BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'

Subject: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: *daylia*
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:01 AM

Hi all; my son just finished college last week, and started a new job at a huge, beautiful new casino on a First Nations reserve near here. Yesterday was his orientation, which included a 4-hour lecture/presentation on aboriginal history, culture and issues. Seems that certain behaviours are simply not tolerated, including the use of certain words.   My son says that closed-circuit tv's are set up throughout the workspace to watch employees round the clock, and there are two words which, if uttered, will result in immediate dismissal --- "chief" and "squaw".

It's a bit surprising that a native person (or anyone else) would take offence to the word "chief" but hey, if they don't like it, then don't use it. Not too much to ask!   But what about the word "squaw"? We hardly ever hear that word, and my son never uses it anyway, but he was a bit puzzled. He always thought it meant "Native woman", in one of the local native languages. He asked me last night where the word came from, and why the natives see it as a slur. I've heard a few different theories, but I couldn't answer that. All I know is that especially up north here in Ontario, the word "squaw" is commonly used as a place name ie "Old Squaw Road" etc. And I'm wondering -- if it's so derogatory, why haven't they changed those road signs etc by now?

Does anyone here know the origins of the word "squaw"?

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: bobad
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:21 AM

"Squaw is borrowed from the Narragansett word for woman and has cognates in the other Algonquin languages. It appears in English in 1634, shortly after the first European settlements in New England.

Squaw is not, as is often popularly claimed, a Native American word meaning either prostitute or vagina. However, it is still considered by many to be offensive in the same way that calling an English-speaking female "woman" is offensive and non-Algonquin Indians may be offended by it because it is not a word in their language--like calling a Frenchwoman "Frau."

http://www.wordorigins.org/

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Becca72
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:26 AM

http://www.nativeweb.org/pages/legal/squaw.html

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:30 AM

"Squaw" has been replaced as a geographic place name here in Maine for lakes, mountains and other things. Personally, I'd rather not run the risk of offending a native-american by using such early settler slang. You hear that, white man?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: *daylia*
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:32 AM

Here's the link, Becca -- thanks! Looks like a very informative article ...   And it seems that not all Natives are offended by the word either -- ...many indigenous speakers and elders who are concerned at the efforts of otherwise well-meaning people to remove the word "squaw" from the English language.

Hmmm. I'll go over the article in more detail, and forward it to my son as well. ANd thanks too, bobad -- but I'm a bit confuddled by what you said. DOes this mean that as an English-speaking woman, I should get right upset if someone dared to called me "femme" (French for woman)???

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:33 AM

Out here in the West, I used to hear it when I was a kid. Haven't heard it in years and would be shocked if I did. It is associated with the early Hollywood stereotypes of Native Americans and as such does cause offence.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,marks
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:44 AM

Would they really terminate you for using the work chief? In my area referring to your supervisor as "chief" or "the chief" is a way of being familiarly respectful.
Mark

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:49 AM

"Squaw is not, as is often popularly claimed, a Native American word meaning either prostitute or vagina."

There's your answer. If there's a significant number of people who think the word is derogatory, then the word becomes a source of trouble.

I understand that in German one doesn't use the term "Fraulein" (Miss) anymore because it has come be slang for "prositute." Same process.

Daylia: Old Squaw Road is probably named for the Oldsquaw duck, a beautiful bird.

Hold on, and I will post a link.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:51 AM

Feast your eyes on this!

http://www.pbase.com/btblue/image/55141261

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: SINSULL
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:55 AM

Does anyone know the Indian term for "man". "Brave" is used in the movies. Did it derive from an Indian word?

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: jeffp
Date: 02 May 06 - 11:20 AM

If there's a significant number of people who think the word is derogatory, then the word becomes a source of trouble.


