Salish

K͏ʷem̓t ɫiʔé iʔs meyeʔm, kʷem̓t ɫu k̓͏ʷɫpaʔx̣nten,
čn nté č̓ tl̓ čeɫl nq̓͏ʷoqey smx̣͏ʷop
u č̓ msɫnq̓͏ʷoqey
cič̓ciʔ.
U npƛ̓mú ec̓x̣ey
ɫu i tmi.
Ɫu iqs cmeyyeʔ ɫu in qnqeneʔ,
i slsileʔ,
i sx̣px̣épiyeʔ,
in lilaw̓iyeʔs,
t̓pt̓úpiyeʔs ɫu es nmicinms….

K͏ʷem̓t tl̓ šeʔ cx͏ʷuy,
ye cčč̓ʔe,
u wíʔičis ɫu suyapi.
Nqʷon̓míʔis ɫu suyapi,
i pqpiq,
u es upupus.
Ec̓x̣lús teʔs čɫix͏ʷx͏ʷmu
x̣ʷl̓ is piq i k͏ʷils.
K͏ʷem̓t ɫu číʔicntm ɫu t suyapi
k̓ʷ ƛ̓e cnt̓ešlš ɫu suyapi,
k͏ʷem̓t x͏ʷpx͏ʷéʔepis ɫu ep spum ɫu sic̓m,
še k̓͏ʷɫsux͏ʷmeʔis l šey̓
u qs ɫaqqí.
Cuti ɫu ilmíx͏ʷm,
“N̓em x͏ʷpx͏ʷépntp ci sic̓m, ci ep spum
m l šey̓ m ɫaʔ́aqq.
X̣͏ʷa es siy̓úʔuy̓ti.”
Es nte es siy̓úʔuy̓ti,
u i pqpiqs.

Tl̓ šeʔ es ctax̣͏ʷllu cx͏ʷuy u miyip
epɫ nčc̓x̣͏ʷc̓x̣͏ʷéʔepletn ɫu suyapi.
K̓͏ʷ ɫu qs cníʔek͏̓͏ʷ
ɫu ʔes šʔit qs cníʔek̓͏ʷmi ɫu suyapi
u ƛ̓e qe tumistmɫls
ɫu qe st̓úlix͏ʷ ɫu l amotqn.
Cuys,
“Qʷu aqs x͏ʷic̓štm t ƛ̓iyéʔ
čiqs ƛ̓emí t st̓úlix͏ʷ.
Epɫ st̓ulix͏ʷ. N̓e ɫu čn wičm t st̓ulix͏ʷ.”
K͏ʷemt cuys ɫu amotqis, ɫu king,
“N̓em aq st̓úlix͏ʷ.”
K͏ʷem̓t ɫi ɫu, i c̓y̓ú qe es wičɫlt ɫu qe
st̓úlix͏ʷ u ƛ̓e qe tumistmɫlt.

K͏ʷem̓t cnt̓éʔešls
U nšt̓úʔulex͏ʷm t scčacé.
U k͏ʷem̓t hoy c̓x̣ey ƛ̓e ƛ̓x͏ʷupmntm.

Ɫu es šʔí sqélix͏ʷ wíʔičis,
k͏ʷem̓t k̓͏ʷnk̓͏ʷéʔen̓štm t sq̓l̓q̓l̓é
t scɫk̓͏ʷɫik̓͏ʷ.
Šey̓ ɫu nx̣éʔseʔelsmis, léʔemtmis,
ɫu t sqélix͏ʷ.
K͏ʷem̓t č̓ šey̓ u qe nunnx͏ʷeneʔ.

