'Offensive' Grand Canyon destination gets renamed

Grand Canyon National Park

Indian Garden, a popular hiking destination in the Grand Canyon, is having its name changed due to its “offensive” connotations.

Officials from the U.S. National Park Service announced on Monday that the Board of Geographic Names voted 19-0 earlier in November to change the name of the location to Havasupai Gardens.

According to Fox News, the Havasupai Tribe passed Resolution 29-21 to provide the National Park Service with a request to change the name of the location, which was originally called Ha’a Gyoh. The tribe was forcibly relocated by NPS policies in the early 20th century, with the last member being removed in 1928.

Chairman Thomas Siyuja Sr. said:

The eviction of Havasupai residents from Ha’a Gyoh coupled with the offensive name, Indian Garden, has had detrimental and lasting impacts on the Havasupai families that lived there and their descendants.

Every year, approximately 100,000 people visit the area while hiking the Bright Angel Trail, largely unaware of this history. The renaming of this sacred place to Havasupai Gardens will finally right that wrong.

A rededication ceremony for the location by the Havasupai and the NPS has been scheduled for spring next year.

"I hope this historic action will help other Tribes take similar steps and reclaim lands back by changing place names for historic and cultural preservation purposes," stated Carletta Tilousi, a member of the tribe and former council member.