US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declares word 'squaw' as derogatory term

Formally declaring "squaw" to be a derogatory term, US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Friday ordered a task force to find replacement names for valleys, lakes, creeks and other sites on federal lands, which use the word.

Taking effect immediately, the order stands to affect more than 650 names of places that use the term, as per figures from the US Board on Geographic Names.

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In a news release over the change, Haaland said, "Racist terms have no place in our vernacular or on our federal lands. Our nation's lands and waters should be places to celebrate the outdoors and our shared cultural heritage — not to perpetuate the legacies of oppression."

The word "squaw" has originated from the Algonquian language and it meant "woman". The meaning of the world has skewed over centuries of use by white people.

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"The term has historically been used as an offensive ethnic, racial and sexist slur, particularly for indigenous women," the interior department said.

This action is one of the largest steps to strip hurtful words from names of places.

In recent years, many states from Maine to Oregon have dropped the term "squaw" from the names.

(With inputs from agencies)