Stoney Nakoda reclaim traditional Mînî Thnî name for community

Stoney Nakoda First Nations celebrated a major milestone Thursday, with the community of Morley officially undergoing a name change to Mînî Thnî.

During the ceremony at the Stoney Tribal Administration building, Chiniki Nation Chief Aaron Young emphasized the move isn't a name change for the Stoney Nakoda people, who have long referred to the area as Mînî Thnî — before it was ever dubbed Morley.

"We've always had this name. We've always had it and it's always been with us," Young said.

"To hold that truth to this day and to carry it on to our next generation, it is meaningful." 

Mînî Thnî, which means "cold water," is the original Stoney name for the community, roughly 60 kilometres west of Calgary.

Young said restoring the name honours Stoney Nakoda heritage and asserts their cultural sovereignty, adding that Mînî Thnî holds deep spiritual significance and represents an enduring connection to the nearby Bow River and Rocky Mountains.

Bearspaw Nation Chief Darcy Dixon said restoring the name Mînî Thnî (pronunciation: mi-NITH-nee) is part of the community's larger journey toward reconciliation. Moving forward, Dixon said this official reclamation can act as a roadmap for other areas of change that are needed in Mînî Thnî and satellite communities.

Mînî Thnî has been called Morley for more than a century, ever since Methodist missionary John McDougall named the community after his friend, a reverend named Morley Punshon, who opened a store and post office in the townsite.

The name dates back to the Morley Day School in 1873, the establishment of the Morleyville Methodist Mission Site in 1875 and the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877.

Community members with Goodstoney, Bearspaw and Chiniki First Nations who attended the Thursday celebration were treated to a traditional pipe ceremony and community luncheon.

Chiniki Nation member Lindsay Wesley said she feels empowered and hopeful about the official reclamation of the traditional name.

"Reclaiming our identity is so important to myself, my family, my community, my nation," Wesley said. 

"We've always been Mînî Thnî, and it's good to know it will be on the map as Mînî Thnî."

Goodstoney Nation Chief Clifford Poucette said using the traditional name will help preserve the community's language and culture for younger generations.

"The culture is still here. Our values, traditions, customs and the language is still here," Poucette said. "Going into the future, it will help our younger generations. Since I was a child, I've been hearing the name Mînî Thnî."