Dzunuqua WAKASHAN

[Henry Kammler]

Dell Hymes wrote:

> I don't know enough about Nootka to say, but there seem to be at least
> three words in Chinookan languages proper (not CJ) shared with Nootka, and
> which probably came from Nootka to Chinookan.  One is a word associated
> with spirit power (ts'a:yiq),

This is very interesting. The ts'aayiq (secret) societies seemed to be
widespread on the pacific coast. Boas supposed ts'aayiq (the word and the
institution) to be of Kwakiutl origin. Indeed, in historical times it was only
known to the Nuuchaahnulth groups of the inner Barkley Sound area. If I'm not
wrong it also existed among the northern Straits Salish.

> And Kwakiutl Ts'o:noqoa, 'an ogress reprsened on masks and house posts, seems
>
> likely to come from Chinookan -t'u-naqu, which is analyzable in Chinookan
> (t'u- good, powerful)

Another interesting case. The sources are not exhaustive on this but among the
Nuuchaahnulth the Ts'o:noqoa (or Dzu:nuq'wa) went by the name of I'iishsu'ilh
[?i?iis^su?il] which is something like "pitch woman". [The one that used to
snatch children in order to put them into her smoke house like salmon, as
staple food. Later Snot Boy  - !intHtin - kills her.] If we don't find a trace
of the Tsonoqua-word among the N., then maybe the word travelled via the Salish
peoples. Any evidence on the Salish side?
(maybe I should cross-post this...)

Henry