A historically used and now considered offensive term for a Native American woman.
From Algonquian language roots, possibly from 'squa' or similar words meaning 'woman.' Europeans adopted and anglicized the term, but it became offensive and derogatory over time.
This word shows how language can become harmful over time—what might have been neutral initially got twisted into an insult through colonialism, and Native Americans have actively fought to remove it from maps and official names.
A slur for Indigenous women, likely from Algonquian 'squa'. Colonizers weaponized and dehumanized the term. Now widely recognized as offensive and being removed from official place names (150+ in North America as of 2021).
Avoid entirely. Use proper Indigenous nation names or neutral descriptors like 'Indigenous woman.'
["Indigenous woman","Native American woman","First Nations woman"]
Indigenous women scholars and activists led successful campaigns to retire this slur from geography and public discourse, reclaiming dignity and naming.
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