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As I Remember It: Teachings (Ɂəms tɑɁɑw) from the Life of a Sliammon Elder

qʷʋl čʼɛ tɑwθɛm kʷut tɑmʌs (They [Spirits] Just Came and Told You Something)

Visit “Three Narratives in Sliammon” to learn more about the English translation and linguistic analysis below.

This is an excerpt from a much longer recording of a conversation between Elsie and the late Mary George. Mary’s responses to Elsie, which were almost entirely interjections, have been removed from this version.

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4. Language Work Linguist Honoré Watanabe stands behind ɬaʔamɩn Elders at the Elders Lodge. Elsie was caretaker and lived at the Elders Lodge for many years. From left: Marion Harry, Mary George, and Elsie Paul. Honoré worked extensively with these three women over more than two decades, living with Elsie during his time in Sliammon. Marion was Elsie’s “little sister” at residential school and worked with Honoré to transcribe and translate the selections in Sliammon language included in this publication.
5. Dedicated Work Partners
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4. Fine Craftsmanship
5. Basket for Baby Jeannie
6. Baby Baskets Baby baskets made by Molly Timothy (Granny Molly) in the early 1950s. The basket on the left was made for Jeannie, born to Elsie Paul in 1954, and has since been used for all of Elsie’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The blue design is made with natural and dyed cherry bark. The basket on the right was made for a daughter of Elsie’s Aunt Agnes, and the design is woven with dyed reed.
8. Granny Molly’s Baby Baskets Side by Side Baby baskets made by Molly Timothy (Granny Molly) in the early 1950s. The basket on the left was made for Jeannie, born to Elsie Paul in 1954, and has since been used for all of Elsie’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The blue design is made with natural and dyed cherry bark. The basket on the right was made for a daughter of Elsie’s Aunt Agnes, and the design is woven with dyed reed.
9. Basket for Aunt Agnes’s Daughter
10. Baby Massage (1)
11. Baby Massage (2)
12. Baby Massage (3)
13. Baby Papoose (1)
14. Baby Papoose (2)
15. Important Medicine
16. Beautiful Baskets
17. Thank the Creator
18. Her Name Was Jane
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9. Sechelt Indian Reserve Church Opening
10. Downtown Vancouver
11. Fine Craftsmanship
12. Baby Baskets Baby baskets made by Molly Timothy (Granny Molly) in the early 1950s. The basket on the left was made for Jeannie, born to Elsie Paul in 1954, and has since been used for all of Elsie’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The blue design is made with natural and dyed cherry bark. The basket on the right was made for a daughter of Elsie’s Aunt Agnes, and the design is woven with dyed reed.
13. Basket for Baby Jeannie
14. Granny Molly’s Baby Baskets Side by Side Baby baskets made by Molly Timothy (Granny Molly) in the early 1950s. The basket on the left was made for Jeannie, born to Elsie Paul in 1954, and has since been used for all of Elsie’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The blue design is made with natural and dyed cherry bark. The basket on the right was made for a daughter of Elsie’s Aunt Agnes, and the design is woven with dyed reed.
15. ɬaʔamɩn Parade
16. Basket for Aunt Agnes’s Daughter
17. Sechelt Indian Marching Band
18. Berry Picking (1)
19. Buddies (1)
20. Berry Pickers' Cabin
21. Mary George and Denise Smith
22. Going to Work
23. ɬaʔamɩn Boys
24. Willie and Daisy Paul
25. Elsie’s Great-Grandparents
26. Makeshift Church
27. Rose and Alec Louie
28. Class of 1917
29. Glen Paul, Stella Olney, and Sharon Paul
30. Baskets for Hawaii
31. Sliammon Sacred Heart Church
32. tʼᶿɛwqʼ (Elderberries)
34. Making Music
35. Visiting with Annie and Norman Gallagher
36. Away from Home
37. Remains of the Fire
38. The Powell River Royal Canadian Mounted Police
39. Sechelt Residential School
40. Residential School Chapel (1)
41. A Day in Town
42. Death but Not Sin
43. Annie Blaney at Okeover
44. Shinglemill
45. Baskets in Progress
46. Sliammon Day School In addition to attending the Sechelt Indian Residential School, Elsie Paul occasionally attended a day school in the Sliammon community in the winter months. The Sliammon day school teachers were Pat McGuiness and Mr. Gallagher. Back row: Unknown boy with hat, Katherine Blaney, Teacher Pat McGuinness, Rosaline Wilson, unknown girl, Marilyn Louie (tall in the very back behind unknown girl) Middle row: Ernie Galligos (shorter boy), Joe Paul, Agnes Paul, unknown girl, Front (Small Children): Sarah tom, Maggie Wilson, and Joe Francis (Elsie Paul's half brother)
47. Boat to Westview When this photo was taken, it was quicker to get to town by boat than by foot, since people didn’t have cars yet. Peggy Harry is at the back of the group (with barrettes in her hair); Molly Timothy is on the right (with headband); Elsie Paul is in the centre (with flowers in her hair); Stella Timothy is centre right, beside Elsie; further right, holding a baby, is Agnes McGee, and in front of her is Sosen Galligos. Smokey John is on the left (wearing a hat), and lɑsɑ is in front of him.
