Unsettling settler belonging: (Re)naming and territory making in the Pacific Northwest [post-print]
Abstract
Names can act as daily reminders of a colonial presence. To unsettle Settler origin
stories, we strive to reveal the legacy of (dis)possession rooted in naming. As case
studies, we consider the attribution of the name Salish Sea, the naming of the Straits of
Juan de Fuca and Georgia, and the delineation of national boundaries during the San
Juan Water Boundary Dispute. We use these examples to demonstrate the unsettling
potential of (re)naming practices. To conclude, we suggest further areas for praxis and
research that are situated in a broader context of naming practices.