WASHINGTON – The U.S Interior Department is seeking suggestions for new names for places that include the word “squaw.” There are such sites in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland signed an order in November to remove the word from the names of geographic features on federal maps. The hope is that states, commercial mapmakers and local usage will follow the federal lead. In the Mohawk language, “squaw” is a word for female genitals that white people have mindlessly if not maliciously used for Indian women broadly since Colonial times. Complete list. Suggestions to: Reconciliation of Derogatory Geographic Names. MS-511. U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192.

Haaland. First Indian as U.S. Interior secretary. Former member of Congress from New Mexico. Of Laguna Pueblo heritage.

Among offending names

Targeted for renaming on U.S. Geological Survey maps:

Minnesota

Itasca County: Squaw Lake (village)

Pine County: Squaw Lake

Wisconsin

Ashland County: Squaw Creek

Bayfield County: Squaw Creek, Squaw Point

Door County: Squaw Island

Forest County: Squaw Creek

Fremont County: Squaw Lake

Jackson County: Squaw Creek, Squaw Mound

Langlade County: Squaw Creek, Squaw Lake

Lincoln County: Squaw Creek, Squaw Lake

Lincoln and Pierce counties: Squaw Creek

Marathon and Wood counties: Squaw Creek

Marinette County: Squaw Creek

Marinette County: Squaw Lake

Menomonie County: Squaw Creek

Oconto County: Little Squaw Lake, Squaw Lake

Outagamie County: Squaw Lake

Park County: Squaw Peak, Squaw Teats

Price County: Squaw Creek

Sawyer County: Squaw Bay

St. Croix County: Squaw Lake

Vilas County: White Squaw Lake