Langara–Musqueam Partnership
We are working to strengthen the connections between Musqueam and the College in a number of ways.
In 2024, Langara and Musqueam signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to further honour, formalize, and strengthen our relationship and work together. We are raising the voices of Musqueam people at the college, creating educational opportunities for Musqueam community members, including free tuition for Band Members, and providing opportunities for the college and community to learn more about Musqueam culture, history, language, and territory. The MOA also seeks to provide guidance for the college community on how to develop meaningful and respectful relationships with Musqueam.
Langara represents our partnership with Musqueam throughout our campus and during ceremonies.
House Post
A Musqueam house post sits in the northwest corner of our campus, welcoming visitors to the traditional, unceded Musqueam territory where Langara is located. The house post was installed September 26, 2018.
The 14-foot figure, which was carved for the College by Musqueam artist Brent Sparrow Jr., is wrapped in a blanket and holds a spindle whorl. The whorl is a tradition tool used for making blankets and clothing and represents the passage of knowledge to the next generation.
The house post also honours the passing of the late Siem Henry Charles, who was a great friend to Langara, and who led the ceremony that gave us the name snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓.
President's Regalia
The president’s regalia incorporates traditional Musqueam blanket patterns and depictions of wolves, as designed by Musqueam artist by Debra Sparrow in 2015. The president wears this regalia during official convocation ceremonies. The past two Presidents have been given Musqueam names.
College Coat of Arms
The College Coat of Arms incorporates a bed of river grass to acknowledge our location on Musqueam territory, Musqueam meaning “people of the river grass.
Langara’s official coat of arms was unveiled at a campus ceremony in January 2015 by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. Drawing inspiration from the Langara community, the new coat of arms has been designed to reflect Langara’s values of learning and discovery and includes elements of the surrounding community. It is used to represent the College at ceremonial occasions.
Features
The coat of arms features a strong X shape, symbolizing the College as a crossroads where students from varied backgrounds meet and then follow various life paths. It also alludes to the Langara campus, which features angular buildings surrounded by green space. The book indicates that Langara is an educational body, and the cherry blossoms are a feature of Vancouver in the spring.
The pantheon represents imagination, achievement, and the natural world. The use of gold stars on green refers to the arms of the Spanish admiral Juan de Langara y Huarte, for whom the College was named. The mariner’s compass also alludes to the early Spanish explorers, as well as the College’s role in guiding its students.
Meaning
The falcon is the mascot of the College’s intercollegiate sports teams. The binary code on their collars (meaning “L” and “C” for Langara College) honours the College’s commitment to innovation in instructional information technology. The base of river grass represents the location of the College’s main campus on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territory of Musqueam, meaning “people of the river grass.”
In January of 2016, Musqueam gifted Langara the name snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ which means “house of teachings.”
The Latin phrase at the base means “knowledge is freedom".
