Annie McQueen letter, Nicola Valley BC

[David Robertson]

The "Nicola Valley Historical Quarterly" distributed by the fine museum in 
Merritt, BC whose benefactors include the Teit family, ran excerpts of the 
McQueen family's correspondence several years ago.  In the April 1979 
issue, on page 9, is part of an 1887 letter from Annie to Jess.  It 
includes the following bits about going on a date:  

"Next morning, Mr. Carpenter came tearing in to say that there was to be 
cultis pot-latch at the rancheree above Quilchena, and to ask Nellie Riley 
and I to go with Andy Derby and himself.  Now as you are uninitiated I'll 
explain, a cultis pot-latch is an Indian festival, where the Indians gather 
from all directions to give each other gifts, make speeches, and make fools 
of themselves generally.  The rancheree is the reserve where the Indians 
dwell."

[An entertaining anecdote about finding a "dude" by the side of the road 
follows.  Then tea at the Quilchena Hotel.]

"Then went on to the potlatch.  Ed O'Rourke tried to coax us not to go, he 
was afraid that the Siwashes would be noisy, but we were not to be daunted, 
we went straight on and when we got there, the scene was picturesque enough 
for fairyland itself.  There were the tents with fires gleaming from the 
doorways all surrounding one enormous tent with two doorways and the roof 
open to the sky, a large fire reached almost from doorway to doorway and 
all around the tent was the Indians and the Klootchmen, while the elderly 
Klootchmen on their knees baked and cooked at the big fire and passed the 
food as fast as they could to the crowd behind them."

--Dave R

To respond to the CHINOOK list, click 'REPLY ALL'.  To respond privately to the sender of a message, click 'REPLY'.  Hayu masi!