1893 Sto:lo temperance pledge in Jargon

Wed Apr 4 19:12:40 UTC 2007

Klahowya Siks!

  Thank you very much, Dave, for all these Chinook Wawa letters, reflecting genuine written Native Chinook Jargon!
  Below I'll try a translation of the regulations of the Indian Temperance Society:

  1. Ilip lo. = Ilo makmak lam. = Ilo klatwa 
kah lam mitlait. = Ilo klatwa kanamokst tilikom klaksta 
makmak lam.

  1. First rule [literally: "law"]. = Don't drink alcohol [literally "rum"; might be also whisky]. = Don't go where there is alcohol. = Don't go together with people who drink alcohol.

  2. Mokst lo. = Kanawi son tanas son pi pulakli
klatwa styuil kanamokst kanawi tilikom.

  2. Secnd rule = Every day in the morning and in the evening [literally: "night"] go to pray together with all the people.

  3. Tlun lo. = Pus iht tilikom kopa ukuk kompani 
makmak lam, iaka piii kakwa:

Pus ilo wash Iht tala $1.00
Pus wash Mokst tala 2.00
Pus 0+* tilikom Tlun tala 3.00
Pus washman kopa K Lakit tala 4.00
Pus taii wachman Kwinam tala 5.00

  3. Third rule. = If one person in this company drinks alcohol, he will pay [a fine] as follows [literally: "so"]:

  If not baptized: One dollar $1.00
  If baptized: Two dolars 2.00
  If i's a person who has had communion: Three dollars 3.00
  If he is a watchman of "K": Four dollars 4.00
  If he is a chief watchman: Five dollars 5.00

  4. Lakit lo. = Tilikom kopa ukuk kompani klaska
alki klatwa ashnu kopa taii pus klaska tlap laplitas
pus klaska tsipi kopa mamuk kopa Sondi, tamanwas
mamuk, shim mamuk, Sawash tans, patlach pasisi[,]
slaal, ankati mimlus mamuk, pi kopa kanawi ikta lisivik
wawa pus ilo tilikom klatwa. 

  4. Fourth rule.= People in this comany will go [and] kneel before the chief in order to get penitence if they have done wrong by working on Sunday, making magic, shameful deeds, Indian dance, giving blankets, gambling, "making long-before deads" [necromancy?], and for everything the bishop [will] say if no person goes. [I didn't understand the meaning here]

  5. Kwinam lo. = Alki tilikom kopa ukuk kompani
klaska kikuli tomtom kopa klaska taii, kopa klaska
wachman, alki iht tilikom kopa ukuk kompani shako
kopa ukuk kompani klaska kikuli tomtom kopa ukuk taii
pi kopa wachman pi kopa klaska liplit.

Kakwa ukuk kwinam lo. 

  5. Fifth rule. = In the future people in this company they are humble [? literally: "low-hearted"] before their chief, before their watchman, in the future one person in this company comes to this company they are humble before this chief and before the watchan and before their priest. [not very clear to me!]

  So is this fifth rule.

  This is what I understood. Maybe someone else will do it better!

  Francisc

Dave Robertson <ddr11 at UVIC.CA> wrote:
    Anybody want to translate? -- Dave R. 

>From Kamloops Wawa #65 12 February 1893:

Indian Temperance Society [many Sto:lo people have taken the pledge by 
signing their names to teach these regulations to everyone; they’re very 
enthused about the society; the pledge is reproduced:]