a member of the Oregon Geographic Names Board and author of "Oregon Geographic Names." He blames the slow progress on the fact that the tribes themselves could not come to an agreement on the word to replace squaw and also on the fact that lawmakers set aside no money for the work. "The Legislature says it should be changed, and that is reasonable enough," he said, but "they can’t expect this stuff to happen overnight." Oregon is the sixth state to pass a law banning the word from geographical features. Here is a sampling of landmarks in and around the Rogue Valley that feature the word "squaw" in their names: Squaw Lakes Campground near Applegate Lake. Squaw Lakes, east of Applegate Lake. Squaw Creek Road, which runs across Applegate Dam. Squaw Mountain, east of Applegate River. Squaw Prairie, on upper Elk Creek in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Squaw Tips, on the north slope of Mount McLoughlin. Squaw Flat, a camping area on Huckleberry Mountain. Squaw Valley, near the south bank of the Rogue River. Squaw Valley Road, in Gold Beach. Squaw Peak (elevation 4,984 feet), east of Applegate River. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Advertisement s