Tl’itl’hwun’eq thu Siqaltunaat

Salish’s Victory

1. nilh ’uw’ hwun’a’ skweyul ’iis tu teti’ musteyuhw kws nem’s yutey’ti’qul’ kws ’i’watul’s. ’e’uth hay ’ul’ s-hil’ukw thu Salish — Siqaltunaat.

Today is the first day of canoe season, and Salish — Siqaltunaat is very excited.

 

2. tun’ni’ thu siqaltunaat ’u tu snuneymuhw musteyuhw. ’i’ yath ’uw’ sq’uq’a’ ’u tu ’i’ watul’ sunihwulh. ’i’ ni’ tse’ ’uw’ yuthethi’utus tu sq’uq’a’s ’u tu ’i’watul’.

Salish comes from a canoe family in Snuneymuxw and knows how important it is for her to carry on their tradition.

 

3. ni’ ’uw’ shtatul’stum ’utl’ Siqaltunaat kws hays ’ul’ tl’i’ tu ’i’shul’ kws tl’lim’s ’uw’ thuytus tu shqweluwuns, smusteyuhws, ’i’ tu tth’ele’s.

Salish knows that she must get ready for the season by cleansing her mind, body, and heart.

 

4. nilh ni’ shhwunum’ ’utl’ Siqaltunaat kws kw’akw’i’uthut-s, thaythut ’u tu sht’es tse’ tu teti’.

Here is the bath hole where Salish will begin to prepare herself for the upcoming season.

 

5. nilh hay ’ul’ tl’i’ kwun’s kw’akw’i’uthut ’u kwun’s ni’ ’u tu ’i’shul’. nilh ni’ ts’uwtun ’utl’ Siqaltunaat kwus kw’am’kw’um’stum tu s-huli smusteyuhws sis ’uw’ st’e ’uw’ niis hwunuts’umat ’u tu snuhwulhs kwus yath ’uw’ sthuthi’st-hwus tu smusteyuhws.

Bathing is a very important part of being a paddler. It helps Salish build up her spirit and makes her one with the canoe when she keeps her body clean.

 

6. nilh ’uw’ hwun’a skweyuls t’a’thut-s ’i’ ’e’uth hay ’ul’ siil’ukw thu siqaltunaat, ’e’uth wulh saay’ kws nem’s t’a’thut.

Today is the first day of practice, and Salish is very excited and ready to go.

 

7. tu hwnuts’a’wuqw Prince Charles ’i’ hwnuts’a’wuqw Warpath ni’ q’puthut ni’ ’u tu hwune’net ’i’ qwel’qwul’tul’ nilh tu shyuw’un’qsun coach nilh qwel.

The Prince Charles and Warpath canoe club meet up in the evening, discussing what the coach/Skipper has to say.

 

8. nilh hay ’ul’ ’uy’ kws ni’s kwthun’ ts’lhhwulmuhw ’i’ nilh kwthu syuw’a’numa’, yuhw’iiw’tsun’uq, la’lum’utul’ st’e ’u kwthu nilh sht’es kwthu s’ul-hween tst. ’i’ nilh hay ’ul’ tl’i’ ’u kwthu snuhwulh kwsuw’ ’iyusth ’ul’ tu hwnuts’ulwum. nilh ni’ sqwels tu shyuw’un’qsun, skipper.

“It is always good to have family together, following traditions and looking after one another like our grandparents did. But most importantly, when we are on the canoe, we must have fun as a family,” says the Skipper/coach.

 

9. mukw’ tu ’i’shul’ ni’ wulh hwusaay’ tu ni’ shni’s kws ’ula’ulhs ’u tu snuhwulh ’i’ wulh nilh suw’ huye’s.

Everyone takes their places on the canoe and away they go.

 

10. nilh hay ’ul’ tl’i’ kwun’s t’ut’a’thut ’i’ ’uw’ mukw’ skewyul. la’us kwsus lhumuhw, ’uw’ niis ’uy’ skweyul ’i’ ’uw’ t’ut’a’thut ch.

The hardest part of canoe paddling is you have practice every day. You have to practice rain or shine.

 

11. nilh tu shhwuw’welis, shhw’a’luqw’a’s ni’ ya-a-ath nuw’ ts’ets’uw’ut tu shqweluwuns kwun’atul’ ’u tu shyuw’un’qsun ’utl Siqaltunaat, ’u tuw’, mukw’ skweyul ni’ sht’ut’a’thut-s.

 

The support of her family and teachings of the coach help Salish get through every practice.

 

12. ni’ wulh tus ’u tuw’ hwun’a-a-a’ ’ul’ shtl’etl’hwitul’. tu hay ’ul’ ’uy’stum ’utl’ Siqaltunaat ’i’ nilh kws nem’s hunum’ ’u tuw’ nets’ st’e ’uw’ niis ’umshasum’ yukwun’atul’ ’u tu shhwuw’welis. qux ni’ shhwhunum’s kwus nem’ tuyti’qul’ ’u tu s’uwatul’ ’i’ ’uy’st-hwus kws ’a’ulh ’u thu xwuy’qwul’ulh.

