Shíshálh Nation Chief Warren Paull say he was “a little taken aback” at how news that work had started on the potential renaming of some areas in the shíshálh swiya became public.
“We notified some of our neighbours that this was coming down and we wanted to have a conversation about it – and before I know it, it was being published,” Paull said in an interview with Coast Reporter following his Feb. 15 re-election.
“I was a little surprised that it was released as fast as it was and we didn’t have time to be able to do a proper rollout and communication line.”
A Jan. 27 letter from the province’s Geographical Names Division, seeking input from the District of Sechelt on the proposed renaming of Wilson Creek to ts'uḵw'um, was on the agenda for council’s Feb. 5 meeting. A similar letter regarding changing Madeira Park to salalus was sent to the Sunshine Coast Regional District, but has not yet come up for discussion at the board.
“It was part of the Foundation Agreement and we didn’t see it as controversial. It’s unfortunate that it’s been taken as such,” Paull said.
The Foundation Agreement was signed by the province and the shíshálh Nation in 2018, and included a commitment to explore identifying and recommending new names for some geographical features and locations in the shíshálh swiya within five years of the agreement’s effective date.
It also includes a clause to identify and recommend the installation of highway and road signage recognizing shíshálh Nation place names.
“This is a collaborative piece that the province really feels is something they want to work with, and so do we. We had those names on those places a long time before the settlers came and we still call them that,” Paull said.
“I understand that there are some people on either side who are going to have strong opinions and I’m looking forward to having that conversation.”
Paull pointed out that similar name changes were part of the province’s agreement with the Tla’amin Nation and elsewhere in B.C. as well.
“If it’s been done in many other places in British Columbia I don’t see why it can’t be done here… There are stories behind every one of those names and we look forward to sharing those stories,” he said.
Since the news came out that the Geographical Names Office was beginning its consultation with local stakeholders, Paull said, he’s been contacted by people in Madeira Park interested in arranging a meeting to discuss the name change proposal for that community.
