chumux | Pitchwood and Preserving Clams
Arnold Guerin
Told and translated by Arnold Guerin
Transcribed and edited by Donna Gerdts
(This version October 3, 2025)
- nilh tse’ tthu chumux ha’kwushusulh kwthu s’ul’eluhwulh nilh tse’ nu shhwunem’.
It will be the pitch used by the old people that I will speak about. - Pitchwood, used by the old people, is what I’m going to talk about.
- kw’s hwuw’es te’sulh ’u tthu huy’qwoon’ ’i wul’nuhwus tthu hwunitum’ tthu hun’utum’ ’ukw’ gaslights.
When there were still no lamps, the white man brought out what is called ‘gaslight’. - ’i’ ’uw’ chumuxulh ’al’ tthu ha’kwushus kwthu s’ul’eluhwulh, nilh huy’qwoon’s.
And the old people just used pitchwood for their lamps. - stsekwul’stehwutusulh ts’twa ’u kw’unanunanulh wulh hith kw’s hwuw’es te’sulh sch’ekwxul’s ha’kwushus tthu mustimuhw.
What method they used away back when there were still no frying pans, what was used by the people. - ’uwu te’ nu shtatul’stuhw ’uw’ niisulh stsukwul’im’stuhwus kwthu s’ulhelhwulh kw’s tuy’ti’qt-s kwthu huy’qws … huy’qwoon’s ’u kw’s t’ut’xwa’ulhs ’u kw’s snet-s.
I don’t know, how the old people did it, moved it around [to another location], their light, when digging clams when it was night. - ’i tsun thulh stl’i’tl’qulh ’i’ ni’ tsu(n) le’lum’ut kwthu s’ul’eluhwulh kw’s q’eput-s kwthu stem sts’esht shxwa’thut-s tthu shkwuneeme’lus tthu thithuqun shch’ekw’xul’s.
I was still a child, and I used to see the old people tie a stick or something on to lengthen the handles of the big frying pans. - stu’e ’ukw’ stshandlestuhws—shkwuneeme’lus.
They made a kind of handle on it, a shkwuneeme’lus. - hwu ’athutus hwu tl’eqt-stehwus sis ’uw’ sun’iw’stuhwus tthu huy’qws, chumux huy’qw, ’u tthey’ sch’ekwxul’s.
They would lengthen it to make it long, and they put the fire inside, pitch fire, in that frying pan. - huy’qwoon’s kw’s t’ut’hwa’ulhs ’u kws snet-s.
This was their light when they were clam digging at night. - ni’ kwelh ’uw’ niilh ’al’ tthu sts’esht ni’ s’a’thstuhws tthu skwuneeme’lus tthu shch’ekwxul’s.
It, therefore, is just the stick that has lengthened the handle of the frying pan. - nilh ni’ kwunutus ’i’ nem’ teyqtus kwus tuy’ti’qwul’ kws t’ut’hwa’ulhs.
This is what he takes, and then it moves it away when they are moving to different places to dig clams. - ni’ tsun ’uw’ lumnuhw kws ha’kwushewut tthu chumux stshuy’qwoon’s kwthu s’ul’eluhwulh.
I saw, then, when they used to use pitch lights for their lights, the old people. - ’i’ waw’a’ qux ts’twa’ ’u tthu hwulunitum’ kwu ’uwu te’ niis shtatul’stuhws tthu shtu’es tthu qa’ kws tsukwtsukws ’i’ kws sul’lits’.
Maybe there are many of the white people who do not know how the water is when it is low tide, and when it is high. - ha’ tum’xuy’tl’ ’u kws tum’xuy’tl’s ’i’ ’uw’ hay’ ’u kw’s snet-s, ’i’ ni’ ne.e.em’ hwtsakw tthu qa’.
If it is winter, when it is winter, and when it is night, the water goes a long way out. - tl’umqun skweyul kws s’ul’lits’s ’u kws tum’xuy’tl’s.
For the entire day is is full tide in the wintertime. - ’i’ ha’ tum’kw’e’lus ’i’ hwi’ skweyul, skweyul kws tsukwtsukws tthu qa’ sul’lits’ ’u kws snet-s.
But when it is summertime, it is day when the tide is out, and it’s high at night. - nilh kwelh ’u kws t’ut’hwa’ulhsulh tthu mustimuhw ’u kws tum’xuytl’s, ’i’ huy’qwoon’s, ha’kwushus tthu huy’qwoon’ shstth’etth’ukw’stuhws tthu syaayss.
When the people are digging clams in the wintertime, they use the lights to illuminate their work. - ni’ kwelh ’ush ha’kwushe’wut tthu chumux stshuy’qwoon’s kwthu yuw’en’ulh mustimuhw ’u kws t’ut’hwa’ulhs.
That is why the pitch was used for lamps by the first people when they are digging clams. - ha’ ni’ suwq’tum kwthu chumux kw’ shtun’ni’stewut kws nem’s kwunnum kwthu chumux.
