大象传媒

stl鈥檌鈥檛l鈥檘ulh tthu kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts, 鈥檌鈥� yath 鈥檜w鈥� ni鈥� 鈥檜 tthu ti鈥檡a鈥檟ween.
Small Number is a five year-old boy who gets into a lot of mischief.

nilh tthu sul鈥檚i鈥檒us ni鈥� shni鈥檚 鈥檌 ya-a-ath 鈥檜w鈥� mukw鈥� stem tuw鈥� suluthut鈥檚 kwus ni鈥� 鈥檜 tthu ti鈥檡a鈥檟ween.
He visiting his grandparents鈥� place, and they are always busy doing stuff.

tus 鈥檜 tthu nuts鈥檃鈥� lhqelts鈥� 鈥檌鈥� wulh ti鈥檡a鈥檟wuthut nem鈥� heew鈥檜 nem鈥� 鈥檜tl鈥� yuqwulhte鈥� lemutus tthu siiye鈥檡us.
This month they are hunting up north in Yuqwulhte鈥� territory at the home of their relatives.

ni鈥� tse鈥� ni鈥� kw鈥檜 tl鈥檜nuq ni鈥� 鈥檜 kwthu nem鈥� shnem鈥檚.
And there鈥檚 going to be a potlatch at the place they are going.

they鈥檛us tthu susule鈥� tthu la鈥檛hun, nilh tse鈥� ni鈥� hakw 鈥檜w鈥� nem鈥檜s tus 鈥檜 kwthu yu shhwunum鈥檚.
Granddad is making a dish, that will be used at that place they arrived to.

stl鈥檌鈥檚 tthu susule鈥� kws shuqnehws tthu ni鈥� they鈥檛us ni鈥� xt鈥檈kw鈥檛us tthu hwstl鈥檜p la鈥檛hun, thi-i-i hwstl鈥檜p la鈥檛hun.
Grandpa needs to finish carving a feast dish

wulh yukw鈥檃kw鈥檜sthut 鈥檌鈥� hay 鈥檜l鈥� 鈥檜w鈥� 鈥檜y鈥� skweyul.
It is a beautiful, sunny, spring day.

kwuyxthut thuw鈥檔e鈥檜llh stl鈥檜l鈥檌qulh swaaw鈥檒usallh nem鈥� xwchenum huw鈥檃鈥檒um鈥�.
The group of young boys go running off to play.

nem鈥� t鈥檃hw nem鈥� 鈥檜 tthu qa鈥�, t鈥檃hw 鈥檜 tthu tsetsuw鈥� hiiw鈥檃鈥檒um鈥�.
They go down to the water to the beach to play.

nilh tthu sye鈥檡u 鈥檜tl鈥� kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts, thi syal鈥檏w thut-stum 鈥檈elhtun, 鈥溾�檌lhe鈥� kwunut kws smeent 鈥檌鈥� qw鈥檜yulushstuxhw 鈥檜 tthu qa鈥�.
Small Number has a friend Big Circle who says, 鈥淟et鈥檚 take some rocks and dance them on the water.

nilh tse鈥� lhwet kw鈥檜 hay 鈥檜l鈥� tsakw kws nem鈥檚 wenshus kw鈥� smeent nem鈥� yulhtsitsulh 鈥檜 tthu qa鈥�.鈥�
Let鈥檚 see who can make a stone skip the farthest on the surface of the water.鈥�

xwum kwsus tul鈥檔uhwus tthuw鈥檔e鈥檜llh stl鈥檜l鈥檌qulh kws nilhs tthu 鈥檜y鈥� sthuthekw鈥� smeent.
The boys quickly learn that for a stone to go far it needs to be smooth, flat rock.

nilh 鈥檜y鈥� ni鈥� hakwushuhw kwun鈥檚 wensh 鈥檜 tthu xwte鈥檚tuhw tthu qa鈥� kwsuw鈥� yulhtsituslh 鈥檜l鈥�.

huye鈥� kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts nem鈥� yulhun鈥檈 鈥檜 tthu tsuwmun yusew鈥檘鈥� 鈥檜kw鈥� smeent, sthuthekw smeent, 鈥檜y鈥� nem鈥� we鈥檞un鈥檚hus.
Small Number wanders far along the shore looking for a smooth stone that will be good to throw.

