Just so we’re as clear as Vodka, we are playing by House rules where “The House” is the culture that drove Suicide Six Ski Resort to change its “insensitive” name in the name of mental health. The New Name is Saskadena to honor “descendants” of the land’s “original” inhabitants.
Or something like that.
“Saskadena” means “standing mountain” in the Abenaki language, the ski area in South Promfret, near Woodstock, said on its website.
“It was chosen by the resort team to honor the original inhabitants of the land and the mountain’s multi-generational legacy and values of community, inclusion, adventure, discovery, and fun,” the ski area said in a statement. “The name sends a powerful message of connection both to the deeper history of the mountain with the Abenaki nation and to the present-day community at large.”
I’m good with that, though I had no objection to the previous one. But, it begs questions, as does everything driven by the culture of sensitivity. How is this new name not a bad thing?
The Cleveland Indians abandoned the name that honored the first American Indian player on that team and in the league. Land-O-Lakes dumped Mia the Indian Princess, whose likeness was drawn by a “Native American,” and honored the populations displaced in the area. The Washington Redskins rebranded not because the people they honored were offended so much as the progressive whining political class that inherited the land was triggered.
Suicide Six has appropriated an Abenaki word in their rebranding, and again – I’m okay with that, but why aren’t the usual suspects snapping like twigs?
An existence built on so many contradictions must be difficult to translate for regular folks. Maybe that’s why Mutual of Omaha dropped its Chief from the Company logo after no one complained.
I wonder if they are rethinking that decision?
