1909, WA: Inauguration of Spokane chief Jim Sam involves lots of Chinook Jargon
At the inauguration of new Spokane Tribe Chief Jim Sam in the post-frontier days, many witnesses were present from other tribes.
A photo from a different event — standing, 2nd from left, is Chilpuksin or White Around The Ankle or Jim Sam (Spokane) (image credit: Native & North America Subscribers, on Facebook)
Two speakers from each tribe made speeches, many of them quite long.
Here’s what we’re told about those addresses:
The speakers all spoke in “Chinook”
jargon, which is understood perfeetly
by the members of the different tribes.
and it is said by white persons who
were present and who are perfectly
famillar with the language spoken, that
some of the speakers made really elo-
quent addresses, impressing upon their
hearers the desirability of living honest
and industrious lives, and pointing out
to them the terrible consequences to
the red man of drinking, carousing and
gambling.
— from “532 Indians Sit at Banquet Board” in the Seattle (WA) Post-Intelligencer of June 28, 1909, page 4, column 1
I guess I’d comment that if the report was true (and the speakers weren’t talking in Salish languages), then this particular event was somewhat oriented towards sending a message to Settlers.