ni鈥� nem鈥� 鈥檌mush kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts wulh nem鈥� shits鈥檜thut 鈥檜 tthu tl鈥檈鈥檒uqt saxwul, sus hwi鈥� lukw鈥檚hun.
He scrambles through tall grass and trips over something.

sus 鈥檜w鈥� wutl鈥檜ts鈥�, yuw鈥檈n鈥� tthu sxuy鈥檜sth kwus yu shhwi鈥檃鈥檒uqw kwus nem鈥� wutl鈥檜ts鈥� hwtiqw鈥檜s.
And then he fell, headfirst, bumping his head.

鈥檌鈥� nilh tthu s鈥檈luhw q鈥檟huw鈥檒h ni鈥� s-hwuhwets鈥� 鈥檜 tthey鈥� tl鈥檈luqt saxwul nilh ni鈥� shni鈥檚 kwus wutl鈥檜ts鈥�.
It鈥檚 an old canoe wedged into the tall grass that made him fall.

lhxilush kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts sus 鈥檜w鈥� yuya-a-aytl鈥檜tus tthu sqw鈥檜musth ni鈥� sme鈥檏wulhs suw鈥� le-e-emutus tthu ni鈥� shlhukw鈥檚huns 鈥檌鈥� q鈥檟huw鈥檒h.
Small Number stands up, rubbing his forehead as he looks around at the canoe.

hay 鈥檜l鈥� 鈥檜w鈥� xulh tthu ni鈥� sme鈥檏wulhs 鈥檜 tthu sxuy鈥檜sth 鈥檌鈥� nilh kwus lumnuxwus tthu ni鈥� kwunnuhwus.
His head really hurts, but he starts looking at what he鈥檚 found.

sis 鈥檜w鈥� temutus tthu sq鈥檜q鈥檃鈥檚.
He calls out to his friends.

sus muw鈥� xwulunchenum tthuw鈥檔e鈥檜llh stl鈥檜l鈥檌qulh, m鈥檌 lemutum tthu ni鈥� kwunnuhwus.
They come running to look at what he鈥檚 found.

hwu lhuxluxi鈥檒ush tthuw鈥檔e鈥檜llh stl鈥檜l鈥檌qulh, ni-i-i yay鈥檛l鈥檜tus, ni鈥� kwukwoun鈥檚, xetstus 鈥檈elhtun tthu ni鈥� sht鈥檈s tthu ni鈥� kwunnuhwus.
The boys were standing around the canoe, running their hands along its shape, trying to figure out how it had got that way.

sht鈥檈ewun鈥� 鈥檈elhtun kws hays 鈥檜l鈥� 鈥檜w鈥� s鈥檈luhw 鈥檌鈥� hay 鈥檜l鈥� thi.
They think the canoe they found looks very old and big.

suw鈥� putum鈥檚 鈥檜hwiin kw鈥檜shnuts, 鈥渘ihw 鈥檃鈥檒u kw鈥檌inu kw鈥檜 xwum 鈥檃alh 鈥檜 tun鈥檃 q鈥檟huw鈥檒h.鈥�
Small Number asks, 鈥淗ow many people do you think could get aboard this canoe?鈥�

putum鈥� tthu thi syal鈥檏w, 鈥渘i鈥� ts鈥檛wa鈥� wulh kw鈥檌n sil鈥檃num kwus thuytum tun鈥檃 q鈥檟huw鈥檒h?鈥�
Big Circle asks, 鈥淗ow many years ago was it built?鈥�

mel鈥檘tus tthuw鈥檔e鈥檜llh stl鈥檜l鈥檌qulh kwthu suw鈥檃鈥檒um鈥檚.
The boys forget all about their game.

hith kwus qwuliil鈥檘wul鈥檛ul鈥�, pi鈥檖ta鈥檓utul鈥� 鈥檜 tthey鈥� q鈥檟huw鈥檒h ni鈥� kwunnuhws, 鈥檜w鈥� niilhus lhwet kwu niilh ha鈥檏wush ts鈥檛wa鈥�.
They spend a long time talking, asking each other about the canoe that they found, about who perhaps could have used it.

