Kamloops residential school: Chinook paper as a primary source

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I often claim that the Chinook Jargon documents that I work with daily are as valuable historically as linguistically.  Indian residential schools holding the kind of importance that they do in the Canadian truth and reconciliation process, here is a powerful example.

kamloops industrial residential school

Here is an eyewitness account, delivered in Chinook Jargon for the benefit of the Indigenous communities, of the founding of “Kamloops Industrial School” (education of Indigenous kids was entrusted, by the governmental logic of the time, to Christian missionaries), and a tally of its first 50 students.

It will be interesting to match names here with census data.  I have no further comments just now.  Here is your Chinook reading practice and community history lesson:

Page 149:

<Industrial School, Kamloops.>

Industrial School Kamloops (2)

Kamlups tilikom, pi Shushwap tilikom, klaska yutl
The Kamloops (Indian) people, and the Shuswap (Lake) (Indian) people, are glad-

tomtom alta kopa klaska skul. <50> tanas
hearted now about their school.  Fifty children 

alta mitlait kopa ukuk skul: <25> tanas man pi
are now at this school: 25 boys and 

<25> tanas kluchmin.
25 girls.  

Ankati kopit sno, Kamlups tilikom pi Shushwap tilikom
Back at the end of the winter, the Kamloops people and Shuswap (Lake) people 

mash iht pipa kopa aias taii kopa Kanada, pus
sent a letter to the leaders of (back East) Canada, when 

klaska tiki mash <50> klaska tanas kopa skul.
they wanted to sent 50 of their children to school.  

Taii iskom klaska wawa, pi kopa Shulai <20>,
The leaders paid attention to their words, and on July 20, 

nsaika tlap siisim pus skul alta iskom <50>
we got word that the school could now accept 50 

tanas. <10> son kimta, pi nsaika chako komtaks
children.  Ten days later and we learned that 

skul haws alta ridi kopa <50> tanas. Kakwa
a school house was now ready for 50 children.  So 

nsaika aiak mash pipa kopa kanawi ilihi pus aiak
we sent letters right out to all the villages (saying) that immediately  

chako tanas man pi tanas kluchmin kopa skul
boys and girls could come to the school, 

pi tilikom ilo lisi kopa ukuk. Spisom pi
and the people weren’t lazy about this.  The Spuzzum and 

Nort Bind tilikom ilip mash mokst tanas kluchmin
North Bend people were the first, sending two girls 

pi iht tanas man; kopa Shulai <30> klaska k’o kopa
and a boy; on July 30 they arrived at 

skul. Kopa Ogyust <6>, <4> tanas kluchmin [pi]
the school.  On August 6, 4 girls [and] 

iht tanas man klatwa [NULL] skul; kopa Kamlups kla[ska]
one boy went to the school; Kamloops is their 

ilihi. Kopa Ogyust <8>, <4> tanas man pi lakit*
home.  On August 8, 4 boys and four 

tanas kluchmin chako kopa Skishistin;
girls came from Skeetchestn: 

kopa Ogyust <9>, taham tanas man pi tlun tanas
on August 9, six boys and three 

kluchmin chako kopa Shushwap. Kakwa kopa Ogyust
girls came from Shuswap (Lake).  So by August 

<10>, skul iaka patl.
10th, the school was full.  

Pi ayu wiht tilikom, kopa Kamlups, kopa SShB,
And many more people, from Kamloops, from Chu Chua, 

kopa Bonapart, kopa Nikola ItS, tiki mash klaska
from Bonaparte, from Nicola (Lake) etc., want to sent their 

tanas kopa skul. Klaska tiki pus skul chako
children to school.  They want the school to become 

wiht aias pi iaka drit kopa kansih wiht [tanas]*.
even bigger until it’s right for several more children.  

Industrial School Kamloops (4)

 

Iakwa klaska nim, kanawi ukuk tanas alta mitlait
Here are their names, all of these children who are now 

kopa Kamlups indyustrial skul:
at the Kamloops Industrial School: 

<1.> Alik Linard*, Kamlups | <26.> Lisit Andri, SShB
1. Alec Leonard(?), Kamloops     |     26. Lizette Andrew, Chu Chua

<2.> Hari Donkan, Kamlups | <27.> Mini Oksim, Kamlups
2. Harry Duncan, Kamloops     |     27. Minnie Auxime, Kamloops

