An space in Arizona’s Grand Canyon Nationwide Park is having its identify modified resulting from being “offensive,” officers mentioned Monday.
Members of the US Board of Geographic Names voted unanimously 19-0 earlier this month in favor of a request to vary the identify of Indian Backyard, a well-liked cease for hikers alongside the park’s Brilliant Angel Path, to Havasupai Gardens, the Nationwide Park Service mentioned.
The Havasupai Tribe handed Decision 29-21 to offer NPS with a proper request for the identify change.
The world was initially known as Ha’a Gyoh. The Havasupai folks have been pressured from Ha’a Gyoh by NPS insurance policies, with the final member of the tribe being forcibly eliminated in 1928.
“The eviction of Havasupai residents from Ha’a Gyoh coupled with the offensive identify, Indian Backyard, has had detrimental and lasting impacts on the Havasupai households that lived there and their descendants,” mentioned Chairman Thomas Siyuja Sr. “Yearly, roughly 100,000 folks go to the world whereas climbing the Brilliant Angel Path, largely unaware of this historical past. The renaming of this sacred place to Havasupai Gardens will lastly proper that mistaken.”
The Havasupai Tribe and NPS are at the moment planning a rededication ceremony in early Spring 2023.
“I hope this historic motion will assist different Tribes take comparable steps and reclaim lands again by altering place names for historic and cultural preservation functions,” mentioned Carletta Tilousi, a member of the Havasupai Tribe and former Council member.
The identify change can be up to date on signage, web sites and different parks supplies.