鈥檜w鈥� hwun鈥� qwuliil鈥檘wul鈥檛ul鈥� 鈥檈elhtun 鈥檌鈥� ni鈥� wulh qw鈥檃yuxwum tthu kw鈥檜l鈥檜 鈥檜tl鈥� thi syal鈥檏w.
They are still talking and Big Circle鈥檚 tummy starts to growl.

鈥溾�檌 tsun wulh kw鈥檈y,鈥� thut thi syal鈥檏w.
鈥淚鈥檓 hungry,鈥� Big Cirle says.

鈥溾�檌lhe nem鈥� 鈥檈鈥� 鈥檜lhtun.鈥�
鈥淟et鈥檚 go eat!鈥�

ni鈥� tl鈥檜w鈥檜lh tul鈥檔uhwus tthu sq鈥檜q鈥檃鈥檚 kwus tl鈥檜w鈥檜lh kw鈥檈y鈥�.
The other boys realize they are hungry too.

suw鈥� xwulunchenum 鈥檈elhtun nem鈥� t鈥檃kw鈥� nem鈥� 鈥檜 tthu shtun鈥檔i鈥檚 lelum鈥�.
And so they all run back to the village.

huye鈥� xwchenum kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts nem鈥� nem鈥� 鈥檜 tthu si鈥檒us, ni鈥� xut鈥檜kw鈥� 鈥檜 tthu hay鈥� 鈥檜l鈥� thi hwstl鈥檜p la鈥檛hun.
Small Number races home, where Grandpa is carving the surface of a huge wooden dish.

wulh m鈥檌 yu xwan鈥檆hunum鈥� kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts hay 鈥檜l鈥� hwthiqun kwus yututeem鈥� yuqwaqwul鈥�.
He runs over to his Grandpa and Small Number is shouting excitedly.

sus 鈥檜w鈥� lemutum 鈥檜 tthu si鈥檒us, wulh lumnuhwus tthu susule鈥� kwus me鈥檏wulh tthu 鈥檌muths, ni鈥� 鈥檜 tthu sqw鈥檜musth.
And Grandpa looks up, and he sees the bruise on Small Number鈥檚 forehead.

ptem鈥檚 tthu susule鈥�, 鈥渘i鈥� ch 鈥檃鈥檒u tstamut, 鈥檌muth?鈥�
Grandpa asks,鈥淲hat happened, Grandson?鈥�

ni鈥� wulh mel鈥檘 tthu kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts kwus sum鈥檈鈥檏wulh 鈥檜 tthu sxuy鈥檜sth.
Small Number has forgotten that he bumped his head.

鈥檜w鈥� nilh 鈥檜l鈥� kwus titiya鈥檟w kwus huy鈥檛hustus tthu si鈥檒us kwus kwunnuhwus tthu q鈥檟huw鈥檒h.
He excitedly tells Grandpa about finding the canoe.

suw鈥� thut-st-hwus tthu si鈥檒us, 鈥渘i鈥� tsun kwunnuhw kwthu q鈥檟huw鈥檒h ni鈥� 鈥檜 tthu tsetsuw鈥�.
And he told his grandfather, 鈥淚 found an old canoe down on the beach!

tl鈥檒im鈥� ts鈥檛wa鈥� wulh hay 鈥檜l鈥� s鈥檈luhw, si鈥檒u.
It seem really old, Grandfather.

ni鈥� ts鈥檛wa鈥� wulh nets鈥檜w鈥檜ts sil鈥檃num.鈥�
It must be at least a hundred years old!鈥�

suw鈥� hwyunumus tthu susule鈥�, 鈥渘i鈥� tsun 鈥檜w鈥� shtatul鈥檛uhw kwthey鈥� q鈥檟huw鈥檒h.
Grandpa smiles. 鈥淚 know that canoe.

nilhulh hay 鈥檜l鈥� xwum 鈥檌鈥� 鈥檜 tun鈥檃.
It was very fast.

