First Nations propose changing Stanley Park's name to Xwayxway

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by CameronT120

I wonder if this renaming of the park would give them a toe hold in reclaiming the land? It could appear to be a step towards legitimizing ownership.

Excellent point. One not to be laughed at. It's almost like their "vindication."

[GeeCee]

Why don't we just start deporting all the white people back to Europe while we're at it?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

Why don't we just start deporting all the white people back to Europe while we're at it?

And its not just Caucasian people. The Chinese, Japanese, East Indian, Filipinos etc etc who have immigrated to Vancouver in the last 100+ years all know and cherish that space as "Stanley Park".

[dleung]

"Haida Gwaii" was a cluster of largely uninhabited islands back then, as it is now. It's identity hasn't really changed, which is why the name change (appropriately descriptive of the archipelago) was a good move. It sounds beautiful.

"WhyWhy" is quite something else... the significance of that chunk of forest we now call Stanley Park has exploded over the last 150 years, none of it having anything to do with natives. Heck, the aquarium probably covers a larger footprint than all the former villages on the peninsula combined.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I suggest we honour Councillor Woodsworth with a First Nations name. How about "Raving Loon"?

X2. Now only to re-name the mayor in a similar fashion

[vitc]

Change the name? Over my dead body! There will be riots in Vancouver if this ever gets anywhere...

As for Haida Gwaii - I like that and have no problem with it.

Though I have to say the Mayor choose is words carefully. He said "suggestion" ( aka: Ya right lol ) instead of "idea" ( aka: hmm, you might be on to something ) - or am I giving him to much credit lol

[mooks28]

They've added the original names on the highway signs on the Sea to Sky Highway and it works quite well; very cool. I'd hope they aren't planning on dumping the Stanley Park name but rather adding the new names in various locations in the park.

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by usog

Add him to the list of people we're blasting off then. Any others? Seriously, this whole first nations business is getting old...

This is a highly ignorant statement. I suggest you do some basic research about First Nations people and their historic and ongoing relationship with the rest of Canada, and in particular BC, where traditional territories were never ceded in treaties.

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

I do have a reasonable suggestion, however. Under all of the Stanley Park signage why not add: "Salish Name - Xwayxway". As a history buff, I would certainly appreciate that information and the Salish People's would also be recognized. Now there's a reasonable ground for compromise.

This is what I was thinking. It would be absurd to change the name, especially as the only reason given seems to be a trend of reclaiming Aboriginal titles. Haida Gwaii made total sense to me, and Salish Sea wasn't a big deal, but this is just PC overboard. I do agree though that an official recognition of the park's historic Aboriginal use seems to be a reasonable compromise - this information could certainly add to the character of the park and be placed on signage.

[WaxItYourself]

yeah I saw this earlier. As soon as I read it I pronounced it EXWayExWay. What an odd name for a park. And more than likely visitors are going to pronounce it that way as well. My suggestion would be to name sections of the park after their native locations and have small monuments with writeups describing each area and the way it is pronounced. Kind of like the aquarium. Maybe even take one of the locations and change it into a tourist attraction/museum where you get to walk around an actual native settlement. Kind of like Fort Langley.

[ozonemania]

There's something fishy about the reporting quoted in the OP. I can't imagine any half-savvy politician 'enthusiastically endorsing' changing Stanley Park's name like this. I can see them endorsing looking at the proposal. And there are ways to name a place that have official, colloquial, and common names.

In fact, I think that the politically correct thing to do would be to encourage discussion about it, and then in the end decide maybe it shouldn't be done, rather than dismissing it outright.

It doesn't matter anyway, even if they change the name to Xwayxway, no one will refer it as such, except maybe for the First Nations peoples. I certainly won't.

Maybe it's just me, but moves like this by First Nations' leaders rub me the wrong way. I am all for our First Nations bretheren to be equal in all aspects with all citizens of Canada, but I only sense a message of 'you are less Canadian than we are, we were here before you' when they pull things like this. I agree that their path to equity, equality and independence is a difficult one, but jeez choose your battles wisely.

[SpongeG]

they interviewed people on the news about it - and one of them they interviewed was an immigrant and I forget what she said but her response was the best - something along the lines of Canada is a nation that welcomes all people and some other stuff and she thinks stanley park should stay stanley park - anyway I agree with what she said - she said it so well

[red-paladin]

I agree. I have no problem that Queen Charlotte Islands got renamed to what it was originally called. But Stanley park was created by 'white people' even if they 'stole it'. It was never named XwayXway park, it didn't even exist.

[Metro-One]

My 2 cents:

Essentially almost everyone here has already said how I feel.

Simply changing the name of the park is a terrible idea. The village that existed before was only a small portion of the land area that is now the park.

I 100% support naming that area of the park after the original village and having some historic attributes added / built in its honour, but re-naiing the entire park and simply throwing away that name's cultural significance? No Thank You!

The very words "Stanley Park" are not only significant to all of the cultures in the Vancouver area, but it is also a nationally and internationally known trademark of the city.

