Story and photo by Saki Kambe
The name change of the West-end park, along the Port Angeles downtown shoreline west of Oak Street and east of Valley Creek estuary park, was raised from Jessica Elofson, a Peninsula College graduate in 2006, Gilian Elofson, and Carolyn Wilcox, since the spring last year.
It passed legislation Feb. 21 at the Port Angeles Parks, Recreation & Beautification Commission meeting.
The proposal was to change the park’s name to “sŋaʔŋáʔant (Pebble) cáwŋən (Beach) ʔəssaqɬúŋt (Park),” three words each from both English and Klallam languages, and this movement had received over one hundred letters of support from both native and non-native supporters, with an emphasis on non-native supporters.
“We are living history and to be allowed to share our language and our culture to that we can continue to build relationships with all that we come into contact with,” said Jessica.
Wilcox showed gratitude making speech to the citizens who showed up to the commission and to the supporters who contributed this to happen.
“Growing up in central Ohio, I wasn’t even aware that Native Americans existed until high school. My childhood education always put Native Americans in the past tense. One of my exceptionally gifted high school teachers organized a Native American exchange program, and I lament that I did not take this opportunity. That was back in the early 90s, and then I have to skip to 2007 when I moved to the Olympic Peninsula to start up my Native American experiential education. I learned so much from having the opportunity to work with Harmony Arakawa and her peers when they were high school students,” said Wilcox.
Participants at the commission were given a chance to show their gratitude; even though spontaneously, many were happy to do so. They thanked the Elofson family and Carolyn Wilcox for representing their voice, and the legislation to consider this proposal to go further, moreover, to value the native cultures.
“To have the opportunity to name a public place with a Klallam Name in the community I grew up in is so amazing,” said Jessica.