My grandmother told me a heartfelt story of how life was when she was a young woman, about how nature and the Hul’q’umi’num’ people lived together to protect one another.
(1) qwul’qwul’ tsun ’u kwthu sht’esulh ’u kw’un’a wulh hith.
I’m going to tell you what happened a long time ago.
(2) xelu tthu q’ullhanumutsun, ni’ ’u tthey’ tl’elhum qa’, ’i’ ’ni’ ’ewunusus tthunu si’lu ’u kwthu pout yu hunum’ ’utl’ yuqwulhte’x Cape Mudge.
The killer whale is rare saltwater creature, but it came forward to my grandma’s boat traveling to Cape Mudge.
(3) tthu sqwul’qwul’s thunu si’lu ’u kwthu q’ullhanumutsun kws hays ’ul’ kw’am’kw’um’ kws yu ts’ets’uw’u tha’mut-s
My grandma (ts’un ts’un xumaat) used to tell me that the killer whales were powerful, and they would help you.
(4) nilh kwu’elh, sht’es, tthu q’ullhanumutsun kws yu hwiil’asmutha’mut-s kw’uns yu shahwuqwul’ ’u tthey’ tl’e’lhum qa’
She used to tell me they protect you when you were traveling away from home crossing over the salt water.
(5) kws yu qwiil’qwul’ thunu si’lu, ’u tthu ste’s tthu q’ullhanumutsun kws yu nuts’umat-s, kws yu sq’uq’ips tthuw’ne’ullh q’ullhanumutsun.’i’ nilh yath ’uw’ sht’u’es ’eelhtun.
She talked about how the killer whales stayed as big family and were always together.
(6) kws qwiil’qwul’s thunu si’lu ’u kwthu shhwuw’welis kws yath ’uw’ shtu’es kws ’ula’ulhs ’u tthu snuhwulhs tthey’ ni’ yu shtu’es kwsus yu ’ula’ulh yu shahwuqwul’ ’u tthu tl’elhum qa’ ’i’ nilh kwu’elh, sht’es kws yaths ’uw’ yu stutes ’u tthu snuhwulh tst.
My grandma said her parents would take them on the boat and as they traveled those whales used to be nearby.
(7) hwkw’ulim’ thu tens thunu sil’u ’i’ yu shaqwul kwus yu hunum ’utl’ yuqwulhte’x.
My grandmother’s mother was pregnant when they traveling to Cape Mudge.
(8) tthey’ q’ullhanumustun kwutst yu shashuqwul’ ’i’ wulh t’un’ustalum ’u tthey’ q’ullhanumutsun yu hwthuthiqun kwus yu qwaqwul’lhne’num’ yu st’un’asst-hwus tthu snuhwulh tst.
Those killer whales came right up to the boat and they were making noises as they were staying alongside our boat.
(9) “’uwu’ tseep kwuy’xthutuhw. tl’lim’ ch ’uw’ ’un’nehw.” xut’u kwthu mens.
“Don’t move. Keep very still,” said her father.
(10) niis kw’in tthey’ q’ullhanumutsun, ’uw’ qxe’luts kwus se.e.el’ts’ ’u tthu snuhwulh. suw xut’usta’lum ’uw’ stsets’uhwut.
They all sat there quiet. The whales circled the boat and they didn’t leave.
(11) kwsus yula’ulh ’u kwthey’ snuhwulh ’uw’niis kw’in tintun yu shahwuqwul’
A long time went by.
(12) ’i’ wulh tuqnamut kwsus ’uwu’ niis thuthi’ thu tens.
Then her mom started to feel sick.
(13) kwey’ skweyul, ’i’ nilh shni’s ’i’ ni’ ’ukw’nuhwus tthu qeqs.
She said her mom lost her baby that day.
(14) ni’ yuw’en’ tthuw’ne’ullh q’ullhanumutsun kws yu sisuwul’ kws wulh ’ukw’nuhwus tthu qeqs.
The whales sensed ahead of time that she already lost her baby.
(15) nilh kwu’elh sht’es siye’yu tthu q’ullhanumutsun kws hays ’ul’ kw’alum’kw’um’ kws ts’ets’uw’ulhtun’s.
My grandma told me those whales are powerful helpers.
(16) ni’ hay.
The end
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