A popular hiking spot in the Grand Canyon has been renamed Havasupai Gardens, replacing the racially offensive name Indian Gardens, following an agreement with the Havasupai Tribe. The National Park Service announced the change, which applies to a location along the Bright Angel Trail.
The site, known as Ha'a Gyoh in the Havasupai language, was historically home to tribal members until they were forcibly removed nearly a century ago. The last resident, Captain Burro, was evicted in 1928.
Park Superintendent Ed Keable described the renaming as 'long overdue' and a measure of respect for the hardship imposed on the Havasupai people. Havasupai Chairman Thomas Siyuja Sr. noted that about 100,000 visitors annually pass through the area unaware of its history, and the change 'will finally right that wrong.'
The renaming is part of a broader US effort to replace names that reflect historical mistreatment of Native Americans or Black Americans, or celebrate Confederate history. In 2021, for instance, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows resort in California was renamed Palisades Tahoe.
The Havasupai Tribe and the National Park Service plan a rededication ceremony in spring 2023. 'The Creator made the Havasupai People the guardians of the Grand Canyon,' Siyuja said, emphasising the tribe's enduring connection to the land.