nilh mens lhun鈥� si鈥檒u 鈥檌鈥� kwthu yey鈥檚ul鈥檜 shhw鈥檃鈥檒uqw鈥檃鈥檚 nilh ni鈥� thuyt kwthey鈥� snuhwulh.鈥�
It was your grandmother鈥檚 father and his two male relatives who built that canoe.鈥�

suw鈥� yuqwiil鈥檘wul鈥檚 tthu susule鈥�, 鈥渕ukw鈥� kwthu shhwum鈥檔e鈥檒ukwsulh lhun鈥� si鈥檒u nan 鈥檜l鈥� 鈥檜w鈥� stsuw鈥檈t kws xt鈥檈kw鈥檚 鈥檜 tthuw鈥� stem 鈥檜l鈥�.
Grandpa continues telling him, 鈥淎ll the uncles of your grandmother were known as great wood carvers.

hayulh 鈥檜l鈥� 鈥檜w鈥� stsuw鈥檈t.
They were very talented.

niich le鈥檒um鈥檜t kwthu sxt鈥檈kw鈥� ni鈥� ni鈥� 鈥檜 kwthu 鈥檃thusmuns kwthu thi lelum鈥�, kwthu lhihw sxt鈥檈kw鈥�?
You know those three old totem poles in front of the longhouse?

shhum鈥檔ikws lhun鈥� si鈥檒u niilh thuyt xt鈥檈kw鈥檛 kwthey鈥�.
Those were built by your grandmother鈥檚 uncles.鈥�

nuts鈥檃鈥� kwthu ni鈥� swe鈥檚 kwthu na鈥檔uts鈥檃鈥� 鈥檌鈥� ni鈥� tl鈥檜w鈥� st鈥檈 kwthu yuse鈥檒u, ni鈥� tl鈥檜w鈥� swe鈥檚 kwthu yey鈥檚ul鈥檜 shhwum鈥檔e鈥檒ukws.鈥�
One by one and the other two were but by two of her uncles.鈥�

kwthey鈥� hwune鈥檜nt kwus wulh 鈥檌鈥檛ut tthu kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts.
That evening, Small Number was just falling asleep.

鈥檌鈥� sht鈥檈ewun鈥�, sht鈥檈ewun鈥�, 鈥渘us tl鈥檌鈥� kw鈥檜nus tl鈥檜w鈥� xt鈥檈kw鈥� 鈥檜 kw鈥� q鈥檟huw鈥檒h snuhwulh.
And he thought, 鈥淚鈥檇 like to build a canoe.

nu stl鈥檌 kw鈥檜nus tl鈥檜w鈥� xt鈥檈kw鈥� st鈥檈 鈥檜 kwthu ni鈥� ni鈥� 鈥檜 kwthu 鈥檃thusmuns kwthu thi lelum鈥� st鈥檈 鈥檜 kwthu nu shtun鈥檔aalhtunulh.
I would like to also carve a totem to put in front of a house, just like my ancestors.

st鈥檈 鈥檜 kwthu nu shtun鈥檔aalhtunulh.

pte鈥檓ut tsun tse鈥� kwthu si鈥檒u 鈥檜w鈥� kw鈥檌inu鈥檈s kwthu shhwumne鈥檒ukwsulh鈥攜ey鈥檚ul鈥檜, lhhwelu, xuthiinu, lhq鈥檜tsse鈥檒u, 鈥檜w鈥� niis sts鈥檜ts鈥檌hw.鈥�
I have to ask Grandpa how many uncles he had鈥攖wo, three, four, five or more鈥︹��

suw鈥� ptem鈥�: nutsim鈥� shus sht鈥檈ewun鈥� tthu kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts kwus qux tthu 鈥檜l鈥檈lushth tthu sts鈥檃鈥檓uqwsulh鈥攕ht鈥檈ewun鈥檚 kws yey鈥檚ul鈥檜, lhhwelu, xuthiinu, lhq鈥檜tsse鈥檒u 鈥檜w鈥� niis sts鈥檜ts鈥檌hw?
Question: Why did Small Number think that his great-grandparent had a lot of brothers鈥攖wo, three, four, five or more?

Credits: 

Hul鈥檘鈥檜mi鈥檔um鈥� translation, and Editing by Ruby Peter (Sti鈥檛um鈥檃t) and Donna Gerdts (Sp鈥檃qw鈥檜m鈥檜ltunaat)
Sound recording and editing: Thomas Jones (Sewit) & Donna Gerdts