1800s, Clackamas lands: Laughing at missionaries
Did the phrase “the above chief” precede Chinook Jargon’s sáx̣ali-táyí, and inspire it?
Image credit: ebay
We find similar expressions in languages all around the greater Pacific Northwest, such as the Clackamas Chinookan equivalent šáx̣lix íštamx here.
One way or another, here’s a good anecdote of misunderstandings between cultures, and the humor that can result…
140. Laughing at missionaries
When the person-who-continually-prayed (a Catholic priest)
first came to this place (to Oregon City), he told them (the Indians
there), “You should pray all the time, the above chief (God) will see
you (then). But if you do not believe it, then you will have tails (and
you will remain just like the animals you are), like the various
animals that run about in the forests.” Now my husband’s mother
would say, “Dear oh dear! Probably it would be something different
(and really funny) when we play (woman’s) shinny. We would whip
each other with our tails!”
— Melville Jacobs “Clackamas Chinook Texts”, 1958-1959(II):563
I wonder if the missionary spoken of was actually one of the Methodists, who we know translated some Christian prayer material into broken Clackamas, or was it Kiksht? I’ve mislaid the reference.
𛰅𛱁𛰃𛱂 𛰙𛱁𛱆𛰅𛱁 𛰃𛱄𛰙𛰃𛱄𛰙? qʰáta mayka tə́mtəm?
kata maika tumtum? Qu’en penses-tu?
What do you think?
And can you say it in Chinuk Wawa?
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