Two new ferries set to begin service on Snuneymuxw First Nationsa国际传媒檚 traditional territory on Vancouver Island, were named in consultation with a different First Nation, and that doesnsa国际传媒檛 sit well with Snuneymuxwsa国际传媒檚 chief.
BC Ferries announced Tuesday, Jan. 11, that the second Island-class ferry to be used on the Nanaimo harbour-Gabriola Island route will be called Island Gwawis, named with the support of sa国际传媒橬amgis First Nation.
Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse issued a statement the next day, Jan. 12, saying he was sa国际传媒渟addened and frustratedsa国际传媒� that BC Ferriessa国际传媒� leadership has sa国际传媒渄ecided to choose a racist and discriminatory path riddled with colonial acts that is woefully inflammatory and offensive to building a relationship between us.sa国际传媒�
A press release from SFN mentioned sa国际传媒渟everal executive meetingssa国际传媒� between Snuneymuxw and BC Ferries. Wyse said the ferry company proposed building a totem pole, while Snuneymuxw, he said, wanted to sa国际传媒渞esolve fundamental and critical issues regarding their existing and proposed ferry operations in our territory.sa国际传媒� He said ferry service in and around the four local terminals has caused sa国际传媒渟ignificant negative impacts to our territorysa国际传媒� and has infringed on treaty rights.
Wyse says the ferry companysa国际传媒檚 choice to apply sa国际传媒橬amgis First Nation culture in Snuneymuxw territory violates human rights and contravenes the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
sa国际传媒淚 fully intend to use all remedies available to our people to rectify this issue, urging BC Ferries to discontinue their divisive and colonial behaviour against our nation,sa国际传媒� Wyse said.
A BC Ferries social media post on Tuesday noted that sa国际传媒渙ur six Island-class vessels are interchangeable and will not be dedicated to one specific route, but rather they will serve the coastal communities together.sa国际传媒�
BC Ferriessa国际传媒� press release announcing the name of the new ship said the name Island Gwawis, which means raven of the sea, sa国际传媒渃elebrates the cultural connection between the original mariners of the coastal waters and the communities the vessel will soon serve.sa国际传媒�
In an e-mail, Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries spokesperson, said the names of the ships arensa国际传媒檛 related to territories and routes on which they may operate.
sa国际传媒淭he ships are identical, standardized and interoperable,sa国际传媒� Marshall said. sa国际传媒淎s our vessels move around the fleet to meet operational requirements, we no longer name vessels based on geography or territories. Several Indigenous nations and communities, including Snuneymuxw, were invited to engage in the name selection process.sa国际传媒�
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