Virginia Beavert Speaks to Confluence in Ichishkíin Sɨ́nwit

Virginia Beavert (Yakama) speaks to Confluence in Ichishkíin Sɨ́nwit about education. English transcription included below. Translation by Brittany Parham and Virginia Beavert at the University of Oregon Northwest Indian Language Institute (NILI)

Bio: Virginia Beavert received her Doctorate in Linguistics from the University of Oregon and teaches her native language, Ichishkin. Virginia Beavert, a member of the Yakama Nation, is a highly respected teacher and fluent speaker of her language, Yakama Sahaptin (Ichishkíin Sɨ́nwit)c. She was a key planner of the Yakama exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, and has served on numerous committees and planning councils related to the documentation and preservation of Native languages. (http://pages.uoregon.edu/nwili/about/staff) She grew up learning Nez Perce, and also Klickitat, Umatilla and Yakama dialects of Sahaptin. A respected Yakama elder, she has made invaluable contributions to Confluence at the Sacajawea Park Story Circles project, and the Vancouver Land Bridge.

Transcription:

“Tł’áax̱w íchi tɨmnánax̱t iwáta pashapák’ukta tunx̱túnx tiinmamíknik. Aw tash íchi laxs wa kútya.
All of these stories will be accumulated from the people. I’m just one person here.

Palaláay sɨnwiłáma íkushx̱i pakúsha mɨnanmɨnán pasɨ́nwisha tun iwá átaw tiinmamíyaw
There are lots of speakers involved and they are telling important history

tun niimí íchi timaní tiichámpa kúshx̱i anakwnák tkwátat wánapa chi miimawítki.
about valuable resources valued by people here in this land, especially the Columbia river people; how they obtained food from the river the old, ancient way.

Ku awkú panák’ukta tł’áax̱w íkuuk ku nam paníchta ku nam a’ɨnta
These stories will be gathered and stored there and when you or anyone wants

íkwnak iwá ku pam awkú imáktya ánashin itḵ’íxta ku iwináta ku
anyone who wants a copy can go there and

iwinɨ́pta copy ḵw’ɨnk íchi anakúsh pimílayk’ay kúshx̱i pam nátta ku pam
ask for a copy of this for himself and you can also store your story there

ásapsikw’ata paysh mátash wa imamínk x̱ɨ́twayma mɨnán pasɨ́nwisha ikunkínk.
for teaching your relatives about their ancestors.

Ku nam ámɨts’ɨx̱wata kuunák. Ikushx̱íish ínch’a inách’a anakúsh kuts’k tun sɨ́nwit kush nch’inch’ima paníya,
They will listen to it. For example, my elder shared with me a few words

ku kuunák pamɨts’ɨ́x̱wata ku inmíma myánashma inmíma x̱ɨ́twayma. Ashkú táaminwa
for listening for my family, my children, and my relatives. Because they always

pashápnix̱a túkin anakú chaw shíyin pasapsíkw’ana ku patḵ’íx̱sha tun shukwáat
ask me questions because no one was teaching them and they want to know important things

kush awkú kuts’k tun ínch’a áshukwaasha kush kunkínk awkú atɨmnanax̱nuúx̱a. Íkush
and then if I know a little bit about something I tell them. This

awkú íchi áwa kutkút iwá anakúsh sapsikw’átay, tii’isíkw’atay. Íkush awkú patmiyúush
is what the recordings are for; for teaching, to show it on video. There included in the plan

papátukta nch’i ɨníit Siláylupa anakwnák iwá íkw’ak wyahaashthaashtpamá
they will build a large building at Celilo where there is a rest stop

anakwnák nam wiyá’atta wiyáshmat’ata mish nam túyay kwnak uu ḵátutita car-ki.
where you go to the bathroom, to wash up, and whatever you do there while traveling in a car.

Kwnak awku papátukta nch’i ɨníit ku kwnak íchi sɨ́nwit iwáta
That is where they will set a large building, and that’s where these voices will be

níchi mishíinpa, kúpam kúunak awkú ámɨts’ɨx̱wata sɨ́nwitnan. Nch’inch’imamí ttawax̱tmamí anakwamák pashúukwasha wánaki tɨmnánax̱t.
recorded for everyone to listen to. The elder’s stories about the Columbia river.

