A mountain in Oregon receives a new name
(MAY 19, 2023) Many places in Oregon have old names. Sometimes the names are words people don't use anymore. Sometimes the words have a negative meaning.
There is a mountain in Umpqua National Forest. Its name was Swastika Mountain. The mountain got its name in the early 1900s from a nearby ranch. The ranch used the symbol for its cattle.
The word "swastika" used to mean "good fortune" or "well-being" in the Sanskirt language. However, during World War II, Hitler used the symbol for the Nazi party. Now it represents racism, white supremacy, and hate.
The new name of the mountain is Mount Halo. The name honors Chief Halito of the Yoncalla Kalapuya tribe of Native Americans.
Joyce McClain helped to change the name. She says, "One person can really make a difference."
Jones, Dustin. “Oregon’s Swastika Mountain Is Renamed Mount Halo in Honor of a Historical Tribal Leader.” Opb, 9 May 2023, www.opb.org/article/2023/05/09/swastika-mountain-is-renamed-mount-halo-in-honor-of-a-historical-tribal-leader/. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Image: public domain