K虛wsaltktn茅ws ne Secwepemc煤l鈥檈cw; we are all connected on Secw茅pemc land.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, following the recent release of its new logo in July, the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District 83 announced its name change to better reflect its location on traditional First Nations territory. A media release from the district said it鈥檚 pronounced KWA-SEELT-K-NAWS, meaning we鈥檙e all connected (people, animals, sky, land and water) NAY SUH-KWEP-MUK-OO-LOO, on Secw茅pemc land. 

鈥淭he phrase was considered especially fitting as it complements the symbolism of the District鈥檚 newly adopted logo,鈥� the release adds. 

In an corresponding press conference announcing the "reconcili-action" at the district office, director of instruction Indigenous education Chelsea Prince, Quelmucw Education Council chair Darrell Jones, SD83 board chair Amanda Krebs and Supt. Donna Kriger pronunciation of the Secw茅pemc phrase can appear intimidating at first. 

鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to learn it in the first little while, it will take some time... continue like anything else to do it,鈥� Jones said of advice received from elder language teacher Donna Antoine, who came up with the new name. 鈥淵ou have to try it; if you don鈥檛 try it you鈥檙e never going to do it.鈥�

Jones first proposed the name change at the May board meeting, but said he鈥檚 wanted to ever since it came about when Armstrong and the Shuswap school districts amalgamated under North Okanagan-Shuswap in 1996.

He explained that while the Secw茅pemc Nation does butt up against Syilx lands, that doesn鈥檛 include Armstrong. 

鈥淲hen I heard it I thought, wow, that鈥檚 wrong. I said... we should not be called North Okanagan, we are not Okanagan,鈥� Jones recalled. 鈥淎 part of it is the historical pieces of who we are as Secw茅pemc People and the Syilx Nation, which is the Okanagan People. We wanted to really be clear on whose Nation the district is in.鈥�

Prince also pointed out that both Okanagan and Shuswap are words made by settlers to describe the area that already had an Indigenous name and 鈥減art of reconciliation is making that right.鈥� 

鈥淐hanging our school district name to a word that means that we鈥檙e all connected is making that right and is really looking forward to a different relationship, and a better relationship between Indigenous communities and everybody who鈥檚 ended up here.鈥�

Jones, who has worked for the school district for close to 41 years, acknowledged that it鈥檚 been a long road to this point, but they鈥檙e getting there, and commended the board for being willing and open to taking action. 

鈥淲hen I look at the growth from where we started at that time to where we are today, it has been taken like baby steps... 鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut to hear administrators from the high schools at graduation express the gratitude of being on Secw茅pemc land, that鈥檚 a very big piece in itself... Like anything, that growth is going to take some time.鈥� 

To help with the transition of the new name, there will be education videos posted to the website to support pronunciation, QR codes at district sites with voice recordings as well as written and digital materials. 

鈥淚 encourage everyone to embrace this name as a gift, representing the deep ties we share with this place,鈥� Krebs said in the media release. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to learn how to pronounce it and to better understand the history and culture it reflects. Thank you for this meaningful gift.鈥