Too true. In Washington, DC, a few years ago, a member of the city government lost his job for using the word "niggardly." The word means "miserly," but people took offense and he lost his job.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: artbrooks
Date: 02 May 06 - 12:16 PM

I'd guess that it's much the same as the word nig*er, which is generally used as a pejorative. That word either comes directly from the Niger River or from the Spanish for black, negro, and doesn't actually, semantically, mean anything negative, but it is almost always used in an insulting manner and has, appropriately, been banished from the vocabulary of most people (and let's not go off on a tangent into urban argot). If the majority of Indian people deem squaw to be insulting to them, then let's not use it.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: *daylia*
Date: 02 May 06 - 12:43 PM

Awesome bird, leeneia - thanks! It's a saltwater bird though, not a likely resident of Ontario's Great Lakes. Googled around a bit, and it looks like the "Oldsquaw" duck has had a name change too - it's now called the "Long-Tail" duck, by some. Interesting!

And I agree, Mark -- it's odd to see the word "chief" blacklisted. I'd be more concerned about letting that one innocently slip out someday than either "squaw" or "niggardly".

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 May 06 - 01:35 PM

As for chief, just watch some of the old movies.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 02 May 06 - 02:05 PM

I can totally understand how both words would be deemed offensive, though I find it hard to articulate. I can envision some white guy using "chief" to a Native American man the same way the "n-word" would be used to a black man. Ditto for "squaw." Of the two, I think "squaw" is probably considered more offensive; you could probably describe Sitting Bull as a Lakota chief without setting anybody off, but you would not use it as a form of address. "Squaw" is best avoided altogether, even if there are people who would not find it offensive; "woman" is always a safe bet as a description, though not, as observed above, as a form of address.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Wesley S
Date: 02 May 06 - 02:09 PM

It's the "Golden Rule". He who has the gold gets to make the rules.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 02 May 06 - 04:00 PM

There are two ways to use any word, in context without malice and derogatory with malice. I never get upset being called a Limey simply because it is often used in a friendly way, and is an old nautical nickname. On the odd occasion it has been used with malice and in a derogatory manner,I "educated" the person involved. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 May 06 - 04:25 PM

"Chink Peak" -- named, without rancor, for a local Chinese-American merchant who asked to be and was buried up there -- is now called "China Peak" or "Chinese Peak"; locals, both Euro- and Oriental- Americans, still call it "Chink Peak." Folks who knew nothing about the history renamed it so as not to cause any possible offense to the local citizenry.]

In some places I understand the word "warrior" is considered a derogatory term because of its association with various Indian nations (I'll call them "Indians" because they call themselves "Indians" -- unless I'm refering to a particular group, such as the Shoshone or the Nez Perce or the Navaho). My response is "Huh?"

Is the sentence "There could be a chink in China's armor" derogatory?

Should I be offended because Howard Mountain is named for the Howard Family, who no longer live around here?

No, I won't deliberately offend anyone (usually). But sometimes I think things can be taken to exremes.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: John Hardly
Date: 02 May 06 - 05:39 PM

As a Potter-American, I feel it is my duty to inform you that I am offended by anyone using the word "Tupperware". So I would prefer that nobody here ever use that word. Or the product.

If you have a modicum of decency, respect, and hypersensitivity, you will honor my wish.

I knew I could count on you.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 May 06 - 05:52 PM

Well, we all know what "tup" means, and we sympathize.
-------------
Daylia, I first heard of the oldsquaw duck in an article in a birding magazine which described them bouncing of the waves of Lake Michigan on a freezing winter day. It amazed me that something so beautiful could be floating unseen, so close to where thousands of people live.

So perhaps they are not strictly saltwater ducks any more.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 May 06 - 07:04 PM

Rapaire, what would the typical "Howard" stereotype be? I'll watch for it in the movies.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 May 06 - 07:41 PM

It seems ironical that an establishment which directly or indirectly makes it very easy for vulnerable people to become gambling addicts and ruin their lives would be concerned about such niceties of language. ;-) The damage done to societies by casinos is, in my opinion, almost incalculable.

However, daylia, if your son likes the job there, that's cool for him. Everybody needs to earn a living.

Regarding "squaw", I've heard numerous stories about its origin, but I think most of them are apocryphal. I suspect that bobad's post is correct. The word became popular at that time of early contact and was soon used by most whites (and a great many Natives too) to describe any American Indian woman. It was not intended as a pejorative word at that time, but later came to be seen that way by various people for various reasons. Political correctness keeps changing its coat every generation or so, just like changing clothing styles.

