History and meaning of Skaha Lake in Penticton

Labelled “L. du Chien” (Dog Lake) on Anderson Map, 1867; labelled “Du Chien L.” on Trutch maps, 1866 and 1871. Origin unknown. Later, Dog became the official name. Changed in 1930 to Skaha “to agree with the local name,” states the Chief Geographer.

However Okanagan Indians say “skaha” is not their word for dog, but is that of the Shuswaps, and that the local word for dog is chokowapee. (Parham, 40).

Another spelling is kaekuwapa. The local meaning of skaha is “horse”. (Albert Millar). That is also the meaning in the Nicola dialect. (W. G. Clapperton).

Source: Wikipedia (after a phone call from Harry Bray)