After it long shared the name of a residential school, the ferry servicing Penelakut Island has been renamed to represent the communitysa国际传媒檚 Indigenous heritage.
BC Ferries unveiled the renamed Punesa国际传媒檒uxutth vessel at a ceremony in Victoria on Friday (Dec. 1). The vessel previously known as MV Kuper has served the Chemainus-Thetis-Penelakut route since 2007.
The Penelakut Tribe chose the vesselsa国际传媒檚 new name, which represents the Hulsa国际传媒檘umisa国际传媒檔um language word for Penelakut and means two logs half-covered with sand, according to the tribe.
sa国际传媒淧enelakut Tribe is relieved to see the removal of the colonial name Kuper; furthermore, we are proud to see the use of our Hulsa国际传媒檘umisa国际传媒檔um language,sa国际传媒� said Penelakut Tribe Coun. Josh James. sa国际传媒淲e look forward to continue building our relationship with BC Ferries.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e gathered here obviously for a very special occasion, one that I think is both significant and essential,sa国际传媒� BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez said, addressing a number of Penelakut Tribe elders and community members.
The renaming represents BC Ferriessa国际传媒� ongoing partnerships with Indigenous and coastal communities and reminds the company of its responsibility to safeguard and preserve B.C. waterways and the communities that depend on them, he added. The CEO said the renaming demonstrates the commitment to acknowledging past wrongs and corrects hurtful historical naming.
sa国际传媒淚t acknowledges that we sail the same coastal waterways as Indigenous Peoples from up and down the coast as they have forever.sa国际传媒�
Penelakut member James Charlie said he wasnsa国际传媒檛 allowed on the upper decks when he first rode with BC Ferries, and now ships are being named after his home community.
sa国际传媒淚n my grandfathersa国际传媒檚 days, this was unheard of, now wesa国际传媒檙e starting to build a dialogue (between) First Nation people and non-First Nation people, itsa国际传媒檚 really good to witness,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭his reconciliation has brought about slow change, but itsa国际传媒檚 a beginning, itsa国际传媒檚 a start and I love it.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a very special day for us to witness, this is part of history.sa国际传媒�
BC Ferries unveiled its renamed Punesa国际传媒檒uxutth vessel in Victoria on Friday alongside members of Penelakut Tribe. The vessel previously shared the Kuper name of the residential school on Penelakut Island.
sa国际传媒� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews)
Esquimalt Nationsa国际传媒檚 Suzie Thomas, who opened Fridaysa国际传媒檚 event with a traditional welcome, thanked BC Ferries for involving their people and said sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 really happy that wesa国际传媒檙e all starting to come together to work together as one.sa国际传媒�
The Punesa国际传媒檒uxutth vessel is undergoing a months-long refit and is set to resume sailing on Dec. 9.
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