kwun’atul’ ni’ ’u kwthu hiiw’alum’ew’t-hw | Together at the gym

Story and art by Brittany Elliott with Hul’q’umi’num’ translation and voice by Ruby Peter.

A Christmas dinner brings back memories of going to hockey games. Brittany participated in the workshop s’aa’lh shtutul’na’mut | Through our eyes at Ladysmith Secondary School, Ladysmith, British Columbia, in 2015.

 

Brittany Elliott and Ruby Peter

kwun’atul’ ni’ ’u kwthu hiiw’alum’ew’t-hw | Together at the gym

My name is Brittany Elliott from Stz’uminus and this is my story about family dinners. I love my family and being with them telling stories.

1. ni’ ’u kwthu klimus skweyul ’i’ sq’uq’ip tthunu shhwuw’eli ni’ ’u kwthu lelum’ kwthu nu sulsi’lu.
It was Christmas day and my family was together at my grandparents’.

2. ni’ kwthunu shhwuw’eli kwthunu s’a’luqw’a’ nu shhwum’ne’lukw ’i’ kwthu stul’ta’lusth.
There were my parents, my sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, and their spouses.

3. ’i tst he’kw’me’t kwsutst yath ’uw’ sq’uq’ip. suw’ huy’thust tthunu sq’uq’a’ qwiil’qwul’tul’ tst.
We were remembering about our times together, and this is one story I was telling to my family.

4. ’i’ tsun xut’u skw’ey kwunus mel’qt tthu sht’es kwutst yathulh ’uw’ kwun’atul’ ni’ ’u kwthu hiiw’alum’ew’t-hw.
I said, I will never forget all the times we spent together at different gyms.

5. ’i’ nilh tthu shhwuw’eli tst yath nuw’ sq’uq’a’ ’u tthu hiiw’a’lum’, xut’ustum’ hockey tournament pe’ptitul’ mukw’ ’untsu shhwunum’s ’i’ ’u tun’a skwthe’.
And our relatives were together playing in hockey tournaments up and down the island.

6. ’i tsun he’kw’me’t kwthu nuts’ehw kwutst ’ulh ni’ ’u kwthu hun’utum’ Port Alberni.
I remember one time, when we were at Port Alberni.

7. nilh nus ’uw’ hwun’ stl’itl’qulh ’i’ ’uy’stuhw tsun kwunus xi’xlhem’ut kwthunu men sq’uq’a’s ’u tthey’ xutustum’ hockey.
I was still a kid and I enjoyed watching my dad play hockey.

8. mukw’ tthunu shhwuw’eli ni’ sq’uq’a’ ’u tthu mustimuhw—lhunu si’lu, lhunu ten, tthunu shhw’a’luqw’a’—mukw’ ’uw’ sq’uq’ip.
My whole family was in the crowd—Grandma, Mom, sisters, and female cousins.

9. mukw’ tst nuw’ tuteem’, timuthutus tthu mentst, shuyulhtst, shhwumne’lukwtst.
We were all cheering our dads, sons, and uncles.

10. ’i’ tsun wulh ’itutum nu stl’i’ kwunus lhaq’uthut qewum.
I was getting sleepy and wanted to take a nap.

11. suw’ thuytus thunu ten ’i’ thunu si’lu, ni’ theytum tthu luxwtun, lum’lum’utun ni’ ’u tthu sxun’us kwus pethutus, nilh ni’ nu shhw’a’mut shnemustheelt kw’unus ni’ lhaq’uthut.
My Mom and Grandma fixed blankets by their feet to make me a bed.

12. ni’ tsun ’uw’ he’kw’ ’u thunu si’lu kwus wulh luxwutham’shus ’u thu swetus.
I remember my Grandma covering me up with her sweater.

13. ’i tsun kw’u’as kwunus ’i le’lum’ ’i’ ’i tsun wulh lumnuhw tthu xut’ustum’ fan kwus salq’thut.
I was looking up and I saw the fans spinning.

14. ni’ tsun wulh ts’elhum’ut tthuw’ mukw’ lhwet kwus tuteem’, “tslhaqwt tthu smukw! tslhaqwt tthu smukw.”
I heard everyone in the crowd yelling, “Shoot the ball!”

15. mukw’ lhwet ’uw’ tuteem’ut tthu xut’ustum’ referee, tuteem’utum’ “le’lum’ut tthu hiiw’a’lum’, ref! le’lum’ut tthu hiiw’a’lum’!”
Everyone was cheering and yelling at the ref, “Watch the game, Ref! Watch the game!”

16. we’ kwus hay ’ul’ qux tthu ni’ kwulukwtsem’ ’i’ ni’ tsun ’uw’ nuqw ’ul’, ni’ tsun ’itut. niihw hith kwunus ni’ ’i’tut.
Despite all the noise, I finally closed my eyes and fell asleep, and I slept for a long time.

17. nilh kwu’elh ni’ nuw s’he’kw’ ’u tun’a skweyul kwunus sq’uq’a’ ’u tthunu ts’lhhwulmuhw nem’ ’i’mush hunum’ ’u tthu hiiw’a’lum’ hockey.
This is my story, remembering my family at the hockey games.

18. nilh ni’ nuw’ sqwul’qwul’ ’u kwthu klismus snet.
This is what I told them that Christmas night.

19. ni’ wulh tsulel ’i’ hayuqun tthu ’ulh’i’lhtun’.
Dinner was almost finished.

20. wulh qwal thunu ten tssetalum tun’a lhnimulh stl’ul’iqulh. thutstalum ’i tseep ’uw’ yuts’its’usum’, ni’ tse’ hay ’ul’ qux ni’ lumnuhwuhw shni’s tthu hiiw’a’lum’, tthu ni’ shtes kwus hiiw’a’lum’ tthun’ shhwuw’eli.
My mom was telling us kids how we grew up in different gyms watching our parents playing hockey.

21. kwus wulh net ’i’ ’i tst qwiil’qwul’, qwiil’qwul’ ’u tthu qux ni’ lumnuhwut, ni’ sht’es tthu hiiw’a’lum’ ni’ lumnuhwut. ni’ ’uw’ ’uy’ ’ul’ nu shqwaluwun. ’i’ tsun ’uw’ ’iyustuhw ’ul’ tthu ni’ ts’elhum’uteen’, sqwul’qwul’s tthunu stl’i’ nu sts’lhhwulmuhw.
As the night went on, we told stories about what we saw, like when we watched games. And I was very happy. It made me happy to hear the stories about dear relatives.

22. hay ch q’u!
Thank you!