The weekend is here along with the first race. The best part for Salish is traveling with her family and canoe club to the different villages and most of all riding the ferry.

 

13. kwus wulh tus ’u tu yushhwhunum’s ’i’ wulh thuythut ’eelhtun ’u tu shni’s tse’ sus ’uw’ qw’imutus tu snuhwulhs tun’ni’ ’u tu tsitsulh ’u tu trucks.

When they arrive, they set up their campsite and unload the canoes from the top of the truck.

 

14. wulh temutum tu stl’ul’iqulh xut’ustum’ munchies, sma’mu’luqw ’ul’. nem’us thuythut kws nem’s ’ushul nilh ni’ sqwaqwul’s tu ni’ tuteeem’.

The “Munchies” mixed race is called. They get ready to paddle when the announcer calls out.

 

15. Salish—Siqaltunaat ’i’ tu sq’uq’a’s wulh thuythut ’aalh ’u tu snuhwulhs nem’ ’u tu shni’s kws ’a’mut-s. wulh nem’ taal ’u kw’uw’ qe’is ’ul’, ni’ nem’ thuythut nem’ ’u tu shni’s kwus t’un’uthut.

Salish and her club get ready, finding their seats in the canoe, and they head out to warm up, then line up.

 

16. wulh nem’ t’un’uthut q’a’thut ’u tu mukw’ sunihwulh ni’ st’ut’in’.

They line up with the rest of the canoes.

 

17. wulh teem tu shqwuqwel’, tssetum tu sunihwulh. “ya’thut, ya’thut, thuythut!”

“All canoes back up to the line. Back up! back up!” says the announcer.

 

18. wutl’uluqw thu skwul’esh. “na’ut wulh huliye’!” thut tu shqwuqwel’.

Bang! goes the gun. “There they go!” says the announcer.

 

19. “’e’ut wulh m’i yul’ew’ ’u tu yulhi’a’qwt shq’uw’ilum wulh m’i ’ewu ’u tu hay ’ul’ yulhi’a’uqwt kws tl’hwunuqs. nilh tu Warpath nilh ’e’ut yuw’en’,” qwiil’qwul’ tu shqwuqwel’.

“Here they come past the last turn and on to the last stretch. It’s Warpath in first place,” says the announcer.

 

20. ni’ wulh ha’kwt tu ni’ tl’hwunuq, ’i’ nilh Salish — Siqaltunaat ’i’ tu sh’hw’a’luqwa’s ’ula’ulh ’utl’ Warpath, nilh ni’ tl’hwunuq.

The horn sounds, and Salish and her crew on the Warpath take first place.

 

21. hay ’ul’ sul’iil’ukw tuw’ne’ullh, ’uy’st-hwus kwus tl’hwunuq, ’i’ nilh thulh tu sniw’s yuw’en’ kws lhel’sh kwthu snuhwulh ’i’ le’shus. ’i’ yelhs ’i’yasum’s ’eelhtun.

They are all very happy and excited to win, but before they can celebrate they must follow the teachings and look after their canoe and bring it ashore.

 

22. ni’ kwu’eelh wulh hwsul’e’ kwthu snuhwulh, yelh tse’s nem’s ’iyasum’ Salish kwun’atul’ ’u tu coach ’i’ tu shhw’a’luqw’a’s nem’ tsam kwunutus thu trophy ’i’ thu telus ’uy’ skweyul ’utl’ Salish ’i’ tu shhw’a’luqw’a’s ni’ kwunnuhwus ’eelhtun thu lhq’utsulhsha’us ’u tu na’nuts’a’ ’i’shul’.

Now that the canoe is packed up they can celebrate. Salish along with her coach and team go and collect their trophy and prize money. This day was a good day for Salish’s crew because in first place each paddler got $50.

 

23. nilh hay ’ul’ ni’ tl’i’stum’ ’utl’ Salish kwus yutetul’ ’u tu syuw’en’s tu shhwuw’welis ’i’ kwsus nilh ni’ yutheyt ’i’ kws nilhs yuwiwul’ut tu sht’es tu snuneymuhw, hwsus hay ’ul’ tl’i’st-hwus tu ni’ shsaay’s.

Most importantly to Salish, she got to carry on the tradition of her family and community representing Snuneymuxw in a good way with respect.

 

24. ni’ hay.

 

25. ha’ ch ni’ teti ’i’ qux tu st’e kw’un’ shnu’as tun’ timul kwun’s kw’am’kw’um’stuhw tu shqweluwun ’i’ kwthu ni’ sht’es kw’un’s ni’ la’lum’uthut kwun’s le’lum’ut tun’ siiye’yu.

Canoe pulling is very demanding. You have to have a lot of courage and a lot of respect for your friends.

 

26. ’i’ yath ch ’uw’ sthuthi’stuhw tu shqweluwun kwun’s le’lum’ut tun’ musteyuhw ’i’ tun’ s-huli.

It helps you build a healthy mind, body, and spirit.