Image: a teaching of the Musqueam people and their relations
On September 27, 2017, members of the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) Indigenous Initiatives team were pleased to witness the naming ceremony of c̓əsnaʔəm House at Totem Park Residence.
On this day we witnessed the continuous generosity of members of the Musqueam community as they shared about the significance of the name of this new residence and the ongoing learning opportunities for students who have the privilege to call it home during their time here.
The significance of having an informed and grounded understanding of where you are is a lifelong lesson that for many students has the potential to grow the moment they arrive to UBC and continue long after they leave. As students enter the c̓əsnaʔəm residence they see an exterior sign plaque with an inscription of a teaching of Musqueam and their relations that asks them to enter “with an open heart and an open mind.” This lesson is further illustrated with a nail protruding from the sign that invites those who enter this building “to leave behind any preconceptions or bad thoughts” by hanging them at the door. These lessons and many others that have been generously shared with us over the years continue to guide our work and partnerships and we were honoured to be invited to witness this good work that continues to grow here on campus.
In order to learn more about the ongoing process that has grounded learning about place, naming of student residences, building respectful relationships and creating informed and accurate resources for faculty, students and staff, we asked a few questions for Sarah Ling, a member of the naming and storytelling committee for c̓əsnaʔəm House.
“We ask those who enter to do so with an open mind and open heart. Only then can we come together to do good work. A nail by the door reminds us of this. We ask you to leave behind any preconceptions or bad thoughts you may have. Please hang them on this nail. It’s up to you whether you choose to pick them up again when you leave.”
– a teaching of the Musqueam people and their relations
What is your role at UBC?
I currently serve in two capacities at UBC as a Project Manager with an Indigenous focus; one at St. John’s College, an international graduate residence, and the other at Student Housing and Hospitality Services. Much of my work involves collaborative storytelling initiatives that are rooted in where we are on unceded Musqueam territory, and showcase relationships and responsibilities shared between communities.
How did you become involved with the project The Power of a Name?
Shortly after co-chairing the naming advisory committee for the first two infill houses at Totem Park Residence that were named in collaboration in Musqueam back in 2011, I founded The Power of a Name film series while working at CTLT Indigenous Initiatives. It emerged as the development of two short films with Musqueam about the significance behind their place names həm̓ləsəm̓ and q̓ələχən. Through grant funding from the university, it then expanded to include stories of UBC-Indigenous relations that come with responsibilities that must not be forgotten, and highlight a broad range of systemic, social issues as they relate to forms of settler colonialism on campus. This project initially had quite a literal name (Totem Park Residence Educational Film Series), and didn’t get its pithy name until much later, through conversations with faculty and staff who served on the advisory board to the project.
Why was the name c̓əsnaʔəm chosen?
Building upon the work done in 2011, there are a few key reasons why Musqueam decided to bestow the place name c̓əsnaʔəm. As the final infill project, c̓əsnaʔəm House completes the community and is located “the furthest upstream” in relation to the other houses. Similarly, c̓əsnaʔəm is one of the largest Musqueam villages. This process also honours and builds on the incredible work that was done for the exhibition series entitled “c̓əsnaʔəm: the city before the city” curated by the Musqueam Cultural Centre, Museum of Anthropology, and Museum of Vancouver in 2014.
Musqueam community and Band Council members Gordon Grant (right) and Morgan Guerin (middle) share information about c̓əsnaʔəm with Provost and Vice-President Academic, Andrew Szeri (left).
In what ways is the relationship between Musqueam and UBC reflected in the naming ceremony?
This project supports the core tenets of the Memorandum of Affiliation signed between UBC and Musqueam in 2006. Among the Memorandum’s tenets are commitments to create a visual Musqueam presence on campus and increase Musqueam programing and curricula. The relationship between Musqueam and UBC is gradually getting stronger, and the collaborative work and contributions of individual units like Student Housing and Hospitality Services help to strengthen this relationship.
What storytelling initiatives are currently underway? Could you tell us a bit about how the student residence can be an extension of a learning environment?
Beyond the naming ceremony, a Musqueam-SHHS storytelling committee was established to bring stories tied to c̓əsnaʔəm and Musqueam’s living culture to life through engaging storyboards and other resources that diffuse learning opportunities for residents. Our interior storyboards for c̓əsnaʔəm House help to ground residents in Musqueam territory by introducing them to the significance and story of the name, the unique sounds of the Musqueam language – hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, and some of the many village, resource collection, and transformer sites. These materials are written from a Musqueam perspective, and lead off with a welcome from Musqueam. There is also a 40-foot long window decal of the double-headed serpent designed by Suzanne Guerin, a young Musqueam artist, and bilingual plant signage outside the complex.
We are also creating enhanced storyboards for the həm̓ləsəm̓ and q̓ələχən Houses, and signage that will go into the lobbies of the original six houses to directly address how they were named without community consultation, and to encourage residents to reflect on the important lessons this history provides. As part of the upcoming renovations of the Commonsblock where all residents access key services and dine upstairs, we are using this large space as a canvas to share Musqueam history, language, culture with all residents, staff, and visitors to this area.
In residence, students need to learn how to live in a community with others, and they carry the topics, questions and issues that are wrestling with them both within and beyond the classroom. They are often exposed to a wide range of campaigns that relate to their everyday lives – from sustainability to mental health. The values and commitments of the university should be reflected through every service provided on campus, and that includes student housing. In our storytelling collaborations, we aim to connect Musqueam teachings to students’ journeys and personal growth. Creating a Residence Life campaign centered on Indigenous topics and issues related to campus life is one of the phases I’d like to dive into as well.
In what ways can instructors engage in conversations that connect these various learning environments?
Using our campus as a case study for settler colonialism has resonated well with students, and unsettled their relationship to place in productive ways. I’ve been struck by the positive feedback shared by instructors who have been sharing The Power of a Name series and stories related to the naming processes at Totem Park Residence in class. Many faculty have emphasized the importance of connecting theoretical discussions in the classroom to present day realities.
Professor Evan Mauro, who teaches first-year classes in the Coordinated Arts Program, has asked students to write “short critical autobiography essay,” as “an opportunity to unpack what they’ve seen and experienced all year at UBC, but to also think about how that experience is historically produced within a settler colonial context that is still unfolding.” He hopes “it also allows them to think about ways to promote better relations in the future, here and elsewhere.” This epitomizes what these types of critical conversations should truly be about, creating not only better futures through the different capacities individuals and units carry, but also working hard to identify and act on changes that can be made here and now.
To learn more about The Power of a Name project and the new storytelling initiatives at Totem Park Residence, please contact Sarah Ling, sarah.ling@ubc.ca, or Erin Yun, erin.yun@ubc.ca.