Metro Vancouver and Tsleil-Waututh Nation announced that Belcarra Regional Park will become known as təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park — a new name that reflects the park’s history.
təmtəmíxʷtən translates to “the biggest place for all the people” in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language and the site is the largest of Tsleil-Waututh’s ancestral villages, primarily occupied as a winter village.
Tsleil-Waututh had occupied təmtəmixʷtən since time out of mind until colonization and still has strong, ongoing cultural ties to this place.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief Jen Thomas said this is a significant day in fulfilling Tsleil-Waututh’s mandate of putting the face of the Nation back on the territory.
“The name təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park supports in telling the story of Tsleil-Waututh. It shows both our Tsleil-Waututh community and members of the general public the importance of acknowledging and honouring Tsleil-Waututh’s history on this land and in these waters since time out of mind.”
Metro Vancouver and Tsleil-Waututh have been working together on various projects since 2016, including recent plans for the Belcarra Picnic Area, which encompasses the location of təmtəmixʷtən.
In February 2020, Tsleil-Waututh and Metro Vancouver signed the Belcarra Regional Park Cultural Planning and Co-operation Agreement, formalizing the ongoing collaboration between the two parties.
Over the course of the next several months, all of the signage in the park will be changed to reflect the new name, təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park.
“Doing our part to formally recognize the historical and cultural significance of this place has been an important focus for Metro Vancouver,” said Jerry Dobrovolny, Metro Vancouver Commissioner and CAO.
“It is paramount that we continue the journey of reconciliation and find ways to restore recognition of such lands as the territories of the Indigenous peoples and Nations in this region we call Metro Vancouver.”
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