Bill Seward: Bill’s Athletic Career

My Athletic Career

kwunus hiiw’a’lum’ulh lacrosse, football,
When I was still playing lacrosse and footbal,

mukw’ nu shnem’ ’i’ ni’ tsun ’uw’ tl’hwunuq.
I played all over and I won.

ni’ ’u tu ni’ tsa’luqw ’i’ ni’ tsun tl’uw’ tl’e’hwun’uq
I was up north here and again I was winning.

sus ’uw’ ’amusthelum ’u thu medal na’nuts’a’ mustimuhw kwunnuhw they’.
So they gave me a medal, only one person gets it (in all of Canada).

’i’ ’i tsun kwunnuhw ’u tthu nuts’a’ sil’anum.
And I got it that one year.

’uw’ st’e ’ul’ ’u kwthu snuhwulh kwunus ni’ tl’e’hwun’uq
And it was the same with the canoe pulling, I was winning,

qux s’amusthelut.
they were giving me lots.

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A story in Hul’q’umi’num’ by Bill Seward, Snuneymuxw First Nations, Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Recorded by Chris Bouris.
Transcribed by Ruby Peter, typed by Sarah Kell, and edited and translated by Donna Gerdts.
Thanks to Chris Bouris, Sean Milliken, and Zoey Peterson for video and post-production.