Squaw

Origins and Historical Usage

The word "squaw" is derived from Eastern and Central Algonquian language morphemes meaning "woman." These include Massachusett "squàw," Abenaki "-skwa," Mohegan-Pequot "sqá," Cree "iskwew," and Ojibwe "ikwe." Linguist Ives Goddard notes these all originate from the Proto-Algonquian word *eθkwe·wa, meaning "(young) woman." The notion that the word originally referred to a woman's genitals, which gained some currency in the 1970s, has been found by linguists to be inaccurate. In early colonial texts, the word was adopted by English speakers as a general term for Indigenous women. Roger Williams recorded his impressions of related Narragansett words in his 1643 work, A Key into the Language of America. The 1663 Massachusett Bible used the word "squa" to translate "female" in Mark 10:6, indicating its use as a neutral term within that specific language context at the time.

Despite its origins in specific Algonquian languages, the word was extracted from its original linguistic and cultural context by colonizers. It quickly became a catch-all term used across North America for Indigenous women, regardless of their specific nation or language group. This generalized usage stripped the word of any respectful or specific meaning it may have held within Algonquian communities. Historical records, such as the 1858 to 1860 notes of artist Alfred Jacob Miller, illustrate how the term was employed to reinforce stereotypes of Indigenous women as subordinate or exotic. Miller's descriptions contrasted the "civilized" treatment of women with the "savage" life he attributed to Indigenous societies, using the word "squaw" within this demeaning framework.

The Slur and Its Impact

For Indigenous peoples across North America, the word "squaw" is considered deeply offensive due to its centuries of use in a derogatory, condescending, and racialized context. It has been used in picture postcards, as a racial epithet, and to demean Indigenous women as second-class citizens or exotic objects. The consensus among Indigenous women and communities is that, regardless of its linguistic origins, the word's history as a slur is too long and painful for it to ever hold a positive meaning. As the American Indian Movement stated in 2006, the word has always been used to insult American Indian women, and its derogatory meaning is now widely understood through communication and education. Indigenous women assert the right to define themselves and reject the offensive term.

The term is also intrinsically linked to the dehumanization and sexualization of Indigenous women. Author Mourning Dove, in her 1927 novel Cogewea, the Half-Blood, had a character express violent anger at the prospect of being called a "squaw" as a sarcastic epithet by a white husband. Comanche activist LaDonna Harris recounted in the 1960s that Indigenous schoolchildren felt humiliated when teachers used the term, contributing to high dropout rates. The word has also been used to denigrate men, as in "squaw man," implying a man who does woman's work or a white man married to an Indigenous woman. Feminist and anti-racist groups have long worked to educate the public and encourage disuse of the term in normal discourse.

Linguistic and Cultural Reclamation

Some scholarly work has examined the Algonquian linguistic elements related to the word. However, Indigenous leaders and communities emphasize that any potential "reclamation" of the word would only be applicable to specific women from the Algonquian-language groups where related words originate. For the vast majority of Native American, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women who do not speak those languages, the word feels only degrading. The word as used in English is an alien, non-Indigenous term introduced by settlers. As noted in findings on Squaw Valley, for communities like the Nimíipuu, the word is understood as an external term introduced by the Lewis and Clark expedition. The degrading usage has overshadowed any original meaning, making the English word inseparable from its history as a slur.

Contemporary dictionaries, including the American Heritage, Merriam-Webster online, and the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, now list "squaw" as "offensive," "often offensive," or "usually disparaging." This official recognition by linguistic authorities underscores the shift in understanding. The effort to remove the word is not an erasure of Indigenous languages but a rejection of an English-language slur that has been weaponized against Indigenous women. The push for change centres on respecting how Indigenous peoples define themselves and the terms they find acceptable.

Movement to Rename Geographic Features

For decades, Indigenous activists have led efforts to rename locations across North America that contain the word "squaw." This work gained significant federal momentum in the United States in November 2021 when Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first Native American to hold a cabinet secretary position, declared "squaw" a derogatory term. Haaland issued Secretarial Order 3404, which formally identified the term as derogatory and created a task force to find replacement names for features on federal lands. She stated that racist terms have no place in the vernacular or on federal lands, which should celebrate shared cultural heritage, not perpetuate oppression. A subsequent Secretarial Order established an Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names to review other derogatory geographic names.

This federal action followed numerous state, provincial, and local initiatives. In 2000, Maine passed a law eliminating "squaw" and "squa" from all state place names. Montana created an advisory group for the same purpose in 1999. In Canada, Saskatchewan's Killsquaw Lake was renamed Kikiskitotawânawak Iskêwak ("we honour the women" in Cree) in 2018 after advocacy by Indigenous lawyer Kellie Wuttunee. In Alberta, Squaw's Tit near Canmore was renamed Anûkathâ Îpa ("Bald Eagle Peak" in Stoney Nakoda) in 2020. Most recently, in January 2024, Squaw Cap in New Brunswick was renamed Evergreen. These changes are often undertaken in consultation with local Indigenous communities to find culturally appropriate new names.

