Need a name for a summer camp
March 7, 2007 3:21 PM Subscribe
Help me create a fake Indian (read: Native American) sounding name for a summer camp. Please!
So, I'm helping out a friend who runs a week-long summer camp in Oregon every year. For reasons too involved to explain here, the camp has—and must continue to have—a ridiculously long although technically-accurate name. I suggested we work on creating a second, more friendly name, something which has a stereotypically summer camp sound to it (Camp Lotsafun, Camp Havablast, etc.) Nothing we've come up with seems to be working. Care to help? All suggestions are appreciated.
A few facts about the camp. It's been around for 30 years. It was once a fun, growing camp, but in recent years has fallen on hard times, mostly due to poor management which actually seemed to discourage fun. The most popular activity at the camp is tubing the creek which runs through the grounds. Does any of this help?
Again, I really do appreciate any suggestions. Suggest away!
So, I'm helping out a friend who runs a week-long summer camp in Oregon every year. For reasons too involved to explain here, the camp has—and must continue to have—a ridiculously long although technically-accurate name. I suggested we work on creating a second, more friendly name, something which has a stereotypically summer camp sound to it (Camp Lotsafun, Camp Havablast, etc.) Nothing we've come up with seems to be working. Care to help? All suggestions are appreciated.
A few facts about the camp. It's been around for 30 years. It was once a fun, growing camp, but in recent years has fallen on hard times, mostly due to poor management which actually seemed to discourage fun. The most popular activity at the camp is tubing the creek which runs through the grounds. Does any of this help?
Again, I really do appreciate any suggestions. Suggest away!
This post was deleted for the following reason: removed at poster's request
Camp Handsome Lake?
Wonder if anyone would catch that.
posted by tmcw at 3:32 PM on March 7, 2007 [2 favorites]
Wonder if anyone would catch that.
posted by tmcw at 3:32 PM on March 7, 2007 [2 favorites]
I suggest thinking long and hard before you create a "fake Indian name" for a camp. Such names demean Native people and Native culture and are both offensive and racist. It isn't just mascots, it is the objectification of Native people and cooption of Native culture. Many people have said it better than me.
David P. Rider, Ph.D:
"Indian mascots help to promote and perpetuate the dehumanizing stereotypes that developed among European colonizers centuries ago. As such, they are harmful to both Indians and nonIndians. Indians endure the psychological damage of seeing cartoon-like caricatures of themselves embodied in the mascots, perhaps the ultimate in dehumanizing victims. It is no coincidence that Indians have the highest suicide rate, school drop-out rate, and unemployment rate of any group in the United States. Indian mascots also harm nonIndians, for they perpetuate stereotypes that impair students from learning accurate accounts of American history and Indian/white relations throughout the post-contact era."
Or see, the American Psychological Association's press release
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/mascots.htm
The National Congress of American Indians also has a position paper on why mascots are offensive, racist, and demeaning to Native people.
posted by sara558 at 3:47 PM on March 7, 2007 [4 favorites]
David P. Rider, Ph.D:
"Indian mascots help to promote and perpetuate the dehumanizing stereotypes that developed among European colonizers centuries ago. As such, they are harmful to both Indians and nonIndians. Indians endure the psychological damage of seeing cartoon-like caricatures of themselves embodied in the mascots, perhaps the ultimate in dehumanizing victims. It is no coincidence that Indians have the highest suicide rate, school drop-out rate, and unemployment rate of any group in the United States. Indian mascots also harm nonIndians, for they perpetuate stereotypes that impair students from learning accurate accounts of American history and Indian/white relations throughout the post-contact era."
Or see, the American Psychological Association's press release
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/mascots.htm
The National Congress of American Indians also has a position paper on why mascots are offensive, racist, and demeaning to Native people.
posted by sara558 at 3:47 PM on March 7, 2007 [4 favorites]
Instead of Camp CheesyName, can you give us some facts about the geography, history or other attributes. I find the obviously faked names icky, but CoveSide, BlueSkies, PoplarGlen, or other descriptive names are appealing. Although Camp CheesyFakeOffensiveNameAlwaysRainsMudFlatsCrappyFood is nice and long.
posted by theora55 at 4:07 PM on March 7, 2007
posted by theora55 at 4:07 PM on March 7, 2007
Seconding Camp [creek name].
