BC Geographical Names

Name Details:

Name: Maqwum
Feature TypeClick here for a list of
Feature Types.
:
Bog - Wet spongy land area, containing abundant organic matter
StatusClick here for an explanation of Status.: Not official. Lookup the official name
Pronounced: mah kwum
Relative Location: Between River Road, Highway 10 and Annacis Highway, in Delta District Municipality
Latitude-LongitudeClick here for an explanation of Position Type.: 49°07'15''N, 122°58'25''W at the approximate centre of this feature.
DatumClick here for an explanation of Datum.: NAD83
NTS MapClick here for an explanation of NTS Map.: 92G/2
Related MapClick here for an explanation of Related Maps.: 92G/2
92G/3
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Origin Notes and History:

This bog where First Nations harvested many things is known to Tsawwassen First Nation as Ma-qwum (the Coast Salish spelling in 2005 draft for Tsawwassen Final Agreement). The preferred Hun'qum'i'num spelling is identified as Ma?qwem in Tsawwassen Final Agreement, Appendix O-4, 2007, and spelled Maqwum in November 2008 correspondence.
Source: BC place name cards, files, correspondence and/or research by BC Chief Geographer/Geographical Names Office.
Maqwum is the traditional name for Burns Bog. Maqwum is the Hun'qum'i'num word for bog, but it may also be a reference to the name of a plant that is harvested there.
Source: "Tsawwassen First Nation Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Study" by Tsawwassen members, 2001-02.
There are Tsawwassen legends that are associated with this bog; it is one of the places that young men would go to seek spiritual power. Other legends tell of mythical bodies of water and the dangerous creatures that dwelt within them. The bog is also a significant plant gathering site, and was historically (and pre-historically) an important hunting site for bear, deer and beaver, among other animals. Tsawwassen and other Hun'qum'i'num peoples harvested not only sphagnum but also cranberries, Labrador tea, bog blueberries, and other plants for a variety of purposes. (Source: This information was provided by Tsawwassen and Musqueam Elders during a series of interviews during 1997. References to the legends can be found in "Tsawwassen Legends" by Edgar Dunning, 1961. The place was re-confirmed by Tsawwassen Elders within the "Tsawwassen First Nation Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Study", by Tsawwassen members, 2001-02.)
Source: included with note