Contacts re Stuwix

Wed Jan 19 00:02:03 UTC 2000

David Lewis wrote:
>
> I think it is important to remember that we should not assume that
> Indigenous people know nothing of their own history and language and that
> academia holds all of the answers. This has been a historic problem with
> all scientists who assume they are the experts over the native peoples they
> are studying. Perhaps you did not mean it that way, but what is written
> here can be interpreted to mean this very easily.  There are various
> reasons why native people do not let the whole world know they already hold
> the knowledge of their past and most of them center around the histories of
> colonialism here. Please be careful in how you phrase your enthusiasm and
> willingness to pass on what you know to Indigenous people. I'm sure that if
> you said this to these people, they would not be as cooperative or thankful
> of your information as you would like.
> In Spirit
> David

Of course I didn't mean it that way, and I try to be as circumspect and
proper as I can figure out how to be in bringing this stuff forward.  I
am interested in this stuff as someone who is proud of the history of
this region in general, and I happen to find the subject of pre-Contact
native history of especial interest.  I do not mean to sound as if this
needs academic approval; my discussion of publication was to further
public knowledge of these histories and cultures and for only that
reason.  How else to build understanding than with knowledge?  I am
sorry if my enthusiasm sounds sophomoric or "not in tune with native
feelings" by my interest is sincere and not meant cheaply or
exploitively.  I really do think that a well-written history of the NW
peoples that updates and integrates what is known about so-called
"prehistory" in the NW would be popular and widely read and could
engender more awareness by non-natives of native history and interests.
I'm sorry I'm so gushy, but I just find the hidden history of the NW
fascinating, and well worth knowing about and trying to figure out;
stories like the Stuwix, or Coyote's various deeds and monuments in the
Fraser Canyon, or the Similkameen massacre of Spanish forces, or the
role of men such as Nicola or the great 19th Century chiefs of the Haida
and Nootka and Lillooet shed unique light on the character of this
place.  Ever since I was young I wondered at "the history before" here;
I hope I am not punished for my interest.......as mentioned, I phrase
myself as carefully as I can and am aware of native sensitivities from
having lived alongside and in native communities at various points in my
life; but I am what I am, even if only an artsy-fartsy cultus whiteman
(as some might take me for, if only they knew).  I live in the big city
now, but follow native politics here in BC with interest (and
sympathetically) because of my old life in "the out country" - up by
Lillooet, and out in Mission - where the realities of ongoing native
existence in British Columbia are clearly evident.  My karate master
trains native peacemakers/police and some of my friends and karateka
brothers are St'at'imc; they'd be able to confirm for you that I'm
"aware" and "sensitive" to native life and sentiments, and am not
shallow in my beliefs in this direction.

The reason I suggested that someone else fax or write the bands whose
language departments might be able to provide this information is
because I am aware I am not native; maybe if I were a professional
linguist or grad student this would be more normal, but I think a native
linguist or historian calling from the US would get more response than a
non-native hobby historian in Vancouver.  I'm not trying to say "hey
kids, let's all do this....!!".  Never meant it to sound smarmy.....and
only provided the addresses and URLs as possible resources for anyone
interested.

One guy who _might_ know something about all this is Bill Barlee, a
local historical author and former MLA (even cabinet minister, I
think).  Have to see if I can dig him up.
>
> At 12:12 PM 01/17/2000 -0800, you wrote:
> >I'm happy to report that the Union of BC Indian Chiefs has an extensive
> >set of links and other resources in its website at
> >http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/.  Off its links page I managed to find:
> >
> >http://vancouver.miningco.com/local/vancouver/msub21.htm
> >
> >which includes links to directories of band addresses and other
> >resources.  The band addresses are actually at
> >http://www.dickshovel.com/, which some of you may be familiar with as a
> >major native political and cultural site-resource; if I recall correctly
> >that was also the site that had a fascinating on-line history of
> >railway/native/Metis politics in the 19th Century that's well worth the
> >read.
> >
> >The main UBCIC links page is:
> >
> >http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/links.htm
> >
> >If anyone wants to write or fax directly to any of the following bands,
> >"ATTN Language Dept." or something to that effect would make sure it
> >gets to the right person.  I'm sure any local native historian would be
> >glad to hear of an opportunity to solve the mystery of the Stuwix'
> >origin and might already have a list of such unknown words already
> >researched.  "Stuwix" is, I think, Nlaka'pamux although the book never
> >quite says it that way; it may be Syilx (Okanagan); it's not clear from
> >the book if it means "the strangers" or not.
> >
> >The Upper and Lower Similkameen Bands are Okanagan.  The Lower Nicola
> >Band is Nlaka'pamux; I'm not sure if the Upper Nicola Band is
> >Nlaka'pamux or Spaxomin, or both; there is no mention of a separate
> >Douglas Lake community government, which is the core locality of the
> >Spaxomin; they may have merged with the Nlaka'pamux (Sce'exmx)
> >neighbours in Merritt a while ago (maybe Terry G knows).  Sounds as if
> >the Stuwix were current through the upper Similkameen as well as up to
> >Douglas Lake and maybe Tulameen; it'll be interesting to see the
> >distribution of those placenames.
> >
> >I'll see if I can find out who the relevant specialist at Simon Fraser
> >Univ. is.....
> >
> >Upper Similkameen Indian Band
> >P.O. Box 310
> >Keremeos, BC VOX I N0
> >(250) 499-2221
> >FAX 499-5117
> >
> >Upper Nicola Indian Band
> >P.O. Bag 3700
> >Merritt, BC VOK 2B0
> >(250) 350-3342
> >FAX 350-3311
> >
> >Lower Nicola Indian Band
> >R.R. 1, Site 17, Comp. 18
> >Merritt, BC VOK 2BO
> >(250) 378-5157
> >FAX 378-6188
> >
> >Lower Similkameen Band
> >Admin.Office
> >P.O. Box 100
> >Keremeos BC V0X 1N0
> >(250) 499-5528
> >FAX 499-5335
>
>  ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> David Lewis                     541.684.9003
> P.O. Box 3086           Cell 541.954.2466
> Eugene, OR 97403
>
> talapus at kalapuya.com, coyotez at darkwing.uoregon.edu,
>          coyotez at oregon.uoregon.edu
>
>                  http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~coyotez
>
> ICQ# 45730935
>  ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><