Imagine if a powerful figure outside the UK decided to rename the English Channel or Irish Sea, and – because tech giants like Google and Apple Maps were based in that person’s country – the new name became the default for millions of users, embedding it into everyday language and reinforcing their influence. It quickly becomes ‘normal’.
Chances are, you wouldn’t be okay with it.
Worse, imagine if your country was unable to match the might of this person, and its presence on the world stage wasn’t as prominent. And that your ancestors had been tortured and murdered by people like this Goliath, so they could exploit your body, land and natural resources?
Yet here you are in 2025, watching this character erase more of your identity and culture.
Now, you’re getting a feel for how local people outside of the USA, living in the Gulf of Mexico region are likely to be feeling. Obviously, the geopolitical playing field is heavily tilted in America’s favour.
Naming as a tool of power
Google and Apple Maps have changed the name, adding to the outrage and debate. Here’s an explainer video about why Google took this action and what people around the world now see. Big Tech is assisting in reshaping the world’s narratives without consulting the people most affected.
We know that European colonialism imposed foreign names on people and lands, in an attempt to erase the essence of Indigenous and First Nations cultures. While triggering much of the climate change problems we see today due to aggressive agricultural methods. My own last name, Glasgow, is from Sir Robert Glasgow who owned my ancestors and had children with one of the Black women, who was likely enslaved to him during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Glasgow – a wealthy white man with a thirst for the dominance of others – probably revelled in knowing that his name would go on for generations. It’s horrible that in 2025, I’m seeing another powerful, wealthy white man exerting his power also changing names at will. Same old story...
The name change is a statement we can’t afford to ignore. It’s just one example of unchecked neo-colonialism.
Perhaps we can fight this thing
Let’s use this as a trigger to do better.
Rather than replacing one colonial name with another (from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America), we should redouble our efforts to restore Indigenous and/ or culturally appropriate names. I’m sure most people would agree!
Communities around the world are increasingly reclaiming their heritage, so why shouldn’t we challenge Google and others who are supporting this change?
As consumers we can make important decisions to send a clear message. By choosing differently we’re advocating for and with local communities who are being treated as ‘less than’.
I’ve switched to Bing Maps on my laptop, and will be looking for a phone app which isn’t owned by Google (Waze is Google owned). If there isn’t a reliable one, I’ll be getting lost a lot – I’m talking old-school, paper-map style lost. My internal satnav is unreliable to say the least.
Decolonising renaming processes
The real question isn’t what Google or Apple Maps call the Gulf, but whether we sit back and let them define our world?
The name change is a blaring wake-up call – if we accept that, what else will we allow to go unchallenged?
Will we see local countries outside of the USA rename the Gulf in a way that’s appropriate to them? And everyone else will need to simply learn the correct pronunciation and spelling? Will alternative map apps use the localised versions?
And don’t get me started on the Denali renaming.
We’re at a turning point in history and we can push back on this horribly familiar, overly zealous need for dominance.
This is why I do my work – I can’t be passive in the face of colonialism continuing its rampage in current times. And when I doubt myself, I feel my African ancestors pushing me to get back to work.
What will you do? Where and how will you do it? Through your work or your personal life? I’d love to hear about your thoughts!
If you'd like to develop your cultural inclusion strategies across engagement, storytelling or research, get in touch: hello@elmaglasgowconsulting.com.
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