Long post: Surfing for Duployan
Dave Robertson
tuktiwawa at NETSCAPE.NET
Fri Mar 30 06:16:06 UTC 2001
[from http://prod.library.utoronto.ca/hbic/bc.htm]
Wilf Chappell's article on the Kamloops Wawa
examines the use of Duployan shorthand in the printing of
a Chinook jargon newspaper by an Oblate missionary in
nineteenth century British Columbia.
Chappell, W.G. Commentary on the Shorthand Used in the Kamloops Wawa. Amphora no. 20 (1975): 8-10.
The few brief histories of printing in the province have
concentrated for the most part on the nineteenth century.
Douglas McMurtrie, Basil Stuart-Stubbs, and Glennis
Zilm have all written on the small Larilleux handpress
brought to Fort Victoria around 1852 for the use of
Bishop Modeste Demers. Unfortunately, Stuart-Stubbs
and Zilm both confuse the origin of the press, stating
incorrectly that it was sent to the Roman Catholic bishop
by the Anglican Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel, rather than the Roman Catholic Society for the
Propagation of the Faith. A similar confusion about the
date for the arrival of the press seems to have occurred
because it was several years before the press was used
in the production of the Vancouver Island Gazette, one
of the first newspapers printed in the colony.
[from http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/publications/nl-news/1999/nov99e/3111-21e.htm]
National Library News
November 1999
Vol. 31, no. 11
>From the Exhibition Room...
Michel Brisebois,
Rare Book Curator,
Research and Information Services
[Jean-Marie Raphaël Le Jeune, 1855-1930]. Chinook and Shorthand Rudiments, with which the Chinook Jargon and the
Wawa Shorthand Can Be Mastered without a Teacher in a Few Hours. By the Editor of the "Kamloops Wawa". Kamloops,
B.C.: 1898. 14 p.
At the end of the 18th century, as traders came from Europe and the United States to buy furs at Nootka on the west coast of
Vancouver Island, and later near the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon, both traders and Natives began learning a few
words of the other's language in order to do business.
The resulting jargon was made up of words from the Nootkan, Chinook and English languages. According to most historians,
this is how the Chinook jargon (not to be confused with the Chinook language) came to be, and was spread by the fur traders
to the entire northwest coast of America, from Oregon to Alaska. Other specialists think an early form of the jargon existed
among the Native tribes long before the arrival of the Europeans. When the Northwest Company and the Hudson's Bay
Company traders established permanent settlements, the jargon came to include French words, the language of many
voyageurs.
During the 19th century, Chinook jargon was spoken by many of the European settlers and
travellers in daily contact with Natives: workers at the canneries, housewives buying produce,
fishermen, lumbermen and missionaries. Chinook jargon was a spoken language, but soon
missionaries and ethnologists saw the need for dictionaries transcribing the sounds into written
words using the Roman alphabet. This led to much confusion, as the same sound can be rendered in many ways. These
dictionaries were also much more useful to the settlers than they were to the Natives, who could rarely associate the sounds
with the Roman alphabet. The first of these works was written by George Gibbs of the Smithsonian Institution in 1863.
Gibbs's A Dictionary of the Chinook Jargon; or, Indian Trade Language, of the North Pacific Coast was reprinted
numerous times (with some changes) between 1875 and 1908 by the T.N. Hibben Company of Victoria. Other versions were
published as late as the 1930s.
The popularity and growth of the Chinook jargon during that period is due mainly to Father Jean-Marie Raphaël Le Jeune.
Born in Britanny in 1855, Father Le Jeune came to British Columbia as a Catholic missionary in 1879. Starting at St. Mary's
Mission in East Kootenay during the construction of the railway, he continued his work at Fort Williams, and then finally
settled in Kamloops, where he spent the rest of his life. Father Le Jeune was very concerned that the Natives could not read
the Chinook jargon that was transcribed using the Roman alphabet, and thought that they would find it easier to connect the
sounds of the language to shorthand characters. Having studied Duployan shorthand in his youth, Le Jeune applied it to
numerous transcriptions of reading books and various religious works in Chinook jargon. His idea caught on, and his books
ran through many editions. From 1891 to 1904, he wrote and published a newspaper called the Kamloops Wawa (Chinook
for "talk") with the text in three columns, the first in Chinook jargon in Roman alphabet, the second in shorthand and the third
in an English translation. By the time Father Le Jeune died in New Westminster in 1930, most of the Native population had
learned English, and Chinook jargon eventually disappeared.
The Chinook and Shorthand Rudiments shown in "Impressions", the National Library's major exhibition for 1999, is a
representative example of the work of Father Le Jeune and his dedication to the spread of Chinook jargon. The National
Library of Canada holds a vast collection of books printed in different Native languages, including several in Chinook
jargon. It also houses a partial collection of the Kamloops Wawa.
