Skip to content
I’ll tell you a story about my dad and my uncles. They used to have contests, tournaments, lifting rock. I didn’t see it. My dad was very young and he was very strong.
pe’ptitul’ tu mustimuhw mukw’ ’untsu ’uw’ q’up,
People came together from all over to compete,
ni’ ’utl’ s’amuna’, sxwim’e’lhulh, stth’a’mus.
at Somenoes, Songhees, near the Johnson Street Bridge in Victoria, or close to the Parliament buildings.
mukw’ pe’ptitul’ tu mustimuhw, ni’ ’utl’ s’e’tl’qul ’u thu stth’e’uwt-hw.
A lot of the people participated outside East Saanich.
hay ’ul’ thi tl’uts’a’ tu su’se’tus tu kw’alum’kw’um’ mustimuhw.
At this contest they were lifting very large rocks by these very strong people.
’i’ ’uwu kws q’a’thut-s kwthu nu men, nu shhwum’nikw xuxlhem’ ’ul’.
My father and uncles never participated, but just watched.
susuw’ huliye’ ni’ hay ’uwu niis yu se’tum tey’ thi tl’uts’a’.
And people left when it was done and my relatives did not lift the rocks.
’uwu niis yu se’tum ’i’ na’ut ’uw’ hay ’ul’.
They never lifted the rocks, then it was finished
susuw’ huye’ tu mustimuhw.
Then the people left.
suw’ nem’ kw’unu shhwum’nikw, yuxlhum, suw’ kwunut-s tthey’ hay ’ul’ thi tl’uts’a’ ’i’ se’tus.
My Uncle yuxlhum went and took the large rock and lifted it up.
suw’ nem’s ’u tu sqe’uqs, kw’unu men,
Then he told his younger brother, my father,
“hwi’ nuwu kwu’elh, qe’uq. hwu nem’ ch se’t.”
“It is your turn now, dear brother. Go and lift the rock.”
suw’ nem’s kw’unu men kwunutus tey’ sisuw’ se’tus.
My father did go and lift the large rock.
’e’ut ’uw’ xi’xlhem’ tthu kw’alum’kw’um’ mustimuhw.
The very strong men were watching.
na’ut ’uw’ xuxlhe’mutum’ tunu men ’i’ tunu shhwum’nikw.
They were watching my father and my uncle.
suw’ hay susuw’ nuw’ilum ’u tthu stheew’t-hw.
After, they went into the longhouse.
nilhulh sht’es tthu mustimuhw shq’ups ’u tuw’ mukw’ ’untsu.
That was the procedure of the contests wherever there were gatherings from BC.
suw’ hays kws pe’ptitul’s ’i’ hwi’ nuw’i’lum ’u tthu stheew’t-hw.
After the contest everyone went into the longhouse,
nem’ ’u tey’ ’i’ hwi’ xlhas ’i’tal mustimuhw.
to eat and enjoy each other’s company.
suw’ hum’i’ tey’ kw’alum’kw’um’ mustimuhw yu kwun’etus tu ’uxtun.
All of the strong people came with the very large rocks.
kwunutsustus kw’unu shhwum’nikw.
They shook hands with my uncle.
’i’ yu se’tus tu nuts’a’ tselushs ’i’ yu kwun’etus tu ’uxtun.
He raised his hand while holding the rock with his other hand.
suw’ kwunut-s kw’unu shhwum’nikw ’iilh kwunutus tthey’ ’uxtun ’i’ me’shum.
My uncle took the rock and removed the symbol.
suw’ qulthat tu mustimuhw
The people became very enraged.
’uw’ ni’ ’u tey’ ’umutew’t-hw.
This happened at the bathroom.
suw’ kwunutum tey’ suw’ ’utl’qtum, nem’ wenshum ’utl’qtum.
And they were thrown out.
hweluq kwu’elh ni’ q’aaytum kw’unu men ’i’ kw’unu shhwum’nikw kws ni’s se’tus tey’.
They nearly killed my father and uncle all because he touched that rock.
nilh sht’esulh kws pe’ptitul’s tu mustimuhw ’i’ tun’a kweyul ’i’ nilh sht’es tu snuhwulh ni’ hwu st’es kw’uw’ hwu shpe’ptitul’s,
That was how the people used to compete, and today the competition against each other is now at the canoe races.
sii’em’ nu siiye’yu, ’uw’ st’e tse’ ’ul ’u tthey’ kw’unus ts’iitalu.
My most honoured friends, that’s how it is and I will now thank you.
hay tseep q’a’.
Thank you.
ni’ hay!
The end.
