Author Archive

1890’s ladies’ diet advice in Chinuk Wawa

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WW19CCTYTD? (What would a 19th-century celibate tell you to do?) “Mgr. Kneipp‘s Hygienic Instructions” ALTA KOPA KLUCHMIN, PUS WIK SAIA Now, for the lady, when it’s almost time  IAKA TLAP IAKA TANAS. for… Continue reading

This is not a red herring ;-)

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Ceci n’est pas un faux-fuyant 🙂 Alta polis man iskom iht dais [SIC!!!], ukuk Then the policeman picked up a dice, (one of) those chikmin dais kluchmin lolo kopa iaka lima pus metal dice… Continue reading

The medicine man argues back…in church!

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{Edited to specify: it’s not the medicine man who’s doing the arguing here, it’s someone who supports him.} When you grasp how, in Kamloops Wawa, liplit “the priest” mentioned in the third person is the same… Continue reading

More on Robert Brown; he knew his Jargon

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We haven’t given Robert Brown (b. 1842) his due.  I mean, he was a well-regarded Scottish botanist and explorer of our Pacific Northwest region, and certainly I’ve already praised his Chinook highly, but… Continue reading

The priest explains capitalism

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I thought this extended selection, where Father Le Jeune of the Kamloops Wawa responds to a reader’s complaints about his newspaper’s price, was a really great illustration of the kinds of education you can do in… Continue reading

Hear a Chinuk Wawa lecture streaming tonight

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8pm Pacific time zone on CIRH Roundhouse Radio 98.3 from Vancouver BC: a guy called David Robertson, talking & singing about “The Chinook We Never Knew — But Will“. Stream it live…or any… Continue reading

Chinuk Wawa shorthand writers of Spahomin

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I can guarantee you that this photo shows a large number of Chinuk Wawa shorthand writers.  (Kamloops Wawa #125 (1895), page 19.)  The local chief, John Chilliheetza, was himself a skilled practitioner, and he… Continue reading

What do you do when your church has no bell?

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What do you do when your church has no bell? This was the situation in a couple of Secwepemc communities of British Columbia that was reported in Kamloops Wawa #126 (March 1895), page… Continue reading

Today’s Native ad…which do you want first, chicken or eggs?

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Another Secwepemc man from Sugarcane Reserve (Williams Lake, BC) placed an illustrated want ad in Kamloops Wawa #126 (March 1895), page 37. FYI: I’m halfway guessing at this guy’s surname as being “Kelly”; sometimes there… Continue reading

Native ad from Mawich Man

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I’ve got more of these great Native ads for you. Today, Mawich Man of Sugarcane Reserve speaks. Y’know, not this Mowich Man (Billy Everett of Crescent, Clallam County, WA)… Not Ezra Meeker’s buddy Mowich… Continue reading