When they hook for pitch where it’s gotten from, they get the pitch. - ’i’ nem’ ’imush shts’ilum kwthu s’ul’eluhwulh suw’ yu le’lum’ut-s kwthu ni’ wulh nem’ tth’qw’amthut, s’ulnutss kwthu ni’ yeq’ thqet ’i tthu niw’ slhelhuq’.
And the old people would go walk into the bushes, and they would be looking for those that have gone rotten, stumps of the fallen trees and those that are just lying down. - kwus tl’lim’s nuw’ wulh nem’ tth’qw’amthut qulqul’ul nuw’ t-hwtuw’ kwikwumalus ’al’.
They have gotten really rotten, spoiled, just red in color. - sis ’uw’ kwunutus ’i’ lume’tus nem’ thuxthuxtus tthey’ stth’aqw’ums tthu syalh.
So, they take and kick it, push the rotted wood over. - ha’ kwelh ni’ kwunnuhwus kwthu stem ’uwu ni’us wulh tth’aqw’am, hwuw’e niis hwu tth’qw’amthut ’i’ nilh kw’i’hw.
If they should get this part that is not yet rotted, the not yet rotted part, that is pitch. - kwunutus ’i’ nem’ t’uhwstuhwus.
They take it down to the beach. - ’uwu kwelh ni’us thi syaayss kwthu yuw’en’ulh mustimuhw kws sew’q’t-s kwthu chumux.
It is not a big chore for the first people to gather pitch. - nilh tthu ni’ wulh tth’aqw’um syalh, ni’ wulh qulqul’ul, wulh hithulh ni’us slhelhuq’.
It is the rotten wood, that which is good for nothing, that has been lying there for a long time. - ni’ shtun’unutsstuhws kwus m’i kwunutus tthu thithu…
That is where they get it, where they get the big one…. - ts’uxule’ ’i’ ni’ thi kwus m’i kwunnuhwus kwus quxulh yuhw chumuxs tthu thqet kws hwuw’es niis yeq’.
Sometimes, it was big, and they must have got a lot of pitch before it toppled. - nilh ni’ stu’es kws kwan’nuhws ’eelhtun tthu chumuxs ha’kwushus ’u kws t’ut’hwa’ulhs.
That’s the way it was that they got the pitch to use when they were clamming. - ha’ ni’ stsq’i’lus kwthu mustimuhw tthu s’axwa’ suw’ kwunut-s ’i’ thuyqwels ’u tthu tumuhw ’u tthu tsetsuw’ stutes ’u tthu shtun’ni’stuhws tthu s’axwa’ kwus t’ut’hwa’alhulh.
When the people dry the [butter] clams, they take it and dig into the ground, down on the beach near the place where the clams are dug. - thuyqwtus sis ’uw’ nuw’ushus tthu thithus smeent ’u tthey’, tthu kw’unt’als.
They dig it and put big rocks into it, the basalt. - ni.i.i’ thaytum selts’ ’u tthey’ ni’ hwu shthay’qw ni’ tl’upstam sis ’uw’ lhq’et.
They dig in a circle to make a pit that is deep and wide. - sis ’uw’ t’un’utum tthu kw’unt’als sun’iw’ ’u tthey’.
And they line up the basalt rocks inside of that. - wulh stu’e ’u tthey’ sis ’uw’ yuqwultsup sun’iw’ ’u tthey’.
And they build a fire inside of that. - wulh thi huy’qw tthu ni’ huy’qws.
It was a big fire they got burning. - ni’ tl’lim’ ’uw’ kw’asthut tthey’ huy’qw, tthu smumeent ni’ sun’iw’ ’u tthey’ kws tl’lim’s ni’ wulh hwu tskwim kw’e’lus, sis ’uw’ me’shum tthu huy’qw.
And it was really hot, and the rocks that are inside of that have really gotten red hot, and then they take them out of the fire. - sis ’uw’ kwunutum tthu s’axwa’ ’i’ ni’ kw’lhetum.
And they take the fire out, and they take the clams and pour them. - nuw’ushum ’u tthey’ ts’e’tum ’u tthu ni’ kw’e’lus smee nt sis ’uw’ tl’hwutsstum.
They put them in here, sitting them on top of the hot rocks, and cover them. - [sis ’uw’ kwunutum tthu s’axwa’ ’i’ ni’ kw’lhetum. nuw’ushum ’u tthey’ ts’e’tum ’u tthu ni’ kw’e’lus smee nt sis ’uw’ tl’hwutsstum.
And they take the fire out, and they take the clams and pour them, putting them there, sitting them on top of the hot rocks, and cover them.] - ni’ kw’in lhihwuqun (xu’ath ….) xuthinuqun lisek s’axwa’ lhq’etssuqun ’u kws ts’uhwle’s tthu ni’ nuw’ushum ’u tthey’, qux.