Kush pashápniya, “mish nam awkú apx̱winúusha íchi wánanan,” kush
They asked me, “How do you feel about the Columbia River?” This is what I told them.

áwna íkush. “Iwá anakúsh tun tiin kushx̱í tł’áax̱w paysh tíinma
“I think the river is like a human being; the same as all Columbia River believe the river is like your relative.”

papx̱winúusha íkush.” Anakúsh tun iwá x̱ɨ́tway tun tiin anamkú wíyat tx̱anáta,
Because when you are away from the river too long,

wánaknik wíyat’ish ku nam lalíwata wananmíki. Kushx̱í tł’áax̱w anakwɨnk íchi
you will miss it and long to see the river. And too, all these other small

anakúsh íkks wána kwnák iwá tł’áax̱w np’iwitpamá. Kwnák áwa nisháyaas tiinmamí
river tributaries that connect to the Columbia, there are fishing places there too. There are Indian village sites

anamɨ́nan mɨnán áwa ku átx̱anax̱ana míimi np’iwitpamá. Kuts’k tun íkush anakúsh
where you will find a weir where there are old fishing sites. I share these

atɨmnanax̱núu kush chaw awkú tł’áax̱wnan tuun. Ink áshukwaasha kush kuts’k tun
stories with others, but I don’t personally claim to know it (I, too, had to learn). A few things

áshukwaasha kush kwɨnk awkú shapáwach’aksha íchi íchna. Anakúsh na twániinit
I was taught I put on the recorder to respect

átł’awityaw inmí x̱ɨtwaymí Anthony Minthorn anakúsh tɨmnáwinat átł’yawit pɨnmínk kútkut,
the request of my friend and relative Anthony Minthorn because he’s concerned follow his heartfelt request to help others and to support this project

wíiwapitat Nix̱yaawiłáman tíinmaman(imanák íchi Nix̱yáawipa). Ashkú wa palaláay x̱ɨ́twayma Nix̱yáwipa.
on behalf of his people, the Umatilla people. I have many relatives at Umatilla.

Kushx̱í íkwna Lápuwaypa inmíknik ttáwax̱tknik kushx̱í anakwmák pawá
And also at Lapuwai, Idaho from my paternal side and also from those that

Palusknik. Anakúsh nash wa x̱ɨ́twayma tł’áax̱wkan miin, íkushx̱i Warm Springpa,
are from the Lower Snake River Palouse. I have relatives everywhere, at Warm Springs,

Klikitatpa. Áwknik mɨ́nik kush áyknx̱aash Ichishkíin sɨ́nwityaw. Áwkłaaw nash chaw
and Klickitat. From these places, I’ve listened to stories in their Indian language. However I do not

nash áshukwaasha sɨ́nwitnan. Anakúsh nash míshkin awkú chaw áshukwaana
claim to be fluent in all those languages. I learned them, but there was

anakwɨnk pawaníknx̱a Kiksht chaw nash ikwnák áshukwaasha laxs iwá kush
one language I did not learn to understand, the one called Kiksht. I can understand

kwnák chaw ink áshukwaasha. Ku matash aw íchi kuts’k anakúsh Ichishkíin
the rest of those languages, but the Kiksht recordings I cannot understand. The little bit of information now I’m giving now is in Yakima language.

shapáshukwaasha túyay awkú kunkínk íchi iwá shapáwach’aki sɨ́nwit kushx̱í íchi
I am informing or explaining, recording my words in the native language, and on

kwɨnk video anakúsh wapíitatya myánashmaman anakwmák chaw tun
the video to help the children, and those who did not have (the younger generation)

pashukwáasha kushx̱í tíix̱wat imamanák amkwpɨ́nk paysh álaaksha kuunák.
the privilege of learning from their elders, or they have forgotten the teachings.

Áwkłaaw nash aw íkush íchi wánaḵ’isháyksh atashku chaw wíyat aw
I believe we are concluding this session, we are warned ​

pawapak’ɨnkáshasha íchi íchna sɨ́nwityaw.
our time is up!

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