Posted on 04/14/2005 2:34:37 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
OAKLEY, Calif. -- An Oakley man has asked the federal government to rename Mount Diablo, saying the current name is offensive to his religious sensibilities.
"Diablo" means Satan in Spanish.
Art Mijares applied to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for the change and suggests naming the mountain Mount Kawukum, which he believes has American Indian roots.
"Words have power, and when you start mentioning words that come from the dark side, evil thrives," Mijares told the Contra Costa Times. "When I take boys camping on the mountain, I don't even like to say its name. I have to explain what the name means. Why should we have a main feature of our community that celebrates the devil?"
To make the change, Mijares would need to persuade federal, state and local governments that it is necessary. That may be easier said than done.
It has been called Mount Diablo for at least 164 years, and references to the mountain permeate thousands of maps, books and historical documents.
The name Kawukum first surfaced in 1866, when a church group tried to change Mount Diablo's name for reasons nearly identical to Mijares', according to San Francisco Bay area researcher Bev Ortiz.
"We abhor the wicked creature to whom the name is appropriate, and spurn the use of the name for anything noble or good on earth," proclaimed the Congregational Church of San Francisco in its newsletter of the day.
The church proposed Kawukum, spelled then as Kahwookum, "a word learned from an unidentified Indian living at the base of the mountain," Ortiz wrote in a history of the mountain's name. Members presented a name-change petition to the Legislature, but lawmakers postponed a decision indefinitely.
The name Mount Diablo grew from the Spanish name given to an Indian village set near a willow thicket in modern-day Concord, where Chupcans staged a daring nighttime escape during an 1805 military campaign.
Spanish soldiers said Indians evaded them only with the help of evil spirits and named the site "Monte del Diablo," or thicket of the devil, which American explorers later mistakenly applied to the mountain.
Is there another planet I can move to? I am so weary of this poo.
Hey moron. Mount this.
While we're at it, let's rename all the cities in California that start with Santa or San.....certainly some athiest somewhere is offended by that.
I think it should be changed to Mount Fagedaboutit, an old Indian word which means "Get a life you profitless Hooplehead."
He takes boys camping on the mountain? I can see why he's afraid of satan.
unfortunately, Kawukum translates roughly as "hail satan".
So, we're to change the name he doesn't like to a new name whose meaning we don't know in a language of an unknown people?
Brilliant!
The Indian word "Bohica" would be an excellent name. Loosely translated it means "Unwanted Painful Entry Likely". But it the Bay area it would translate "Oh Goody". Mount Bohica has a certain ring to it.
How does he explain deviled eggs to his boys?
Hey, I grew up in the shadow of Mt. Diablo. Nearly killed myself on that mountain when I wiped out my bike into oncoming traffic.
If he doesn't like the name, I suggest he MOVE somewhere less offensive. That mountain has been around longer than he has.
Hell lets just name it Mt kumbaya...or Mt warm & fuzzy woodland creature...
Take a hike, Art . . . up Mount Diablo.
yeah, i agree.
this isn't the same country that i grew up in.
How about Mount Dilligaf? Or, Mt. Limedilligaf?
The Mount Diablo Meridian is the primary baseline for surveying most of California, so while were at it we can get all those maps reprinted. /s
Thats just to bad!
Like many other isolated peaks, Mount Diablo is steeped in lore -- much of it involving the mountain's name. The reference to "diablo" or devil can be traced back to 1805, when Spanish military troops searched for runaway mission Indians. At a willow thicket near present-day Buchanan Field in Concord, the soldiers encountered a camp of Chupcan people and surrounded it. During that night, the Indians escaped unseen and unheard.
Angry and confused, the Spanish called the site, "Monte del Diablo", or "Thicket of the Devil". Later, English-speaking newcomers mistakenly assumed the word "monte" meant "mountain" and applied the title to the prominent nearby peak. A linguistic accident thus gave California its Devil Mountain.
Mount Bohica is better.
>> Is there another planet I can move to? <<
when you find one, may I tag along?
Been mountain biking (one of the few times in my life I might add) on Mount He-who-can't-be-mentioned-but-formerly-known-as-diablo. I'm offended that he's offended. Now what?
Beam me the *%@& up Scotty!
Where in the Bill of Rights does it say you have a right not to be offended?
Hell I'm offended by something every day so what.
Mt Diablo is a good landmark while boating on the Sac / San Jouquin river delta. It looks like a pair of "boobs" from most points. I believe a battle was fought at it's base at one time
is Mijares spanish for idiot?? Mt. Mijares if so.
I know I do every chance I get.
Most cerainly, my dear.
Let's compromise and call it
Mount Cuchi-Cuchi!!!
Heck, it's in Kalifornia, so who gives a rat's patoot?
This guy has a good idea - we start protesting things that could offend our Christian feelings.
LOL. Me tooooo. It's all about meeeeeeeeeee! I do believe we are living in the twilight zone.
ok, I may admit to being too picky. But diablo means devil. Satan equals satanas in spanish.
You are exactly right. The Twighlight Zone.
There, there, little fecum.
Sorry. "Diablo" means devil in Spanish. With a small 'd'.
Man, If he complains over such an "offencive" and forsaken name such as that, he'd might as well sue the U.S Board of Geographinc names over "Hell's Backbone" also. (which is located in Utah...of ALL places...)
wha?
and he also wants to rename the Tazmanian Devil the Tazmanian half dog....
13 seconds Dog....13 freakin seconds....
LOL, we think alike but I type faster.
Ok, so what is Art Mijares' religion? At the risk of being prejudice, I'll make an assumption with Mijares as a last name he might possibly Catholic. Last time I looked in my Catholic Bible, Satan is mentioned several times however, I haven't run across Kawukum. Exactly what does the word mean? And was this unidentified Indian cursing the Spanish out at the time he said the word? If Mijares can prove the unidentified Indian was a man of God and the word Kawukum is godly, then I might listen to his plea. I won't change the name, but I'd give him 5 minutes. And something else, he's supposed to be a leader of young boys, yet he can't bring himself to say the word Diablo??? Wimp.
Hey Art Mijares, why don't you learn the old saying:
"Take no offense where none is intended."
Oh, and grow up, and stop wasting everyone's time.
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