'An Epithet and a Slur': Momentum Grows to Rename Tahoe Ski Resort

Lake Tahoe's Squaw Valley Ski Resort is considering changing its name to remove the word "squaw" — a derogatory term for Native American women — amid a national reckoning over racial injustice and inequality.

The word "squaw," derived from the Algonquin language, may have once simply meant "woman." But over generations, the word morphed into a misogynist and racist term to disparage Indigenous women, said Vanessa Esquivido, a professor of American Indian Studies at California State University, Chico.

"That word is an epithet and a slur. It's been a slur for a very long time," she said.

When settlers arrived in the 1850s in the area of the Sierra Nevada where the resort is now located, they first saw only Native American women working in a meadow. The land was believed to have been given the name Squaw Valley by those early, predominantly white settlers.

But now the term is considered derogatory and even the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word as an offensive term for a Native American woman.

Squaw Valley Ski Resort — technically Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows since a merger in 2011 — received international name recognition when it hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. The geographic name of the valley itself was changed from Squaw Valley to Olympic Valley in the run-up to the '60 winter games not out of respect for Indigenous peoples, but in anticipation of the games. The 'Squaw' name is now only attached to the resort.

Regional California tribes have asked for the name change numerous times over the years, with little success. But the idea is gaining momentum.

Squaw Valley President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Cohen said the resort is currently taking inventory of all the places where the name appears on and off the property, how much it would cost to change and what to prioritize if the change moves ahead.

Removing "squaw" from the resort name would be a lengthy and expensive process, Cohen said, as the name appears on hundreds of signs and is imprinted on everything from uniforms to vehicles.

Cohen, who took over as head of the resort two years ago, said the operators are also meeting with shareholders, including business and homeowners within the resort, as well as the local Washoe tribal leadership to get their input.

Cohen said he could not give a timeline on when a decision could be made.

Washoe Tribe Chairman Serrell Smokey said the name Squaw Valley is a constant reminder of efforts to disparage native people.

He's in favor of the name change and suggested "Olympic Valley" as a replacement.

The possible renaming is one of many efforts across California and the nation to address colonialism and indigenous oppression, including the removal of statues of Junípero Serra and Christopher Columbus, symbols to many of European colonization and the destruction of native peoples.

On Monday, the National Football League's Washington Redskins announced the team is dropping the "Redskins" name and Indian head logo.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is owned and operated by the Denver, Colorado-based Alterra Mountain Company.

This story includes reporting from The Associated Press and KQED's David Marks.