Life among the Hare Indians, in Chinuk Wawa

Today I’m sharing more humor in Jargon.

Via Father Le Jeune’s reporting, Bishop Grouard has told us about life among the Crees and the Inuit; now the Athabaskan Hare Indians of Canada’s Northwest Territories:

     Wiht ukuk lisivik mamuk komtaks
This bishop also informed 

nsaika kata iht ilihi tilikom klaska
us what the people of a certain (other) place are like, 

nim Rabits Skin, “Po d liivr” Klaska
called the Rabbit Skins or “Peau de Lièvre”.  They 

tlap ayu rabits pi klaska mamuk klaska
catch a lot of rabbits and they make their 

koc klaska pasisi klaska sakaluks
coats, their blankets, their pants, 

kopa ukuk rabits skin. Kanawi klaska
from those rabbit skins.  All of their  

iktas, rabit skin. Klaska drit kakwa aias
clothes are rabbit skin.  They’re just like big 

rabits
rabbits!

— Kamloops Wawa #137 (February 1896), page 37