’iyus mumun’lh | Happy little ones

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LynseyJohnnyFNLG200

Lynsey Johnny wrote this children’s poem for her final project for FNLG 200, summer 2016, and her grandmother Ruby Peter and linguist Donna Gerdts help put it into Hul’q’umi’num’. You can hear her grandmother reading the poem below.


’iyus mumun’lh | Happy little ones

iyus mumun’lh | Happy Little Ones from Hakwush on Vimeo.

by Lynsey Johnny, Ruby Peter, and Donna Gerdts

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hwiin’eem’ ’u tthu sqw’uqw’ul’ush t’it’ul’um’.
m’i wil’ thu sum’shathut.
’ilhe nem’ hwii’neem’
’u tthu ’iyus st’ult’ilum.

Listen to all the birdies singing.
The sun has just appeared.
Let’s go and listen
to their happy song.

’i tseep stitiya’xw.
’ii tseep ’uw’ ’iyus ’ul’?
’ii tseep wulh tsulel ’i’ nem’ lhakw’?
’uy’ netulh, sqw’uliqw’lush, ’uy’ netulh.

You are very busy.
Are you happy?
Will you fly away soon?
Good morning, little birdies, good morning.

s-hwi’s-hwule’, s-hwi’s-hwule’!
Tweet, tweet!


lemut thu squli’quw’eth ’i’tut
na’ut wulh q’ilt.
nem’ yuhw tst ’u tuw’ hwuyt
’uw’ niit tse’ hay’yi’num’?

Look at all the bunnies sleeping
in the late morning.
Shall we gently wake them up
with a merry laugh?

nan tseep ’uw’ ’un’nehw ’ul’.
’ii tseep ’uw’ ’eli ’ul’?
’ii tseep wulh tsulel ’i’ hwuythut?
’uy’ skweyul, squli’qwuw’eth, ’uy’ skweyul.

You are so still.
Are you all well?
Will you wake up soon?
Good day, little bunnies, good day.

tstl’um, tstl’um, tstl’um!
Hop, hop, hop!


lemut tthu sqwuqwumi’ hiiw’a’lum’
ni’ ’u tthu yul’ew’ tahw skweyul.
nem’ yuhw tst ’a ’unuhwstuhw
’i’ nilh kws xlhast tst?

Look at all the puppies playing
in the afternoon.
Shall we stop them
and have come to eat?

nan tseep ’uw’ huw’lhthut.
’uwa’lu kwun’s ’i lhtsiws?
’ii tseep tse’ ’uw’ tuw’ lihwa’lhthut?
’uy’ hwune’unt, sqwuli’qwmi’, ’uy’ hwune’unt.

You are restless.energetic.
Aren’t you tired?
Will you settle down soon?
Good evening, little puppies, good evening.

wuwa’us, wuwa’us, wuwa’us!
Bark, bark, bark!


lemut tthu quqe’q hiiw’a’lum’
ni’ ’u tthu hwune’unt.
nem’ tst tse’ ’itut-stuhw
’i’ nilh suw’ heen’ut tst.

Look at the little baby playing
in the evening time.
We will send her off to sleep
with a lullaby.

nan ch ’uw’ t’ayqw’thut.
’ii ch wulh lhtsiws?
’ii ch wulh tsulel ’i’ ’itut?
’uy’ snet, quqe’q, ’uy’ snet.

You are so fussy.
Aren’t you tired?
Will you go to sleep soon?
Goodnight, little baby, good night.

lhat’uqw’um, lhat’uqw’um, lhat’uqw’um!
Snore, snore, snore!