In Southwest Portland, the park once known as Custer Park now has a new permanent identity: Scht Wiwnu Park, a Native name chosen to honor local language and ecology. City officials and tribal partners celebrated the renaming with a ceremony and volunteer huckleberry plantings at the park’s nature patch last Saturday. The change replaces the temporary "A Park" label and is intended to visibly center Indigenous presence in the neighborhood.
Portland Parks & Recreation announced the name online, explaining that Scht Wiwnu (pronounced "ish-chit way-el-noo") means "path of the huckleberry" in the Ichishkin Sńwit language and reflects the park’s nature patch and native plantings. The bureau notes that the Southwest site includes sports fields, an accessible restroom and a play area, and that the new name will be added to city signage and records, according to Portland Parks & Recreation.
Language and meaning
"The journey from protest to celebration in this same place speaks to resilience," said Amanda Squiemphen-Yazzie, a member of the naming committee. The bureau credits Dallas Winishut and other language teachers with confirming the spelling and pronunciation, and it has shared an audio clip so neighbors can hear how to say the name, according to Portland Parks & Recreation.
Ceremony and community work
The renaming followed a multi-year community process and a naming ceremony that included Native drumming, speakers and a planting party. Photos from the event were posted on the city’s Facebook page. Portland Parks & Recreation’s post highlighted Kayla Miles, who coordinated volunteers, and Tana Atcherly Culbertson among the event hosts, and thanked SW Zone park maintenance crews, turf staff and horticultural services for their work, according to Portland Parks & Recreation on Facebook.
Neighbors respond
Reactions around the neighborhood have been mixed. Some residents felt the process moved too quickly or did not adequately reach long-time neighbors, while others welcomed the change as overdue recognition of Indigenous history. Local coverage noted both views; the Hillsdale News reported that some residents who had used the old name for years were caught off guard by the announcement.
What to know before you go
Scht Wiwnu Park sits in Southwest Portland and will continue to host neighborhood games and public events, with the nature patch intended to help teach visitors about traditional foods. For anyone who wants to hear the pronunciation or browse photos from the ceremony, Portland Parks & Recreation has shared resources and images on its official channels.
