‘Moose’ to replace ‘squaw’ on Piscataquis maps

DOVER-FOXCROFT – It looks like Big Squaw Township will be known as Big Moose Township.

Squaw Mountain, however, will still be Squaw Mountain.

Piscataquis County commissioners this week voted to remove the word “squaw” from the names of geographical locations in Piscataquis County and replace it with “moose.”

The name change is expected to be endorsed by a special committee appointed by Gov. Angus King to rename geographical places that have the word “squaw,” which is offensive to American Indians.

“Since all the geographic places in Piscataquis County are in the Moosehead Lake area, it seemed sensible to use the word ‘moose,’ which should not be offensive to anybody and should possibly help the Moosehead Lake region economy in the future,” Eben DeWitt, chairman of the board of commissioners, said this week.

Commissioner Woodrouffe “Tony” Bartley of Greenville said, however, “If left to the people up here, there’d be no change.”

Bartley also said that in the commissioners’ search for a replacement word, there were a “lot of smart-alecky names,” such as “squat,” “squall” and “squawk.”

Earlier this year, American Indians persuaded the Legislature to pass a bill to have the word “squaw” deleted from all state geographic locations because, they said, the word denigrates women.

The word is a reference to female genitalia.

The governor ordered the renaming of about two dozen Maine landmarks, including mountains and waterways, and he established a commission to carry out the task.

Tribal legislative Rep. Donald Soctomah, who represents the Passamaquoddy Tribe, said Wednesday that he was pleased the Piscataquis County commissioners had taken the step to remove the offensive word.

“I’m glad they’re doing that and that there’s no resistance to the law,” Soctomah said.

He said moose is “sort of symbolic” to the Moosehead Lake region, so the word appears to be a good fit.

“I think it will be a good way to draw tourists to the area,” the representative said.

Because a majority of the geographic locations with the “squaw” name are located in Piscataquis County, residents in the region wanted a say in the renaming, according to the commissioners.

These locations include Big Squaw Township, Little Squaw Township, Big Squaw Pond, Little Squaw Brook and Squaw Brook.

A total of 12 locations in Piscataquis County will be affected.

The legislation will affect a total of 25 places in seven counties in Maine.

Madalene Burnham of Greenville, who is part Algonquin, said Wednesday that she was never offended by the use of the word “squaw” on landmarks.

But since the change was required by law, she said, the word “moose” was suitable.

“It sounds better than what I thought they might name them,” the 84-year-old woman said.

She had feared that the locations would end up being named after politicians.

The law does not affect private entities such as the Big Squaw Mountain Resort and Ski area in Big Squaw Mountain Township.

The owner of the resort, James Confalone, has said he sees nothing wrong with the name and doesn’ plan to change it.

So Big Squaw Mountain Resort and Ski area will be in Big Moose Township.

DeWitt said that the board had listened to many suggestions from residents in the county on how this name change should be handled.

The popular choice, he said, was to use “moose.”