Colorado panel recommends tribal name change for mountain

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado state panel has recommended that a peak west of Denver be renamed after a Cheyenne woman who facilitated relations between white settlers and Native American tribes in the early 19th century. The Colorado Sun reports that Thursday’s recommendation comes amid national efforts to address a history of colonialism and oppression against Native Americans and other people of color. The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board recommended renaming Squaw Mountain to Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain which is pronounced “mess-taw-hay.” Experts say the word “squaw” means “woman” in the Algonquin language but over the years has morphed into a misogynist and racist term to disparage Indigenous women.