Re-naming Ceremony

School District 70-Pacific Rim, along with Tseshaht and Hupacasath hereditary and elected leadership,  came together on September 29, 2021 to officially re-name AW Neill Elementary School to  c̓uumaʕas Tsuma-as Elementary School.  c̓uumaʕas or Tsuma-as is a traditional word in the Nuu-chah-nulth language referring to the name of a small creek that flowed into the Somass River behind the Maht Mahs gym. c̓uumaʕas -Tsuma-as was a historic village site of the C'uuma'as7ath who amalgamated with Tseshaht which this creek is today part of the main Tseshaht village. 

The name  c̓uumaʕas - Tsuma-as, then is a most appropriate name for the school as the District, through consultation with community and Indigenous partners, chose the name to represent the land we work, live, and play on and to honour our First Nations partners as we move forward in a spirit of truth and reconciliation.

Information on c̓uumaʕas Tsuma-as provided by Tseshaht First Nation

Additional information on AW Neill and school renaming can be found at The Politics of Honorific - Alan Webster Neill and Anti-Asian Racism in Port Alberni BC