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Canmore, AB
Canada
1238 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 11:56 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Trail Talk
Maybe off-topic, but is anyone else offended by the nickname of Squaw's Tit for the mountain by Harvey Heights? Unfortunately, once published in Alan Kane's Scrambles book it has stuck. I wrote a letter to the Treaty 7 tribal administration nearly four years ago now, asking for support to campaign for an official name to replace this nasty nickname - suggesting Yahe-Weha or mountain woman, but that was just as a starting point. Was hoping for the same outcome as occurred with renaming Ha Ling. While the letter was acknowledged, nothing ever came back.
I think the problem is that ST is just a high point along the ridge of Mt. Charles Stewart and not an actual mountain in itself. Well, at least to the point where it warrants a name on a map.
Personally, I'm not offended by it but I do abbreviate it as ST when I'm talking about it with my female friends. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1192 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 1:55 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by spicytuna
I think the problem is that ST is just a high point along the ridge of Mt. Charles Stewart and not an actual mountain in itself. Well, at least to the point where it warrants a name on a map.
Personally, I'm not offended by it but I do abbreviate it as ST when I'm talking about it with my female friends.
Is it much different than Princess Margaret Mountain or Mount Lady MacDonald? One could argue the same of Ha Ling Peak and Mount Lawrence Grassi.
Interestingly, Mount Lady MacDonald does not come up on:
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/map
I see peakfinder says it's an official name, so one would think it should. |
Edited by - Marko on 05/09/2012 1:56 PM |
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3787 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 2:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by spicytuna
Personally, I'm not offended by it but I do abbreviate it as ST when I'm talking about it with my female friends.
I don't. :)
I'm with Marko. It's not anything special, but it's not any *more* insignificant than many other named peaks.
To the original topic, Nihahi Ridge/Creek |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
110 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 2:29 PM
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| Interesting...while it was mentioned that not everyone supported the change from Chinaman's Peak to Ha Ling, there was enough to move the proverbial mountain of governmental red tape. Seems there is not the same abhorrence with Squaw's Tit...meaningless, mere evidence of a patriarchal society, or something more sinister? |
Edited by - Trail Talk on 05/09/2012 2:31 PM |
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3787 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 3:44 PM
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It wasn't a change. Chinaman's Peak was an unofficial name used for a long time until a Calgary businessman protested. I suspect a lot of the local opposition was in part due to the 'now some guy from Calgary has an issue?' aspect. You'll still see it called Chinaman's Peak in many places, and Ha Ling has really only started to gather steam lately as a new generation of hikers learns that name from books. You can't really change what the public thinks of it as, but they officially named it Ha Ling (despite questions as to whether or not Mr. Ha Ling was the guy from the story), and that catches on over time.
Squaw's Tit is an even more unofficial name for a less-known peak. As it is an unofficial name, people can also unofficially call it whatever else they want.
It would be possible to give it an official name (which would obviously never be ST), and hope that one catches on instead, which is plausible, but as this is a not-overly-notable mountain, the only people who bother to refer to it as anything are scramblers, who may or may not care much about a new official name (unlike Ha Ling which is a fairly well-known peak right above Canmore).
It's not that people feel differently about Squaw's Tit so much as that it's a name really only used within the insular community, and while some people are offended (usually on behalf of nameless others), most people just go with something else if they prefer.
There's nothing sexist, patriarchal, or sinister about it - the peak looks like a boob. Seriously. It's super obvious. I mean, the 'squaw' has no particular reason to be part of the name, and I have no trouble dropping that if it is a word that affected groups find to be offensive, and I suppose 'tit' is considered a relatively vulgar term, but if it's offensive to point out the realistic fact that the mountain looks a lot like a boob, we've really gone too far in society.
And really here, scramblers fall in with climbers. Boob Mountain is pretty reasonable for a group that deals with racks, nuts, and cracks on a regular basis. |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 4:12 PM
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Originally posted by Rachelo
Boob Mountain is pretty reasonable for a group that deals with racks, nuts, and cracks on a regular basis.
Ha-ha! |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
110 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 6:21 PM
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Originally posted by RacheloThere's nothing sexist, patriarchal, or sinister about it - the peak looks like a boob. Seriously. It's super obvious. I mean, the 'squaw' has no particular reason to be part of the name, and I have no trouble dropping that if it is a word that affected groups find to be offensive, and I suppose 'tit' is considered a relatively vulgar term, but if it's offensive to point out the realistic fact that the mountain looks a lot like a boob, we've really gone too far in society.
