Chinook letter from 1895

[David Robertson]

This was in Kamloops Wawa.  It's a Native boy addressing his pagan
family.  Anyone care to suggest translations of it?  Helpful hints--words
peculiar to Kamloops Wawa include ikta mamuk (why); haha (holy; having
spirit power); wik kata (impossible; there's no way); tlap klahawiam (be
humbled; humiliated).

"Ikta mamuk msaika skukum tomtom
kopa tamanwas man, ikta mamuk msaika wawa: Aias haha
ukuk tamanwas man.  Wik naika nanich pus iaka aias haha:
Pus iaka aias haha wik kata pus iaka sik, wik
kata pus mimlus: Pi msaika komtaks kanawi tamanwas man
tlap sik pi mimlus kakwa kanawi tilikom.  Pus man tanas
sik: Msaika iskom tamanwas pi iaka chako tlus, pi msaika wawa
tamanwas man mamuk tlus iaka: Pi wik kakwa.  Pus man skukum
sik, wik kata tamanwas man mamuk tlus iaka: Pus 100
tamanwas mamuk kopa iaka wik kata pus klaska mamuk tlus
iaka.  Pus S[ahali] T[ayi] tiki mamuk tlus iaka, aiak iaka chako
tlus[,] pus S[ahali] T[ayi] tiki pus iaka mimlus, aiak iaka mimlus.

"Pi ikta mamuk msaika skukum tomtom kopa tamanwas pi
msaika mash S[ahali] T[ayi] iaka wawa.  Alki msaika tlap sik[,]
alki msaika mimlus[,] pi msaika tlap klahawiam kopa ukuk[.]
Tlus msaika kwash kopa S[ahali] T[ayi], pi wik msaika kwash
kopa tamanwas man."

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