If you read Mark Twain, you will find the word "nigger" used quite a bit by both black and white characters in normal dialogue...not with pejorative intent. Why? Because it was normal to use it that way at the time in the USA. Times have changed. It is now deemed so offensive that most people don't even dare to spell it out when discussing it.

And that is truly incredible. How frightening can a mere word be??? And if it is that frightening, who decided it was, and what did they have in mind?

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: mack/misophist
Date: 02 May 06 - 08:08 PM

Along with the 'oldsquaw' duck, how should one refer to 'squaw wood'? Any paraphrase would take forever.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: kendall
Date: 02 May 06 - 08:11 PM

Old Squaw ducks are constantly communicating orally. No further comment.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 May 06 - 09:38 PM

then there was the squaw on the hypotenuse...

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: dianavan
Date: 02 May 06 - 09:53 PM

I will attempt to paraphrase, 'squaw-wood'.

A windfall of branches and twigs. No saw or hatchet necessary. Might also include fir bark. Often seen in bundles on the backs of women. Firewood that can be collected by hand. - no derogatory meaning what-so-ever.

Squaw means woman in one of the Native languages but not in all of the Native languages. As far as I know it is more of an English word than a Native word. I have never heard a Native person use the word. I think that over time it has been used in a derogatory fashion by White men toward Native women.

Its called cultural appropriation. The English have taken a Native word and 'bastardized' its meaning. It is not a word that is usually spoken with a tone of respect.

When using the hyphenated form of the word, ie) squaw-wood its not so bad but when you call someone a squaw, its usually derogatory.

The same goes for the word, 'chief'. Think about it. Its like saying, Hey, Indian or Hey, Boy. Do you think Native men call each other chief?

Its not the word that is the problem. Its the mis-use of the word.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:16 PM

I've seen Native people use the word in print in older books written by those Native people, mostly in books written before the late 60's when it became seen as politically incorrect to use the word "squaw".

I believe that Lame Deer used it, for instance, in the book "Lame Deer - Seeker of Visions". I most certainly have not heard any Native people use it lately, but that isn't saying that they didn't used to.

Lame Deer (if my memory is accurate) was using it without any negative intent, which indicates to me that he simply took it for granted at the time as a regular word one would use (in English) for an Indian woman.

As you said, Dianavan, "It's not the word that is the problem. It's the mis-use of the word." It is the intent behind a word that is important, not the word itself. That is why it's ludicrous, for instance, to censor, edit, or ban Mark Twain's books now because the word "nigger" appears in their pages. If one cannot look at the past objectively, being aware that that WAS the past, then what use is there in even looking at the past at all?

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:26 PM

The meaning of the word is well-known, first appearing in Wood, W., 1634, "New England's Prosp.," II, xix. Bobad is correct. The word is clearly defined in Webster's Collegiate and in much detail in the OED with quotations from 17th c. writings.
By 1642, it was noted that the Indians in Massachusetts applied 'squaw' to the wives of white men.

The Hawaiian word 'kanaka' means man, but it has also acquired baggage, some derogatory.

If one possesses only one book, it should be a good dictionary of his language.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 02 May 06 - 10:54 PM

In Itasca State Park (Headwaters of the Mississippi river), there was a Squaw lake now changed to Ozawindib. Only reason I heard for this was it was a derogatory word. Now to go off a bit here, Ozawindib helped to locate the river and brought Henry Schoolcraft to Lake Itasca (Itasca means 'true head') I find it kind of strange they didn't name Itasca, Ozawindib, instead of just a few years ago, changing the name of Squaw lake, to it. Really going off but if anyone was intrested in a bit of history from the area and the river Click.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 May 06 - 11:29 PM

zFrom an NDN woman's take on the word, please Click Here


copyright by Marge Bruchac, Northampton, Massachusetts (November, 1999)

Kwai kwai. Greetings. I write to you as an alnobaskwa, an Abenaki woman, questioning the motion to gut our original language in the name of political correctness. Over the past few decades, in my travels as a traditional storyteller and historical consultant, I have met many indigenous speakers and elders who are concerned at the efforts of otherwise well-meaning people to remove the word "squaw" from the English language.

