Jim Bob: Longhouse Days

(1) ’een’thu tun’ni’ ’utl’ snuw’nuw’us.
I am from Nanoose.

(2) swutamut tthunu sne.
swutamut is my name.

(3) hwun’ [tsun] stl’i’tl’qulh tsun ’i ni’ tsun ni’ ’utl’ shts’um’inus kwun’atul’ ’u kwunu men ’i’ ten.
I grew up in Chemainus with my father and mother.

(4) ’i’ wulh thuytum kwu thi lelum’ ni’ ’u kwey’.
They built a longhouse there.

(5) nanulh ’uw’ ’iyus kwey’ kw’unus ni’ ’u kwey’ shts’um’inus, kwun’atul ’u’ tthunu shhwum’ne’lukw nu s’a’luqw’a’.
I remember very happy times there at Chemainus, with all of my uncles and aunts and cousins.

(6) hayulh ’ul’ ’iyus.
These were very happy times.

(7) yath tsun ’uw’ he’kw’ ’u kwey’ kwunus le’lum’, lumnuhw tthu ’uy’ shqwaluwun, si’em’ shqwaluwun.
I always remember those times when I see good speeches, respectful messages.

(8) swi’wul’ ni’ ’u kwey’ kwunus kwun’atul’ ’u kwunu s’ul’eluhw.
This is the way it was with my elders.

(9) tun’a kweyul ’i’ skw’ey kw’unus lumnuhw kw’ st’e ’u tey’ ts’iiyutul’, ’iyatul’, kw’unu s’ul’eluhwulh.
Today, you never see this anymore, the way the elders helped one another.

(10) mukw’ skweyul ’i’ nem’ tst xlhas ’i’ nanulh ’uw’ ’iyus kwus qwiil’qwul’tul’ ’ul’.
Every day when we’d go to eat, it was a happy occasion, just talking to one another.

(11) yun’ye’num’ kw’unu shhwum’ne’lukw.
There was laughter from my uncles and aunts.

(12) ’iyustul ’ul’.
They were very happy together.

(13) yath tsuw’ mukw’ chhwunum’ ’ul’ ’u tuw’ mukw’ stem, nem’ ts’u t’hwaalh, xut’ustum’ kw’unu tenulh, tu …
I always reminisce about everything… going clam digging, etc., as my late mother used to do.

(14) ts’i’ts’uw’atul’ ’eelhtun kwus thuytus kwey’ thi lelum’.
They helped one another to build the longhouse.

(15) thi syaays kwey’ thi lelum’, ’uw’ niis shuq.
It was a very big job to accomplish.

(16) ni’ ts’twa’ kw’in sil’anum kwey’ kw’us thuytum.
It took many years to build it.

(17) ’uwu niis thut ’uw’ niis skw’ey ’aam ’ukw’ telu.
They never refused to help or asked for payment.

(18) ni’ ’uw’ ts’its’uw’atul’ ’ul’ kwunu s’ul’eluhw.
The elders helped one another.

(19) ni’ tsun kwu’elh ’uw’ hekw’ ’u kwey’ si’em’ shqwaluwuns ’eelhtun.
What I remember is their great way of thinking.

(20) ’uw’ ni’stuhw ’ul’ kwunus ’i’ m’i ts’its’usum’ ni’ ’u kwey’.
I’ll always treasure how I grew up.

(21) skw’ey kwunus mel’qt kw’ sht’esulh kwu…
I will never forget what it was like.

(22) hay ch qwul’qwul’stuhw kwun’ s’ul’eluhw, ’i’ ’uwu kws ’amusthamut ’ukw’ stem, hay ’uw’ hwulmuhwqunuhw.
Whenever you spoke to your elders, they would not respond to you unless you spoke the native language.

(23) yelhs thxas qwulstaam ’u tun’ siiye’yu.
Then, they spoke to you like a friend.

(24) nilh kwu’elh shni’s kwunus ni’ ta’ulthun ’u tunu sqwal.
This is how I learned my language.

(25) kwunus yath ’uw’ ni’ ’u kwey’ kw’unus sq’uq’a’ ’u tunu s’ul’eluhw.
I was always together with the elders.

(26) ’i tsu[n] kwu’elh a.a.a ’uw’ hay ’ul’ nu sqwal ’u tun’a netulh.
This is all I will say this morning.

(27) hay tseep q’a, sii’em’ nu shhw’a’luqw’a’.
Thank you. my most honored relatives.