What's in a Name?
- Jonna Semke
- May 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 30
So, why did I pick Lakamas for my business name, and what's the story behind it? Great question! I wanted a name that captured my passion for our often overlooked native plants and had a strong connection to the Pacific Northwest (or the West Coast if you’re from Canada). I was after something unique, even though I love names like Trillium and Cascadia, and I wanted to connect my life-long connection to the Cascadia region - Seattle, Camano Island, and Vancouver BC.
During my search, I stumbled upon Chinook Wawa, a trade language used throughout Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. It was a blend of local indigenous languages like Chinookan and Coast Salish, along with European languages, especially English and French.
'Lakamas' is the Chinook Wawa name for the Camas plant, a native bulb that blooms with stunning blue, purple, or white flowers in spring. It was a tasty edible tuber for the PNW people and is part of the endangered Garry Oak meadow ecosystem. I’ve planted about 200 bulbs in my urban backyard meadow, and they’re just as beautiful as more common plants like hyacinths, not to mention the invasive Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) that unfortunately looks similar to Camas and tends to spread aggressively, outcompeting Camas.
Camas thrives in our dry summers, dying back like other spring bulbs only to make a comeback in spring. Plus, it self-seeds, so let it do its thing while you keep the Spanish Bluebell in check—but I’m getting sidetracked. I suspect 'La' kamas might be French for 'the' Camas plant, which nods to my past life in Canada and those French lessons in school—a language I wish I spoke better (or at all). The pretty flower in my logo - that's a Camas flower too.
Even though I chose Lakamas as my business name over a year ago, I recently found an article that perfectly captures the living history and significance of this local language—it’s a must-read, check out the link below. How awesome that this local lingo is still alive and kicking!
Despite spending most of my life here in the Cascadia region, I hadn’t heard of this regional lingua franca. Choosing the name Lakamas felt perfect—not only does it represent our region and a beloved native plant, but it also honors the diverse history of our area, where people from various cultures and languages came together.
My design approach is all about collaboration and communication with clients to help them realize their garden dreams. There’s a special synergy when a designer and client click, and the design benefits from input on both sides. The name Lakamas embodies this philosophy.
Chinook Wawa:
Spanish Bluebells:
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