Ecologists often note that place names reflect things that have been destroyed. Elk Grove, California has neither elk nor groves. The Elkhorn Slough likewise is missing its elk. Grizzly Island in the Delta doesn’t have grizzly bears anymore. Oakland is no longer a place full of oaks, and you’d be hard pressed to find that many oaks in Thousand Oaks. Clear Lake is turbid. Forestville is distinctly unforested. The fine pools for which Los Banos Creek received its name have been replaced by a huge reservoir, which is sometimes unswimmable due to dangerous algal blooms. Examples go on and on. All of these names are recent, all colonist names. 

Indigenous Names

Somewhere along the way humans saw fit to keep the indigenous names of places. Soquel is the original people’s name meaning ‘rushing waters’ – Soquel Creek still rushes and that seems a fine name, still. The indigenous name “Aptos” could have meant people, which works still, or ‘meeting of two streams’ which is also true. It might be a good start to begin revitalizing the indigenous names of places.

Changing Back

Junipero Serra Peak is being changed back to Pimkolam a shortened version of “pimkoia’m, ti’at aula” the indigenous name for an unknown plant that grows there. Prior to 1950, it was known as Santa Lucia Peak.  Near San Juan Bautista (a terrible name), an important site to local native peoples is now protected and is known by its original name, Juristac.

Other Changes

Without explanation, the current administration is making some seemingly sinister changes to place names. For instance, the highest peak in the USA is appropriately named by indigenous people ‘Denali’ but the President wants to change it to Mount McKinley. That same someone with power recently also decided to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America; I say let’s at least add an ‘s’ to that – the Gulf of the Americas would at least help us to realize that South and Central Americans are Americans, too. If it is becoming more acceptable to change place names, I say let’s go for it- there are lots of other changes and perhaps the next administration can force through a bunch in its first 100 days.

More Changes Needed

I have a particular problem with some place names imposed on locations and wish them changed. Far too many places have the name ‘devil’ in them. Devil’s Gate in Eastern California is one such instance. There are many more. Then there are legions of places named after people who barely deserved to have anywhere named for them. Scotts Valley, for instance: why do we care so much for Hiram Daniel Scott to have his name affixed to the town, still? And, does the town really deserve to be called a ‘valley’ anymore? Davenport, (for ‘Captain John Davenport’ the whaler) for that matter, deserves another name. 

And then there are the religious references, so out of date. Santa Cruz makes little sense, anymore, if it ever did. And all those saints, San Lorenzo, San Luis, San Jose, San Francisco – so much potential for renaming there!

Let’s Ask The People

As we thankfully have momentum for recognizing the lands around us as unceded territory of various other peoples, wouldn’t it feel good to begin replacing the colonist imposed names of places with the names given those places by the people who lived there for thousands of years? If there are places without such names, why wouldn’t those representing the tribes play a central role in giving those places appropriate names? Let’s learn together the renaming that needs to take place – it will help bring us together and help more people respect and look anew at the land around us.

-this post originally published in the wonderful BrattonOnline blog featuring smart commentary and analysis by the Monterey Bay Area’s most insightful journalists.