Last word: Working Together

Three years after the Regional District officially changed its name to ‘qathet,’ we’ve finally caught up. This is a regional magazine, named after the region we serve. The region hasn’t been called “Powell River” since 2018. On the pages of the magazine, we’ve regularly used the word ‘qathet’ to describe the region for three years.

So here we are, late to the game.

It’s about time.

At the time, this magazine’s tagline was: Celebrating the people andstories of the region. We tried to work something into the tagline to describe the region we served. For a while we toyed with “from Saltery Bay to Lund including Powell River, Texada and Savary Island.” It was an awkward mouthful. A lot has changed since we launched. On October 15, 2005, coinciding with its 50th anniversary of incorporation, the Corporation of the District of Powell River reincorporated to become the City of Powell River. To differentiate itself from the City, on July 5, 2018, the Powell River Regional District received approval from the provincial government to change its name to qathet Regional District.

In hindsight, I should have changed the name of the magazine soon after the regional district changed its moniker. qathet is a good name, has an uplifting meaning, and it’s inclusive. I admit I didn’t like the change at first and it took me a while to get used to qathet, let alone pronounce it, but I did, eventually. And it’s a lot easier than “from Saltery Bay to Lund including the City of Powell River, Texada and Savary Island.”

It’s about time our magazine’s name reflected the region we serve. From this day forward this publication will be known as qathet Living. The name of the company that publishes it will remain the same, Southcott Communications, as we also publish other magazines including Home Grown and ZEST, and we offer communications consulting.

We’d love to believe that changing the magazine’s name from “Powell River Living” to “qathet Living” won’t cause division. But given the current climate - and the vicious name change debates about the City of Powell River in June on Facebook and in person - we’re not that naive. Some readers will see the magazine’s name change as a step towards reconciliation. In part, that’s correct. Some readers will see the magazine’s name change as an abrasive dismissal of the last 150 years of local history. It’s not.

Instead, the word ‘qathet’ simply means ‘bringing together,’ or ‘working together.’ The word was a gift from Tla’amin to the Regional District. It describes a relationship that’s already there – Tla’amin, the Regional District, the City of Powell River and the Province have all worked closely together as government, business and education partners for at least 40 years. Individuals in this town from every ethnic background, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, work, study and socialize alongside each other every day.

But “qathet” also describes a hope. An aspiration.

In June, we were devastated by the revelation that 215 bodies of children were recovered at the Kamloops Residential School, undocumented, in unmarked graves – plus other remains at other schools throughout June. While the graves should have been no surprise, the abominable truth was laid bare, again. The legacy of the potlatch ban; diseases; the destruction of the village at Tiskwat; the dispossession of Tla’amin’s lands and resources; the segregation at the hospital and elsewhere; the Indian Act; the cultural destruction and abuse meted out to Tla’amin children at St. Mary’s, Kamloops and Sechelt residential schools; the 60s scoop, and so much more are always in the background here in qathet, even as we work, study and socialize together.

In the fall of 2013, elder Johnny Louie led a walk for reconciliation. It ended at the gazebo at the beach on Tla’amin Nation - where a century before, missionaries burned the Nation’s regalia and drums. There, in front of about 300 people, he “buried the hatchet,” a symbolic wooden carving that symbolized moving forward together, peacefully.

Here at qathet Living magazine, we strive to bring the community together, to tell stories, and showcase the best of qathet. To work together. We hope to live up to our new name. As always, thank you for reading and thank you for supporting this magazine.

You are welcome to share your thoughts with me regarding this name change. Send me an email at isabelle@prliving.ca or call me at 604-485-0003.