Upper Skagit Tribe elder dies (fwd link)

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Upper Skagit Tribe elder dies

Email | Print Tahlia Ganser | Skagit Valley Herald
December 19, 2008 - 07:23 PM
Pacific Northwest, USA

LA CONNER — A nationally known Upper Skagit Tribe elder died Friday morning,
leaving behind the legacy of her preserved language and culture.

Vi Hilbert, who died at age 90 of natural causes, dedicated much of her life
documenting and translating the Lushootseed culture and language. Lushootseed
is the language of the Northwest tribes, which Hilbert called “the first people
of this land.”

“My mother believed there was nothing she couldn’t do,” said her only daughter,
Lois Schluter, 70, of Bow. “She had incredible energy.”

Born in Skagit County, Hilbert was one of eight children — the only to survive
past the age of 3. As a child, she was sent to boarding school, where she was
punished for speaking her native language, Lushootseed, which she later
dedicated herself to saving.

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