186 replies to this topic

[phx]

Isitt's proposal seemed ridiculous to me at first, but I'm now thinking it is a good idea. But why stop at just renaming Victoria? Here is my proposed renaming:

Victoria -> Camosun
CRD -> Victoria
Vancouver Island -> Victoria Island

Visitors would find the new names much more comprehensible.

[VicHockeyFan]

Isitt's proposal seemed ridiculous to me at first, but I'm now thinking it is a good idea. But why stop at just renaming Victoria? Here is my proposed renaming:

Victoria -> Camosun
CRD -> Victoria
Vancouver Island -> Victoria Island

Visitors would find the new names much more comprehensible.

Yes, they sure would.

[aastra]

I just hope the Capital Police Department never has to respond to a call at the University of Victoria in the Saanich municipality of the city of Greater Camosun on Victoria Island.

[Holden West]

WEC’KINEM (Eric Pelkey), a hereditary chief of the Tsawout First Nation, with support from the Songhees and local WSÁNEĆ nations, are calling on all peoples in the Victoria area to participate in a day of action to Reclaim PKOLS, the original name of Mount Douglas, on May 22nd at 5PM. The event will reinstate the traditional name for the mountain and reclaim the site where the Douglas Treaty was first signed with the WSÁNEĆ nations.

“This is something that our elders have been calling for, for many, many years,” said Pelkey, “to bring back the names we have always used to where they belong.”

PKOLS (pronounced p’cawls), which can be translated as “White Rock” or “White Head”, reflects the Indigenous oral history of the area. Stories of PKOLS go back to nearly the beginning of time for WSÁNEĆ (Saanich) people. Historically, it has been an important meeting place; and geological findings indicate that it was the last place glaciers receded from on southern Vancouver Island.

http://intercontinen...-douglas-pkols/

[Bingo]

I just hope the Capital Police Department never has to respond to a call at the University of Victoria in the Saanich municipality of the city of Greater Camosun on Victoria Island.

Coming all the way from Capital City Centre, eh!

[Kikadee]

I have no problem with going back to the aboriginal place-name. I think Pkols and Mount Douglas could be used interchangeably. But good grief, what makes them think that Douglas trotted up a mountain without a road to sign a treaty on top? That's revisionist history in the making.....

[Fairbanks]

hahahahahahaha!!!!!

[VicHockeyFan]

http://intercontinen...-douglas-pkols/

Hmmmm.

The following community organizations and individuals have endorsed the May 22nd Day of Action: AIDS Vancouver Island, Council of Canadians, Freeskool, Greenpeace, the Indigenous Nationhood Movement, Indigenous Waves Radio, International Federation of Iranian Refugees, Keepers of the Athabasca, Lifecycles Project Society, Los Altos Institute, Naomi Klein, Rising Tide Vancouver, SocialCoast.org, Social Environmental Alliance, South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy, Together Against Poverty Society, University of Victoria Indigenous Governance Program, Vancouver Island Community Forest Action Network, Victoria Coalition for Survivors, Victoria Idle No More, The Warren Undergraduate Review.

So there is no participation from Saanich on this event?

[Kikadee]

I would advise anyone interested in the matter of the "Douglas Treaties" to read ethnographer Wilson Duff's 1969 article "The Fort Victoria Treaties." He not only notes that the different tribes gathered at Fort Victoria to sign the treaties, but he also states that his Saanich informants gave the name Pkols to MOUNT TOLMIE.

[Holden West]

Hmmmm.



So there is no participation from Saanich on this event?

Mayor Leonard was on the radio saying Saanich is neutral on this as there is no formal renaming application before council.

My guess is that Saanich will start incorporating the name into official literature and signage but will stop short of actual renaming. In order for a name to take hold there has to be a reasonable expectation of public buy-in. I can't see anyone saying, "hey, let's take a drive up PKOLS".

[tedward]

Why does it have to be renamed? Why can't we just have bilingual signs with both Mt Douglas (English) and PKOLS (WSÁNEĆ)?

[mysage]

Why does it have to be renamed? Why can't we just have bilingual signs with both Mt Douglas (English) and PKOLS (WSÁNEĆ)?

Whatever prompted you to make a reasonable comment like that?

How can one march, drum, chant, protest, make signs, lecture, be on TV, tweet, blog and gain one ounce of attention or government dollars, if we go about compromising on the wrongs done (real or imagined) centuries ago.

What a silly suggestion!

[AllseeingEye]

Why does it have to be renamed? Why can't we just have bilingual signs with both Mt Douglas (English) and PKOLS (WSÁNEĆ)?

That is not a bad idea, akin to the signs on the Sea to Sky highway which frankly IMHO are very cool....although I suspect few non-First Nations people have a ghost of a chance of accurately pronouncing some of those Squamish or Lil'wat place names . At least PKOLS by comparison is easy....

[tedward]

Whatever prompted you to make a reasonable comment like that?

I know, right? I must be having an off day.

[baconnbits]

How is this issit guy on council. He would have to have a list of decent size full of idiotic proposals that are just a complete waste of council time and money.

[Baro]

How is this issit guy on council. He would have to have a list of decent size full of idiotic proposals that are just a complete waste of council time and money.

Well then he's in like-minded company on council these days.

[baconnbits]

Well then he's in like-minded company on council these days.

Yes. All too right

Would love a council concerned with the work of city council

Condemning news articles, oil pipelines, I recall something on Hugo Chavez

[Bingo]

I would advise anyone interested in the matter of the "Douglas Treaties" to read ethnographer Wilson Duff's 1969 article "The Fort Victoria Treaties." He not only notes that the different tribes gathered at Fort Victoria to sign the treaties, but he also states that his Saanich informants gave the name Pkols to MOUNT TOLMIE.

You might also want to read todays TC and see what Jack Knox has to say.

"Still, geographical names do shift with changing sensibilities. In B.C., a dozen or so Squaw creeks, lakes, mountains and islands were retitled over the years. The twin peaks known as Sheba’s Breasts were renamed Sheba Mountain. Chinaman Lake disappeared from the B.C. atlas in 1996."

"Earlier deletions included — jeez, it’s even hard to type this — Chink Creek and Niggertoe Mountain. Up-Island, Jap Mountain became Nikkei Mountain in 2002. Some ancient places were rechristened simply because of the way they sounded to English ears: Vancouver Island lost both Kok****tle Arm and Kowshet Cove in the 1930s."

more;
http://www.timescolo...-pkols-1.191787

[Kikadee]

^ I can never make it past the first sentence of a Jack Knox article, I'm afraid, but I don't disagree with the point he made in the quote you posted. Names change, and that's fine.

I think using aboriginal place-names is a really simple, effective way to remind people that they had a presence on the land. I'm just asking for the name to be applied to the right mountain.

[D.L.]

http://www.news1130....e-victoria-day/

A group of Canadian actors, writers and politicians is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to change the name of Victoria Day.

The group – which includes author Margaret Atwood, Green Party leader Elizabeth May, and actor Gordon Pinsent – has signed an online petition to rename this Monday’s public holiday “Victoria and First Peoples Day.”

*groan*