In the mid-19th century, the Lekwungen, and
others by invitation, came to Beacon Hill and surrounding areas to gather the
edible bulbs of the flowering camas. A Songhees elder, Jimmy Fraser, gave the
name “Meegan”, meaning “warmed by the sun”, to the hill and open meadow in
Beacon Hill Park where people sat to have their bellies warmed in summer. This
meadow was also used as a playing field for qoqwialls, a game played with oak
sticks hollowed out spoon-fashion at the end. A ball was propelled along the
ground toward goals at each end of the field. Today, the not-too-different game
of cricket is played nearby.
