Language is a beautiful thing.
Many of we English-speaking Albertans are so used to seeing our own language on road signs and adorning public infrastructure that we don't think twice about it. Whether it's a stop sign, roads named after influential St. Albertans or place names like Big Lake and the Lois Hole Provincial Park, our history and culture are reflected in the buildings and natural spaces around us.
St. Albert has a rich and storied history. A significant portion of that history is wrapped up in the Métis foundations of our city, from which blossomed the community of 66,000 people that we know and love today. All around us, place names tell the stories of people who came before us and who left their indelible mark upon the face of our city.
Language connects us to our history and culture, but more importantly it connects us to each other. That is where the significance of St. Albert's newest transit centre's official name truly shines.
Last week, Mayor Cathy Heron unveiled the Nakî (pronounced “na-gee”) Transit Centre & Park and Ride facility along Campbell Road. Nakî is a Cree and Michif word that means "stop" or "stop here." Not only is it a fitting name for the $30-million, long-awaited structure that is set to become the new transit hub of St. Albert, but the fact that it is Cree and Michif links back to the historical roots of this city and joins a smattering of infrastructure around the region bearing Indigenous names.
Importantly, the name was not chosen by the city alone. The Payhonin Working Circle – the city’s task force for Indigenous reconciliation – was brought in for consultation, and Sharon Morin of Michif Cultural Connections said she suggested the name because of its relevance and because it is easy for non-Cree speakers to pronounce.
"This valley and this location has always been a place to stop," Morin told the Gazette last week. She means it, too: St. Albert was a place for fur traders and travellers to stop in on their way to Fort Edmonton or Athabasca Landing.
Just as important as the historical reference is the sense of belonging Cree and Michif names bring for speakers of those languages. Describing St. Albert's Founders' Walk, Morin described the Cree along that walk as "(giving) a person a sense of being, a sense of place."
Efforts to integrate St. Albert's Indigenous history with its present-day state are vital to preserving this city’s roots. Bestowing an Indigenous name upon a soon-to-be vital and well-travelled piece of infrastructure helps to celebrate that history through language.
The fact Nakî holds Michif meaning is notable, since St. Albert's Michif Cultural Connections has been working to revitalize the language, which is currently spoken by very few. At the beginning of April, Michif Cultural Connections began hosting free weekly online meetings to teach the Michif language.
Now, part of that language will be on display every day to hundreds, even thousands, of people travelling through the Edmonton region. That is truly a fitting tribute to our history.