K͏ʷem̓t es mi-i-i-ilk͏ʷ yetɫx̣͏ʷa ye st̓úlix͏ʷ, qe
st̓úlix͏ʷ, ye es čsunk͏͏ʷ —
u c̓x̣ey̓ t lč̓ntéʔes x̣͏ʷl̓ qe nplé.
Qe qx͏ʷqeyx͏ʷɫlt ɫu pn tl̓ qe snlclciʔtn.
U qe cuɫlt ɫu t suyapi,
“Ihéʔ ɫu aqs sqlix͏ʷúlex͏ʷ.
Aqɫ nlciʔtn.”
U qe eɫ ɫsx͏ʷsux͏ʷmešls
tes hehen̓mɫʔu acre,
t qeq st̓úlix͏ʷ, t qeqɫ čmštín.
Qe cuɫlš, “Ihéʔ ɫu aqɫ čmštín,
aqɫ st̓úlix͏ʷ.”
K͏ʷem̓t nx͏ʷʔit, č̓e k͏ʷtnúlex͏ʷ
ɫu smʔawʔúlex͏ʷ
u eɫ k̓͏ʷúʔul̓is
ɫu t suyapi
u qe tumistmɫls x͏ʷic̓šmis nʔeyʔeysis ɫu t
suyapi u cnpilš
u qe p̓in̓mɫlt.
K̓͏ʷ unex͏ʷ či qeqs šimi ci eighty acres,
qeqs snlciʔtn.
Hoy čtax͏ʷlle nʔeyʔeysis ɫu t suyapi,
ɫu st̓lt̓úlix͏ʷ— qe tumi-i-istmntm
u put u qes miš…

English

So this, that I am telling, when I
thought about it,
I think it is from three hundred snows ago
to four hundred snows ago, and even
beyond that time.
And it’s the end, like of what is known.
What I am going to tell is what was
passed on to me by my paternal
grandmothers, my maternal grandfathers,
and my paternal grandfathers, by their
great-great-grandparents,
their great-grandparents…

Then from there, time passed until it was
closer to our time now,
and the Indians saw the whiteman.
They felt pity for the white people,
because they were white,
and they had beards.
The white men looked as if they were
cold because their faces were white and
red. Then, when the Indian people were
met by the whitemen (because they had
already landed), the Indian people then
spread out their fur blankets and
motioned to the white men to sit on the
blankets. Their chief told them, “Spread
out the fur blankets
so that the white men can sit on them.
Maybe they are cold.” The Indians
thought the white men were cold because
they were white-faced.

From that time on, it became known
that the white people had laws.
Right then, when the white men were to
come across the ocean for the first time,
they had already taken ownership of our
land for their king or leader. The
whiteman told their leader,
“You give me a ship to go across to look
for some land.
There is land. I will see land.”
He told his leader, his king,
“It will be your land.”
They hadn’t even seen our land yet, and
they had already taken ownership of it.


The whiteman crossed and landed, and he
stuck a flag and pole in the ground. And
then it’s like they already won our land.


The first Indians they saw,
the whites showed them necklaces,
that had been strung.
The people liked them and were glad to
get them. Then from that
we believed and trusted them.


Today, this land a-a-a-all over,
our land, this island —
had been tied it up for us.
They chased us from our homes.
And the whiteman told us,
“This is to be your land.
It is where you will live.”
Then they set it up, surveyed it
in 80 acres, to be our land, for each of us
to possess what was left over.
We were told, “Here, you can have
what’s left for your land.”
It was a vast area of land, and there was a
lot left over after they gave us those
pieces, and the white people arranged it
so that we sold the land;
we sold it, and it was bought by the
whiteman, and they came in
and crowded us out.
It is the truth, all we got was that eighty
acres, for our place to live.
That’s when the whiteman began buying
it, all the lands — we so-o-o-old it, and
now it is almost all gone…

Salish

K͏ʷem̓t l šey̓ u es čšín, u ɫu x̣͏ʷa l čen̓
u ax̣ey u ɫu es šʔí suyá cx͏ʷuy,
ɫu es custm Columbus.
K͏ʷem̓t ɫu cnt̓ešlš, u wičis ye st̓úlix͏ʷ,
t̓ipncú ɫu tl̓ ƛ̓iyéʔs
u nšt̓ulex͏ʷis ɫu scčacé.
C̓x̣ey es lemti,
es lemti tix͏ʷ st̓úlix͏ʷ.
U wičis, we wičis ye sqélix͏ʷ,
tutupiyew̓t,
es tʔacc̓x̣.
K͏ʷem̓t ta es misten,
ta ciqs cu ɫu, ɫu l šey̓
u ec̓x̣ey̓ ɫu sc̓k̓͏ʷɫpaʔax̣s ɫu suyá.


