A Nanaimo elementary school has a new name and a new approach to school spirit, with Indigenous culture considerations.

Coal Tyee Elementary School was officially re-named Elementary School, today, Oct. 6, pronounced see-you-when-st and translating to 鈥榦ur traditions鈥� in Hul鈥檘umi鈥檔um, language of Snuneymuxw First Nation. The school, formerly named after an Indigenous man Ki-et-sa-kun, or Coal Tyee (great coal chief), also changed its nickname from the Cougars to the Spirits.

The idea came about two years ago, when former vice-principal Kirstin Funke Robinson brought representatives from City of Nanaimo鈥檚 Reimagine Nanaimo project, said Diane Charles, school principal.

鈥淭hey were talking about the history of this place and they were speaking about Ki-et-sa-kun and the kids were like, 鈥楰i-et-sa-kun is a real person?鈥� 鈥� so we started digging and realizing the story that was on our wall is not Snuneymuxw鈥檚 story,鈥� said Charles. 鈥淚n the whole Syeyutsus (reconciliation) framework, we had to figure out what the actual story was and something needed to happen.鈥�

Coal Tyee was originally thought to represent collaboration between colonial and Indigenous peoples and Nanaimo鈥檚 history of coal mining, a school district staff report from earlier this year noted. However, the person is seen by Snuneymuxw peoples as a tragic figure, as his interactions led to colonization of the area, and as such it did not align with district policy, the report said.

As part of the process, Joel Good, Snuneymuxw artist, carved an ornate wood box, which now sits at the front of the school.

鈥淚t was one large piece of yellow cedar, the actual box, and the top and the bottom are red cedar 鈥� he鈥檚 never made anything quite so large, so it was quite amazing,鈥� said Charles.

Yutustana:t Mandy Jones, Snuneymuxw elder-in-residence at Ladysmith Secondary, was on hand and pleased with the change.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful place and I鈥檓 really happy that our language is coming alive through things like this,鈥� said Jones.

Charles credits Joan Brown, Snuneymuxw CAO, and Scott Saywell, SD68 superintendent, with coming up with the Spirits nickname.

The idea was brought to the attention of trustees by Charles at a meeting last December and in July, the board approved the name change. The district underwent public consultation for the re-naming.

Nanaimo District Secondary School Community Field was re-named Q鈥檜nq鈥檌nuqwstuxw (ki-kin-ish-took) as part of an overlapping process. That name translates to 鈥榩ass it back.鈥�

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