48. Day School
49. Bows and Arrows Powell River community members commemorated British Columbia’s centennial by dressing up in costumes that reflected their imagination of how “Indians” and “pioneers” looked in the nineteenth century. This was a common practice in settler communities in Canada and the United States. Settlers “played Indian” for reasons that ranged from political protest to entertainment. The act of “playing Indian” expressed a settler sense of entitlement to the places that they or their ancestors had colonized. The costumes did not demonstrate meaningful relationship or engagement with Indigenous peoples or practices. Today, we understand these occasions to be forms of cultural appropriation.
50. Boat Ramp at the Shinglemill
51. Willie and Alec
52. Children “Playing Indian” Powell River community members commemorated British Columbia’s centennial by dressing up in costumes that reflected their imagination of how “Indians” and “pioneers” looked in the nineteenth century. This was a common practice in settler communities in Canada and the United States. Settlers “played Indian” for reasons that ranged from political protest to entertainment. The act of “playing Indian” expressed a settler sense of entitlement to the places that they or their ancestors had colonized. The costumes did not demonstrate meaningful relationship or engagement with Indigenous peoples or practices. Today, we understand these occasions to be forms of cultural appropriation.
53. Church House
54. Golfing “Indian” Powell River community members commemorated British Columbia’s centennial by dressing up in costumes that reflected their imagination of how “Indians” and “pioneers” looked in the nineteenth century. This was a common practice in settler communities in Canada and the United States. Settlers “played Indian” for reasons that ranged from political protest to entertainment. The act of “playing Indian” expressed a settler sense of entitlement to the places that they or their ancestors had colonized. The costumes did not demonstrate meaningful relationship or engagement with Indigenous peoples or practices. Today, we understand these occasions to be forms of cultural appropriation.
55. Society Lady “Indians” Powell River community members commemorated British Columbia’s centennial by dressing up in costumes that reflected their imagination of how “Indians” and “pioneers” looked in the nineteenth century. This was a common practice in settler communities in Canada and the United States. Settlers “played Indian” for reasons that ranged from political protest to entertainment. The act of “playing Indian” expressed a settler sense of entitlement to the places that they or their ancestors had colonized. The costumes did not demonstrate meaningful relationship or engagement with Indigenous peoples or practices. Today, we understand these occasions to be forms of cultural appropriation.
56. Patricia Theatre
57. Willie and Stanley
58. Patricia Theatre, Interior
59. Rodmay Hotel
60. Repatriation
62. Groundbreaking
63. Sing Lee Building
64. Rodmay
65. Kora's Strawberry Farm
67. Cafeteria
68. Procession from Our Lady of the Rosary Church
69. Berry Picking (2)
70. Residential School Chapel (2)
71. Paul Family
72. Bill, Rose, and čine
73. Beautiful Baskets
75. Powell River Motor Traders
78. Contact Happened
79. Designated Area
80. Watch Your Children
81. Homebrew
82. tʼᶿɛwqʼ
83. Problems Handed down from History
85. Part of Our Survival
86. We Were Already Here
87. Her Name Was Jane
88. Lonely and Homesick
89. The Chinese Restaurant
90. My Dog Patsy
95. Police Patrol (2)
97. Police Patrol (1)
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3. ɬaʔamɩn Parade
4. Mary George and Denise Smith
5. Working Together
6. Baskets for Hawaii
7. Language Work Linguist Honoré Watanabe stands behind ɬaʔamɩn Elders at the Elders Lodge. Elsie was caretaker and lived at the Elders Lodge for many years. From left: Marion Harry, Mary George, and Elsie Paul. Honoré worked extensively with these three women over more than two decades, living with Elsie during his time in Sliammon. Marion was Elsie’s “little sister” at residential school and worked with Honoré to transcribe and translate the selections in Sliammon language included in this publication.
8. Baskets in Progress
9. Party Time
11. Masters
12. Watch Your Children
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21. Elders and Cedar Roots
22. Christmas Blankets
23. Cutting Fish
25. Elsie at Deep Bay
27. Wedding Day
28. Elders and Friends
29. Elsie and Glen (2)
30. Assessing the Catch
31. Mother’s Day, 1980
32. Elsie and Glen (1)
33. Elsie and Stella
34. Christmas (1)
35. Preparing an Offering
36. Retirement
37. mɑksɛmɑ’s Cabin in toχʷnɑč (Okeover)
38. Prince William
39. Party at Elsie Paul’s House
40. Joining Council
41. Bride and Groom
42. Baby Glen
43. Having a Laugh
44. Elders' Gathering
45. First Home
46. At the Elders Lodge Elsie Paul with ɬaʔamɩn Elders when she was running the Elders’ program. Front row, from left: Elsie Paul, Henry Bob, Katherine Blaney, Mary Harry, Rose Louie (behind Mary), Joe Paul Sr. (behind Rose), Willie Bob, Calvin Harry. Back row, from left: Louise Bob, Marie Hackett (behind), Nora Wilson, Annie Dominick, Dave Dominick, Agnes McGee, Rose Peddie, Peta Francis (Okee Dokee), Johnny George, Charlie Charlie, Peggy Harry.
