A PLACE BY ANY OTHER NAME

When it comes to offensive place names in Maine, the good news is that more than half the townships, mountains, lakes, ponds and islands once called Squaw have new names. Communities deciding the new names for the dozen that remain should get busy finding a better choice.

Earlier this month, the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission filed complaints with the Maine Human Rights Commission against the Washington County commissioners and the town of Stockton Springs for not complying with a state ban on the name in geographic locations. Six years after being required to eliminate the name, these jurisdictions should belatedly do so.

In 2001, then-Gov. Angus King signed a law requiring the removal of “squaw” or “squa” from Maine geographic features, locations and highway signs. This was an expansion of a 1977 law removing the offensive name “nigger” from the state’s landscape.

Since then, there has been confusion over what state agency has jurisdiction over enforcing name changes. The Department of Conservation, through the state geologist, has worked with communities to seek name changes.

Rather than expending state resources to continue this debate, new names should be found.

As they did during the debate over the squaw-ban bill, many argue that the word is not offensive. This discussion, likely to go on for years, is beside the point. Webster’s New World College Dictionary says the word “is now considered offensive” and is a “mild term of contempt.” This trumps arguments about the intended use of the word and the economic effects of its removal.

There were 12 places in Piscataquis County that carried the squaw appellation. All were renamed “moose.” Frustrated that other jurisdictions didn’t follow suit and worried that the new name was leading to confusion, county commissioners briefly considered going back to the squaw name. While their frustration is warranted, going backwards is not the answer.

However, progress in changing the remaining names is too slow. Last month, the town of Standish renamed Squaw Island Miller’s Isle. Squaw Island in Washington County remains unchanged.

In Aroostook County, several places called Squa Pan were simply changed to Squapan, a shortcut that Stockton Springs proposes to follow by changing Squaw Point to Squapoint. This does not conform to the intent of the law. Instead, these places should follow the lead of Piscataquis County and others and come up with entirely new names of local significance.

Communities can consider it an opportunity to commemorate a local historic event or to recognize a prominent resident, human or animal. Either way, squaw and its variation should quickly disappear from the landscape.