K͏ʷem̓t ck̓͏ʷɫčí u ƛ̓e,
ƛ̓e p̓ix̣is ye st̓úlix͏ʷ.
ƛ̓e wičm t qs st̓úlix͏ʷ,
u ta x̣͏ʷa es k͏ʷestc ci,
cniɫc snčc̓x͏ʷeples.
Ɫu c̓x̣ey qs nčmeɫx͏ʷ
ye t qe sqélix͏ʷ,
k̓͏ʷ ɫu t st̓úlix͏ʷ c̓x̣ey ta es čsewpleʔis
čmi neɫi
k͏ʷem̓t č̓ snčc̓x̣͏ʷepletis
u tk̓͏ʷuntes.

English

Then that’s when people said
the first whiteman here came
from what you call Columbus.
When he came across and saw this
land, when he got off his ship,
he put his flag in the ground.
I guess same as saying he was glad,
glad to have and own some land.
He did see the Indians
standing in groups
all staring at him,
but I’m not going to say
what was on their minds —
I mean, about the white people.

Then, just as soon as he was on the
ground, just like he put a brand on this
land. He found the land,
but I don’t think he carried
any kind of important papers about
laws. And to come here
and take away and claim our Indian
land — he didn’t even have permission
from anyone to take our land,
but I guess they thought they’d just
go ahead and use their own laws.

Salish

X͏ʷʔit ɫu tsq̓sip ɫu qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn ɫu qe
sqélix͏ʷ c̓x̣ey es nɫpɫetptmm…
x͏ʷu-u-uy u c̓x̣ey, c̓x̣ey x̣͏ʷq̓͏ʷoʔscut ɫu
šey̓. C̓x̣ey č̓e ič̓ tam u q͏ʷo es tax̣͏ʷllus ɫu
qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn.
________________________

Tam qe esyaʔ u l še u qe ec̓x̣ey. Puti
x̣͏ʷa qe čk̓͏ʷink̓͏ʷnš ɫu puti qe es ččnčn̓im
ɫu, ɫu unex͏ʷ qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn ɫu qe
sqélix͏ʷ. . . .N̓em tl̓šey̓ m eɫ yoyootwil̓š
ɫu qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn.
________________________

Ɫu tsq̓sip ɫu qe cčiciɫlt ɫu tl̓ nisq̓͏ʷo
ɫu t suyapi u tl̓ šey̓ u c̓x̣ey ct̓ix͏ʷllm.
Qe cqeyx͏ʷɫlt u ye lʔe.
Ye l qe šnúlex͏ʷ lʔe u qe qe ƛ̣lip.
Č̓e tam k͏ʷtnúlex͏ʷ ye qe st̓úlix͏ʷ.
U ɫu tsq̓sip ɫu putuʔ t še
u cniʔek̓͏ʷ ɫu suyapi, esyaʔ ɫiʔe u qe
st̓úlix͏ʷ, tl̓ čsunk͏ʷ u č̓ čsunk͏ʷ,
tl̓ ƛ̓áq̓lex͏ʷ u č̓ c̓altúlex͏ʷ.
Esyaʔ u sqlix͏ʷúlex͏ʷ.
________________________

K͏ʷem̓t esyaʔ u qe es yoʔstem ɫu qeqs
sck̓͏ʷul̓. Ta qe es q͏ʷn̓mscut ɫu t sʔiɫn.
Ta qe es q͏ʷn̓mnscut t stem̓. Šimi qeqs
čtem̓tn esyaʔ u qe es k͏ʷestm…
________________________

Esyaʔ ɫu qe, ɫu sm̓im̓iʔ iše t suyapi iše
cmimiʔntes es cu t suyapi, es custm
“History.” T qʔenple qe es custm
“Sm̓im̓iʔ.” Esyaʔ ɫu scq̓eʔey̓s u itam.
X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ yetɫx̣͏ʷa qe es k̓͏ʷul̓i,
sk̓͏ʷl̓ɫq̓ey̓mini. Sqélix͏ʷ scuwewlš u es
q̓ey̓q̓ey̓, sqélix͏ʷ sck̓͏ʷɫpaʔx̣s.
________________________

