Image taken by Erick Calder
Fallen Johnson, of CBC Unreserved, recently interviewed one of the newest associates to join JFK Law Corporation, Christina Gray about a 2019 policy brief that she co-authored with Dr. Daniel Rück for the Yellowhead Institute about Reclaiming Indigenous Place Names.
In the radio interview, Christina discusses some of the harmful settler renaming practices that occurred throughout the 19th and 20th century. But also, the important work that Indigenous peoples are doing to reclaim and revitalize Indigenous place names to reflect their own languages, lands and territories. She also explains that the policy brief goes into details on how exactly this is being done through a variety of means by Indigenous peoples, including through treaty and self-government agreements, mapping projects, land-use planning and conversation agreements.
Parts of the interview from CBC Unreserved were also featured on the CBC website about “How the erasure of their place names can have ‘real-life effects’ on Indigenous People”. In this feature, Christina spoke to these real and lived effects and had this to say: “It’s why renaming efforts to return to Indigenous names are more than just a symbolic gesture…. it’s spiritual — one that bridges connections between Indigenous people, their ancestors, and land.”
For more information on Reclaiming Indigenous Place Names, please contact Christina Gray.