538 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

I recall, from my time at UVic, that the lack of shelters was pretty bad at this time of the year.

Couple that with the regular pass ups and ultra full buses, I eventually packed it in and started to drive.

[lanforod]

There are often people waiting. However, IIRC, there wasn't shelters in front of the bookstore before the work was done either, so... 

[MysticalWarrior]

Snapped a quick photo of Building 2 on my way to class yesterday. The cladding on the east façade facing Ring Rd appears to be largely finished and scaffolding is coming down from that side. They were also pouring some concrete in for the unfinished other half of the new plaza space between the two buildings.

 

[Mike K.]

Has building 1 been fully completed now? I know they opened up the dorms last fall, but the rest of the building was still being worked on.

[MysticalWarrior]

Has building 1 been fully completed now? I know they opened up the dorms last fall, but the rest of the building was still being worked on.

 

Looks like it, all patches of missing cladding have been filled and the landscaping out front was done not too long ago. All the focus seems to be shifted on the second building and the rest of the surroundings now.

[Nparker]

...all patches of missing cladding have been filled and the landscaping out front was done not too long ago...

Photos or it didn't happen. 

[lanforod]

It's been done for some time yeah.

[MysticalWarrior]

Building Two photo update - the cladding went up quick that they're actually starting to take down the scaffolding out front now.

 

[aastra]

Just add a few hovercars and some flames venting off the roof and you've got a scene straight out of a Bladerunner sequel.

[Mike K.]

The new student housing buildings have been named. From UVic:

Čeqʷəŋín and Sŋéqə: Reclaiming Indigenous place names

The names of local villages and the Peoples from the land on which the University of Victoria now sits were reclaimed and lifted up today as the names for the university’s two new student housing and dining buildings.

In the ceremony and celebration at UVic today, university and community members gathered to reveal the names and to thank and honour the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations for permission to use lək̓ʷəŋən names.

The first of the new student housing and dining buildings, started in 2019 and completed in 2022, is called Čeqʷəŋín ʔéʔləŋ (Cheko’nien House), the name given to the territory that is now Oak Bay, and the Peoples who lived there.

The second of these new buildings, to be completed by September 2023, is called Sŋéqə ʔéʔləŋ (Sngequ House), after a village in what is now known as Cadboro Bay. It was used for camas harvesting, trading and cultural and spiritual practices. It means ‘snow patches.’

“Today, we want to raise our hands and acknowledge everyone who has helped to carry out this good work.

The building names will be a constant reminder of the history of these lands and will hopefully inspire critical reflections and educational opportunities for the campus community. The work we’ve undertaken together represents a milestone in acknowledging the true history of where we are located—on lək̓ʷəŋən territory—and a way forward in continuing to build respectful relationships with local Nations,” says Qwul'sih'yah'maht, Robina Thomas, Vice-President Indigenous.

To ensure this work was done in a respectful way, UVic asked Chiefs and Councils, Elders and community members for guidance and direction on the building naming. Collaboration and meaningful consultations were at the centre of this work.

“Our vision for working together on this over the last five years was driven by a strong commitment to honour and integrate Indigenous ways of knowing and being into our work in a respectful manner. We set out to create a meaningful opportunity to share the history of this land with our students and wider university community, and to offer learning experiences that hold up language and land in a good way. Respectful collaboration and meaningful consultations were at the centre of this work,” says Joel Lynn, executive director of Student Services at UVic.

UVic began the naming process by consulting with Songhees and Esquimalt Nation students, community members and Chief and Council. Elder Seniemten, Dr. Elmer George, one of the last fluent lək̓ʷəŋən speaker, who has made it his life’s work to revitalize the language, brought forward the names. Seniemten’s grandfather was from Čeqʷəŋin and Sŋéqə.

“The guidance of local Elders has been essential to this work, and I am forever grateful for the endless knowledge and heart that they bring to support UVic students and staff. I acknowledge that there is a long way to go but that these steps are important. I feel grateful to see these changes during my time at UVic, and that local Elders get to witness these changes in their lifetimes,” says Chésa Abma-Slade, UVic law student and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt Nation) member.

The UVic community will have the opportunity to learn the building names, where they originated from and the significance of their meaning. Developing opportunities to gain a better understanding of Indigenous Peoples, histories and cultures, and the impacts of colonization, is integral to the university’s commitment to decolonization and to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the BC DRIPA Action Plan.

“It is important that this project sets a precedent, and that the university continues to follow the direction and guidance of Indigenous leadership, Elders and community members. While a lot of the work that took place is well documented, the cultural and consultation work is not meant to be a checklist for future projects. Every project and every community will be unique and have different ways of leading the work,” says UVic Chancellor, Marion Buller.

[Nparker]

The new student housing buildings have been named. From UVic: Čeqʷəŋín and Sŋéqə: Reclaiming Indigenous place names...

Another meaningless woke gesture. Names that no one can pronounce.

[GaryOak]

Eh. New students will miss pronounce it the first few times on move in day and after that they'll have no problem. People encounter new words and name all the time. For a while I was mis mispronouncing Clearihue until I heard it enough times when I first started Uni.

[Nparker]

Clearihue follows standard, phonetic, English pronunciation rules.

[Mike K.]

It's entering the curriculum now, the kids are learning how to pronounce these words.

[Nparker]

Are they using indigenous written language methods?

[Nparker]

Languages die all the time. Here are 6 of the coolest ones.

[Mike K.]

What’s a written language method?

[Nparker]

Employ whatever written method indigenous people used. Using the Roman alphabet is colonialism at its worst.

[GaryOak]

If the elders decide to use a specific system of writing that is up to them. And many of these languages are still living and evolving even though they may be endangered. One of my friends friends works in early childhood education teaching SENĆOŦEN at LÁU, WELNEW Tribal School and he told me that the elders are working together to come up with words for things that don't currently exist in their language all the time. And a big reason why they don't come up with a completely new writing system is because many websites won't be able to display the scripts.

[LJ]

If the elders decide to use a specific system of writing that is up to them. And many of these languages are still living and evolving even though they may be endangered. One of my friends friends works in early childhood education teaching SENĆOŦEN at LÁU, WELNEW Tribal School and he told me that the elders are working together to come up with words for things that don't currently exist in their language all the time. And a big reason why they don't come up with a completely new writing system is because many websites won't be able to display the scripts.

How totally useless.