Squaw means the totality of being female

Squaw is NOT an English word. It IS a phoenetic rendering of an Algonkian word that does NOT translate to "a woman's private parts." The word "squaw" - as "esqua," "squa," "skwa," "skwe" and other variants - traditionally means the totality of being female, not just the female anatomy. The word has been interpreted by modern activists as a slanderous assault against Native American women. But traditional Algonkian speakers, in both Indian and English, still say words like "nidobaskwa" = a female friend, "manigebeskwa" = woman of the woods, or "Squaw Sachem" = female chief. When Abenaki people sing the Birth Song, they address "nuncksquassis" = "little woman baby."

However, in 2000, Maine outlawed the word: click. Just found this so I don't know if it held up. Kendall?

And, for one more take on it, from an NDN viewpoint, from here

Newsletter Article:
Squaw -Facts on the Eradication of the "S" Word
- Requested by newsletter subscriber -

    American Indian women and men all around the United States and Canada reject the use of the word squaw in reference to American Indian women. The word has been imposed on our culture by European Americans and appears on hundreds of geographic place names. Suzan Shown Harjobrought the issue to national attention on the Oprah Winfrey Show back in 1992. Since that time projects to eliminate the use of the word on geographic sites have formed in Minnesota (Dawn Litzau and Angelene Losh), in Arizona (Delena Waddle and Seipe Flood), in California (Stormy Ogden), and in Iowa (Fawn Stubben). Many other states are forming groups to eradicate the use of the word from geographic placenames and women's sports teams.

# When people argue that the word squaw appears in the dictionary, remind them that the word is also identified as derogatory. The Thesaurus of Slang lists the term squaw as a synonym for prostitute, harlot, hussy, and floozy.

# When people argue that the word originates in American Indian language point out that:

# In the Algonquin languages the word squaw means vagina.

# In the Mohawk language the word otsikwaw means female genitalia. Mohawk women and men found that early European fur traders shortened the word to squaw because that represented what they wanted from Mohawk women.

# Although scholarship traces the word to the Massachusset Indians back in the 1650s, the word has different meanings (or may not exist at all)in hundreds of other American Indian languages. This claim also assumes that a European correctly translated the Massachusset language to English--that he understood the nuances of Indian speech.

# Attitudes of white supremacy account for the need of separate identifying terms such as squaw and buck. In order to justify the taking of the land, American Indian women and men had to be labled with dehumanizing terms. Europeans and European Americans spread the use of the word as they moved westward across the continent.

# When people say "it never used to bother Indian women to be called squaw, respond with the following questions and statement.

# Were American Indian women of people ever asked? Have you ever asked an American Indian woman, man, or child how they feel about the word? (Do not say the word yourself, simply call it the "s" word) then state that it has always been used to insult American Indian women.

# When people ask "why now?" explain that:

# Through communication and education American Indian people have come to understand the derogatory meaning of the word. American Indian women claim the right to define ourselves as women and we reject the offensive term squaw.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: dianavan
Date: 03 May 06 - 12:21 AM

Littlehawk - If the word, "squaw" was the word for woman in his native language, then great, he is probably not using it in a derogatory way. If its in your Native language, then its O.K.

What is not O.K. is when other people use that word in an oppressive manner.

Over time, the emotional content of the word has changed. It has become a demeaning term used by the dominant culture. A culture which is considered to be a culture of oppression.

I know I certainly would not want to be called a squaw anymore than I want to be pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 May 06 - 02:37 AM

perhaps it was some of the squaws on the other two sides took exception.....

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: dianavan
Date: 03 May 06 - 02:51 AM

huh?

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: *daylia*
Date: 03 May 06 - 07:39 AM

Reading the above, and surfing the internet for more info re the word "squaw", I found out more than I ever wanted to know I think. The sooner the word is eliminated from the geography of North American the better imo. It seems to induce a kind of hysteria in some folk. For example, one article I found yesterday (sorry I lost that URL) claims that "squaw" is taken from the Algonkian word for penis, which was (supposedly) "wah" plus "Ne-ske" which meant "no". The story is that as the Native women were being attacked by the first Europeans here, they would cry out "Ne-ske-wah!" which meant "no penis", begging the men not to rape them. THe Europeans misunderstood, thought the women were telling them their name, shortened the word to "squaw", and applied it eventually to all native women. (?!?)

SOunds a bit farfetched imo, but a good picture of how native women feel about the word "squaw" nonetheless. They want it gone, as well as the other words used to describe Native people -- "buck", "chief", and "papoose". More insights here ---

Letter from a War Zone

That article describes the use of the word "squaw" in a pornographic video game called Custer's Last Stand. Egads ... this is not for the fainthearted ...

The pornographic video game "Custer's Revenge" generated many gang rapes of Native American women. In the game, men try to capture a "squaw," tie her to a tree, and rape her. In the sexually explicit game, the penis goes in and out, in and out. One victim of the "game" said: "When I was first asked to testify I resisted some because the memories are so painful and so recent. I am here because of my four-year-old daughter and other Indian children. . . . I was attacked by two white men and from the beginning they let me know they hated my people . . . And they let me know that the rape of a 'squaw' by white men was practically honored by white society. In fact, it had been made into a video game called 'Custer's Last Stand' [sic]. They held me down and as one was running the tip of his knife across my face and throat he said, 'Do you want to play Custer's Last Stand ? It's great, you lose but you don't care, do you? You like a little pain, don't you, squaw?' They both laughed and then he said, 'There is a lot of cock in Custer's Last Stand. You should be grateful, squaw, that All-American boys like us want you. Maybe we will tie you to a tree and start a fire around you."

Unfortunately, man's inhumanity to man (and women, and child) never ceases to amaze me. =[   So I guess we better rename this to -- Squaw Root (Blue Cohosh or Papoose Root) , a plant used by Native American women to ease menstrual and chilbirth pain.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,crazy little woman
Date: 03 May 06 - 10:15 AM

Now you know why the Kansas City Chiefs are changing their name to the Kansas City Alpha Males.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 May 06 - 12:30 PM

Dianavan - Here's the really crazy part about it all...I do not think "squaw" was a word in Lame Deer's people's original language. Hardly. What it was was a word already in common usage among whites travelling west as they met the Indians, including Lame Deer's people, and the Indians out west therefore assumed that it was a normal word that you use when you are talking to white men and you want to say: "woman" or "Indian woman". So, the whites got it from the Algonkians or someone else...they, for whatever reason, took it as the universal Indian word for "woman", they then used it in their conversations with other Indians, and those other Indians took it as the normal white word for "Indian woman" or just "woman"! As those other Indians began to lose their culture and more and more began to communicate in English...at first broken English...they continued using the word squaw right up into fairly recent times. Then, with the arising of social consciousness about wrongs done to Indians, people began to become embarrassed about the word, because it has often been used in a derogatory manner.

Do you see what a twisted trail this kind of thing really is, when you trace it back? It's bizarre. It's people unconsciously imitating other people, over and over again.

Of COURSE I would not use the word "squaw" to anyone now, but it has to be recogized that there was a time when for many people it was NOT a derogatory word, but simply a word in normal ussage.

The same is true of "pickaninny"...which meant a young Negro child who was too young yet to be picking cotton: "ain't pickin' any" = "pickanniny". That is considered offensive now too. It wasn't then.

The thing at any time in any culture is to be sensitive to how people perceive a word, and govern one's use of it accordingly. What is not offensive now may very well be seen that way 10 years or 50 years from now.

"Gay", for instance, will probably eventually become seen as a derogatory term and it will be replaced by some newer, more fashionable term by a new generation of activists. They won't proudly say "I'm gay." anymore. They'll proudly say something else, and raise hell if anyone calls them gay! I'd bet money on that...but I might have to wait a long time to collect! ;-)

To put it another way: If people wish to get really upset about something, anything, they can always look around some and find plenty of reason to. Or they can do something positive to do instead. Whatever satisfies their inner need....

