Renaming Savage Island

Island name offends First Nations man

City agrees | Savage Island located near FrederictonA St. Mary's First Nation resident convinced city council to support his request to change the name of Savage Island in the St. John River.

Percy Sacobie wants the island, located seven kilometres west of Fredericton, to be given a name less demeaning to the Wolastoqiyik people.

Sacobie went to city council with the support of Maliseet chiefs from Oromocto, Kingsclear, Tobique, Woodstock, Madawaska and St. Mary's First Nations.

"I think a name change is long overdue," he told council in a written request.

"The name savage is degrading and offensive and in this day of age, as in the past. Such ethnocentric views should not be used to describe a people or a place."

Renaming the island is the morally and ethically right thing to do, Sacobie said.Comment:  This is obviously a simple and sensible change to make. That probably means a bunch of crybabies will bemoan the loss of their traditions and history.