By The Canadian Press

First Nations want Calgary to be renamed “Elbow Town”

Feb 5, 2019 | 5:51 AM

CALGARY – If a group of First Nations get their wish, Calgary will be renamed “Wichispa Oyade” — Stoney Nakoda terms that roughly translate to mean elbow town.

The Stoney Nakoda have applied to have a long list of well-known places across southern Alberta changed to reflect traditional names given by their people.

Their application letter to the Alberta government also includes Canmore, the Bow River, and dozens of other sites they consider to be part of their territory.

The First Nations argue the English or Cree names many of these places fail to reflect their specific Indigenous history.

The Stoney Nations, descendants of the Sioux, include three bands with the largest reserve located west of Calgary.

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They’ve been suing the province and the federal government over their aboriginal and treaty rights, including land and resources, in a complex case that was originally filed in 2003.

Douglas Rae, a lawyer for the First Nations, says the name change application is not part of the lawsuit, but an attempt by the bands to prove their ties to the land.

(The Canadian Press)