PITT MEADOWS, BC – The City is pleased to announce the inclusion of Katzie First Nation language translations on two new park signs to be installed later this summer at Spirit Square and Waterfront Commons Park.
šxʷhék̓ ʷnəs
‘the place to remember him, her, it, them'
[Spirit Square]
xcəwás
'front (waterside) of the house’
[Waterfront Commons Park]
“I am proud of the beautiful and meaningful names researched by our language keepers Cheyenne Cunningham and Leah Meunier,” says Katzie First Nation Chief Grace George. “The selected names were later chosen by our Katzie community members. Thank you to the City of Pitt Meadows, Mayor, Council and staff for the opportunity and collective dedication to this important initiative. It means a lot to us as a people to see our sacred language and culture being recognized in our shared public spaces.”
“Council and the City honour our close relationship with Katzie and recognize their traditional territory and history through our inclusive parks signage,” says Mayor Bill Dingwall. “It is important and means a lot to us that the translated names were chosen by the Katzie First Nation and resonate with them and their community. We hope this language recognition will help to bring more understanding of the history and importance of Katzie to our community.”
The Katzie First Nation and the City of Pitt Meadows continue to work as partners to create a shared understanding of each other’s cultures. The two councils meet several times a year to look at ways to continue building this relationship through collaborative projects such as this.
Over the past several months, Katzie First Nation has been working to translate the park names. The process of translation involves considering direct translation and how the space was used historically and in modern times from a Katzie lens. The area itself is also considered in terms of its landscape, flora, fauna and waterways.
Proposed translated name options were presented to Council on June 2, 2020 with Council respectfully requesting staff to seek a Katzie decision on the final translated names chosen in order to ensure the names best honoured their wishes.
As part of the parks signage replacement currently underway, both of the languages will be installed in each of these parks.
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For more information please contact:
Carolyn Baldridge
Manager of Communications & Community Engagement
City of Pitt Meadows
cbaldridge@pittmeadows.ca