A long list of Liǧʷiłdaxʷ hereditary chiefs have added their names to complaints directed at the Campbell River city council for comments made in October about restoring the traditional Indigenous names of three city landmarks.
"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 had since the beginning of time," reads the letter signed by 12 hereditary chiefs.
"To say that reconciliation is moving too fast and that you struggle to pronounce the names of the lands of which you reside is spitting on the Indigenous people as well as any hopes of working toward reconciliation with Indigenous people."
The Liǧʷiłdaxʷ First Nations in Campbell River have asked for the restoration of Discovery Passage to its original Indigenous name, Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ Passage, or Rapids, (pronounced "Lee-gwilthdaxw"). Furthermore, they seek to restore Quinsam River to “Kʷənsəm” (pronounced Quinsam), and Tyee Spit to “ʔuxstalis” (pronounced Oox-sta-lease).
The request was made to the BC Geographical Names Office. The provincial office then asked the city, along with other organizations in the region, to provide their feedback on the request.
Elected chief Chris Roberts of the Wei Wai Kum Nation and chief Ronnie Chickite of the We Wai Kai Nation attended a council meeting on Oct. 24 to express their disappointment at what was said during an Oct. 8 committee meeting. Roberts called remarks made about the pace of reconciliation moving too quickly and being "out of step with current public opinion" concerning.
READ MORE: Chief disappointed by Campbell River council's Indigenous place name remarks
A letter by Campbell River mayor Kermit Dahl dated Oct. 11, which is addressed to the BC Geographical Names Office, states the city values these changes and "recognizes the importance of preserving and respecting the heritage and culture of the Ligwitdaxw people."
The mayor's letter asks that the provincial office hold public information sessions to "ensure communities are well-informed."
The chief's letter posted to hereditary chief Shawn Decaire's Facebook page on Oct. 31 also takes issue with council discussion on Oct. 8 that seemed to focus only on how the move would benefit the region's tourism. Restoring the names should "not be considered a move to promote tourism, but a motion to restore and build on a relationship with the Indigenous people," it says.
"If your biggest concern is that your navigation charts will not read correctly or that you should have been consulted first, then none of you are at all considering reconciliation or having any type of relationship with the Indigenous community, and you are only perpetuating the impacts of oppression and colonialism of the Indigenous people."
The hereditary chiefs also strongly encouraged the council to halt in-camera discussion about the issue and start speaking to the public.
"Invite not only the elected chiefs but the hereditary chiefs as well and 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 and maybe restart the work towards a relationship with the Indigenous community."
