New, existing campus residences at the University of Regina receive their new names
- Tiffany Head | August 02, 2015
In keeping with the Strategic Plan to Indigenize the University of Regina, the names for the new residences reveal First Nations languages were unveiled.
A few months ago the University had a naming contest to name the new buildings, as well as the existing North and South Residence buildings.
Braden Konschuh, Sports Information Officer in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, said the idea that he put forward was to have the residence towers be named after Saskatchewan symbols.
“I went on the government site, I think the official bird is the grouse, crop is wheat, official flower is the prairie lily, and I just suggested they be named after those. They kind of took that concept and took it one step further and had it translated into Cree,” said Konschuh
The names were not exactly what he had proposed but he is happy that he had taken a part in the project from his suggestions.
“It’s nice to know I had some sort of small role in naming a pretty big improvement in our campus,” said Konschuh.
The Residence naming committee recommended names that would contribute to the Indigenization of the University in keeping with the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan, Peyak Aski Kikawinaw.
So based on Konschuh’s input and using the translations provided by Dr. Arok Wolvengrey of First Nations University of Canada, Wolvengrey said the names were supplied were in Cree, Saulteax (Ojibwe), Dakota and Nakota (Assiniboine), the four first languages recognized from Treaty four territory.
“The names that were chosen were: paskwaw (plains/prairie in Cree), kīžik (sky in Saulteaux), and Wakpa (river/ creek in Dakota and Nakota),” said Wolvengrey.
All 3 symbols, sky, prairie and river, are also on the Treaty 4 flag.
The First Nations received a request from the U of R and it was explained that they wished to honour these Nations and their languages by naming the important buildings on campus within those languages.
“I consulted with colleagues and available resources here at the First Nations University to compile the translations of a set of potential English words that have been suggested, and augmented this with additional vocabulary suggestions,” said Wolvengrey.
“The three names that were chosen to represent important features of the prarie landscape and allow for all four languages to be honoured.”
The
new residence and daycare building will be named Kīšik
towers (pronounced KEE-zhick), the North Residence building will be
renamed Paskwāw
Tower (pronounced pus- KWOW), and the South residence will be known
as WakpáTower (pronounced wak-pa).
The new residence, which is still under construction, will have a 606-bed residence and a daycare facility. The campus dorms will welcome more students to live on campus and will be able to develop life-long relationships with new people in the universities diverse environment.
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