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[article provided by Lona. Thanks!]

Indians Want To Change Name Of Squaw Bay
AP 02/29/2000

ASHLAND, Wis. (AP) _ A group of American Indians wants to change the name of
Squaw Bay, saying it's a derogatory term used by European settlers to
describe Indian women.

"Squaw" is a French corruption of an Indian word for the female genitalia
and eventually became used by settlers as a term for Indian women in
general.

In Minnesota, the Legislature recently passed a law requiring a change to
all geographic names with "squaw" in them. So far the name change has
affected seven places.

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa want to change the name of
Squaw Bay, which is near Cornucopia, to Mawikwe Bay, Ojibwe for "weeping
woman bay."

To make such a name change in Wisconsin, all local governments in the area
need to be in agreement. So far all have given their approval except the
Bayfield County board, which takes up the matter Tuesday.

If Bayfield County approves the change, the matter would be up to the
National Park Service. One park official said the change sounded fine.

"Folks have pointed out that the name is quite deeply offensive," management
assistant Jim Netstad said. "There are features in that area we like to
direct people to _ the sea caves, for example. We don't want to be using a
name in our literature that our neighbors find offensive."

Already, Bayfield township has agreed to change the name of Squaw Bay Road
to Mawikwe Road.
 

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