Kamloops Wawa pictures, Part 21: Rev. Father Martinet
Readers of the Chinook paper loved to see pictures in it, we’re always told; here’s one of a missionary priest.
This is Aimé Martinet, OMI (1829-1894).
(A link to all installments in this mini-series.)
Today’s newspaper clipping seems to tell the readers that Father Martinet was the source of a Chinuk Wawa hymn that was well-known in British Columbia.
However, it seems Martinet only made a brief visit to BC once in his career, in 1882.
One doubts he knew enough Jargon to translate any lyrics into it.
But read for yourself what the readers were told:
Klaksta ukuk liplit msaika nanich iakwa
‘Who is that priest you see here’sahali? Iaka nim Pir Martini. Iht sno
‘up above? His name is Père [Aimé] Martinet. It’s one year’alta iaka mimlus. Ankati iaka chako kopa
‘ago that he died. Long ago he came to’ukuk ilihi. Iht wam ankati iaka kuli
‘this country. One summer long ago he traveled’kanawi kah kopa ukuk. ilihi Iaka klatwa nanich
‘all around in this country [BC]. He went to visit’liplit pi kanawi tilikom mitlait kopa ukuk ilihi.
‘the priests and all of the people who live in this country.Iaka ilip kopa kanawi shanti ukuk shanti kopa ⊕.
‘This song to the eucharist was the first of all songs [in Chinook Jargon in BC?]’:“Naika chako wawa tlus mirsi
‘ “I come to say a good thanks’kopa maika tlus ShK.”
‘to you, dear Jesus Christ.” ‘Kakwa pus iaka patlach ukuk shanti kopa tilikom
‘It’s as if he gave this song to the people’kopa ukuk ilihi.
‘in this country.’
— from “Kamloops Wawa” #134 (November 1895), page 164