I was indifferent to re-naiming the Queen Charlottes, but this is gone to far.

If we start going back hundreds and thousands of years, even the majority of nations / cities in Asia and Europe were all named something different than they are today and inhabited by different peoples, so technically they should all be re-named as well. Unfortunately (and fortunately is some respects) conquest has been the nature of humanity as far as history is written and no group of people are free of that crime (and there really is no such thing as a "pure" race, since everyone has mixed during these waves of conquest). Did you know that the natives themselves had continuous disputes over land boundaries (hence much more than 100% of BC is claimed by the natives) and slavery before the Europeans arrived? Even they were not innocent of such crimes.

Back to topic,

Stanley Park is a completely different entity than the village that was located within a small portion of it before.

Again, you can have a historical site established within the park bearing that villages name, but renaming the entire park? No way.

Everyone whom I have talked to about this today has laughed at the idea.

The funny thing is, even if they do re-name it, it will still be Stanley park to everyone.

I really wish one day that we had a politician that doesn't always play politically correct when it comes to a native issue, like any people, some of their suggestions are good, and some are terrible, this goes into the terrible category and I would love to hear someone from the city or province simply say "Re-naming the entire park, which is culturally significant to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, that is a stupid idea."

[gillty]

my 2 cents:
Its a distraction to take the headlines off the HST to something even more ludicrous like renaming Stanley Park.

of course mayor moonbeam's rep jumped right on it

[SpongeG]

watching the news - the one first nations guy was talking about how the spirits of past generations like 1000's of years are in the trees blah blah blah - but aren't those trees only 100 or so years old? wasn't stanley park basically clear cut in the late 1800's?

[geoff's two cents]

In all fairness, naming (or re-naming) public places is usually controversial, and I respect the opinions here. I'll go on enjoying the park whether its name changes or not. Bi-lingual (with both names in equal size font) signage strikes me as a civil gesture of compromise.

SpongeG's post, however, reminds me of how utterly abysmal our country's educational curriculum in first nations history and culture is. We learn a thing or two about furs, fish, bison, the coureur des bois and smallpox, if we're lucky. It's absurd to think in this country that one basically has to be in college or be métis or first nations oneself to have a more well-rounded picture (I've heard the same said for our French language teaching, which is begun far too late for it to have any lasting impression on most people. Our tri- and quadra-lingual counterparts in Europe must wonder at that).

Though extremely inadequate by itself, bi-lingual naming might help spark wider interest in BC's local (colonial and postcolonial) histories and cultures. At any rate, I don't see how a formal recognition of the park's hybrid cultural heritage can be a bad thing.

Sorry for the somewhat off-topic rant.

[1ajs]

whats the bitg deal about renaming the park?

new zealand has done this with mt Edgmont now called Taranaki

[nova9]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I agree. I have no problem that Queen Charlotte Islands got renamed to what it was originally called. But Stanley park was created by 'white people' even if they 'stole it'. It was never named XwayXway park, it didn't even exist.

i actually grew up learning the name haida gwaii before queen charlotte island and at one point, i thought both existed so i was surprised to learn that they were one in the same.

i would like to see the compromise of having the aboriginal name displayed alongside stanley park (with prominence going to stanley park, what is is famous for). if we were to reprsent first nations culture more properly, i would suggest an interpretive centre at lumberman's arch then - it's more educational and meaningful then just a slapped on name change.

side note, in terms of first nations history, don't forget that HMSC Discovery on the south part of stanley park, used to be a native burial ground.

[Overground]

Changing the name of the park is absolutely ridiculous. I'll do everything in my power to prevent that from happening. This boy scout mayor even suggesting it's a good idea just goes to show how much we need him out of office asap. It's a world renowned park that everyone knows. Thank god we have Conservatives in Ottawa to prevent this from happening. This is akin to changing the name of Central Park in NYC to Lenape Park. This is the left wing and their systematic destruction of Canada's European history to serve their guilt and absurd personality defect called political correctness.

I don't have a problem with them renaming that portion of the park, where the village used to be located, as a native name. But renaming the whole park should not ever be done. Anyone who thinks it should is out of touch with Canada's rich and historical past, which includes European heritage. What's next, change the name of Vancouver, Broadway, Granville, Fraser, Robson, Grouse? That's something these morons would do, change the name of marketable and "world class" Vancouver to something else.


When Lord Stanley officially dedicated the park he said, 'to the use and enjoyment of peoples of all colours, creeds, and customs, for all time. I name thee, Stanley Park.'

Pretty good words coming from an old white guy in 1899, eh?

[ozonemania]

Originally Posted by Overground

Thank god we have Conservatives in Ottawa to prevent this from happening. This is akin to changing the name of Central Park in NYC to Lenape Park. This is the left wing and their systematic destruction of Canada's European history to serve their guilt and absurd personality defect called political correctness.

Why do people always jump on partisan name calling with any issue? What does a Conservative in Ottawa have anything to do with this? Oh god, channel your hatred elsewhere please.