A dirt road shorter than many ranch driveways has attracted the attention of officials from Sacramento to Quincy. Their question: what should its new name be? There’s little debate over whether the road should be renamed; the current name includes the word “sq_,” an offensive ethnic, racial and sexist slur insulting to most Native Americans.
In October, when state officials asked the Plumas County Board of Supervisors to select a new name for the 1,200-foot road in eastern Plumas County, they turned to the Mountain Maidu community for suggestions. Planning Director Tracey Ferguson contacted eight different tribal groups with direct ties to the geographic area now known as Plumas County. Three groups responded: Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians in Oroville; tribal members Harla Lee and Danny Manning of Plumas County; and tribal member Liz Bolin, who grew up in Plumas County.
Following a discussion October 15, the supervisors recommended “Demtatoko,” submitted by Harla and Danny Manning. The road’s current name references a low-growing native evergreen shrub, Ceanothus prostratus, also called mahala mat or pinemat. “Demtatoko” is the plant’s Tosidum Maidu name.
Who gets to decide?
In December, the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names responded to the supervisors’ recommendation. It “strongly recommended” that the County of Plumas adopt “Lokom Kodo,” the Tosidum Maidu name for elderberry suggested by the Mooretown Rancheria, said Ferguson. The geographic names committee also provided yet another name proposed by Mooretown Rancheria: “Yatomato,” the traditional place name of the Genesee Valley.
The committee cited the fact that Moorestown is a federally recognized tribal government. The Tosidum Maidu are not, despite years of petitioning for federal recognition.
The supervisors balked at the advisory committee’s response when they discussed it March 4.
“Thank you, state, for giving us this responsibility and then rejecting it.”
Kevin Goss, chair of the Plumas County Board of Supervisors
“So the state says they don’t like the name we suggested?” said Supervisor Kevin Goss, chairman of the board of supervisors. “Thank you, state, for giving us this responsibility and then rejecting it.”
To help resolve the road name issue, Ferguson contacted Harvey Merino, Maidu Summit Consortium cultural resource coordinator. “Yatomato” is not appropriate because the road to be renamed is not in Genesee Valley, Merino told Ferguson. The Mooretown Rancheria did acknowledge that the Tosidum Maidu are a tribe closer to the road being renamed, Ferguson said.
The supervisors decided to consult further with the Maidu Summit Consortium, a coalition of seven Maidu organizations that include several federally recognized tribes. They will also reach out to the Greenville Rancheria of Maidu Indians, Goss said. The Greenville Rancheria did not respond to Ferguson’s previous contact.
The issue is less about the name than the process, said Supervisor Mimi Hall. It should directly involve Mountain Maidu Indians, who should have the privilege of offering a name change, she said.