That computer game you found, Daylia, is a spectacular way of getting upset about something. There are similar disgusting games denigrating women in general, and there is denigration of children and Latinas and Filipinas and etc, and there are snuff films, and there is all sorts of twisted stuff out there. Yes indeed. And one can rant and rave about it till blue in the face, but it's all driven by money. If some idiot out there will buy it, some other idiot will market it.

As for the word "squaw", I believe it's disappearing from use now almost universally, and that certainly doesn't bother me any, but let's not become so hysterical about a once commonly used historical word that we start burning or censoring old books because we can't even bear to look at it on the written page.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: dianavan
Date: 03 May 06 - 01:46 PM

Oh, oh, you said, "hysterical".

Its not a word that women like to hear. Its a word that is seldom applied to men (look up the roots of the word) and women don't usually like to be told they are being hysterical. Its another way of silencing a woman's opinion and denying her emotion.

daylia - Blue cohosh is a nice name and isn't going to offend anyone that I know.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Kaleea
Date: 03 May 06 - 02:32 PM

I will post this again, for the benefit of those who may have not seen it.
I was born in Oklahoma, & am of Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Irish, Welsh, Scottish & whatever else descent. I am a member of one of the Cherokee nations. I have never met another indigenous North American, aka Native American, aka "Indian" (not to be confused with a person from India), friends & family included, who uses or accepts the term "squaw" as a respectful term. To the contrary, it is considered offensive.
As the non indigenous peoples came across the Americas-some of my ancestors included-the term came to be used by them to describe an indigenous American woman much in the same way that some persons nowadays refer to women as a "cunt." This connotation has been in use for a couple of hundred years, whatever it's origin.

The term, "chief," has often been used by non Indian persons to refer to any male who appears to be of Indian descent. It was commonly used in a disrespectful manner, to point out that a male person was of a different race than the person using the term.

These and many other terms are often used in geography, sports, & in common speaking--however, that does not make it right. If we humans are ever going to learn to be respectful it must begin right this moment. We must all endeavor to show each other respect, & to be an example for others.
Begin with using the terms, "Sir," or "Ma'am." If you are speaking to another person & wish to designate which person you are referring to, you could say, "the gentleman with the glasses," instead of the "black guy;" or, one could say, "the lady who is taller & wearing a white suit," instead of "that asian girl."
If your child is on a ballteam & you are asked for suggestions for a team name, suggest something other than:

Tulsa Redskins
Toledo Chinks
Tucumcarie Jewboys
Tallahassee Spics
       etc.

If you will be respectful toward others, other persons will be more likely to show respect to you. Even if you are a nasty bigot, you do not have to say what you are thinking. You can choose to speak respectfully to and about others. The "Golden Rule" is found in every religion I have heard of, & teaches us to treat others with at the least, respect, and at best--love.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 May 06 - 02:48 PM

Well said, Kaleea. Thank you.




"Blue cohosh" might bother the Smurfs.*smile*

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 May 06 - 02:57 PM

I've seen any number of men get hysterical, Dianavan, and I do NOT associate it exclusively with women, but you can choose to attach that gender-based stigma to the word if you want to, I guess... ;-) (like I said, when one is looking for something to get upset about, one generally finds it, whether or not there was any such intention behind what someone else said or did)

Yes, the word "squaw" is considered offensive now among all or virtually all Native Americans and probably a majority of non-Natives. It didn't used to be. That's all I'm saying. Lame Deer clearly did not see it as offensive, and you couldn't get more Indian than he was. I remember being momentarily startled the first time I saw the word "squaw" in the text of the book I was reading, and I'm almost positive it was Lame Deer's book. He haled from an earlier era, and was accustomed to the word, I would assume, when he wrote the book.

If you read books from the 20's, 30's, 40's...and the decades preceding those....you will be astounded at the number of things you can find to get upset about. They were not, at the time, written with the intention to upset anyone...they were written in the unconscious, taken-for-granted vernacular of their day. To read that and understand it requires having the ability to move beyond mere emotional reflex reaction. Given the fact that a majority of people seem to lack that ability, we now have excellent books being banned from schools or editied and altered in order to soothe modern sensibilities. That is stupid, and it's more than that...it's a sort of cultural fascism.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 May 06 - 03:17 PM

I had a hysterectomy. I'm not supposed to get hysterical anymore. Don't believe many men can claim that. LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: dianavan
Date: 03 May 06 - 03:30 PM

I don't see anyone getting excited about the use of the word 'squaw' in a book and I agree that books should not be banned. We are talking about NOW.

