Among the An-ko-me-nums, or Flathead Tribes of Indians of the Pacific CoastCrosby, Thomas
History
Among the An-ko-me-nums, or Flathead Tribes of Indians of the Pacific Coast
Crosby, Thomas
Indians of North America -- Missions; Salish Indians
On the other hand it should also be said that there are no “swear
words” in the Indian languages. Yes, it is a fact, the poor Indian must
go to his white brother to learn to swear or take the name of God in
vain. In the An-ko-me-num, the worst that can be said is, “Kai! kai!
kai! tanowa squimag,” which interpreted means, “Die! die! die! you
dog.” This, in an angry tone, is the worst they can say. Of course, the
tone and the look have a good deal to do with it.
Once I heard a little boy swear loudly in the presence of other boys. I
stopped the play and said to him, calling him by name, “Johnny, where
did you learn to say those awful words and to use the name of Jesus in
that way?” “Oh,” he said, “is it bad? I heard a white man speak like
that at the cannery where I was fishing, but if you say it is wrong I
will not do it any more.” “Yes,” I said, “it is very wrong, you must
not call that dear name in that way any more.”
How thoroughly ashamed I have been again and again, when I have heard
an Indian swearing, at the thought that he must have learned it from
one of my race and people.
THE LORD’S PRAYER IN CHINOOK.
_Nesika papa_, mitlite kopa saghalie, klosh spose konaway tilikum
mamook praise mika nem; klosh spose konaway tilikum mamook tyee mika;
klaska spose konaway tilikum kopa okook illahie mamook mika tumtum,
kaw-kwa klaska mamook kopa saghalie-illahie. Okook sun, pe konaway-sun
potlatch nesika muk-amuk; pe klosh mika mash okook ma-sa-tchie nesika
mamook kopa mika, kaw-kwa nesika mash okook ma-sa-tchie hul-oi-ma
tilikum mamook kopa nesika; pe klosh mika mamook help nesika, spose
halo-ikta tolo nesika kopa ma-sa-tchie; pe klosbe mika mamook haul
nesika spose halo nesika chako kla-kow-yu.
Klosh spose kawkwa.
CHAPTER VII. _A SLAVERY WORSE THAN DEATH._
“All evil thoughts and deeds,
Anger, and lust, and pride
The foulest, rankest weeds
That choke Life’s growing tide!”
--_Longfellow._
There were difficulties in the way of the evangelization and education
of these poor people other than that of their heathen customs and
peculiar language. Low, wicked white men were constantly hanging around
the different camps, smuggling whiskey among the people, and using
every wicked means to lead the women and children astray.
It was not an uncommon thing for these poor blind heathen parents and
relatives to sell their little daughters to the white men for the
basest of purposes. We went to the magistrates and asked if it was
allowable to sell slaves in this country. The magistrate replied, “Oh,
no; why certainly not.” But when we explained to them the nature of the
slavery, they would stammer a little and with feigned indifference they
would claim that it was an Indian custom and form of marriage which
they would not interfere with.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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