To be a tree is not to flee, but to stand tall and keep fighting.
– Deepak Paul
It’s been more than a year since I moved to the beautiful city of Toronto, home to the CN Tower and the capital of Ontario, the most populous province in Canada. One of the things that intrigue me about this city apart from its cultural diversity is its name. So what lies beneath the name of Toronto? Well, let’s find out by delving into our topic for today — Toronto : The Name & Legacy!
The name Toronto is derived from the indigenous word tkaronto which means “where there are trees standing in the water.” This is a reference made to the numerous weirs or stakes that were used to trap fish. To passersby, the weirs used to look like trees standing in the water, which is why the city was named Toronto.
If you’re still not convinced as to why a city should be named after trees, well I’m not done yet. Trees, unlike animals and humans are living beings that can’t move, and by virtue of it are stuck in the same place forever. When there’s danger, animals and humans have the ability to flee, but not a tree. It has to stand tall and face the heat. If it can’t, it dies fighting. There’s no plan B for a tree.
That’s how the city of Toronto has existed through its centuries of history1. It has always stood tall and faced everything good or bad that has come its way. Toronto to me, is a symbol of resilience and the message it carries for us each moment is to stand tall and face our fears, anxieties and life’s vagaries.
Alrighty, which city do you currently live in and what’s special about it? Please write in the comments section below. Cheers!
References
1 https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/toronto