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čəqʷŋín ʔéʔləŋ (Chooqw-ngeen House) and sŋéqə ʔéʔləŋ (Snga-qu House)

UVic’s new student housing and dining buildings have new lək̓ʷəŋən names! We are honoured that Songhees and Esquimalt Nations have given us permission to use these names as a way to bring to life the language and the history of the People and land on which these buildings sit.

Territory acknowledgement

We acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose traditional territory the University of Victoria stands, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

student dining hall featuring the nobility blanket
Nobility blanket weaving by Myrna Crossley. Photo: Brett Hitchins

Pronunciations & spellings

Student Housing and Dining Building 1

čəqʷŋín ʔéʔləŋ (Chooqw-ngeen House)


Pronounced “CHOOK-neen”
Student Housing and Dining Building 2

sŋéqə ʔéʔləŋ (Snga-qu House)


Pronounced “SNUCK-ka-a”

Spoken by Dr. Elmer George, member of the Songhees Nation and lək̓ʷəŋən language keeper.

Significance of names

Descriptive and explanatory text about the meaning of the names (and pronunciation guide, TBD via Karla), and acknowledgement of speaker (Elmer George)

arial photo of uvic

Consultation process

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

Nobility blanket

Nobility blanket weaving

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

new uvic dining hall

Building media release

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

uvic dining hall front entrance
Čeqʷəŋín | Student and Housing Building 1

rendering gallery to come...