To view "Impressions" on-line, visit the National Library's Web site at <http://www.nlc-bnc.ca>.
Sources:
Reid, Robie L. -- "The Chinook Jargon and British Columbia". -- The British Columbia Historical Quarterly. -- Vol. 6, no. 1
(January 1942). -- P. 1-11
Banks, Joyce. Books in Native Languages in the Rare Book Collections of the National Library of Canada = Livres en
langues autochtones dans les collections de livres rares de la Bibliothèque nationale du Canada. -- Revised and enlarged
edition. -- Ottawa : National Library of Canada, 1985. -- 190 p.
[from http://aboriginalcollections.ic.gc.ca/secwepemc/secstin.html]
Written Language
In the past, the Secwepemc language was not a written language although pictographs were used as a form of
symbolic communication. The Secwepemc people relied on oral traditions to pass information from one
generation to the next. Everyday communication included the telling of legends, stories, and history. In this way
lessons were taught to the children.
With the introduction of the English language by white missionaries and settlers, use of the Secwepemc language
declined. The Secwepemc language is now being revived using language materials to teach and computers to
record. Elders and Secwepemc language teachers working in the community and public schools are valuable
resources.
James Alexander Teit was born in Scotland in 1864. He arrived in British Columbia in 1884
and developed an interest in native people. Teit wrote a number of books, one of which was
about the Secwepemc people.
Teit was a linguist, fluent in four or five tribal languages, a botanist, and an amateur
entomologist, photographer of plants and people, and an anthropologist. He recorded the
cultural lifestyles, stories, and dialects of the Secwepemc. James Teit compiled a book in
1909 titled "The Shuswap"; he was well known for his work. He adopted the lifestyle of the
native people and was well accepted by them. He passed away in 1922 at the age of 58.
In 1882, a French priest named Father Le Jeune arrived in Kamloops. One of his purposes
was to teach the Secwepemc Indians how to understand the Bible and other religious books.
In 1890 he devised a systemof writing using Duployan shorthand adapted to Chinook jargon.
Over the years he was able to teach and converse with the natives in their own language.
About 500 Indians understood and used this system. He also published a journal called "The
Kamloops Wawa." This journal was used amongst the Secwepemc people as a source of
written communication. Father Jean Marie Le Jeune died in 1930.
LeJeune, Father Jean-Marie. Kamloops WAWA. An extremely rare run of approximately 172 numbers in 107
separate pieces (in many cases four or five numbers were printed together). This collection includes 141 pieces,
as a number of variations are included. These include supplements, variations in mailing wrappers, specimen
copies with slightly different contents, etc. A complete description of this extremely scarce set is available here.
[#W1030] $15,000.00.
[from www.coyotepress.com]
An Extremely Rare Run of the
KAMLOOPS WAWA
The Kamloops WAWA was published between 1891 and 1905 under the editorship of
Father Jean-Marie LeJeune in Kamloops, British Columbia.
We have available an extremely rare run of approximately 172 numbers in 107 separate
pieces (in many cases four or five numbers were printed together). This collection includes
141 pieces, as a number of variations are included. These include supplements, variations
in mailing wrappers, specimen copies with slightly different contents, etc.
Price: $15,000.00 plus shipping and insurance.
The Kamloops WAWA was described by Pilling, in his Bibliography of the Chinookan Languages
(1893:45) as
A periodical in the Chinook jargon, stenographic characters issued
under the editorship of Father LeJeune, and reproduced by him with the
aid of the mimeograph.
Described by Father LeJeune as
The Queerest Newspaper in the World
Subscribe to this paper, and help to civilize our Indians, to enlighten
those who were sitting 'in darkness and the shadow of death.'
The WAWA is described in Lowther's Bibliography of British Columbia (1968) as follows:
Kamloops Wawa. no. 1-507; 2 May 1891-April 1923. Kamloops, St.
Louis Mission.
9 v. in 6. 18, 21 cm. irregular; monthly, 1891; weekly, 1892-93;
monthly, 1894-1900; quarterly, 1901-1904. Publication stopped in
1904, but special issues appeared from time to time. Largely
mimeographed. Text mainly in Duployan shorthand, a transcription of
Chinook jargon and various Indian languages. Later issues have some
French and English text.
A periodical, the work of Jean-Marie Raphael LeJeune, giving
religious readings, news, etc. In September 1894 the paper was printed
by photoengraving at 2,000 copies per month. Until 1898 it enjoyed
increasing popularity, reaching a monthly circulation of 3,000 copies.
The following section includes a detailed description of the collection we have available.
As far as we know, this is the largest single collection of the Kamloops WAWA which has been offered in many
years.
We also have a number of single issues of the WAWA as well as copies of many of the other materials issued by
Fr. LeJeune. Please inquire.
Vol./No.
