Ariz. Mountain Renamed After Slain Soldier

Army Spc. Lori Piestewa Was First American Indian Woman Killed Serving In U.S. Military

(AP)  A federal panel on Thursday officially renamed a Phoenix mountain for the first American Indian woman to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military, ending one of the country's most contentious fights over a place name.

Less than a month after Army Spc. Lori Piestewa was killed in Iraq in 2003, a state panel renamed Squaw Peak, one of the city's most popular hiking spots, as Piestewa Peak.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names made the name change official Thursday in an 11-2 vote, Lou Yost, the board's executive secretary, said from Washington, D.C.

"We're very grateful that they went ahead and kept the name," said Piestewa's mother, Percy Piestewa. "It's an honor and it's very humbling. It's awesome."

Many American Indians found the old name offensive and had been trying to change it for years, but critics called the change a heavy-handed political move by Gov. Janet Napolitano's administration.

Yost said supporters on the board felt that Piestewa (py-ES'-tuh-wah) symbolizes everyone who has died in the line of duty, while opponents argued that she didn't have a direct association with the mountain and is not of regional or national prominence.

The federal board requires a five-year wait before it will name geographic feature on maps and other federal publications after the dead, partly to let emotions on the question cool down. But Yost said the five years since Piestewa's death didn't do much to cool down hundreds of Arizonans.

"Apparently this is still an emotional situation out there," he said. "This is what we call a high-profile case." He said about 1,300 people called or wrote in to voice their opinions, and the board received an unprecedented number of e-mails. About two-thirds of those who contacted the board supported the name change, he said.

Piestewa, a 23-year-old Hispanic-Hopi mother of two from Tuba City on the Navajo Reservation, died after her convoy took a wrong turn and was ambushed near Nasiriyah in March 2003. Some of the members of 507th Maintenance Company, including her best friend, Jessica Lynch, were taken prisoner. Others died.

The story of Lynch's capture and dramatic nighttime rescue made her an instant celebrity. Lynch attends annual ceremonies at the peak and named her daughter for her fallen friend.

The peak is a popular destination for local hikers attracted to its convenient location in the middle of the city and its challenging trails to the 2,600-foot summit.

Larry Wayt, the leader of a local hiking group who runs the squawpeakhiker.org Web site, said he was disappointed in the federal board's decision to rename the peak.

"A lot of words are considered offensive now that didn't used to be considered offensive, and a lot of the words that are considered offensive are still used, and that really doesn't enter into it as far as I'm concerned," he said.

He said officials should have either left the name the same or found a way to honor all veterans.

Napolitano argued that changing the name of the landmark, seen at left, would be an appropriate tribute to Piestewa while removing the word "squaw." Although some linguists disagree, critics say "squaw" is derived from an Indian word for female genitalia.

"Lori Piestewa bravely served our country," Napolitano spokeswoman Shilo Mitchell said Thursday. "She sacrificed greatly, and so has her family, and by honoring her, we honor all veterans."

The controversy over renaming the mountain led to a nasty fight between Napolitano and the Republican-led Legislature. Like the federal board, the state panel that approved the name change has a five-year waiting period, but Napolitano and others persuaded the board to waive it.

[bdrlnt4rl]

a good story.

[libsrweak]

lived in Phoenix for 10 years and always thought the name was offensive. People there have been trying to get it changed for years and I can''''t think of a better reason for it. Good job AZ!

Posted by SgtRDS at 03:59 PM : Apr 11, 2008
+ report abuse

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idiots are usually easily offended..are you hopi??are you even close to native american?? are you even an american?

[pfd572]

Finally a story out of Arizona we can be proud of, is positive and appealing, as opposed to the self-serving, self-promoting stories about Joe ''SEND OUT MORE PRESS RELEASES'' Arpaio.

[pfd572]

Same goes to you my2centss: How do you feel about changing building, airport, park names, etc. to honor politicians and movie actors? If they are right wing conservative I imagine you have no problem with it. But if its a woman, independent or liberal you will call it PC. Double standards are obscene.

[pfd572]

We name airports after movie actors, bridges after comedians, etc. How PC to rename to Reagan Airport, John Wayne Airport, Birch Bayh Senate Building, Strom Thurmond Building, etc. Love how some pick and choose their idea of PC, like not when its own of ''their own''. It is nice we have taken the opportunity to honor a female soldier, a Native American, a mother, who made the ultimate sacrifice. But don''t be misled by others either, Piestewa Peak will also be a testament to all who die in Iraq.

[pfd572]

AZMaverick1: My how your memory and interpretation differ from everyone else. I live in AZ too, for 37 years. No one rammed anything, anywhere Only white, bloated, males stirred up your so-called controversy. The name "Squaw Peak" wasn''t historically significant, did have any deep meaning to the residents. It was a name given to a rock formation, as a landmark for settlers and other travelers, it was a "road" sign for goodness sake. YOUR and others opposition was political, just another opportunity to yell nonsense because Gov. Napolitano is a Democrat and that bugs the heck out out of you. Your condescending comment about Ira Hayes (talking about using someone), not every war hero or death is honored permanently. Unfortunately, after WWII AZ citizens were very vocal with their prejudices, NO Native American would have even been considered. Fortunately, times have changed. I am proud to be able to hike Piastewa Peak and proud that we removed a name that is a stigma to Native Americans. Provide your research on how this ISN''T an offense to Native American woman.

[my2centss]

Now I have to throw my maps out of Phoenix. Just a way to sell more maps.

[michellem99-2009]

sGT,I say amen to ye..They will get use to the name change..I told my friend about it...good..I have seen it years ago. While we were in Phoenix and I said to my friend it looks like the moon..what I meant was there is no green there..

Long before Lori Piestewa, Squaw Peak%u2019s renaming effort was brought up many times in the AZ legislature, but it never gained substantial support. Then the lead up to the Iraq war came, aka %u201COperation Iraqi Freedom%u201D. Prior to the lead up and during this war, Republicans used obvious McCarthyism tactics by questioning the patriotism of anyone, Democrats in particular, that didn''t tow the Iraqi WMD line of bull.

Unfortunately, when Lori Piestewa died, newly elected Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano saw an opportunity play the political game of, "Democrats can be tough and patriotic too.%u201D. So, she ramrodded the effort to rename Squaw Peak down the throat of the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names, which included job security threats towards anyone who wasn%u2019t onboard. Established protocols and procedures were considered trifling nuisances. Understandably, this ham-fisted political gaffe created a large local controversy.

Due to PC whitewashing proliferation in this country, %u201Csquaw%u201D has been labeled an across the board Native American slur, but it%u2019s hardly the case. Based on research done during this controversy, I found not all Indian tribe members or historians agree this word has a derogatory meaning. Still, it%u2019s the squeaky PC machine that gets the grease rather than a badly needed truth tune-up. After fighting on and surviving Iwo Jima, I guess Ira Hayes wasn%u2019t hero enough to have a mountain named after him.

[sgtrds]

I lived in Phoenix for 10 years and always thought the name was offensive. People there have been trying to get it changed for years and I can''t think of a better reason for it. Good job AZ!