N̓em l še m ax̣ey m mipnuʔuys sic
st̓ulix͏ʷ ye l šimi aʔac̓x̣eys ye q̓ey̓min.
Mipnuʔuys ɫu unex͏ʷ sm̓im̓iʔ ɫu l še u
ec̓x̣ey ɫu tl̓tsq̓sip u yetɫx̣͏ʷa.
N̓em mipnuʔuys k̓͏ʷeʔs yoʔoq͏ʷisti ci
k̓͏ʷiƛ̓t itnm̓us ɫu scq̓eyq̓eʔeys.
Yetɫx̣͏ʷa ye l qe q̓ey̓min
esyaʔ u itox̣͏ʷ ɫu es meyyeʔm.
________________________

U tlciʔ k͏ʷn̓ew pɫiɫt ɫu q̓ey̓min k͏ʷɫu,
k͏ʷɫu qe esyaʔ qe q̓ey̓ntem.
Šey̓ k͏ʷn̓ew ɫu isnk͏ʷɫp̓x̣͏ʷp̓x̣͏ʷot ɫu ƛ̓e
sqlqélix͏ʷ ɫu ƛ̓e čx̣͏ʷect tl̓
clčɫʔupnspentč, tq̓nčɫsʔupnspentč,
sp̓lčɫʔupnspentč, k͏ʷɫu iše meyyeʔm ɫu
putiʔ snɫk͏ʷk̓͏ʷmiʔis ye st̓ulix͏ʷ, k͏ʷn̓ew
q͏ʷamq͏ʷmt ɫu esyaʔ u itox̣͏ʷ ɫu
iscmeyyeʔ ɫu x̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓.
________________________

X̣͏͏ʷl̓ šey̓ u qe es uwewlši t sqelix͏ʷ—
tma yoyoot ɫu qe nuwewlštn.
Yoyoot u ep snʔeys.
Ta qes x͏ʷeʔcin še qe ʔawʔawntm x͏ʷʔit.
Ta qe es x͏ʷeʔcin še ƛ̓e miip ɫu qe
scntels.
________________________

X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ u yoyoot ɫu qe nuwewlštn. X̣͏ʷl̓
šey̓ u yetɫx̣͏ʷa qe es mimeyeʔm ɫu qe
sccm̓el̓t qeɫ k͏ʷnnuʔunms ɫu qe
nuwewlštn…
________________________

X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ yetɫx̣͏ʷa u iše qe, qe cuti,
“K͏ʷmiʔ l čen̓ u ec̓x̣ey u t esyaʔ qe
snk͏ʷsqélix͏ʷ eɫ cp̓lč̓uʔusm, u eɫ k͏ʷeʔeys
ɫu qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn. Eɫ c̓nap ɫu l snihew̓sm.
X̣eyɫ k͏ʷn̓ew q͏ʷu eɫ yoyoot. K͏ʷn̓ew
q͏ʷu eɫ yoʔpy̓ewt. Ta t stem̓ qeqs
mʔečtmɫlt k͏ʷɫu qe eɫ k͏ʷnnuntm esyaʔ
ɫu qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn.”
________________________

Še ye iʔs meyyeʔm yetɫx̣͏ʷa ye ye
sm̓im̓iʔ, tsn̓e cn cu “History,” itam.
̓e, ƛ̓e čn cʔac̓ɫq̓ey̓mi
u ac̓ʔac̓x̣n ɫu scq̓ey̓s ɫu suyapi, itam,
itam une. X̣͏ʷa snspu,
x̣͏ʷa sck̓͏ʷɫpaʔx̣, x̣͏ʷa stem̓ ɫu
q̓ey̓nteʔes…
________________________

Ɫu t qʔenple ɫu qe sqelix͏ʷ, ɫu qe
ʔuwewlš ɫu qe m̓im̓iʔim̓ ɫu putiʔ qe es
mistem ɫu tsq̓sip qe m̓iʔm̓ʔintem, šey̓
ɫu itox̣͏ʷ. Šey̓ ɫu n̓em, n̓em ɫu n̓e čna es
sunum̓t čna ac̓x̣eys ye q̓ey̓min n̓em cu,
“Šey̓ ɫu une.” X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ u yetɫx̣͏ʷa qe
q̓͏ʷeyɫmiʔ qe es k̓͏ʷɫ q̓ey̓mini. Sqelix͏ʷ
sm̓im̓iʔs, sqelix͏ʷ scmeyyeʔs, šey̓ ɫu
qeqs tk̓͏ʷum. Šey̓ ɫu qes šʔiti. N̓eqs
mipnuʔunms ye, ye t k̓͏ʷiƛ̓t; ye t suyapi,
ɫu t k̓͏ʷiƛ̓t qs mipnuʔunms. “ʔa, k̓͏ʷ ɫ še u
ec̓x̣ey. K̓͏ʷ šey̓.”
________________________

