Category Archive: Chinook Jargon

The Grand Tyhee!

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In honor and memory of my dad, Bob Robertson, who died a few days ago: While an Alaska State Trooper in the 1960s, Dad wrote a history of law enforcement from territorial days… Continue reading →

Sharon Seal guest blogs again: Big John Kitsap & See Oh See Oh

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Reader Sharon Seal has contributed more great Chinook Jargon material to share with you all.  These are newspaper articles from Kittitas County, WA.  (Non-Washingtonians: it’s pronounced KITT-ih-tass.) 1) “Big John Kitsap, Kittitas Indian,… Continue reading →

Twin Wah fights extradition from the Okanogan using Chinook Jargon

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The Spokane [WA] Review, October 1, 1894, page 3, column 4 has an article about a Chinese immigrant in federal custody fighting extradition: Chinaman talks Chinook  Veteran Placer Miner a Prisoner of the… Continue reading →

Bella Coola Courier, May 31, 1913

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The Bella Coola [BC] Courier, May 31, 1913: This newspaper issue carries a vivid full-front-page narrative of Empire Day celebrations at the Indian reserve in Bella Coola, British Columbia.  Lots of interesting 100-year-old… Continue reading →

Fred Wah, Canadian poet laureate, on Chinook Jargon

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Last month CBC Radio 1 in Vancouver, BC did a neat mini-series “Red Peony” about the history that’s shared between Chinese and Aboriginal Canadians. In one installment, poet laureate of Parliament, Fred Wah,… Continue reading →

Robertson’s Cafe, Benge, WA

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(*Sorry for the photo glitch that some of you are seeing!) From Chinook Jargon country, but not directly on-topic, comes this bit of fun. My dad’s mom’s dad ran Robertson’s Cafe in Benge,… Continue reading →

Chinook Jargon in Haller diary 1855 (Sharon Seal guest blogging)

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Reader Sharon Seal has thoughtfully sent along some interesting Chinook Jargon material that she’s found in her resarch. The following relates to the diary of Major Granville Owen Haller. I especially appreciate this… Continue reading →

“Holy muckei!”

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Associated with long-ago football seasons at Washington State College, which is now “Wazzu” (WSU) in Pullman, I find fan cheers and songs that look, well, kind of Chinooky. That association is reinforced by… Continue reading →

Ivan Munk, “Spokane country: The way it was”

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Ivan Munk.  1973.  “Spokane country: The way it was / A Spokane heritage publication.”  Spokane, WA: Spokane Heritage Publishing Co. This is a wonderfully researched, thought-out and drawn comic-book format treatment of major… Continue reading →

A newly invented writing system for Chinook Jargon

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A newly invented writing system for Chinook Jargon: It’d been a while since I’d talked much Chinuk Wawa to my kids. Like, since the second-oldest was a toddler. This evening, when she and… Continue reading →