John Dorion, the Chief of the Kamanistikominahiko-Skak Cree Nation. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski
A long-time Indigenous educator is pushing for Canada to come to terms with language that demoralizes Indigenous women.
Decades ago, John Dorion, who is also the Chief of the Kamanistikominahiko-Skak Cree Nation, fought to have the word “squaw” removed from the title of a Cumberland House-area dam.
Now, he says that word needs to be a part of the conversation during the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. Dorion is calling for the inquiry to study the word and its impacts on grandchildren, Indigenous girls and women, and First Nations.
The phrase “squaw” fits into the racism, and Dorion said the MMIW inquiry’s commissioners need to address that as a root cause.
“I know that racism is still alive in Saskatchewan and in Canada and I think part of the problem to this murder and missing women has to do a lot with racism,” he said.
Dorion said he’s heard men from communities near Cumberland House using the word “squaw” while talking to their kids.
“In my opinion, a lot of these kids had a low opinion of Native women and they could treat them whatever they wanted to do, because their fathers or whoever were sitting at the table teaching them this,” he said.
“It’s also used to ridicule them and also make women feel like they’re worthless. And when you’re promoting that kind of information towards Aboriginal women it becomes dangerous.”
Dorion wants to outlaw the use of the word “squaw” in schools, place names, and all public places that serve Indigenous people.
SaskPower’s E.B. Campbell Dam was officially called the “Squaw Rapids” from the 1960s to the late 80s, and Dorion was part of the lobbying effort to change the name. It took three years for SaskPower to finally make the change, and in the meantime it actually took a poll of its billpayers. Of those who responded, 76 per cent wanted the name to stay.
Dorion said he’s grateful for those who pushed to see through the national inquiry – something he says is long overdue.
For guidance with the MMIW Inquiry, he points to Maine, USA. Their Indian Tribal State Commission researched issues associated with the term “squaw.” According to a news release by Dorion, they found it to be a racial slur or insult that equates Indigenous women to prostitutes, which is found so derogatory to some elders that they can’t talk about it.