Notable Name Changes and Persistent Use

Hundreds of locations have been renamed to remove the slur. In 2003, Squaw Peak in Phoenix, Arizona, was renamed Piestewa Peak to honour Iraq War casualty Lori Piestewa, a Hopi woman and the first Native American woman to die in combat for the U.S. military. In 2015, Squaw Island in Buffalo, New York, was renamed Unity Island (Deyowenoguhdoh in Seneca) after petitions from the Seneca Nation. The Squaw Valley Ski Resort in California, after consulting with the local Washoe Tribe, renamed itself Palisades Tahoe in 2021. In September 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the renaming of 660 geographic features, publishing a list that replaced 643 place names containing "squaw." In California, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law in September 2022 directing the removal of "squaw" from nearly 100 geographic features and place names throughout the state.

Despite this progress, the term persists in some officially sanctioned place names in the United States, such as Squaw Lake in Minnesota and Squaw Grove Township in Illinois. It also remains in the names of certain businesses. The effort to remove the word is ongoing, with California aiming to complete the removal from over 30 geographic features by 2025. Each renaming represents a step toward reconciling historical injustices and honouring the stewardship of Indigenous ancestors. As demonstrated by the 2026 effort reported to remove "squaw" from all California locations, the work continues to address the hundreds of instances that remain.

Broader Context and Significance

The campaign against the word "squaw" is part of a larger movement to address derogatory language and stereotypes affecting Indigenous peoples. Organizations like the National Congress of American Indians and IllumiNative work to combat harmful myths and stereotypes, including those perpetuated by Native mascots and derogatory terms. The declaration by Secretary Haaland was praised by leaders like Congressman Raúl Grijalva, who stated that such phrases attack the dignity of Indigenous peoples and have no place in modern conversation. The creation of advisory committees ensures that the process for changing names includes representation from tribes, civil rights experts, historians, and the public.

This issue is deeply connected to the crises of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Advocates like Kellie Wuttunee have drawn a direct line between degrading geographic names and the devaluation of Indigenous women's lives. Renaming places is seen as an act of giving voice to the silenced and honouring those who have been harmed. The push to eliminate the slur "squaw" from the landscape is both a symbolic and practical step toward greater respect, recognition, and safety for Indigenous women. It acknowledges that names are powerful and inform identity, and that replacing a slur with a name of honour can contribute to healing and reconciliation.

Questions about Squaw

What is being done to remove the word from place names?

A significant movement led by Indigenous activists and governments is renaming geographic features. In 2021, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland formally declared "squaw" derogatory and ordered its removal from federal lands. Similar actions have occurred in Canada, such as renaming Killsquaw Lake in Saskatchewan in 2018 and Squaw Cap in New Brunswick in 2024. States like California and Maine have also passed laws mandating changes.

Are there still places in Canada with 'squaw' in the name?

While many places have been renamed, some may still exist. However, there is a consistent push for change. Recent examples include the renaming of Squaw Cap in New Brunswick to Evergreen in January 2024 and the earlier renaming of a British Columbia creek in 2008. The E.B. Campbell Dam in Saskatchewan was renamed from Squaw Rapids Dam in 1988. Efforts continue at local, provincial, and federal levels to identify and rename remaining sites.

Why is the word 'squaw' considered offensive?

The word 'squaw' is considered a derogatory, misogynist, and racist slur by Indigenous peoples. Its use for hundreds of years has demeaned Native American women, treating them as second class citizens or exotic objects. Indigenous women state the degrading usage is too long and painful for the word to ever take on a positive meaning. The consensus is that the word is too offensive regardless of its linguistic origins.

What have Indigenous activists said about the term 'squaw'?

Indigenous activists have long worked to eliminate the term. In 2015, Seneca Nation leaders petitioned for a name change, stating the word perpetuates ideas that Indigenous women are impure and barbaric. An American Indian Movement response in 2006 emphasized that the word has always been used to insult American Indian women. They assert the right to define themselves and reject the offensive term.

How have dictionaries addressed the term 'squaw'?

Newer editions of major dictionaries now label 'squaw' as offensive. The American Heritage and Merriam Webster online dictionaries list it as 'offensive' or 'often offensive'. The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary notes it is 'usually disparaging'. This reflects the growing understanding and condemnation of the word as a derogatory slur.

What are some examples of places in Canada that have been renamed?

In Canada, Killsquaw Lake in Saskatchewan was renamed Kikiskitotawânawak Iskêwak in 2018, meaning 'we honour the women' in Cree. In Alberta, Squaw's Tit was renamed Anûkathâ Îpa in 2020. The E.B. Campbell Dam in Saskatchewan was renamed from Squaw Rapids Dam in 1988. In British Columbia, Squaw Creek was renamed Dollis Creek in 2008 after its name was rescinded in 2000.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.