Or if you must go with a native American name, find out what the local tribe to the area is, and ask them if they know what the area was actually called. Much more authentic and classy.
posted by quin at 4:11 PM on March 7, 2007
Or if you must go with a native American name, find out what the local tribe to the area is, and ask them if they know what the area was actually called. Much more authentic and classy.
posted by quin at 4:11 PM on March 7, 2007
Why not name the camp after an acutal Oregonian tribe, perhaps one that was originally from the area of your camp? It wouldn't be as fun or stereotypically-camp sounding, but it's a bit more socially responsible.
Then there's Camp Firewood.
posted by puritycontrol at 4:12 PM on March 7, 2007
Then there's Camp Firewood.
posted by puritycontrol at 4:12 PM on March 7, 2007
It's likely that the native peoples for that area became a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde through the resettlement process, and their native "language" is Chinook Wawa (Jargon).
The only words I know are 'Skookum' (cool/excellent/'fun') and 'hyas pusspuss' (literally, 'big cat').
Camp Hyas Skookum would not be offensive and semi-useful too. Camp Big Awesome, here we come.
If I do a bit more research tonight, I'll put a post in the blue on Chinook Jargon resources for my own amusement.
posted by lilithim at 4:24 PM on March 7, 2007
The only words I know are 'Skookum' (cool/excellent/'fun') and 'hyas pusspuss' (literally, 'big cat').
Camp Hyas Skookum would not be offensive and semi-useful too. Camp Big Awesome, here we come.
If I do a bit more research tonight, I'll put a post in the blue on Chinook Jargon resources for my own amusement.
posted by lilithim at 4:24 PM on March 7, 2007
Why not name the camp after an acutal Oregonian tribe, perhaps one that was originally from the area of your camp? It wouldn't be as fun or stereotypically-camp sounding, but it's a bit more socially responsible.
Especially if you can get the local tribe (if they're still around) involved, and add that as one of the social / educational-but-interesting activities.
I know it's not a name suggestion, but it might make that potential tribal name work in a cool way.
posted by CKmtl at 4:25 PM on March 7, 2007
Especially if you can get the local tribe (if they're still around) involved, and add that as one of the social / educational-but-interesting activities.
I know it's not a name suggestion, but it might make that potential tribal name work in a cool way.
posted by CKmtl at 4:25 PM on March 7, 2007
Camp CreekCreekCreek
Camp WeAllaGoaTuba
Camp Dehumanizing Nickname
Camp WatchaWata
Camp GoFlowNoRow
posted by rileyray3000 at 4:28 PM on March 7, 2007
Camp WeAllaGoaTuba
Camp Dehumanizing Nickname
Camp WatchaWata
Camp GoFlowNoRow
posted by rileyray3000 at 4:28 PM on March 7, 2007
Personally, I find the concept of a 'fake' native american name to be offensive. I suggest that if you want to revive the camp, offensive names should be avoided (unless your target market is bigots).
posted by yohko at 4:33 PM on March 7, 2007
posted by yohko at 4:33 PM on March 7, 2007
First, find out what original Amerind (pick your phraseology of choice here) tribe is. Look for any surviving members. Then, see if they can't translate something like "Rich white people too dumb to stay in houses" or "Chubby Yankees pay to squat in woods" into their language, and use that. You'll be long gone by the time anyone finds out, and the hilarity will keep you entertained in the decades that follow.
posted by adipocere at 4:40 PM on March 7, 2007
posted by adipocere at 4:40 PM on March 7, 2007
Camp Diamond Phillips
posted by Joseph Gurl at 4:47 PM on March 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Joseph Gurl at 4:47 PM on March 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
To clarify that, something in an actual language could be acceptable. Where I live, it would be kinda odd unless it had something to do with the people whose language the name was actually in. Mashups of letters that imply 'we think you talk this way, and it's nonsense!' have a good chance of coming off in an offensive way.
posted by yohko at 4:47 PM on March 7, 2007
posted by yohko at 4:47 PM on March 7, 2007
How about Camp Read-a-Guideline?
Please avoid "help me name my kitten/computer/website" and "help me make a mix CD" questions.
posted by box at 4:51 PM on March 7, 2007
Please avoid "help me name my kitten/computer/website" and "help me make a mix CD" questions.
posted by box at 4:51 PM on March 7, 2007
Can you take the first few letters of each word in the current name? This might get you a name with an interesting sound, but without veering into "Camp Kemosabe" territory.
Or, like cog_nate suggested, you could just name it after the creek, since that's what everyone loves anyway.
posted by booksandlibretti at 5:20 PM on March 7, 2007
Or, like cog_nate suggested, you could just name it after the creek, since that's what everyone loves anyway.
posted by booksandlibretti at 5:20 PM on March 7, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cog_nate at 3:29 PM on March 7, 2007