The genetic principals of the We Wai Kai Nation on Vancouver Island have truly despatched out a pungent letter to the mayor and council of Campbell River, B.C., regarding their feedback on a proposition to convey again the Indigenous names of three geographical places.
The remarks had been made at a council convention final month, all through which one councillor examined whether or not reworking the names would definitely be urgent settlement initiatives alongside as effectively swiftly.
Hereditary principal Gigamae Yakawidi, likewise known as Shawn Decaire, knowledgeable CBC News they despatched their motion letter to council onThursday He likewise posted a copy of it on his Facebook net web page.
“We have to say that not only are we disappointed but also frustrated and appalled by the remarks made by council members in regard to restoring the place names to the titles they have held since the beginning of time,” the letter claims.
“To say that reconciliation is moving too fast and that you struggle to pronounce the names of the lands on which you ride is spitting on the Indigenous people, as well as any hopes of working towards reconciliation with the Indigenous people.”
Earlier this yr, the Li ǧʷiłdaxʷ Nations — that embody the We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah First Nations — despatched a proposition to the B.C. Geographical Names Office to convey again the Indigenous names of Discovery Passage, the Quinsam River and Tyee Spit.
The modifications would definitely encompass:
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Discovery Passage to Li ǧʷiłdax̌ʷ Passage (apparent lee-gwith-dow)
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Quinsam River to Kʷənsəm (apparent quin-sam)
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Tyee Spit to ʔuxstalis (apparent oox– sta-lease)
In the last few years, numerous different First Nations all through B.C. have truly successfully remodeled the identify of significant geographical locations.
On southerly Vancouver Island, Saanich’s council sustained the modification ofMount Douglas to PKOLS On the Sunshine Coast, Wilson Creek is now called ts’uḵw’um and Saltery Bay is now sḵelhp
In the Lower Mainland, the park beforehand known as Belcarra Regional Park has truly been officially renamed to təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park, in acknowledgment of the genealogical residence of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation
Pace of settlement ‘open to question’: Councillor
At a metropolis board convention onOct 8, Campbell River councillors gone over a letter sent by the B.C. Geographical Names Office welcoming focus on the identify modifications.
Coun Ben Lanyon acknowledged he believed the modifications would definitely revenue vacationer nonetheless included that he positioned the Lik ʷala identify for Discovery Passage laborious to articulate.
He after that passed off to state the identify modifications is likely to be “moving out of step with the state of public opinion.” He afterward included that the speed of settlement is “debatable” and “may do more harm” if achieved as effectively swiftly.
“There is a rising level of opposition to these measures,” he acknowledged. “This is just going ahead at a certain pace and I think this needs to be pulled back a bit.”
Tyee Spit in Campbell River is known as ʔuxstalis by the placement’sFirst Nations (Google Maps)
The letter from the We Wai Kai genetic principals condemned these remarks.
“Do you think the impacts of residential schools moved too quickly? Do you feel that stripping our people from their traditional lands and rights was too quick? Do you feel that the raping, abducting, beating, and killing of the Indigenous people moved too quickly?” the letter opinions.
“The names of these places are our hereditary right and should be labelled as such and not be considered a move to promote tourism, but a motion to restore and building on a relationship with the Indigenous people.”
More evaluation a ‘injustice’: Elected principals
At theOct 8 convention, some councillors did state they remained in help of the identify modifications. But council actually didn’t switch to say town’s help in a letter to the names office and mentioned asking the district to carry particulars periods moderately.
Councillors likewise reviewed points relating to navigating graphes, and costs associated to reworking indicators and recordsdata.
At a succeeding convention onOct 24, Wei Wai Kum Elected Chief Coun Chris Roberts appeared like element of a delegation together withWe Wai Kai Elected Chief Coun Ronnie Chickite, and acknowledged the remarks had been “worrisome.”
Roberts requested for town both ship out a letter mentioning that town sustains settlement and sustains the identify modifications, or simply reply with “no comment” — “because it would be a disservice to invite more consultative processes on this matter.”
Council elected to evaluation their motion at an upcoming in-camera convention.
CBC News has truly gotten in contact with Lanyon and Mayor Kermit Dahl for comment nonetheless neither has truly reacted.
‘Big aberrations’ on settlement
In their letter, the genetic principals maintain what Roberts acknowledged on the convention, nonetheless embody “this is our traditional territory and we do not require [the city’s] permission to call it by its rightful name.”
“Tell us again how inconvenient we are to you, or do the right thing and try to mend the ties which are seemingly more broken than ever before.”
Decaire acknowledged he has truly requested for that their letter be contributed to the schedule on the following council convention.
Speaking with CBC News, Chief Roberts acknowledged the Li ǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ normally have a superb reference to metropolis board.
He believes the dialog might have been affected by the present rural political election, which attracted “two pretty broad, big divergences on policy approach toward reconciliation.”
Despite his points relating to the remarks and actions of the council, Roberts is assured the realm will definitely progress with the identify modifications and its commitments in direction of settlement as specified by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“The work that we do as elected officials … it’s always tempered by the public trust and the people have to be brought along with this,” he acknowledged.
“Obviously, not everyone is going to agree. So often it comes down to having to make difficult decisions that aren’t always popular.”
Roberts indicated numerous different First Nations in B.C. which have truly successfully reestablished Indigenous names to their commonplace area, like many people referring at the moment to the Salish Sea instead of the Georgia Strait.
Other cases Roberts identified encompass the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations
