Officials rename 28 places in Wisconsin that had names derogatory to Indigenous women. Here's where they are.
GREEN BAY - Federal officials on Thursday voted on the final names for more than two dozen places in Wisconsin where previous names for them were considered derogatory to Indigenous people.
The places had used the term “sq--w,” which has been historically used as an offensive, ethnic, racial and sexist slur for Indigenous women.
The effort to change the names across the country was led by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Indigenous woman to hold the position.
“I feel a deep obligation to use my platform to ensure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming," Haaland said in a statement. "That starts with removing racist and derogatory names that have graced federal locations for far too long. Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.”
Nearly 650 names are being changed nationwide.
The DOI worked with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in identifying the places and collecting replacement name suggestions from the public and tribal nations.
Tribal leaders in Wisconsin had applauded the efforts.
“It’s been long overdue,” said Brandon Yellowbird-Stevens, vice chairman of the Oneida Nation, about the name changes. “It took the first Native American woman as secretary of the Interior for this to happen. It’s mind-blowing. … The secretary of the Interior shouldn’t have to waste her time changing derogatory terms.”
One of the name changes occurred on the Menominee Reservation, where there was a stream named Sq--w Creek, which has now been renamed to Neopit Creek.
“I never even realized those names existed on our reservation,” said Menominee Nation Chairman Ron Corn Sr. “Had we known, we might’ve done something prior to this. … It’s kind of like the (Indigenous-based) school mascots. They’re designed to make Natives feel ‘less than’ and the dominant society superior.”
The new names are effective immediately for federal use, but the public may continue to propose name changes for any feature through the regular Board on Geographic Names process.
The renaming effort involved officials considering multiple name suggestions for the same feature, inconsistent spelling of certain Indigenous language names and features that cross tribal, federal and state jurisdictions.
The renaming effort is not stopping with “sq--w.”
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“The DNR is preparing for the second round of the federal process and gathering other geographic names in the state that are derogatory,” said Kris Goodwill, tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Goodwill cited one example of a different offensive name that she finds appalling and that officials will be working to change: Halfbreed Rapids, a river in Oneida County.
Here is a list of the new names:
1. Little Sq--w Lake
Location: Oconto County, between Suring and Coleman
New name: Marl Lake
2. Sq--w Lake
Location: Outagamie County, between Appleton and Fremont
New name: Lake Jerome
3. Sq--w Creek
Location: Menominee County, just north of Neopit
New name: Neopit Creek
4. Sq--w Island
Location: Door County, near Little Sturgeon, west of Sturgeon Bay
New name: Keyes Island
5. Sq--w Creek
Location: Ashland County
New name: Wazhashki-ziibiins
6. Sq--w Point
Location: Bayfield County
New name: Siskiwit Point
7. Sq--w Creek
Location: Bayfield County
New name: Mawikwe Creek
8. Sq--w Creek
Location: Forest County
New name: Nigig Ziibins
9. Sq--w Creek
Location: Jackson County
New name: Hawk Creek
10. Sq--w Mound
Location: Jackson County
New name: Levis Mound
11. Sq--w Mound Flowage
Location: Jackson County
New name: Levis Mound Flowage
12. Sq--w Creek
Location: Langlade County
New name: Augustyn Creek
13. Sq--w Lake
Location: Langlade County
New name: East Lake
14. Sq--w Creek
Location: Lincoln County
New name: Hilts Creek
15. Sq--w Lake
Location: Lincoln County
New name: Wisconsin Lake
16. Sq--w Creek
Location: Lincoln and Price counties
New name: Spirit Creek
17. Sq--w Creek
Location: Marathon and Wood counties
New name: McMillan Creek
18. Sq--w Creek
Location: Marinette County
New name: Ten Creek
19. Sq--w Lake
Location: Marinette County
New name: Makwa Lake
20. Sq--w Creek
Location: Price County
New name: Aabajijiwani-ziibiinsing
21. Sq--w Creek Flowage 6
Location: Price County
New name: Aabajijiwang Flowage
22. Sq--w Bay
Location: Sawyer County
New name: Heron Bay
23. Sq--w Lake
Location: St. Croix County
New name: Apple Lake
24. White Sq--w Lake
Location: Vilas County
New name: Siphon Lake
25. Sq--w Lake
Location: Waushara County
New name: Shikaakwa Lake
26. Sq--w Lake
Location: Oconto County
New name: Messenger Lake
27. South Sq--w Creek
Location: Marathon and Wood counties
New name: South McMillan Creek
28. Lower Sq--w Creek Flowage
Location: Price County
New name: Lower Aabajijiwang Flowage
Frank Vaisvilas is a Report For America corps member based at the Green Bay Press-Gazette covering Native American issues in Wisconsin. He can be reached at 815-260-2262 or fvaisvilas@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank. Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at GreenBayPressGazette.com/RFA.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Wisconsin place names offensive to Native Americans changed by feds
