Squaw facts for kids

The word squaw is used to talk about an Indigenous woman in the United States or Canada.

However, many Indigenous people find this word very offensive. This is because it has been used in ways that are racist (showing prejudice against a race) and misogynistic (showing prejudice against women). Tom Aviso, who edits the Navajo Times, has said that "squaw" is the worst word used about Native American women.

Where the Word "Squaw" Comes From

The word "squaw" comes from a group of languages called Algonquian languages. In these languages, it simply means "woman." For example, in the Massachusset language, the word is "squàw." In the Cree language, it is "iskwew."

Why "Squaw" is Offensive Today

Many people today consider "squaw" to be an offensive word. This is because people who are not Indigenous have used it to disrespect Native American and Aboriginal Canadian women.

Some Indigenous communities believe "squaw" is very insulting. For instance, members of the Nooksack Tribal Council say that Native Americans generally see "squaw" as an offensive term. However, some other Native Americans think the word could be reclaimed. This means they believe it could be made into a normal word again, taking away its negative meaning.

The basic part (or root) of "squaw" is found in some longer words in Algonquian languages that are still spoken. For example, "nidobaskwa" means "female friend." "Manigebeskwa" means "woman of the woods." Also, "Squaw Sachem" was a title for a "female chief."

How "Squaw" Was Used in the Past

European colonizers used the word "squaw" when they talked about Indigenous women.

As white colonists moved west, they kept using words like "squaw." They used it even when talking about women whose tribes spoke languages different from Algonquian. It became a general word used for all Indigenous women.

Changing Offensive Place Names

People in the US and Canada are working to change place names that include the word "squaw." They feel these names are not respectful to Indigenous women. However, many places still have this word in their names.

Name Changes in the United States

• In 2003, Squaw Peak in Phoenix, Arizona, was renamed Piestewa Peak. This was done to honor Pfc. Lori Piestewa. She was the first Native American woman to die in combat during the Iraq War.
• In 2015, the city government of Buffalo, New York, voted to change "Squaw Island" to "Unity Island." In the Seneca language, this is Deyowenoguhdoh.
• In 2020, the government of Washington State agreed to change "Squaw Creek" back to "Páatstel Creek." This change happened because the Nooksack Tribal Council asked for it.

Name Changes in Canada

• In 1988, the Squaw Rapids Dam on the Saskatchewan River was renamed the E.B. Campbell Dam. It was named after an engineer.
• On November 20, 2018, Killsquaw Lake in Saskatchewan was renamed Kikiskitotawânawak Iskêwak. This lake was the site of a 19th-century massacre of Cree women. In Cree, the new name means "we honor the women." This change is important because missing and murdered Indigenous women is a serious issue in Canada.

Images for kids

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  "Chippeway Squaw and Child", an 1842 print.

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  Poster for the play The Squaw Man (1905). The term here refers to a white man married to a Native woman.