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Buffalo Mayor Changes Name of Squaw Island to Unity Island.....

MMC

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New Name for the Niagara River Plot. Squaw had to be changed as it is offensive to Native American women. What say ye?



Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot.....

The name Squaw Island is firmly in the past, after Mayor Byron W. Brown signed a bill Monday ratifying the Common Council’s unanimous decision to rename it Unity Island – or Ga’nigo:i:yoh (pronounced ga’-nego-e-yah) Island in the Seneca language.

Attending the bill-signing ceremony in the mayor’s office were Maurice A. John Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, and North District Council Member Joseph A. Golombek Jr., who worked with members of the community on the name change.....snip~

Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot - City & Region - The Buffalo News
 
New Name for the Niagara River Plot. Squaw had to be changed as it is offensive to Native American women. What say ye?



Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot.....

The name Squaw Island is firmly in the past, after Mayor Byron W. Brown signed a bill Monday ratifying the Common Council’s unanimous decision to rename it Unity Island – or Ga’nigo:i:yoh (pronounced ga’-nego-e-yah) Island in the Seneca language.

Attending the bill-signing ceremony in the mayor’s office were Maurice A. John Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, and North District Council Member Joseph A. Golombek Jr., who worked with members of the community on the name change.....snip~

Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot - City & Region - The Buffalo News

An excellent gesture long past due.
 
Hmm.......have they re-named Squaw Valley yet?

The word simply means "woman" in most Algonquian languages and dialects and renaming it to an Iroquois language is an improvement?
 
What say ye?

Unless I am missing something, this seems entirely symbolic with little substance. How many other rivers, islands, river ways, whatever else, etc. are we going to rename because of offense to something that happened before America really became America. What am I missing from this history? (Legitimate question.)
 
Squaw sounds stupid. It's like what a hipster crow screeches.
 
I wasn't aware the word was derogatory, or probably more accurate, that it had become derogatory. The meanings of words change with time and if the women in the Native American community say that word carries a negative connotation nowadays I am not one to argue with them.
 
New Name for the Niagara River Plot. Squaw had to be changed as it is offensive to Native American women. What say ye?



Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot.....

The name Squaw Island is firmly in the past, after Mayor Byron W. Brown signed a bill Monday ratifying the Common Council’s unanimous decision to rename it Unity Island – or Ga’nigo:i:yoh (pronounced ga’-nego-e-yah) Island in the Seneca language.

Attending the bill-signing ceremony in the mayor’s office were Maurice A. John Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, and North District Council Member Joseph A. Golombek Jr., who worked with members of the community on the name change.....snip~

Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot - City & Region - The Buffalo News

Good evening MMC,

Gee - I thought the word "Indian" was offensive to many "Native Americans" or "Indigenous" people. When is the Seneca Nation of Indians going to change their completely offensive name? I'd suggest the Seneca Nation of Unity - good huh?
 
I don't mind them changing it, but I feel like 2015 is like the year to be offended and push others to cave into sensibilities.
 
Hmm.......have they re-named Squaw Valley yet?

The word simply means "woman" in most Algonquian languages and dialects and renaming it to an Iroquois language is an improvement?

If they say it's a derogatory form of the the word woman, who are we to argue, we who have all the following words that "simply mean 'woman,'"...
bitch, whore, slut, ****, girlie, sweetie, tootsie, toots, ho, beotch, hag, nag, hen, ballbreaker, .... and those are just a few off the top of my head.
 
I like "squaw". It's kinda cute. Maybe it's just my foriegn naivety.
 
If they say it's a derogatory form of the the word woman, who are we to argue, we who have all the following words that "simply mean 'woman,'"...
bitch, whore, slut, ****, girlie, sweetie, tootsie, toots, ho, beotch, hag, nag, hen, ballbreaker, .... and those are just a few off the top of my head.
Who says it is? The Delawares from whose language it is as little as it is from English? And what does it have to do with any of the derogatory words for women that you cite?

And no, not one of them means woman.

And then the Buffalo of Mayor renames it Unity Island when the Seneca always called it "divided island" (de-dyo-we-no-guh-do).

If one needs a strident example of PC leading from the sublime to the cor' blimey, this has just gotta be it.
 
Good evening MMC,

Gee - I thought the word "Indian" was offensive to many "Native Americans" or "Indigenous" people. When is the Seneca Nation of Indians going to change their completely offensive name? I'd suggest the Seneca Nation of Unity - good huh?
Careful, the tribe might be induced to sue Rome. For one of its ancient senators having allowed the abuse of his name (to be imposed upon them). Then again, the way things appear to be going Rome might sue the Indians. Or the French more aptly.

