’uy’ s’ulhtun – Good diet

Story and photos by Thomas Jones. Hul’q’umi’num’ translation by Ruby Peter.
Hul’q’umi’num’ is a Salish language spoken on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

’uy’ s’ulhtun
A Good Diet

Story by Thomas Jones
Hul’q’umi’num’ translation by Ruby Peter
Edited by Donna Gerdts

wulh netulh, suw’ hwuyt-s tu tsi’tsut tu Sam.
“wulh hwnetulhqun, Sam,” thut thu tsi’tsut.
“’uy’!” thut Sam, “xwum ’u tsun ’i’ lhuyxt kw’ donuts?”

It is morning and Mom wakes up Sam.
“Breakfast time, Sam.” says Mom.
“Good,” says Sam. “Can I have some donuts?”

“’uwu! skw’ey! qul ’utl’ nuwu. nan ’uw’ q’et’um.
nilh tse’ kwthu tth’utth’uxals ’i’ kwthu toast.”

“No!” says Mom. “That’s bad for you. Too sugary.
Instead we will have eggs and toast.”

tl’qw’utum Sam ’u thu tsi’tsut kws nem’s skwoul.
ni’ skwoukwul’ tu Sam, sis ’uw’ hiiw’a’lum’tul’ ’u tu siiye’yus.

Mom dresses Sam and he goes to school.
Sam is at school, and he’s playing with his friends.

“na’ut wulh tahw skweyuluqun,” thut thu hw’iiw’tssun’uq.
thut Sam, “’uy’! xwum ’u tsun ’i’ lhuyxt tthu kiks?”
“’uwu!” thut thu hw’iiw’tssun’uq. “nan ’uw’ q’et’um.
nilh tse’ kw’ sandwich nilh ’uy’.”

“It’s lunchtime,” says the teacher.
Sam says, “Good! Can I have some cake?”
“No!” says the teacher. “It’s too sugary.
A sandwich would be good.”

“nilh tse’ kwthu ham sandwich,” thut Sam.
“’uy’!” thut thu hw’iiw’tssun’uq.
“’un’ stl’i’ ’u kw’ shewuq?”
thut Sam, “’uy’!”
“’un’ stl’i’ ’u kw’ ’ipuls shqwa’ul’uqw?”
thut Sam, “’uy’!”

“It’ll be a ham sandwich,” says Sam.
“Good!” says the teacher.
“Do you want a carrot?”
Sam says, “Good!”
“Do you want some apple juice?”
Sam says, “Good!”

thut thu hw’iiw’tssun’uq, “nilh kwu’elh hay ’ul’ ’uy’ s’ulhtun!”
nem’ ’utl’qul Sam, hii’w’a’lum’tul’ ’u tu siiye’yus, ni’ hwukw’am’kw’um’.

The teacher says, “That’s a really good diet you are eating.”
Sam goes out to play with his friends and is becoming very strong.

kwus wulh hay tu skwoukwul’ ’i’ ni’ nem’ ’imush t’akw’ tu Sam.
hwuni’ hun’umut ’i’ ni’ hii’w’a’lum’tul’ ’u tu siiye’yus.

The end of the school day comes and Sam walks on home.
When he gets home, he plays with his friends.

“hwusaay’ tu s’ulhtun,” thut thu tsi’tsut.
“’uy’!” thut Sam.
“xwum ’u tst ’i’ nem’ tsburgers ’i’ kw’ fries ’i’ kw’ pop?”

“Dinner time,” says Mom.
“Good!” says Sam.
“Can we go get burgers, fries, and pop?”

“’uwu!” thut thu tsi’tsut.
“nilh tse’ kwthu stseelhtun, sqewth, tl’ikw’un’, corn nilh tse’ lhuyxtut.
’i tsun ’uw’ statul’stuhw kw’un’s ’i kw’e kw’i’.”

“No!” says Mom.
“It’s going to be salmon, potatoes, peas, and corn that we will eat.
I know that you are hungry.”

“stem kw’u ni’ sla’thut ni’ ’u kwthun’ skwoul ’u tun’a kweyul?” thut thu tsi’tsut.
thut Sam, “qux kwthu ni’ tul’nuhween’ ’i’ ni’ tsun tl’uw’ hii’w’a’lum’tul’ ’u kwthunu siiye’yu.”
putum’ thu tsi’tsut, “’un’stl’i’ ’u kw’ fruit ’i’ kw’ squw suplil?”
“hay ch q’a’, te’. ’uw’ ’uhwin’ ’ul’ kw’unu stl’i’.

