This is the begining of a story entitled “Seagull Steals the Sun”, which has been adapted from the version which appears in the book North West Coast Texts. The Hul’q’umin’um’ language has recently undergone an official orthography change, and this version reflects the current standard. The main Halkomelem page describes how the rendering of this text may be different from the standard.

Qun’ tthu Qwuni ’u tthu Sum’shathut

Sxwuy’em’ tun’a. Sqwil’qwul ts’u ’u kw’un’a ’nan ’uw’wulh hith. Stutesulh tthu Sum’shathut, ’uwu tsakwus tthu shni’s. Suw’ne’nuts’uw’t·hwum’s ’u tthu siye’yus. Tsusutum’ ts’u thuw’ne’ullh mustimuhw ’u tthu Xeel’s, “Kw’oukw’uy’ukw tseep, yath tseep ’uw’kw’oukw’uy’ukw ’un’suw’qutl’um’shulup tthu ts’ul’ts’s tthu stseelhtun. Nilh tse’ ’un’lumxutun, le’lum’utum’ tsu’ tthu ’un’lelum’.”

Suw’kw’oukw’uy’ukws ts’u tthuw’ne’ullh, suw’hun’umuts suw’mi’s me’shum tthu ts’ul’ts’s tthu stseelhtun. Suw’yuhwun’wushum’s ’u tthu ni’ yushhwun’wushs, st’e ’uw’niis skw’a’wus. Mukw’ ts’u tthu hulelum’ ni’ ni’stuhw tthey’ skw’a’wuss ni’ ’u tthu shelh. Ni’ sul’lits’ ’u tthey’ ts’ul’ts’s tthey’ stseelhtun.

Suw’tl’e’ushutum’s tthu Sum’shathut ’uw’miis tl’pil. ’uwu kws nem’s ’uw’yunu’as ’u tthu shelh ’u kws nem’s luw’ilum. Ni’ ts’u tl’e’ xul’ts’thut sus nem’ ’uw’yuhuy’uthut. Nilh kwu’elh kws hwuw’es nem’us luw’ilem ’i’ ni’ wulh punusthut ’u tthey’ ts’ul’ts’s tthu stseelhtun. Ni’ hwust’ul’i’t’iyam’ tthey’, st’e ’uw’niis hwus’itth’ums.

Last Update: February 23, 2008