Simon Fraser University has added two Indigenous names for Burnaby Mountain campus use and installed signage for eight named campus locations.
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Simon Fraser University (SFU) says its Burnaby Mountain campus has received new Indigenous place names as part of a project conducted with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh and Kwikwetlem First Nations.
The university announced that two Indigenous names are now officially associated with the Burnaby Mountain campus: xʷtatəl̕ləm ʔə ƛ̓ səltaɬ sme:, meaning “learning place of Burnaby Mountain,” and Xwta7ltáw̓txw tl’a Lheḵw’lhúḵw’aytn, meaning “learning house of Burnaby Mountain.” Each name also has a corresponding form in another Indigenous language associated with the project, with SFU stating that hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ is spoken by the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Kwikwetlem peoples and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh is spoken by the Squamish people.
SFU describes the Indigenous and English names as “co-existing official names,” including an approach outlined in its new public relations guidelines that pairs the Indigenous designation with the English term as a secondary reference. The names were unveiled last week, following years of work with the four First Nations involved.
In addition to campus-wide names, SFU has assigned Indigenous names to four specific locations on the Burnaby Mountain campus, and says new signage has been installed at selected indoor and outdoor areas to support the changes. SFU says a major new sign prominently displays the Indigenous campus names at the campus entrance at the intersection of Gaglardi Way and South Campus Road.
According to SFU, the First Peoples’ Gathering House is assigned two Indigenous names: sƛ̓exənew̓txʷ (“feast/local gathering house”) and Tl’e7enḵáw̓txw (“ceremony house”). The Indigenous Student Centre is also given two names, q̓pəθətew̓txʷ (“gather house or room”) and Ḵxwúsemay̓aḵin (“a purposeful gathering room”).
The Indigenous Curriculum Resource Centre has been named with xʷəlməxʷaʔɬ tatəl̕ew̓txʷ (“Place of learning of the Indigenous Peoples”) and Xwtél̓ay (“place of discovery”), while the Indigenous Garden has two names: spən̓əm (“the garden and what is planted in it”) and Npen̓em̓áy (“garden”). SFU says the naming pairs list the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ form first, followed by the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh form.
SFU also addressed historical consultation by asserting that the four First Nations were not consulted when the Burnaby Mountain campus opened in 1965. The university frames the naming project as part of its reconciliation efforts and an effort to recognize the groups’ history and connection to the area.
SFU said it hopes to conduct similar naming projects at its Downtown Vancouver and Surrey City Centre campuses, extending the approach beyond Burnaby Mountain.
SFU’s description of the naming policy and signage rollout indicates the change is intended to be visible to campus visitors and residents, particularly through the entrance sign and the location-specific markers for key Indigenous-focused spaces on the mountain campus.
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