It is not acceptable to call anyone a squaw today, regardless of the origin of the word. Just because its an acceptable term for a woman in one language, doesn't mean its acceptable in the English language of today.

Thanks Kaleea, I've never heard the word squaw used by anyone except a White male and it didn't sound like a compliment. Your explanation does alot to help explain why its feels discriminatory.

Littlehawk - When someone from another culture attempts to explain to the White world why cultural appropriation is not on, it is inaccurate to describe it as cultural fascism. Fascism cannot be practiced by a culture unless it is the dominant culture.

Your name, in fact, is a form of cultural appropriation. You are not allowed to take our words and our names and bastardize their meaning. If your name was truly a Native name, you would not be using it on the internet. It would be private and only those who know you well would use it.

I realize that you admire Native customs or you probably would not have taken that name but when you tell a Native person that your name is Littlehawk, I'm sure they think its a bit off. In some cultures, copying another is considered a compliment but in other cultures it is not.

To make a long story short - Why have the oppressors destroyed most of the Native languages through cultural genocide but retained a word that is used as a tool to discriminate? Who gave you permission to take from us what you want and destroy the rest?

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 03 May 06 - 03:43 PM

A wonderful pun:

The squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sums of the other two hides!

(If nobody remembers the tale that preceeds this play on words, I'll post 'em in a while---after the laundry is finished...)

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 03 May 06 - 03:45 PM

That ought to read ...the squaws of the other two hides.

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 May 06 - 04:33 PM

I could buy what you say, Dianavan, if I thought that this physical life was the only time I've ever been here...but I don't. ;-)

I believe that most human souls have by now incarnated in probably every race in Earth and in both genders, so I regard these sort of divisive "our group versus your group" squabbles as pointless and zenophobic. That's why I equate it with fascism. Fascism loves to divide blocs of people against one another. It thrives on division and the feeling of "specialness" being attached to one's own identified group.

All of us longhaired kids in the early 70's tended toward that sort of exclusionary fascism in our sense of 'specialness' and moral superiority to the "straights", as did many of the conventional societal forces we were pitted against. In my opinion, fascism can be practiced just as much from a position of weakness as from a position of strength...it simply requires having no empathy for "the other", seeing the other as "bad", and seeing one's own people as better than the other. It is more successful when practiced from a position of strength, that's all. ;-) That's why it's remembered in association with forces of great power.

I agree with you 100% that squaw is a word which is not acceptable to use for labelling Native American women today. Absolutely not. That's because of changes in cultural awareness over the last few hundred years, but mainly over the last few decades, since roughly the 1950's.

The name "Little Hawk" came to me in a rather mysterious way, and I accepted it, because it came. No one owns it. No people own it. It's a name. I can have it if I want, and I expect I did have it before in another life (and a different language). I, like all human souls, belong spiritually to all races and I know it.

I am of no race. I belong to no group or category. I am of no gender. My race and gender now are details of a momentary passing role, like a part in a play. I am a shining spirit. So is everyone else. Spirits do not have race or gender, but they can take on the appearance of both when they incarnate, and of course, they do...as long as they're here in the physical.

We will all get a good laugh out of this one day when we are not in the physical anymore, and at that point our ridiculous, tragic wars and our illusionary false divisions over issues such as race, nationality and gender will have vanished like the dream that they are. We are all One in Spirit.

That's why I see it as I do.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: *daylia*
Date: 04 May 06 - 10:13 PM

".. and our illusionary false divisions over issues such as race, nationality and gender will have vanished like the dream that they are."

Hm. In physical reality, that happens only when people make it so - sometimes even through means like that new casino, LH. A world-class establishment, that beautiful casino offers the finest in dining, lodging and entertainment (not to mention native art!) . The chefs there are among the best this country has to offer-- including two of my son's college instructors. Kinda handy as he completes the thousands of hours he needs of working under a licensed chef.   And apparently it draws mostly international (rather than local) business.