Issue
Date
Notes
--
1-4
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 2 May 1891, June 1891, July 1891, and
Aug. 1891. Hand lettered. Pp. 1-16. Different pagination and dating than the one
example of #4 we have (below), which is 8 pages in length.
--
4
15 Aug.
1891
Hand lettered. Pp. 25-32 (at bottom). Different pagination at top. Edges tattered
but interior in very good condition.
--
5-8
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: Sept. 1891, Nov. 1891, Dec. 1891, and
Jan. 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 17-32.
--
9-12
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 15 Jan. 1892, 24 Jan. 1892, 31 Jan. 1892,
and 7 Feb. 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 33-48. These issues contain the "Sacred
History" mentioned by Soliday/Decker, p. 168.
--
13-16
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 14 Feb. 1892, 21 Feb. 1892, 28 Feb.
1892, and 6 Mar. 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 49-64. These issues contain the
"Sacred History" mentioned by Soliday/Decker, p. 168.
--
17-20
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 13 Mar. 1892, 20 Mar. 1892, 27 Mar.
1892, and 3 Apr. 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 65-80. These issues contain the
"Sacred History" mentioned by Soliday/Decker, p. 168.
--
17
13 Mar.
1892
Tattered. Hand lettered. First page mistakenly reads No. 15. Pagination unclear.
Four pages.
--
21-24
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 10 Apr. 1892, 17 Apr. 1892, 24 Apr.
1892, and 1 May 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 81-96. These issues contain the "Sacred
History" mentioned by Soliday/Decker, p. 168.
--
25-28
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 8 May 1892, 15 May 1892, 22 May 1892,
and 29 May 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 97-112. These issues contain the "Sacred
History" mentioned by Soliday/Decker, p. 168.
--
29-32
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 5 Jun. 1892, 12 Jun. 1892, 19 Jun. 1892,
and 26 Jun. 1892. Hand lettered. Pp. 113-128. The first three issues contain the
"Sacred History" mentioned by Soliday/Decker, p. 168.
02(09)
41
28 Aug.
1892
Hand lettered. Pp. 33-36. On light blue paper. Has two penciled characters in
shorthand at top and one at bottom of front page.
02(11)
43
11 Sep.
1892
Hand lettered. Pp. 41-44. Has one penciled character in shorthand at top.
02(11)
43
11 Sep.
1892
Same, but on light blue paper.
--
59-63
See Notes.
Five issues printed together. Dates are: 1 Jan. 1893, 8 Jan 1893, 15 Jan. 1893, 22
Jan 1893, and 29 Jan. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 1-20. Included in light blue mailing
wrapper with two penciled characters in shorthand at top. Water stain on front.
--
64-67
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 5 Feb. 1893, 12 Feb. 1893, 19 Feb. 1893,
and 26 Feb. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 21-36.
--
68-71
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 5 Mar. 1893, 12 Mar. 1893, 19 Mar. 1893
and 26 Mar. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 37-52.
--
72-76
See Notes.
Five issues printed together. Dates are: 2 Apr. 1893, 9 Apr. 1893, 16 Apr. 1893,
23 Apr. 1893, and 30 Apr. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 53-72.
--
77-80
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 7 May 1893, 14 May 1893, 21 May 1893,
and 28 May 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 73-88. In light blue mailing wrapper with
address label of recipient glued down.
--
81-84
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 4 Jun. 1893, 11 Jun. 1893, 18 Jun. 1893,
and 25 Jun. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 89-104 In light blue mailing wrapper with
address label glued down.
--
85-89
See Notes.
Five issues printed together. Dates are: 2 July 1893, 9 July 1893, 16 July 1893, 23
July 1893, and 20 July 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 105-124. In light blue mailing
wrapper with address label of recipient glued down (partially missing), two one
cent stamps, and a cancellation mark which appears to include "Kamloops." Light
blue mailing wrapper with numerous penciled characters in shorthand and a name
in English. First page loose.
--
90-93
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 6 July 1893, 13 July 1893, 20 July 1893,
and 27 July 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 125-140 In light blue mailing wrapper with
address label of recipient glued down. Light blue mailing wrapper has two
penciled characters in shorthand.
--
94-97
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 3 Sept. 1893, 10 Sept. 1893, 17 Sept.
1893, and 24 Sept. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 141-156.
--
98-102
See Notes.
Five issues printed together. Dates are: 1 Oct. 1893, 8 Oct. 1893, 15 Oct. 1893,
22 Oct. 1893, and 29 Oct. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 157-176.
--
103-106
See Notes.
Four issues printed together. Dates are: 5 Nov. 1893, 12 Nov. 1893, 19 Nov.
1893, and 26 Nov. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 177-192.
--
107-111
See Notes.
Five issues printed together. Dates are: 3 Dec. 1893, 10 Dec. 1893, 17 Dec. 1893,
24 Dec. 1893 and 21 Dec. 1893. Hand lettered. Pp. 193-212.
03(01)
112
Jan. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper. Pp. 1-16.