And really here, scramblers fall in with climbers. Boob Mountain is pretty reasonable for a group that deals with racks, nuts, and cracks on a regular basis.
LOL, yes that is funny! Just can't recall offhand the number of pinnacles and towers named Penis Peak, etc. I'm sure there must be some... |
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Canmore, AB
Canada
1238 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 11:18 AM
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Originally posted by Marko
Is it much different than Princess Margaret Mountain or Mount Lady MacDonald? One could argue the same of Ha Ling Peak and Mount Lawrence Grassi.
Yeah, I guess that's true.
I think Rachel said it best. "Squaw's Tit is an unofficial name so people can unofficially call it whatever they want."
Getting an official to change an unofficial name would be pretty futile. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3787 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 11:49 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Trail Talk
quote:
Originally posted by RacheloThere's nothing sexist, patriarchal, or sinister about it - the peak looks like a boob. Seriously. It's super obvious. I mean, the 'squaw' has no particular reason to be part of the name, and I have no trouble dropping that if it is a word that affected groups find to be offensive, and I suppose 'tit' is considered a relatively vulgar term, but if it's offensive to point out the realistic fact that the mountain looks a lot like a boob, we've really gone too far in society.
And really here, scramblers fall in with climbers. Boob Mountain is pretty reasonable for a group that deals with racks, nuts, and cracks on a regular basis.
LOL, yes that is funny! Just can't recall offhand the number of pinnacles and towers named Penis Peak, etc. I'm sure there must be some...
I think there are more men in the naming of things whether officially in the early days, or by being guidebook authors and first ascenders today. Gillean Daffern is the only woman I can think of who has the influence, and i don't see that happening.
Men are more likely to name a phallic pinnacle after themselves.
I think another major issue is that even where women are the ones naming features, they are more likely to go with stories or nearby creeks. i also think most women just aren't looking for imagery in features the way men are... :D |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1192 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 1:43 PM
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| It always sounds better in French.. How about Teton Peak? :) |
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1078 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 2:28 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Trail Talk
quote:
Originally posted by RacheloThere's nothing sexist, patriarchal, or sinister about it - the peak looks like a boob. Seriously. It's super obvious. I mean, the 'squaw' has no particular reason to be part of the name, and I have no trouble dropping that if it is a word that affected groups find to be offensive, and I suppose 'tit' is considered a relatively vulgar term, but if it's offensive to point out the realistic fact that the mountain looks a lot like a boob, we've really gone too far in society.
And really here, scramblers fall in with climbers. Boob Mountain is pretty reasonable for a group that deals with racks, nuts, and cracks on a regular basis.
LOL, yes that is funny! Just can't recall offhand the number of pinnacles and towers named Penis Peak, etc. I'm sure there must be some...
I would mind penis peak a lot less! At least that's a proper anatomical term! Like spicy, my problem with it mainly comes in saying it to others. It is embarrassing and speaks so poorly of "locals".... Again on many levels. Funny... Was just talking about a similar crass local name for something rheyvhave out in the baritones... Of course the reaction was : (rolling eyes) sophisticated bunch. It's not a name I would want to tell my grandma, it's not a name I'd want to tell natives(whom I didn't know)....it's not something I'd proudly announce to international visitors. There are a lot of people I'd be embarrassed to say the name to, and I think thats unfortunate. I don't go around saying "hey look at
That squaw!". I dint go around saying "nice tits".... It's just not a name I'm comfortable with, and I would like an alternative. Of course, others can call it whatever they wish and whatever they are comfortable with. |
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1078 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 2:32 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Trail Talk
quote:
Originally posted by RacheloThere's nothing sexist, patriarchal, or sinister about it - the peak looks like a boob. Seriously. It's super obvious. I mean, the 'squaw' has no particular reason to be part of the name, and I have no trouble dropping that if it is a word that affected groups find to be offensive, and I suppose 'tit' is considered a relatively vulgar term, but if it's offensive to point out the realistic fact that the mountain looks a lot like a boob, we've really gone too far in society.
And really here, scramblers fall in with climbers. Boob Mountain is pretty reasonable for a group that deals with racks, nuts, and cracks on a regular basis.
LOL, yes that is funny! Just can't recall offhand the number of pinnacles and towers named Penis Peak, etc. I'm sure there must be some...
Id much rather call it breast Nub, or mammary mountain, if we must stick with the bodypart theme. Then it would just be silly and juvenile, as opposed to vulgar racism. I suppose though the former is a reflection of an aspect of us; so perhaps that in itself has educational value. |
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Aboriginal names for places in the Rockies
