Laly klatawa kopa waykut.....

[Mike Cleven]

I'm leaving on a business trip tomorrow so can't get to some of the many
interesting posts in the last couple of weeks that I've been meaning to
respond to.  I'll be able to read my mail while I'm out there, but as
I'll be using cybercafes I both don't want to pay for writing time
(obviously a bit in my case, even though I do type fast) and I also
would rather be out exploring where I am; time is always limited when
you travel, but it's good to iskum tenass sitkum of the siah illahee
where one is from when you're out there.  I'll do my best to teach any
interested Balinese the Jargon, of course ;-)

There's a lot of very interesting material that's come up lately; you've
all helped increase my grasp of linguistic issues as well as more and
more of American-side native and frontier history than I've ever had a
chance to be exposed to before; I think this may be in some ways
emblematic of the Jargon's regional communality; it's something we share
and which can help us learn about each other, from whatever nation or
country you are from.  I think in the long run the Jargon may help
nurture a greater awareness of the shared history and heritage of
Northwest peoples; I'd go so far to say as it might even become popular
and even fairly useful again one day if we make it "live" enough.

Poos naika mamook tzum kopa okook wawa; nsaika ticky mamook wake cultus
ikta.  Ikta kloshe kopa mamook, klonas kopa hyas mamook, pe hyas-hyas
wawa.  Tyee lalang, nawitka!

Poos nsaika skookum kumtux mamook tumtum, mitlite tumtum, kopa Lalang
(Terry g. klap tumtum pe "lalang" mitlite ahnkuttie wawa kopa BC), poos
nsaika skookum mamook okook.  Hyas skookum, kopa mamook.

I'll leave it to whomever to provide translations; be interesting to see
what interpretations might come of some of it if I don't say what I
mean; I think I'm pretty clear, though.

I wanted to ask before I go if the guys from Fort Vancouver wouldn't
mind sending up to me, either electronically or parcel post, copies of
any documentation, programs, scripts etc. you've got around your Chinook
Jargon program at the Fort.  I'd like to take it out to Fort Langley to
present to the Parks Canada people there - unless they already know
about you - and see if I can help instigate a Wawa Town out there.  The
same materials will also come in handy for a presentation I'm going to
make to the Upper St'at'imc Language Authority a few months from now
detailing my request for their cooperation concerning their files and
tapes of the Jargon.  There was some interest in news of our Jargon
community and its relative success in the grander scheme of things;
they're about to hardwire several of their communities with the
internet, and the notion that it could help further their linguistic
rebirth (already doing well, I was told)  was pretty stimulating, I
hope.  The Tribal Council's language officer didn't know about the
Salishan Conference, by the way; it _is_ in Lillooet, isn't it?  She was
pretty warm to the idea of it coming, but had had no idea and seemed
caught off-guard.  I wanted to comment to people intending on going that
they'd either try and make motel/hotel/cabin bookings now, or be
prepared to camp (it's hot dry desert nights; quite nice to sleep
outside; no dew so you don't even really need a tent, and there are NO
rattlenakes despite the look of the country.  There are a few free
campgrounds in the area, so ask me if that's your plan; or bring a
camper.  It's hellish hot indoors there; I hope some of the sessions
will be outdoors ones; it'll be _way_ more comfortable (and
pleasant).....

I just bought their whole St'at'imcets curriculum, by the way, including
the Elementary Primer as well as a high-school history text recently
authorized by the joint curriculum committee of the Authority and the
Gold Trail schoolboard.  Cost about 80 bucks Cdn for the whole shot;
they also sell the "Same As Yesterday: The Lillooet People, the Theft of
their Land & Resources" by Patricia Drake-Terry, 29.95 Cdn, published by
the Lillooet Tribal Council and "in stock" at their offices (I have the
address if anyone wants it; or you can find it online pretty easy, I
think).  The Drake-Terry book is an authoritative account of the late
19th Century divestiture and preemption of native sovereignty in the
Lillooet Country (never surrendered yet) and is about as detailed as you
could ask for if you're interested in legal history.  I think for people
studying the native political situation in the US this book would
probably provide a pretty good comparison of the different mechanisms
and evils that were perpetrated on the British/Canadian side of the
border.  Ms. Drake-Terry is the wife of Saul Terry, a well-known BC
native political activist and longtime chief of the 'Xwisten Nation
(Bridge River Band), one of Lillooet's three principal reserves.

Gotta finish packing.  Kloshe konaway msaika mahsh kopa naika tenas
kloshe tumtum pe kloshe tamanass kopa waykut, pe kopa huyhuy,  Hyas-hyas
mahsie.

Msaika

Mike Cleven
http://members.home.net/skookum/
http://members.home.net/cayoosh/