Now I don't care for gambling myself, but I do know that the badly-needed jobs and revenue generated by the casino have improved conditions on that particular reserve immensely. They now have drinkable water for the first time in many decades, and their own police force; an arena and sports complex, community education and public health services etc etc. In other words, Rama is no longer one of the forgotten little Third World "back pockets" of one of the world's wealthiest nations. And according to my son, 10% of the casino's (substantial!) profits are allocated to other First Nations reserves across the country.

But the very, very best news is -- casino employees are NOT allowed to gamble there.   

*WHEW*   :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: bobad
Date: 04 May 06 - 10:27 PM

Toledo Mud Hens - now THAT'S derogatory.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Bill D
Date: 04 May 06 - 10:45 PM

(hey Art...I heard it as "the sons of the squaws on the other two hides")...that joke is so old, 'squaw' was not yet considered offensive....almost as old as the silly & contrived "Squaw bury Shortcake" line.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 May 06 - 12:52 PM

Incorrectly derived in a post above, piccaninny (pickaninny) is another example of a word gone bad because of expanded associations, xenophobic misuse, and, more recently, the attentions of the hysterically politically (in?)correct.
Piccaninny originally came into use, by West Indies blacks, for little. It derived from Spanish pequeño, and the pidgin pequenino. The earliest record in print is from Barbados, 1657 (OED). The word was carried around the world by whites, slaves and mariners.
'Pickin' any' is one of those invented origins, humorous-derogatory, like the 'penis' interpretation posted somewhere above.

Words for women in Indian languages have not been picked up and misused by whites, probably because 'squaw' already was widespread, and some are difficult for whites to get their tongues around.
The T'áá Diné (Navajo) word for woman is not easily appropriated into English- 'asdzání, or 'asdzá(with cedilla)á(with cedilla)- symbols not in html. A 'little one' is 'azházhí. Like many other American languages, T'S#225; Diné is complex and comprehensive.

Another word commonly misused outside of Hawai'i is wahine.

Subject: RE: BS: Origins of the word 'squaw'
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 May 06 - 01:32 PM

Yeah, the casino has undoubtedly been a huge boost to the Rama Reserve and the surrounding area economically. No question about it. It's also been a big boost to various forms of local vice...gambling itself, prostitution, the drug trade...and there have been more than a few suicides (some in the parking lot) when people lost all their money, signed away their house and car...lost that...and killed themselves.

You don't see much about that in the local papers (that would be bad for business), you just hear about it on the side from people in the know now and then.

It's ironical to me that Native Americans are so involved with casinos. It seems to be very contrary to the traditional spiritual values...although...Indians did like to gamble. They had their own games of chance before the whites ever came, simpler in concept perhaps, but gambling nonetheless. I guess the big difference was, with the Indians it wasn't an industry.

I know the place absolutely gives me the creeps...because of the weird vibes...but, yeah, they have great food and they bring in great entertainment.

So it's got its good and bad points, and one can focus on either as one pleases...if you can stand the aforementioned vibes and the constant noise in the gaming areas.

I place no bad judgement on your son for working there. If he enjoys it, great!

You say most of the business that comes there is international? That seems so bizarre to me! Why would people travel long distances to go to a place that to me seems downright hellish? ;-) Well, because to them it seems like a lot of fun, obviously. It's all a matter of individual perception, like everything else in this mysterious world we live in.

I was curious about the casino after it opened, went and took a look around. Nice art and stuff. Weird, weird atmosphere. I tried playing a slot machine with $10 in tokens and much to my surprise won $150 in about 15 minutes. I left. I subsequently stopped in there about 4 more times over a few months, with $10 each time, and played till it was lost...and I always lost the $10, usually in a few minutes. After that I figured, "Okay, the chances of winning here are clearly not very good...so I'm quitting now." That way I ended up about $100 ahead overall, which I figure is not bad, and that concluded my private investigation into the wonders of the casino. ;-D