Message to Hul’q’umi’num’ students
from Ruby Peter Sti’tum’at and Harvey George
in honor of completing the first week of phonetics class

(July 8, 2016)
hay tseep q’a’.
Thank you.

nan ’uw’ ’uy’ nu shqwaluwun.
I’m very happy.

st’e ’uw’ niis slhexun’ ni’ ’u tthunu shqwaluwun.
It’s like it is medicine for my heart and mind.

yu titum’ut tseep tthun’ sqwal, tthu sht’es kwun’s ni’ qwaqwul’.
You are trying really hard on your language, the way you are speaking.

timut ch tthun’ shqwaluwun ’un’s ’uw’ hwu slhq’il’s tthun’ sqwal.
Try hard to make your sounds clear.

kw’am’kw’un’stuhw ch tthun’ shqwaluwun.
Keep your thoughts strong.

nilh yath ’uw’ sqwaqwul’ tthu syuw’en’ tst.
That’s what our ancestors always said.

kw’am’kw’um’stuhw ch tthun’ shqwaluwun.
Keep your thoughts strong.

stitum’stuhw ch tthun’ shqwaluwun.
Strengthen your thoughts.

’i’ sthuthi’ tse’ tthun’ syaays.
And your work will be proper.

’uy’ nu shqwaluwun kwunus ’i lumnalu tthuw’ mukw’.
I’m happy to see you all here.

kwun’s ’i yu t’ut’a’thut, ni’ ch tl’lim’ ’uw’ yu kwe’nnuhw tthu sqwal.
As you are practicing, you are really catching on to the language.

’uw’ yelh sutst hwun’a yaays, ’i’ ni’ tseep wulh yu kwe’nnuhw.
We have just working, and you are already catching on.

nuw’ ni’ ’u tthun’ shqwaluwunulup, tthu hul’q’umi’num’ sqwal.
You have the Hul’q’umi’num’ language in your hearts and minds.

ni’ tseep ’uw’ ts’i’ts’elhum’ut.
You are listening to it.

’uy’ kwu’elh nu shqwaluwun.
I’m happy about this then.

Hul’q’umi’num’ performed by
Ruby Peter

Video
Stuart Pagaduan

Video editing, transcription, and titles
Donna Gerdts

Thank you to
Hul’q’umi’num’ Language and Culture Collective

c 2016