By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-26 14:14:09 | Updated at 2024-09-30 21:30:33
4 days ago
The California town of Kelseyville has been plunged into a heated debate over changing the name of the area to a Native American word.
The town is said to be named after 19th-century settler Andrew Kelsey, who is known for the torture and murder of the indigenous Pomo people.
While some residents insist the name should stay, others feel different, with a campaign being launched to have it renamed to Konocti.
Konocti is a Pomo word and the name of the dormant volcano that sits between Kelseyville and nearby Clear Lake.
Those in favor say the current name symbolizes the atrocities by Kelsey and the massacre of the Pomo people by the US army after his demise.
The town is said to be named after 19th-century settler Andrew Kelsey, who is known for his ruthless enslavement, torture and murder of the indigenous Pomo people
The move, known as Measure U, was kickstarted by local group Citizens for Healing after they submitted a proposal to the US Board on Geographical Names.
The agency is responsible for reviewing place names that use racist or derogatory language.
Flaman McCloud Jr, chairman of the Big Valley of Pomo Indians, said in a letter in favor that the name served as a 'painful' reminder of ancestral hardships
They then requested input from the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names, local tribes and the local county Board of Supervisors, according to SFGate.
Local supervisors then created Measure U, an advisory measure that would result in the name change if passed.
Citizens for Healing member Alan Fletcher, told the outlet: 'Hopefully 30% [of voters] will agree to the name change.
'I think 30% are going to vote no. The other 40%? Well, I do not know.'
Some residents have responded by creating the 'Save Kelseyville' group in the hope of keeping the town's name.
Fletcher told SFGate that the group is well funded and led by residents with a considerable financial stake in the area.
In a letter against Measure U, Save Kelseyville said that there was 'no conclusive evidence' that the town was named after Kelsey.
They argued that the name change would bring 'considerable administrative and financial burdens'.
The move, known as Measure U, was kickstarted by local group Citizens for Healing after they submitted a proposal to the US Board on Geographical Names
Flaman McCloud Jr., chairman of the Big Valley of Pomo Indians, said in a letter in favor that the name served as a 'painful' reminder of ancestral hardships.
McCloud said: 'By voting YES to change the name, we can begin a healing process that unites our communities.
'It's a step towards fostering an environment of love, forgiveness, and growth for both current and future generations, showing that Lake County is a place where we honor and respect the history and the people who have shaped it.'
Tension between residents is set to come to a head in November when they will be vote on whether to support or dismiss the notion.
If Measure U does pass, the Board of Supervisors will then be able to recommend the town's name change to the California Advisory Committee on Geographical Names.
They would then send their recommendation to the US Board on Geographic Names.
The Pomo tribe rose up and killed Kelsey for his brutal abuse after he murdered a young Pomo man for reportedly insulting his wife.
After the rising, Kelsey's brother Andrew rounded up a posse and began indiscriminately murdering natives.
They fled to a nearby island, where soldiers then hunted them down. The mass killing, known as The Bloody Island Massacre, saw around 900 Pomo people die.