“What did you do in school today?” asks Mom.
Sam says, “I learned a lot of things and I played with my friends.”
Mom asks, “Do you want some fruit and squw (native-style baking powder bread)?”
“Thank you, Mom. I want just a little bit.

xwum ’u tsun ’i’ nem’ ’utl’qul huw’a’lum’?”
“nem’ ch p’e’ ’uw’ qe’is ’ul’,” thut thu tsi’tsut.
teem thu ten ’utl’ Sam, “m’i nuw’ilum, ni’ wulh tl’a’m ’un’ shhw’itut.”
thut Sam, “o-o-o, te’! xwum ’u tsun ’i’ ’uw’ hu’w’a’lum’ qul’et ’u kw’uw’ qe’is ’ul’?”
thut thu tsi’tsut, “’ni’ wulh stl’atl’um’ ’un’sh ’unuhw, skwoul ch ’uw’ kweyulus.

Can I go out and play now?”
“Go just for a little while,” says Mom.
Sam’s mother calls out, “Come in because it’s time to go to bed.”
Sam says, “Oh, Mom. Can I just play again for a little while longer?”
Mom says, “It really is time for you to stop because you have school tomorrow.

nan ’uw’ ’uy’ kw’un’s ni’ k’wam’k’wum’ tun’ smusteyuhw.
nilh yuhw kw’un’s ni’ lhuyxt kwthu ’uy’ sulhtun.”

It’s good that your body is so strong.
It must be because you eat such good food.”

thut thu tsi’tsut, “tun’a netulh ’i’ nilh kw’ donuts ’iin’ stl’i’, ’i’ nilh kwthu tth’utth’uxals ’i’ kwthu toast ni’ lhuyxtuhw.”
thut Sam, “kwus wulh tahw skweyul ’i’ nu stl’i’ kw’ kiks ’i’ uwu.

Mom says, “For breakfast, you wanted donuts, but what you ate was eggs and toast.”
Sam says, “And when it was noon, I wanted cake, but no.

nilh kwthu sandwich, shewuq ’i’ kwthu shqwa’ul’uqw ’ipuls nilh nu s’ulhtun.
tthu shhwune’untqun ’i’ ’un’stl’i’ kw’un’s nem’ tl’tawun ’ukw’ burgers, fries, pop ’i’ uwu.
nilh kwthu stseelhtun, sqewth, tl’ikw’un’ ’i’ kwthu corn nilh ni’ sulhtuntst.”
thut Sam “’uwu ch me’mul’quhw ni’ tst lhuyxt kwthu fruit ’i’ kwthu squw suplil.

It was a sandwich, carrots, and apple juice that I ate.
And for dinner I wanted to go to town for burgers, fries, and pop, but no.
It was salmon, potatoes, peas, and corn that we had for our meal.
Sam says, “Don’t forget that we ate fruit and also some squw bread.

thut thu tsi’tsut, “nilh kwu’elh ’un’sh ’i’ nan ’uw’ hwuti’ti’uya’xw nilh kwus ’uy’ s’ulhtun kwu ni’ ’un’ sxlhas.
xwum kw’un’s ts’isum hwukw’am’kw’um’ ch ’i’ tl’uw’ kw’am’kw’um’ tun’ stth’am’.”
thut Sam, “’uw’ thu’it. ni’ tsun hwukw’am’kw’um’ ’i’ ni’ tsun xwum kw’unus xwchenum.”
“qewum ch p’e’ st’e ’u tthey’.
’uy’ snet, Sam!”
“’uy’ snet, te’!”

Mom says, “That must be why you have so much energy—because of all the good food you ate.
You are really growing fast and getting really strong, and your bones are strong too.”
Sam says, “That’s right. I’m getting strong and I can run really fast.”
“Well, rest now.
Good night, Sam!”
“Good night, Mom!”

ni’ hay.
The end.

tu ’uy’ s’ulhtun ’i’ ni’ ts’ewutum tun’ smusteyuxw, ’un’ tth’ele’ ’i’ tun’ shqwaluwun.

Good food helps your body, your heart, and your mind.

CREDITS

Story and Voice
Thomas Jones “Sewit”

Translation
Ruby Peter “Sti’tum’at”

Editing
Donna Gerdts

Starring
Samuel Jones “Sulilhultun”
Helen Jones “Kwatl’kwumaat”
and friends and relatives

Photos
Thomas Jones
Sound Recording and Editing
Thomas Jones

Video
Donna Gerdts
Carolyn Ruttan

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Story: ‘uy’ s’ulhtun