Lushootseed Language
History and development
Lushootseed comes from two words, one meaning "salt water" and the other meaning "language," and refers to the common language, made up of many local dialects, that was spoken throughout the region (Thrush – UW). From archaeological sites, scientists know that Native Americans have lived around Puget Sound for over 10,000 years, arriving just after the Ice Age. Lushootseed origin stories also place the creation of their world far in the past, when the world was in flux. Most of these stories focus on a figure called the Transformer or Changer, whose actions gave sense to the Lushootseed world.
Today, there are eight reservations in Puget Sound country. From south to north, they are the Squaxin, Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, Tulalip, Swinomish, and Upper Skagit. Three additional tribes, the Snoqualmie, Samish, and Skykomish, recently received recognition from the federal government, but do not have reservations. Two more tribes, the Duwamish and Steilacoom, are still working for federal recognition, which would give them access to treaty rights (Thrush – UW).
Lushootseed territories covered a large part of what is now western Washington, from near present-day Bellingham south to the state capital of Olympia, and from the Cascade Mountains west to Hood Canal. Their northern neighbors were the Lummi and Nooksack peoples, while the Twana, Chimacum, and S'Klallam lived to the west. The Chehalis lived to the south, and the Cascades formed a boundary, crossed by high mountain trails, with the Yakama and other peoples of the Columbia Plateau (Thrush – UW).
For interactive map of the Puget sound tribes click here
Today, there are eight reservations in Puget Sound country. From south to north, they are the Squaxin, Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, Tulalip, Swinomish, and Upper Skagit. Three additional tribes, the Snoqualmie, Samish, and Skykomish, recently received recognition from the federal government, but do not have reservations. Two more tribes, the Duwamish and Steilacoom, are still working for federal recognition, which would give them access to treaty rights (Thrush – UW).
Lushootseed territories covered a large part of what is now western Washington, from near present-day Bellingham south to the state capital of Olympia, and from the Cascade Mountains west to Hood Canal. Their northern neighbors were the Lummi and Nooksack peoples, while the Twana, Chimacum, and S'Klallam lived to the west. The Chehalis lived to the south, and the Cascades formed a boundary, crossed by high mountain trails, with the Yakama and other peoples of the Columbia Plateau (Thrush – UW).
For interactive map of the Puget sound tribes click here
Lushootseed words in Lushootseed orthographyEnglish Lushootseed Salish words
one dəč'uʔ two saliʔ three łixw four buus five cəlac man stubš woman sładəyʔ dog sqwəbayʔ sun łukwał moon słukwalb water qwuʔ fire hud stone č'ƛ'aʔ mother sk'wuy father bad house ʔal'al canoe q'il'bid Click here for Lushootseed pronunciation guide and characteristics of the language. |
Keeping the language aliveVi Hilbert (1918-2008) was a member and noted elder of the Upper Skagit tribe. Her first language was Lushootseed, a Coast Salish language found in the Puget Sound region of western Washington state. During her long and productive life, Vi Hilbert played a major role in the revitalization of the language and culture of the First People of the Pacific Northwest. She became known as a teacher, storyteller, publisher, and public speaker. For over 40 years she built and maintained a research archive of cultural materials. Working with other scholars, she developed and published teaching materials and volumes of stories through Lushootseed Research, an organization which she founded. Her commitment to preserving Lushootseed language and literature is largely responsible for the renaissance of interest in Lushootseed culture and the growth of tribal language programs all over western Washington. Please visit University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives website for more information on the life of Vi Hilbert as well as videos, audio, and educational resources of the Lushootseed language and tribes.
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Page Sources:
Lewis, Orrin, and Laura Redish. Native American Language Net: Preserving and Promoting Indigenous American Indian Languages. Native Languages of the Americas, 1998-2015. Web.
Thrush, Coll P. "The Lushootseed Peoples of Puget Sound Country." American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection. University of Washington, 1998. Web.
University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives: http://bela.music.washington.edu/ethno/hilbert/index.html
Photos:
Cover: http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/loc/id/28/rec/8
Basket maker: http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/loc/id/0/rec/11
Vi Hilbert: http://bela.music.washington.edu/ethno/hilbert/index.html
Lewis, Orrin, and Laura Redish. Native American Language Net: Preserving and Promoting Indigenous American Indian Languages. Native Languages of the Americas, 1998-2015. Web.
Thrush, Coll P. "The Lushootseed Peoples of Puget Sound Country." American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection. University of Washington, 1998. Web.
University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives: http://bela.music.washington.edu/ethno/hilbert/index.html
Photos:
Cover: http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/loc/id/28/rec/8
Basket maker: http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/loc/id/0/rec/11
Vi Hilbert: http://bela.music.washington.edu/ethno/hilbert/index.html