Kʷənsəm [Quinsam]
Feature Type:River - Watercourse of variable size, which has tributaries and flows into a body of water or a larger watercourse.
Status: Not official
Lookup the official name
Relative Location: Flows NE into Campbell River just E of John Hart Lake, within Campbell River (city), Sayward Land District
Latitude-Longitude: 50°02'14"N, 125°17'38"W at the approximate mouth of this feature.
Datum: WGS84
NTS Map: 92K/3
Related Maps:
Origin Notes and History:

“Kʷənsəm” is the Lik̓ʷala name for this river (information provided by Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ Nations - We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah, 2024).

Source: included with note

This name is derived from the Island-Comox Salish word, Kwaniwsam, meaning "resting place" (information provided by Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ Nations - We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah, 2024).

Source: included with note

In Kʷak̓ʷala and Lik̓ʷala it is pronouced Kʷənsəm. The area around “Kʷənsəm” was home to the Island-Comox speaking people's first two ancestors but it is now part of Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ territory as a result of a Salishʷ-Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷconflict that ended with a marriage between noble families to confirm peace (information provided by Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ Nations - We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah, 2024).

Source: included with note

Acknowledging with gratitude ʔixc̓əmatusəlagalis, Kirsten Dobler for providing the audio pronunciation.

Source: BC place name cards & correspondence, and/or research by BC Chief Geographer & Geographical Names Office staff.