It was how many, three or four sack of clams, five sometimes, that they put in, lots. - sis ’uw’ tl’hwutstum, ’i’ ni’ kwe’tum, tl’hwutstum ’u tthu q’am’ ’u kwthuw’ stem ’al’ hakwushum kwunutum, shhw’un’ehwste’wut tthu skw’e’luss tthu huy’qw.
And they leave it covered and left them, covered them with kelp or whatever is taken to hold the heat of the fire. - sis ’uw’ ni’ hith kwus stu’e ’u tthey’ ni’ t-hwutsstum ’i’ ni’ wulh sqw’uqw’il’ tthu s’axwa’.
And it is that way for a long while, and then they uncover it, and now the clams are cooked. - nilh hun’utum’ tth’hwas, ni’ tth’uhwus kwthu ni’ xt’estuhw ’u tthey’ kwus s’axwa’.
That is what is called the steaming of clams, and the clam steams are the ones that do that to the [butter] clams, and it’s that way, and they are dug up and taken out of what they want to throw away, the shell, the shell of the clam. - [nilh hun’utum’ tth’hwas, ni’ tth’uhwus kwthu ni’ xt’estuhw ’u tthey’ kwus s’axwa’.
That is what is called the steaming of clams, and the clam steams are the ones that do that to the butter clams. - ]st’e ’u tthey’ sis ’uw’ hwlhuw’utum me’shum tthu ni’ tstl’i’ ’ikw’utum tthu t’uw’ulh, tthu ts’e’wi’s tthu s’axwa’.
And it’s that way that they are dug up and taken out of what they want to throw away, the shell, the shell of the clam. - sis ’uw’ kwunutum tthu ni’ hakwushum tse’ tthu ni’ ’u tthey’ s’axwa’ sis ’uw’ulh ts’uy’hwtum.
And they take what they are going to use from the clam, and they dry them. - ni’ sqwiluqwuqwe’stum’…
The put little holes in them. - sis ’uw’ hwtsulhqwiwutum ’u tthuw’nilh s’axwa’ (’u) tthu stu’e ’ukw’ xwi’lum’ tun’ni’ ’u tthu slhuwi’.
They put string through those clams on a rope made from inner bark of the cedar. - sis ’uw’ tl’amutum ’al’ tthu stu’es kws tl’ule’qt-s sis ’uw’ yu ’akw’ustum ’u kwthu snemustewut kws ts’uyhwtewut.
and it is just enough that way; it is long, and they started hanging them up where they were putting them to dry. - sis ’uw’ tl’lim’ ’uw’ ts’uyhw.
And it got really dry; they did that lots. - ni’ qux kwus xt’estum ’u tthey’.
They did lots of them. - mukw’ tthu ni’ ha.a.ays kwthu ni’ qw’ulutus kwthu niilh tth’hwas, ni’ xt’estum ’u tthey’.
All that, those people that steamed the clams cooked. They did that to that. - nilh ni’ sq’i’lus ’eelhtun, s’axwa’.
That was their stored food, the clams. - ’i’ nilh ni’ tl’uw’ stu’e ’ukw’ telusulh tl’e’.
And it was also like money to them. - ’i’ ’i tsun m’i stl’i’tl’qulh nem’ shwahwiyum’s hunum’ ’u kwthu ’uwu te’ s’axwa’s mustimuhw tun’tsa’luqw tun’ni’ ’u tthu hwtsaam mustimuhw.
When I was a child, it was brought down there to sell, going to the people who don’t have clams from upland [Interior] and to the upland people. - nilh ’i’luqut tthu sts’uy’hw s’axwa’ tthey’ tusulh tthu tun’ni’ ’u tthun’a tsetsuw’ mustimuhw.
They are the ones who buy the dried clams, that which was made here by the people down at the water. - ’i’ ni’ tsun ’uw’ lhey’xtulh tthu sxte’ ’u tthey’.
I used to eat it just like that. - ni’ulh ’uw’ nu sq’i’lu ’u kw’unus nem’ ’imush hwtsel.
It was my lunch when I went for a walk somewhere. - hwu nuwu tth’e’um tsun ’al’ ’u kwthu stsekwul’ kws quxs kwthu ni’ tl’amuteen’ ni’ nush stl’atl’um ’i’ ni’ tsun huye’ nem’ ’u kwthu ni’ nu shnem’.
I would just put some in my pocket, however much there is that I consider to be enough for myself, and I would leave to where I am going. - nilh thulh kws tl’ulim’sulh ’uy’ nu swe’wun tthu sts’uy’hw s’axwa’.
But it was a real nice lunch for me, the dried clam. - nilh nuts’a’ sq’i’lusulh kwthu yuw’en’ulh mustimuhw tthu s’axwa’.
It is one of prepared foods of the first people, the clams. - ’uw’ stu’e tse’ ’al’ ’u tthey’ kwthu nu sqwul’qwul’ ’u kwthu st’e ‘u tthey’.
That’s all I will have to say about that. - ni’ hay’.
The end.