< 3.> Andri Manwal, Kamlups | <28.> Ima Manwal, Kamlups
3. Andrew Manuel, Kamloops     |     28. Emma Manuel, Kamloops

<4.> Shorsh* Aliksis, Kamlups | <29.> Shuli Silista, SShB
4. George(?) Alexis, Kamloops     |     29. Julie Celestin, Chu Chua

<5.> Alin* Idward*, Kamlups | <30.> Ogyustin Inok*, SShB
5. Alan(?) Edward(?), Kamloops     |     30. Augustine Inok(?), Chu Chua

<6.> Basil Falardo, Kamlups | <31.> Rosali Dan*, Kamlups
6. Basil Falardeau, Kamloops     |     31. Rosalie Dan(?), Kamloops

<7.> Idi Morino, Spahomin | <32.> Shuliin Fraswa, Spahomin
7. Eddie Molyneux(?), Spahomin     |     32. Julienne Francois, Spahomin

<8.> Simo Shartirs, Nikola Lik | <33.> Lisi Inas, Kamlups
8. Simon Charters, Nicola Lake     |     33. Lizzie Ignace, Kamloops

<9.> Andru Bob, Nort Bind | <34.> Ilsa* Piir, Kol Watir
9. Andrew Bob, North Bend     |     34. Elsa(?) Pierre, Coldwater

<10.> Shorsh* Argan*, Nort Bind | <35.> Shulia* Kisaktr*, Kamlups
10. George Argan(?), North Bend     |     35. Julia Kisaktr(?), Kamloops

<11.> Aliksandr Bob, Kamlups | <36.> Magi* Falardo*, Kamlups
11. Alexander Bob, Kamloops     |     36. Maggie Falardeau, Kamloops

<12.> Filip Filiks*, Kol Watir | <37.> Marian Ogyust, Kamlups
12. Philip Felix(?), Coldwater     |     37. Marianne August, Kamloops 

<13.> Binidik ShPr, Nort Bind | <38.> Shyuli* Piir, Spisom
13. Benedict Jean-Pierre(?), North Bend     |     38. Julie(?) Pierre, Spuzzum

<14.> Filiks Boston Bar NB | <39.> Kristin Lui, Nort Bind
14. Felix Boston Bar, North Bend     |     39. Christine Louis, North Bend

<15.> Alfrid Manwal, Kamlups | <40.> Mini Abraam, Kamlups
15. Alfred Manuel, Kamloops     |     40. Minnie Abraham, Kamloops 

<16.> Idwar*Shul, Skishistin | <41.> Viktwar Saforia, Skishistin
16. Edward Juless, Skeetchestn     |     41. Victoire Symphorian, Skeetchestn

<17.> Wili Shul, Skishistin | <42.> Agat Inas, Skishistin
17. Willie Jules, Skeetchestn     |     42. Agathe(?) Ignace, Skeetchestn

<18.> Iasin* Shul, Skishistin | <43.> Ima Silista, Skishistin
18. Hyacinthe(?) Jules, Skeetchestn     |     43. Emma Celestin, Skeetchestn

<19.> Tomas Shorsh*, Skishistin | <44.> Alis Silista, Skishistin
19. Thomas George, Skeetchestn     |     44. Alice Celestin, Skeetchestn

<20.> Gabriil Narsis, Shkh. | <45.> Fostin Abil, Hlawt
20. Gabriel Narcisse, Sahhaltkum     |     45. Faustine Abel, Hallout

<21.> Siprian Antwan, Shkh. | <46.> Mari Shosip Tomson, Hlawt
21. Cyprian Antoine, Sahhaltkum     |     46. Mary Joseph Thompson, Hallout

<22.> Alik Shosip*, Shkh. | <47.> Shuli Wiam, Hlawt
22. Alec Joseph, Sahhaltkum     |     47. Julie William, Hallout

<23.> Kasimir Mishil Iiiwalsh*, Shkh. | <48.> Sisil Kamil, Kamlups
23. Casimir Michel Iiiwalsh, Sahhaltkum     |     48. Cecile Camille, Kamloops 

<24.> Adolf Wiam, Hlawt | <49.> Rosali Piir Lio, Kamlups
24. Adolph William, Hallout     |     49. Rosalie Pierre Leo, Kamloops

<25.> Siprian Ogyust, Hlawt | <50.> Katrin Birshami*, Kamlups
25. Cyprian August, Hallout     |     50. Catherine Berchamin(?), Kamloops 

— from Kamloops Wawa #133 (October 1895)

 

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