WSANEC Elders, local leaders and community members gathered Wednesday, July 2, for a long-awaited celebration and sign rededication at PKOLS, formerly known as Mount Douglas Park.
The event, hosted by the WSANEC Leadership Council and the District of Saanich, followed the 2022 restoration of the park’s original name as part of the ATOLNEUEL – “respecting one another” – memorandum of understanding.
For Tsawout Hereditary Chief Eric Pelkey, the moment carried profound meaning. He shared an origin story of his people linked to the cultural significance of this land, known as PKOLS, which means ‘white rock’ or ‘white head’ in the SENCOTEN language.
“The reason why it's called the PKOLS is because it's been created by a ‘white rock’ that was thrown from the shores of my home village and landed here and grew into a mountain,” he said. “The Creator told us that this was the border between ourselves and the Lekwungen people. When our people dealt with our neighbours, we always dealt with them up here on PKOLS.”
In addition to being a traditional gathering place for the region's nations, PKOLS is also where WSANEC leaders of the Saanich Peninsula signed the 1852 Douglas Treaty with Sir James Douglas, explained Pelkey.
Douglas, who later negotiated a total of 14 treaties with Island First Nations on behalf of the British Crown, eventually had the mountain named after him.
Yet, nearly two centuries later, the mountain would be rededicated to its original name as the July ceremony formalized the name restoration.
This work, the result of collaboration between the municipality and the WSANEC people, had been a long time coming, said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock, who called it a step in the right direction for reconciliation.
“Today is such a significant event for Saanich,” he said. “We're so honoured, as the district council, to have the opportunity to be part of today's celebration.
“This is part of our journey as we walk together to restore the cultural and ancestral name of this mountain. It’s about reconnecting folks with the rich history and tradition of these lands.”
