kwelsh tthu spe’uth
hide the bear

’ilhe huw’alum’ ’ukw’ ’iyas suw’a’lum’, “kwelsh tthu spe’uth”.
Let’s play a cute, little game, “Hide the bear”.

lhwet kw’u nem’ kwelsh tthu spe’uth?
Who will hide the bear?

lhwet tse’ kw’ yuw’en’?
Who will go first?

’een’thu tse’.
I will.

’uy’, nuwu tse’ yuw’en’.
Good, you will go first.

’uy’, kwunut tthu spe’uth.
Good, take the bear.

lhwet tse’ kw’ suw’q’t tthu spe’uth?
Who will look for the bear?

’een’thu tse’.
I will.

tth’ihwum ch ’i’ tth’up’nuhw.
Please close your eyes.

’uwu ch hwi’wul’usum’uhw.
Don’t peek.

kwelsh tthu spe’uth.
Hide the bear.

mukw’ tseep ’uw’ kw’shem tus ’u kw’ ’apun.
Everybody count to ten.

nuts’a, yuse’lu, lhihw, xu’athun, lhq’etsus, t’xum, tth’a’kwus, te’tsus, toohw, ’apun
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

xunuq’t ch ’u tthun’ qulum’.
Open your eyes.

nem suwq’t kwthu spe’uth.
Go look for the bear.

ni’ ’untsu kwthu spe’uth?
Where is the bear?

(ni’ wulh nem’ suw’q’tus tthu stl’i’tl’qulh kwthu spe’uth.)
(Then the child will go look for the bear.)

mukw’ tseep ’uw’ kw’shem tus ’u kw’ tskw’ush.
Everybody count to twenty.

nuts’a, yuse’lu, lhihw, xu’athun, lhq’etsus, t’xum, tth’a’kwus, te’tsus, toohw, ’apun, ’apun ’i’ kw’ yuse’lu, ’apun ’i’ kw’ lhihw, ’apun ’i’ kw’ xu’athun, ’apun ’i’ kw’ lhq’etsus, ’apun ’i’ kw’ t’xum, ’apun ’i’ kw’ tth’a’kwus, ’apun ’i’ kw’ te’tsus, ’apun ’i’ kw’ toohw, tskw’ush.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

kwunnuhw ch kws hwuw’ees niis tus ’u kwthu tskw’ush.
Find it before we finish counting to twenty.

ni’ ch ’uw’ tsa-a-akw ’ul’.
You are just far.

xwum tsun ’i’ ts’ewuthamu?
Can I help you?

nem’ ch lemut tthu stst’utse’ ’u tthu lutem.
Go look on the table.

nem’ ch lemut tthu s’i’q ’u tthu shts’e’nutstun.
Go look under the chair.

nem’ ch lemut tthu stutes ’u tthu shhw’uw’kw’elu.
Go look near the cabinet.

nem’ ch lemut tthu lhulhel’ ’u tthu shelh.
Go look behind the door.

nem’ ch lemut tthu sun’iw’ ’u tthu situn.
Go look in the basket.

’uy’, ni’ ch wulh ts’imul’.
Good, you are getting close.

oo, tl’lim’ ch ’uw’ wulh ts’imul’.
Oh, you are really close.

ni’ wulh tl’am.
That’s enough. (time’s up)

nii ch kwunnuhw kwthu spe’uth?
Did you get the bear?

’e’ut ’i ’u tu’i!
Here it is.

’uy’, ni’ ch kwunnuhw.
Good, you found it.

’ilhe qul’et huw’a’lum’!
Let’s play again.

lhwet kw’u nem’ kwelsh tthu spe’uth?
Who will hide the bear?

lhwet tse’ kw’u suw’q’t tthu spe’uth?
Who will look for the bear?

Some objects to hide:

spe’uth “bear”

munaya’lh “doll”

sqwumey’ “dog”

sququweth “rabbit”

smukw “ball”

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This might seem like a simple game, but it requires some sophisticated grammar. When the bear is in view before it is hidden and after it is found, use the determiner tthu || tu and when it is hidden, used the out of view determiner kwthu || kwu.

Remember, if you want to sound like a fluent speaker, then you must use intonation like the Elders. They never raise the pitch of their voice for a question when speaking  Hul’q’umi’num’. Instead they let a question word or the question particle (’u) do the work of asking a question. They contract ’i  +  ’u  to ’ii  and  ni’ +’ u to nii ),

This cute little game was invented by Lesley Lorenz as her final project for FNLG 200. Ruby Peter helped translate into  Hul’q’umi’num’, Donna Gerdts transcribed and edited it, Delores Louie read it, Donna Gerdts recorded it, Heather Harris did the sound editing.

 

hay ch q’u, Lesley for the interest you are showing in Hul’q’umi’num’ on behalf of your students at Stz’uminus School.