Es oym ɫu sqelix͏ʷ ɫu tsq̓sip. C̓x̣ey es
k͏ʷupm, es k͏ʷplwism.
K͏ʷem̓t q̓eyiʔim t sm̓im̓iʔ še č̓ tam u es
tax̓͏ʷllus. Yetɫx̣͏ʷa qeɫ tx̣͏ʷmip. K͏ʷmiʔ,
k͏ʷmiʔ eɫ tx̣͏ʷox̣͏ʷ, tx̣͏ʷmil̓š esyaʔ ɫu qe
scmeyyeʔ n̓e qes miiʔims,
n̓e qs mipnuʔunms k̓͏ʷi
tam ci ci suyapi scq̓ey̓s.
Č̓ tam u es tax̣͏ʷllus.
Ɫu sqélix͏ʷ es mistes putiʔ.
________________________

Ɫu t q͏ʷoyʔe ɫu čn cp̓x̣͏ʷtil̓š u čn̓es
sunum̓t es m̓im̓ištw̓e. Es meyyeʔstm ɫu
šey̓ x͏ʷic̓ɫtn ɫu l isx͏ʷsix͏ʷlt. Esyaʔ ɫu l
islsileʔ, isx̣px̣epeʔ,
t̓pt̓upiyeʔ. Esyaʔ n̓em x̣͏ʷiʔic̓ɫtn qs
yoʔnuʔunms esyaʔ ɫu qe nk̓͏ʷul̓mn ɫu
maliyemistn…
________________________

Qe es tx̣͏ʷmim ɫu qe sm̓im̓iʔ ɫu sqelix͏ʷ
sm̓im̓iʔs ɫu tl̓ tsq̓sip u yetɫx̣͏ʷa. K͏ʷmiʔ,
k͏ʷmiʔ esyaʔ ɫu uɫ p̓x̣͏ʷp̓x̣͏ʷot sqélix͏ʷ
k͏ʷmiʔ esyaʔ u ep sm̓im̓iʔ meyyeʔs ɫu l
še u ec̓x̣ey ɫu unex͏ʷ l še u ec̓x̣ey.
Yetɫx̣͏ʷa qe es q̓͏ʷeyɫmiʔsti ye x̣͏ʷl̓
q̓eymin n̓e qs mipnuʔunms ɫu i tox̣͏ʷ;
putu lše u ec̓x̣ey. Tam ɫu suyapi
sm̓im̓iʔs…
________________________

Še yetɫx̣͏ʷa lemlmtš u čn̓ep scuwewlš.
K͏ʷmiʔ, k͏ʷmiʔ sunum̓t ɫu isnk͏ʷsqelix͏ʷ
ɫu iscʔuwewlš.
Ɫu qe es lq̓laq̓isti iše čn č̓uč̓awm ɫu n̓e
x̣est ɫu i šušw̓eɫ, n̓e x̣est nx̣saqs,
isclq̓laq̓ist, iscč̓uč̓aw, in nk͏ʷul̓mn, n̓em
x͏ʷu-u-uy put čen̓ m čn̓eɫ k̓͏ʷɫʔac̓x̣mist m
wičn — hayo! Cɫp̓im ɫu isnk͏ʷsqélix͏ʷ,
es ƛ̓eʔems ɫu x̣est nx̣stin ye l st̓úlix͏ʷ.
Nyoʔpy̓ew̓tn qs x̣ésti.
Šey̓, šey̓ ɫu iscč̓uč̓aw.
________________________

K͏ʷmiʔ l še u ec̓x̣ey.
K͏ʷmiʔ esyaʔ ɫu isnk͏ʷsqélix͏ʷ u
cp̓lč̓uʔusm u eɫ qllx͏ʷwiʔil̓š.

