Welcome to Mestaa'ėhehe Mountain!
It’s official! Today, at 7:07 a.m. MST, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted YES to rename Sq**w Mountain in Evergreen, Colorado to Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain. This was the final vote, completing this long, emotional journey!
 
Teanna Limpy (director of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Historic Preservation Office, and proponent of this proposal) shares “I am just wholeheartedly appreciative of the overwhelming support from all of the allies who rallied around this grassroots effort to change the name from S* Mountain. This goes to show that there nothing we cannot achieve if we think with our own hearts and always remember who we are doing this for. A derogatory name that is meant to diminish the sacredness and power of our women is no more.”
 
Teanna is overcome with emotion at the thought of this mountain being honored by such a powerful and strong Cheyenne woman who charted a path and storied presence in Colorado for us all to be inspired by. During such a dark, changing time in this country’s history, Mestaa’ėhehe remained strong and focused in navigating between diverse languages and cultures alongside her husband and family. "I also want to acknowledge how difficult losing elders has been for all of our indigenous tribes of this earth since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, who are the keepers of language, culture, and oral stories, has been devastating. But this is something we can celebrate! 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. We are excited this marks the start of a new horizon for all."

This has been a group effort, and we are so grateful for all of your support. Thank you to each and everyone for writing letters and emails, sharing public comments, attending webinars, sharing prayers, and making donations. Please take time to reach out to board members at the county, state, and federal level, the U.S. Forest Service, The Wilderness Society, and so many others and thank them for their continuous support of this proposal, and for honoring Indigenous voices along the way! 
Share Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain With Others!
As word of this name change makes its rounds, please share your knowledge with others! Practice learning how to pronounce and spell Mestaa’ėhehe's name, and teach others how to do the same. Share this renaming news with others!

Enjoy this Rocky Mountain PBS special on Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain with journalist Clarissa Guy and coalition community organizer Morning Star Jones and her family!

We are partnering with Cheyenne and Arapaho artist George Curtis Levi to be able to provide t-shirts and possibly other gear to anyone who wants to help share the name of Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain with others! Proceeds will go to cover design/production costs and any remaining will be donated back to the coalition. Check back here - we hope products are live by the end of the weekend!
Mestaa'ėhehe means Owl Woman in the Cheyenne language. She was the daughter of White Thunder (a well-respected Cheyenne tribal leader, known as the "Keeper of the Arrows") and Tail Woman, sister of Yellow Woman and Island. Together with William Bent (American trader and founder of Bent's Fort), they had 4 children: Ho-ka (Mary), Octavi-wee-his (Robert), Ho-my-ike (George), and Um-ah (Julia). Mestaa'ėhehe passed away in 1847 from complications from Julia's birth (and before the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864).
 
An incredible woman living between two worlds, and a peacemaker at heart, Mestaa'ėhehe worked to connect tribal members and settlers at Bent's Fort by advising, negotiating, and translating for many. One such example of her living between two worlds included her daily habits – by day she would be busy inside the fort with her husband, helping others, but by night, she preferred to sleep outside – connecting with nature. She was also able to help heal and save her husband from a mysterious disease using traditional methods.
 
Mestaa'ėhehe was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1985 for her work. How inspiring to continue her peacemaking efforts by renaming this derogatory mountain to Mestaa'ėhehe Mountain - not only in her honor but for all Native women and tribal nations.

The above photo of Mestaa'ėhehe (Owl Woman) and pronunciation guide were provided by the Southern Cheyenne Tribe.
Support Mestaa'ėhehe Coalition
Mestaa'ėhehe Coalition began as a collaborative effort among Tribal Representatives from the Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and Hinono'eiteen (Arapaho) tribes, Indigenous leaders from other tribes, elected officials, Indigenous and non-Indigenous allies and non-profit agencies. We are working together to rename sacred spaces in Colorado, reeducate others on the state's history, highlight Indigenous perspectives, and create a more equitable community.

Please consider donating to the Mestaa'ėhehe Coalition. We are a group of volunteers, but do have administrative needs such as our Constant Contact subscription (which helps us with our outreach) and purchasing Zoom extensions to host large groups for our educational webinars, and offering honorariums to our speakers. Thank you to everyone who has donated - every dollar is much appreciated!