America: 50☆Stars (Vol. 3)

Episode 21: Denali or Mount McKinley?

Alaska was home to the tallest peak in North America—the third tallest in the world. Compared to other Alaskan mountains, it was the only one to exceed 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) in elevation. As such, the mountain was given many names by Alaskan Natives that respected its grand stature; even the Russians during early settlement referred to it as "big mountain" in their language. The High One was its own entity. Its name was D—

"MOUNT MCKINLEY!" Ohio stood at the base of the mountain, pointing at the snowy peak with a cheeky grin. "That beautiful snowy mountain over there shall be named in honor of William McKinley from this day forward!"

"Excuse me."

"Ack!" Startled by the soft voice behind him, he swiftly spun and locked eyes on a tall indigenous girl with black braided hair carrying a bucket of freshly-caught salmon. "D-Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry, Ohio."

"Huh?" He cocked his head. "How do you know my name? Have we met before?"

She made a disappointed sigh before reintroducing herself, "I'm Alaska Territory. We've met before, but we rarely interact because I live very far away from the States."

"Oh. Of course." He chuckled in amusement. "Our encounter makes a lot of sense. After all, I am visiting your house."

"Uh-huh. Anyway, what are you doing here, shouting at Deenaalee?"

"Deenaalee?"

"That High One." She pointed at the white peaks of the highest mountain in her home. "That's Deenaalee."

He laughed, "I think you're mistaken."

"Excuse me?" She was both bewildered and offended by his remark. "I know the names of every mountain in my home. I am not mistaken about the great one over there being Deenaalee."

"That can't be." He shook his head in disagreement. "You must be confusing your mountains because that's Mount McKinley."

"Mount McKinley...? Deenaalee has many names, but Mount McKinley isn't one I recognize."

"Well, now you know because Mount McKinley is officially the mountain's name."

"Since when?"

"Months ago."

"Months ago?! And I'm learning this now?!" Once again, she groaned at the disadvantages of living so far away from the Lower 48. "How come nobody consulted me about the mountain's name?"

He shrugged. "I can't speak for everyone, but I thought it was a no-brainer calling the mountain Mount McKinley. It's a recognizable name, and it's a good way to honor the late president."

"Well, I prefer Deenaalee over Mount McKinley."

He exhaled an exasperated gasp. "How can you say such an awful thing?"

"I hold nothing against McKinley," Alaska clarified. "I take issue with outsiders naming stuff in my home without my consent. In my opinion, it makes little sense to name the mountain after a person who hasn't once visited my home."

"B-But even if you hadn't met him in person, you would've still thought highly of him, yes? McKinley was a man of excellent character, a leader of the American people, and a follower of God. He deserved lots of praise for his character and achievements."

"I don't doubt your admiration for the man, but the mountain already has a name that has been used for centuries. It's Deenaalee."

He huffed, "That's too bad. Because as it stands, the mountain's official name is Mount McKinley."