English

Many of the ways of our people of long
ago, it is like they are being forgotten. . . .
Those ways have, like, like separated
from us as time went on. It is like our
ways is going the wrong way.
________________________

Not all of us are like that. There are still
some of us who still hold on to the real
ways of the people. . . . That is how our
culture will become strong again.
________________________

A long time ago, when we were met by
the white people, from there on, our
culture changed. We were chased until
we came here. Here, in this area, is where
we stopped. Our land is no longer big. A
long time ago, when the white people
came across the water, all of this land
was ours, from island to island, from the
south to the north.
It was all Indian land.
________________________

Then, we knew how to do all of our own
ways. We were not without food. We did
not go without anything. Whatever we
needed, we had it all…
________________________

All of our stories were told; when the
white people came they called it
“History”; we call it “Sm̓im̓iʔ” (our news).
Everything they wrote is not right.
That is why now we are working, making
a book. The words of the Indian people are
written in it; the Indian people’s thoughts.
________________________

This is how the people will learn about
our land, by reading this book.
They will learn the real history from a
long time ago to the present.
The people will learn that the books that
were written by others were lies; what
they wrote was not the truth. Now, in
our book, everything that is taught is
straight.
________________________

The book would be even thicker if
everything was written in it.
Then if my fellow elders
older than fifty years old,
sixty years old,
seventy years old, if they
would tell what they remember about the
land, it would all be really nice, and it
would be the true stories about that.
________________________

That is why we are teaching our
language—because our language has
strength. It is strong and it has value. We
do not say many words, but much is said.
We do not say many words and already
what we want to say is known.
________________________

That is why our language has
strength. That is why at the present time
we are teaching our children to take back
our language…
________________________

That is why now we say, “I hope
somehow all our fellow tribesmen will turn
around and take back our ways. It will be
put back in the middle. We would become
strong again. We would be able to make
our living again. Nothing would bother us
if only we could take back all of our
ways.”
________________________

Now this that I am telling about, this
news, a while ago I said “History”, it is
not right. I was already in school when I
looked at the writing of the white people,
it was wrong. Maybe it was dreams or
maybe someone’s thoughts that was
written. . . .
________________________

When our people spoke,
told the stories
that we knew of long ago, the stories
were right. If someone listens to these
stories, when someone looks at this
book; they will say, “That is the truth.”
That is why now we are doing our best to
write this book. It is our peoples history,
our stories that we are going to put in
writing. That will be first. Then the white
people will learn. “Yes, that is how it was.
That is right.”
________________________

The people of long ago were abused. It
is like they were being pushed around.
Then they would write history and it
would turn out wrong. At the present
time we will straighten it out. I hope, I
hope the stories will all get straightened
out, so that everyone will know that the
white people’s writing is wrong. They are
going in the wrong direction.
The people still know the stories.
________________________

Myself, when I was growing up I listened
to the story telling. What was told to me
I will give to my children. All of it to
my daughters’ children, my sons’ children,
my great-grandchildren. I will give it all
to them so they may learn all of our
ways, our medicines…
________________________

We are straightening the history, the
people’s history from a long time ago to
the present. I hope that all of our elders
of our people would tell their history and
how it was, the real truth. At the present
time, we are doing our best with this
book, so that everyone will learn what is
right, the truth. Not the white people’s
history…
________________________

So today, thank you that I have
something to say. I hope, hope that my
fellow tribesmen will listen to what I
have said. When we went to sweat I
have prayed that if my road is good, my
sweats were good and my prayers and
ways were good, it will go-o-o and
someday I will look around and see —
hayo! The people are lined up, doing the
good things of this earth. We hope it will
go in a real good way. That is my prayer.
________________________

I hope that it will be that way.
I hope all my fellow tribesmen will turn
back to our ways.

Salish

Ɫu ƛ̓e es t̓x͏ʷt̓x͏ʷmulex͏ʷ ɫiʔe…
K͏ʷem̓t šey̓ ɫu tsq̓si k͏ʷm
ta epɫ ɫp̓ɫp̓ulex͏ʷtn ɫu tsq̓si.
L še u ec̓x̣ey es mlk͏̓͏ʷmúlex͏ʷ u ta epɫ
ɫp̓ɫp̓úlex͏ʷtn…
________________________

Č̓e čmi u epɫ q̓͏ʷɫox̣͏ʷmi ɫu stmtem̓ ɫu
tɫp̓ɫp̓úlex͏ʷtn yetɫx̣͏ʷa…
_______________________

K͏ʷem̓t ye x̣͏ʷa x͏ʷuʔuy
yecč̓ʔe ɫu ck̓͏ʷɫči
ɫu suyapi…
_______________________

U k͏ʷem̓t ye cx͏ʷu-u-uy yečč̓ʔe x̣͏ʷa ɫu
ck̓͏ʷɫči suyapi u k͏ʷem̓t cuntm,
“L še mk͏ʷlciʔ,” u we tam
sqlix͏ʷuʔulex͏ʷ še
l še u qmintm.

