1872, BC: Was justice served by this Jargon translator?
Do you think this Chinuk Wawa interpreter, and the Settler court, did right by the Indigenous defendant here?
Image credit: reddit
Take this in:
Jemmy, an Indian, charged with stealing goods from the store of Mr. Webster, was put forward.
Mr. Moresby was sworn to act as interpreter; he put the usual question, using the Cbinook language: “Guilty or not guilty?” The Indian answered in Chinook: “Nika Clatawa.” The meaning of the reply is, “I ran away.” He was understood as having pleaded guity, and was sentenced to nine months’ hard labor.
— from the Victoria (BC) Daily Standard of May 7, 1872, page 3, column 2