03(01)
112 sup.
7 Jan.
1894
Hand lettered. Pp. 1-4.
03(01)
112 sup.
7 Jan.
1894
Same, on light blue paper. Has three penciled characters in shorthand at top.
03(02)
113
Feb. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper. Pp. 17-32. Has address label of
recipient glued down to rear.
03(02)
113 sup.
14 Jan.
1894
Hand lettered. Pp. 5-8. Date mistakenly reads 14 Jan. 1894.
03(02)
113 sup.
14 Jan.
1894
Same, on light blue paper.
03(03)
114
Mar. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper with label? glued down. Has
additional blank cover page which contains two penciled lines and several
miscellaneous characters in shorthand. Pp. 33-48.
03(03)
114
Mar. 1894
Additional hand lettered mailing wrapper containing information and solicitation.
Unpaginated. This differs from the wrapper used on the above issue.
03(04)
115
Apr. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper with label? glued down. Pp. 49-64.
03(05)
116
15 Apr.
1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper with label to an address in Rouen,
France, glued down. Pp. 65-84.
03(05)
116 bis
May 1894
Hand lettered mailing wrapper. Pp. 85-100.
03(05)
116 bis
May 1894
Hand lettered mailing wrapper slightly different on the first page from the above.
Pp. 85-100. The interior appears the same.
03(05)
116 bis
May 1894
Additional hand lettered mailing wrapper containing information and solicitation.
Unpaginated. This differs from the wrapper used on the above issues. Heavily
water stained.
03(06)
117
Jun. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper. Pp. 101-116 (with extra 4-page
signature containing pages 107-108 and 109-110).
03(07)
118
Jul. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper. Page numbers confused. Probably
117-132.
03(07)
118
Jul. 1894
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 1-16. The interior contains different text
than the hand lettered issue with this number and date.
03(08)
119
Aug. 1894
Hand lettered. Hand lettered mailing wrapper with mailing label affixed. Wrapper
says No. 118 and July, 1894. Interior says No. 119 and August, 1894. Pp.
133-148.
03(09)
120
Sep. 1894
Hand lettered. Notice that regular issue 3(9) will be delayed. Four pages,
unpaginated.
03(09)
120
Sep. 1894
Typeset. No mailing wrapper. Pp. 149-164. Top edge uncut.
03(10)
121
Oct. 1894
Typeset. No mailing wrapper. Pp. 165-180. Top edge uncut.
03(11)
122
Nov. 1894
Typeset. No mailing wrapper. Pp. 181-196. Top edge uncut.
03(12)
123
Dec. 1894
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 197-212.
04(01)
124
Jan. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 1-16.
04(02)
125
Feb. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 17-32.
04(03)
126
Mar. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 33-48.
04(04)
127
Apr. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 49-64.
04(05)
128
May 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 65-80.
04(06)
129
Jun. 1895
Typeset. Double typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 81-96.
04(07)
130
Jul. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 97-112.
04(08)
131
Aug. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 113-128.
04(09)
132
Sep. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 129-144.
04(10)
133
Oct. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 145-160.
04(10)
133
Oct. 1895
Second copy, this one with a one-page "Supplement to the Kam. Wawa" (No. 132,
Oct. 1895) pasted to the front. Two characters penciled in shorthand at top of
supplement.
04(10)
133
Oct. 1895
Related item. Has same volume and number, but somewhat different contents.
"SPECIMEN COPY" printed at top. Pp. 1-8.
04(11)
134
Nov. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 161-176.
04(11)
134
Nov. 1895
Related item. Has same volume and number, but somewhat different contents.
"SPECIMEN COPY" printed at top. Pp. 1-8. Uncut. Water damage to bottom.
Some numbers written in pencil on last page, which is a solicitation for funds
dated November 1895.
04(12)
135
Dec. 1895
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 177-192.
05(01)
136
Jan. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 1-24.
05(01)
136
Jan. 1896
Related item. Has same volume and number, but somewhat different contents.
"SPECIMEN COPY" printed at top. Pp. 1-8. Uncut.
05(02)
137
Feb. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 25-48.
05(03)
138
Mar. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 49-72.
05(04)
139
Apr. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 73-96.
05(05)
140
May 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 97-120.
05(06)
141
Jun. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 121-144.
05(07)
142
Jul. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 145-168.
05(07)
142
Jul. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 145-168. Unusual pink wrapper.
05(08)
143
Aug. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper on blue paper. Pp. 169-192.
05(09)
144
Sep. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper on blue paper. Pp. 193-208.
05(10)
145
Oct. 1896
Typeset. Typeset mailing wrapper. Pp. 209-228. Unusual typeset front on
wrapper.
05(11)
14
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