Vancouver park named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language

Vancouver park named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language

News & UpdatesVancouver park named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language

Vancouver park named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language

On June 17, there was a beautiful celebration in this city that is home to Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish people, explains Gabriel George, Director of Treaty Lands and Resources. In the colonisation of these lands we were erased, and today some of the erasure was undone. Our collective Nations came together and put a name on this beautiful park. 

The names are: sθәqәlxenәm in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language and ts’exwts’áxwi7 in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language.

The names mean the same thing, they mean rainbow. It connects back to what this place once was. It was a rainforest with giant cedar trees. When the storms clear and the clouds part, sometimes what we see is a rainbow which gives us that feeling of goodness. 

We hope that when people come here and look up to the beautiful art done by our artists, they have a good feeling and find a little bit of peace. 

This is the first park in Vancouver to be gifted a name in both the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh languages. 

sθәqәlxenәm ts’exwts’áxwi7, meaning ‘rainbow’, was chosen by the Nations because the land where the park now sits was once forested with large trees and had many sources of water, including a marsh where the sun and mist would form rainbows. 

The name also reflects the bridging of the diverse people and communities the park brings together, and is a nod to the vibrant LGBTQIA2S+ history of the area.

The park is located in the downtown core at Smithe and Richards streets.

Chief Jen Thomas of Tsleil-Waututh Nation said: “We hope that sθәqәlxenәm ts’exwts’áxwi7, ‘rainbow’ park, is a place everyone feels comfortable gathering and coming together as a community. Tsleil-Waututh Nation is proud to work with the Squamish Nation and the Musqueam Indian Band to gift this name which helps put our face back on our traditional territory and have our presence known in this beautiful outdoor space.”

Latest Articles

On Thursday September 14, 2023 TLR’s fisheries crew noticed part of the Indian River had gone subsurface and dry due to low flow drought conditions. This was preventing spawning pink salmon from moving upstream to access the spawning habitat. 
Representatives from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation celebrated the signing of a Relationship Protocol Agreement with Simon Fraser University (SFU) at a September 6th, 2023 ceremony held at SFU’s Burnaby campus. The agreement marks a formal commitment from both parties to work together, strengthen their relationship and advance reconciliation. SFU commits to promoting success and achievement of Tsleil-Waututh Nation learners and supporting the Nation’s cultural, economic, social, environmental, health, and community priorities.
As a way to support our Tsleil-Waututh Nation survivors, we have established a Tsleil-Waututh Nation Residential School Survivors Fund.
New research confirms that Tsleil-Waututh Nation has consistently and sustainably fished for chum salmon for 1,200 years longer than the archaeological record had previously demonstrated. This supports Tsleil-Waututh knowledge and further demonstrates that Tsleil-Waututh people have been sustainably living on and stewarding their traditional territory for longer than Western science may recognize.
We have an incredibly exciting announcement to share with you: Dennis Thomas-Whonoak, who has been employed at Tsleil-Waututh Nation for the past 16 years, is moving on to a new role as Executive Director, Indigenous Business Initiatives and Engagement, at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia (UBC).
After over 30 years of work in newsrooms around the world, Tsleil-Waututh Nation Member Andrea Crossan is joining the University of British Columbia in the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media. Andrea’s experience includes reporting in over 20 countries and has been based in the U.S. and the U.K., having worked for BBC World Service, CBC, Associated Press, and NBC News.