In a new effort for the U.S. to disassociate itself from its derogatory history, Colorado’s Squaw Mountain will be renamed after a Cheyenne Woman. 

The mountain will now be known as Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain, pronounced “mess-taw-HAY” and pays homage to a woman who served as a liaison between white settlers and Native Americans in the southern part of the state, according to the Associated Press.  

The name change was officially approved on December 9 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN). No one opposed the name change. 

 The announcement comes when the U.S. comes to terms with its history of colonialism and oppression against Native Americans and people of color due to last year’s protests demanding racial justice reform. 

The original name “squaw,” comes from the Algonquin language and at one point in time meant “woman.” However, the word has since devolved into a misogynist and racist term disparaging Indigenous women. 

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The new name Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain has been praised by Teanna Limpy, director of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Historic Preservation Office.  

“A derogatory name that is meant to diminish the sacredness and power of our women is no more,” Limpy said in a statement to AP. “Mestaa’ėhehe will be standing tall on that mountain for many generations to come, continuing to be a story of inspiration for all and perhaps a story that also inspires others to continue to learn other Indigenous cultures and languages.” 

The reveal of the new name for the 11,486-foot (3,501-meter) peak, which is situated in the Arapahoe and Roosevelt national forests, is a first for Colorado but there are several more geographic names being considered.