English

At this time the land has changed…
So long ago, of course, there were
not any land measurements done. All
over the land, there were not any lands
measured…
________________________

Now, there are fences around lands
that have been measured out…
________________________

Something happened to the Indian
lands when the white people arrived
here…
________________________

Then in later years, when the white
people arrived, the people were told,
“This is where you will live,” even
though it was not their aboriginal land
where they were put.

Salish

Iše x̣e ɫu n̓e es q̓ey̓q̓ey̓.
X̣͏ʷa n̓em eɫ t qe sx͏ʷsix͏ʷlt, qe
snk͏ʷsqélix͏ʷ…
________________________

Tl še m es mimisteʔes, yosteʔes ɫu x̣͏ʷl̓
qe nq͏ʷlq͏ʷeltn qe nuwewlštn.… Es
čmiyepleʔ t šey̓ še n̓em el yoyoot ɫu
qe sqlix͏ʷscut.
________________________

X̣͏ʷa n̓em x̣͏ʷa c̓x̣ey taqs nɫeptmntm
ɫu qe nq͏ʷlq͏ʷeltn
ɫu qe cuut ec̓x̣ey.
________________________

Ɫu tl čis cp̓ox̣͏ʷtil̓ši u q͏ʷu cuntm, “Ta
qes nɫeptmntx͏ʷ ɫu an nuwewlštn,” ɫu
t p̓ip̓x̣͏ʷot u q͏ʷu cmeyeɫtm.
________________________

Q͏ʷu es cunm, “Ta qes nɫeptmstx͏ʷ, ta
qes x̣͏ʷelsstx͏ʷ ɫu an nq͏ʷlq͏ʷeltn u ɫu an
nk̓͏ʷul̓mn.”

English

It is good when things are written down.
Maybe it will be our children, our
people…
________________________

From this they will know and learn
about our language… It is known
that that our culture will become known
again.
________________________

In that way it is possible that our
language and culture will not be
forgotten.
________________________

When I was growing up, I was told by
my elders, “Do not forget your
language.”
________________________

I was told “Do not forget, do not let go
of your language, or your culture.”

Salish

Ɫu x̣͏ʷl̓ in x̣͏ʷlč̓musšn,
x̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ učn̓es q͏ʷeyɫɫmiʔ yetɫx̣͏ʷa.
X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ u qe es k̓͏ʷul̓m ɫu qe sck̓͏ʷul̓
yetɫx̣͏ʷa, tam x̣ʷl̓ q͏ʷoyʔe, tam x̣͏ʷl̓
qʔenple, x̣͏ʷl̓ qe sx͏ʷsix͏ʷlt, x̣͏ʷl̓ qe
x̣͏ʷlč̓musšn ɫu nk̓͏ʷuʔul̓mis.
X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ u qe es q̓͏ʷeyɫmiʔ yetɫx̣͏ʷa.
X̣͏ʷl̓ šey̓ u qe es nte: k͏ʷmiʔ eɫ
yoʔnuʔuys ɫu qe sx͏ʷsix͏ʷlt ɫu ʔune
nk̓͏ʷul̓mis ɫu qe x̣͏ʷlč̓musšn. N̓e eɫ
k͏ʷeʔeys ɫu nk̓͏ʷul̓mis n̓em x͏ʷuy m eɫ
yoyotwil̓š esyaʔ ɫu sqélix͏ʷ ye l st̓úlix͏ʷ.

English

It’s for my ancestors, that is why I’m trying
hard at this present time.
That is why we are doing the work that we
do now. It’s not for me, it’s not for us,
it’s for, for our children,
for our ancestors’ ways.
That is why we are working hard today.
That is what we think: I hope our children
will re-learn the real ways of our ancestors.
If the children will take back those ways,
everyone will go and get strong again on
this land.