48. Working Out
49. Graduation (1)
50. The Ladies
51. Visiting with Annie and Norman Gallagher
52. The Children at Home
53. Friends (1)
54. Elsie at Steveston in the Late 1940s
55. Elsie at Home
56. Language Work Linguist Honoré Watanabe stands behind ɬaʔamɩn Elders at the Elders Lodge. Elsie was caretaker and lived at the Elders Lodge for many years. From left: Marion Harry, Mary George, and Elsie Paul. Honoré worked extensively with these three women over more than two decades, living with Elsie during his time in Sliammon. Marion was Elsie’s “little sister” at residential school and worked with Honoré to transcribe and translate the selections in Sliammon language included in this publication.
57. Sliammon Village Waterfront
58. A Day in Town
59. Collaborators
60. Elsie and Teresa at the Cannery
61. Elsie and Cathy (2)
62. Elsie and Cathy (1)
63. Boat to Westview When this photo was taken, it was quicker to get to town by boat than by foot, since people didn’t have cars yet. Peggy Harry is at the back of the group (with barrettes in her hair); Molly Timothy is on the right (with headband); Elsie Paul is in the centre (with flowers in her hair); Stella Timothy is centre right, beside Elsie; further right, holding a baby, is Agnes McGee, and in front of her is Sosen Galligos. Smokey John is on the left (wearing a hat), and lɑsɑ is in front of him.
64. Elsie, Agnes, and Children
65. Party Time
66. On the Town
67. Newlyweds
68. Wearing Slacks
70. Dedicated Work Partners
72. Repatriation
73. Going to Church (1)
74. Settlers’ Camp (1)
76. Siblings Elsie Paul with her siblings at her brother Barney’s house in the early ’80s. Standing, from left: Teddy Francis (Elsie’s brother), Leo Francis (Elsie’s brother), Lillian Francis (Elsie’s niece, Barney Francis’s daughter), Elsie Paul, Doreen Hopkins (Elsie’s sister), Charlene Francis (Elsie’s niece), Jason Francis (Elsie’s nephew), Greg Francis (inch, Elsie’s nephew). Seated, from left: Aunt Agnes McGee, Rita Francis (Elsie’s sister), Nancy Phillips (Elsie’s sister), Vangie Francis (Elsie’s niece), Elizabeth Blaney (Elsie’s sister), Lily Timothy (Elsie’s mother).
77. A Visit with Auntie Katherine
78. Christmas with the Girls
80. Traditional Prayer Songs
81. Baby Marlane
86. Honorary Doctorate
87. Helping Ma
88. Going to Church (2)
89. Elsie Paul with King of the Sea
90. Childhood Friends
91. Paul Family
94. Important Medicine
95. The Shield
96. Author Group (7)
97. Friends (2)
98. Beautiful Baskets
99. Author Group (8)
100. Pals
101. Rowing with mɑksɛmɑ
102. Author Group (5)
103. Author Group (4)
105. Author Group (6)
106. Becoming Strong
107. Sharing the Book (2)
108. Territory
109. Life History of This Project
110. Give It to Them
111. Sharing the Book (5)
112. tʼᶿɛwqʼ (pronunciation)
113. Cleansing
114. Living with the Land
115. Sharing the Book (3)
116. You Thank It
117. Community Activities
118. Watch Your Children
119. Contact Happened
120. Designated Area
121. Old-Timers and Hard Work
122. Gifted People
123. Sharing the Book (4)
124. My Dog Patsy
125. Recovery
126. Author Group (2)
127. Part of Our Survival
128. Times of Transition
129. Root Digging
130. Lonely and Homesick
131. tɑʔɑw
132. He Got His Spirit Back
133. Her Name Was Jane
134. The Young Girl and Eleven Puppies (English)
135. Thank the Creator
136. New Year’s Dance
137. The Chinese Restaurant
138. When It’s Your Time
139. Homebrew
140. Problems Handed down from History
141. The Young Girl and Eleven Puppies (Sliammon)
142. Grieving
143. We Were Already Here
144. Author Group (3)
145. Police Patrol (2)
146. Police Patrol (1)
147. Collecting Branches
148. Author Group (1)
149. New Baby
150. Paul Family Photo
151. The Police Were Standing by the Bed
152. Preparing Fish and Community Drive-Through
153. Naming Ceremony