Haysooos.
 
I thought only the US Geological Survey had the ability to approve geographic names (i.e.: islands, mountains, rivers, etc.).
 
New Name for the Niagara River Plot. Squaw had to be changed as it is offensive to Native American women. What say ye?



Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot.....

The name Squaw Island is firmly in the past, after Mayor Byron W. Brown signed a bill Monday ratifying the Common Council’s unanimous decision to rename it Unity Island – or Ga’nigo:i:yoh (pronounced ga’-nego-e-yah) Island in the Seneca language.

Attending the bill-signing ceremony in the mayor’s office were Maurice A. John Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, and North District Council Member Joseph A. Golombek Jr., who worked with members of the community on the name change.....snip~

Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot - City & Region - The Buffalo News



I can tell you stories about Squaw Island, terrific submarine races there
 
Unless I am missing something, this seems entirely symbolic with little substance. How many other rivers, islands, river ways, whatever else, etc. are we going to rename because of offense to something that happened before America really became America. What am I missing from this history? (Legitimate question.)

Mornin OS. :2wave: I did hear now that up in Alaska they changed another name due to some more of the lefts touchy feely emotional self, with all that offends them. In New Orleans, they want to take down a Civil War statue.

Where will it stop?
 
He cannot do that and get away with it! As a Washington Redskins fan I am offended.
 
New Name for the Niagara River Plot. Squaw had to be changed as it is offensive to Native American women. What say ye?



Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot.....

The name Squaw Island is firmly in the past, after Mayor Byron W. Brown signed a bill Monday ratifying the Common Council’s unanimous decision to rename it Unity Island – or Ga’nigo:i:yoh (pronounced ga’-nego-e-yah) Island in the Seneca language.

Attending the bill-signing ceremony in the mayor’s office were Maurice A. John Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians, and North District Council Member Joseph A. Golombek Jr., who worked with members of the community on the name change.....snip~

Unity Island becomes official name of Niagara River plot - City & Region - The Buffalo News

Whats next? The US goes to the UN and demands India and Niger changes their country names to Freedonia and Sylvania respectively? :roll:
 
Whats next? The US goes to the UN and demands India and Niger changes their country names to Freedonia and Sylvania respectively? :roll:

Mornin Pos. :2wave: Whats next? Oh removing Confederate Names from Rivers, Waterways, Pieces of ground. Oh, even a district. Like they did up in Alaska. Then finding offense with Native American names.

Now I heard they want to press the issue down in New Orleans over the The Fleur-De-Lis and say it is racist. Eventually it will be whatever else they can find offense with.




Alaska census area gets new title instead of Confederate officer's name.....

JUNEAU -- A western Alaska census area named for confederate officer Wade Hampton will be known as the Kusilvak Census Area going forward.

Calls to change the name began before last month's deadly shootings in South Carolina that brought renewed attention to confederate symbols. But supporters of the name change said that elevated the issue.....snip~

Alaska census area gets new title instead of Confederate officer's name | Local News - KTUU.com Anchorage
 
Mornin OS. :2wave: I did hear now that up in Alaska they changed another name due to some more of the lefts touchy feely emotional self, with all that offends them. In New Orleans, they want to take down a Civil War statue.

Where will it stop?

It probably will not stop, the whole point of political correctness is to account for someone's feelings. It is bound to continue.
 
I can tell you stories about Squaw Island, terrific submarine races there

Heya F&L :2wave: Next up will be anything concerning people with disabilities. I also heard that some High School had to change their Name from the Midgets. No more Cripple Creeks either.
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They'll find, for example, seven squaw places listed in Massachusetts, including Squaw Peak in the Berkshires, Squaw Rock off Quincy, and Squawbetty Hill in Taunton. And they'll find Whorehouse Meadow, a bit of bawdy toponymy in Oregon's Harney County.

In addition to the unresolved matters involving ``squaw" names, Monmonier writes that ``I'll not be surprised if advocates for people with disabilities start challenging" the Cripple Creeks -- 81 listed on the GNIS, only one in New England, a Cripple Brush Creek in Vermont's Franklin County .

But because ``disputes over renaming are as much about control as they are over decency, prudery, aesthetics, or compassion," particularly local control, Monmonier writes, stay tuned for ``vigorous resistance" from residents content with their own Cripple Creek....snip~

Geographer explores place names that offend - The Boston Globe
 
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