"Squaw" Replaced with Dancing Lady and Wakina Sky
Rep. Orr Criticizes Name Changes
One of the human rights successes of the 1999 Montana legislature was the passage of HB 412 to eliminate the offensive word "squaw" from the names of Montana's public lands. Critics of the bill argued that changing names is giving "special treatment" to those offended by the word "squaw." Western News reported that Scott Orr (R÷Libby) recently argued that the offensive meaning attributed to the word was not necessarily accurate. In a bizarre interpretation, he said, "Sure, it's a derogatory name, and so are streets name Broadway, referring to Îbroads.'"
Nevertheless, the bill has captured the positive spirit of many Montanans and changes are already beginning to occur. The bill established an advisory committee, which met in Helena on August 26. The committee identified 74 sites across the state which contain "squaw" in their name.
The first official name change took place on September 24. Tribal leaders and officials from the U.S. and Canada attended a "Naming of a Mountain" ceremony in Glacier National Park to celebrate the renaming of Squaw Mountain to Dancing Lady Mountain. The ceremony, which was held in conjunction with Native American Heritage Day, included traditional Indian blessings.
Another name change occurred in the Helena area on October 27 when a popular mountain biking route was renamed Wakina Sky Gulch. The move was initiated by children attending the Wakina Sky Learning Center and supported by local bicycle shops. Sixth-grader Dusty Price said it was a good name "because it is the name of an eagle that was injured."