We had a great response to the "Name the Newsletter" Contest: thank you to all who responded. If you sent in your mailing address, your prizes will be in the mail shortly!
 
The selected name, Tillicum How, says interesting things about camp. The phrase translates very roughly as People Hello, and it comes from two different First Nations sources. Tillicum (meaning "people") is from a west-coast trade jargon. How (used mostly upon greeting/ parting) is from the Dakota-Siouan languages.
 
The mix of languages in the name Tillicum How reflects the Camp Chief Hector YMCA's mission to represent diversity within our community. The words also remind us of the aboriginal cultures' influence on camping's early supporters, such as Earnest Thompson Seton. The interesting mistranslation of the phrase that is used often at camp ("Tillicum how how") reminds us of the sometimes naïve understandings we have, while at the same time points to the discoveries that are still available to us. And, finally, the new meaning ("well done!") we have given to a mistranslation indicates that we have made amongst ourselves a valuable and unique vision of relationships with nature and with each other. Thanks to Shann Ross for this intriguing suggestion!
 
New Contest

 

Digging into the Past: The next big prize (always a surprise, and always includes an item of camp merchandise!) will go to the response that shares a camp memory capturing the friendships, the spontaneity and the natural world that is at the soul of Camp Chief Hector YMCA.

 

Send your submission to: dsaul@calgary.ymca.ca.