Donald Gray

Length:  15:37
Translation by Lillian Morris and Sharon Hargus.
Transcription mostly by Sharon Hargus.


Donald Gray.

1. Tsëdïbït de'Donald GrayAnglican Priestseducate hiyilhtsiy.
   at the beginningthey educated him
   'In the first place, the Anglican church educated Donald Gray.'

2. Schoolhiyïlh'iy'.
   they did to him
   'They taught him.'

3. Tl'ants'ën'atahbusiness,business'italh'elh'etwih,'et wihwighinaaynïlhtan.
   andhowhe will workthattoothey taught him
   'They also taught him how to run a business.'

4. Down towards Vancouver wayhotsschoolïnlï'.
   thereit was
   'There was a school there in Vancouver.' %5:06

5. Nduhiwitnï'islik?
   whatthey call it(trying to remember)
   'What did they call it?'

6. It was something like a boarding schoolhots,hotsnisiye.
   therehe went
   'He went there.'

7. Tl'ihotseducate hiyilhtsiy.
   andtherethey educated him
   'And they educated him there.'

8. Nts'ën'abusiness'it'alh'elhin'etso' cowighinaaynïlhtan.
   howhe will runthatreally wellthey taught him how
   'They taught him how to run a business very well.'

9. 'Et 'awitschoollha'digegh,ndetshanege.
   whenhe finishedfrom downriverhe came back up
   'When he finished school, he came back from down there.'

10. Tl'i'oh de''awitKitsegueclaggïtrainbridge'awit'aaytalïlh,'awit,start hiytalhtselhhitnïts'ah.
    andat that timethenthatyen'thenthey will make itthenthey will start itthey sayreportedly
    'At that time they said they were going to start making a train (CNR) bridge at Kitseguecla.'

11. Ggïbridgestart hiytalhtselhwitsëhde''et 'awitndetKitseguecla'etstorenïonïn'ay.
    thatyen'they will start making itbeforethendownriver at placetherehe put it down
    'Before they started the bridge, they built a store in Kitseguecla.'

12. Store,general storets'iyetsicwinï.
    everythingthere is
    'They had everything.'

13. T'alhtl'a,ts'iyetsicbï c'otkët'etnïonïn'ay.
    foodandeverythingfor saletherehe put it down
    'Food, everything was sold in the store.'

14. Pool tablewihnektahncaghco'ey'etnïïnïnle.
    tootwoit's bigreallyittherehe put them down
    'He placed two large pool tables there.'

15. Tl'abarber shopwihnïonïn'ay.
    andtoohe put it down
    'And he built a barber shop.'

16. Tl'atwo gas pumpswihnïonïn'ay'adzit.
    andtoohe put it downoutside
    'And he built (a gas station with) two gas pumps outside.'

17. 'Eyts'iyewhyï c'okët.
    iteverythinghe sells
    'He sold everything.'

18. 'Et 'awinslah'aatnïggïtrainbridge'awitstart hiytalhtselhhitnï'awit'aaytalïlh.
    suddenlythey saythatyen'thenthey will start making itthey saythenthey will make it
    'All of a sudden they said they were planning to start the CN bridge.'

19. Sand HogshibaatnïVancouverts'aabaatalïlh.
    they call themthey will bring them from
    'They were going to bring what they Sand Hogs from Vancouver.'

20. 'Enïcement,cementmix yïlh'iynï'aat'ah,gginïSand Hogs.
    theythings which mix itthey dothose
    'Those Sand Hogs mix cement.'

21. Ggïbibase'ey'awit'aaytalïlhhitnï.
    thatits baseitthenthey will built itthey say
    'Then they said they were planning to build the base.'

22. 'Et 'awitDonald Gray'igegh'awityikh,yikhboarding housesnïonïnle.
    thenhe did itthenhousehiwit'iy wik'ëlhaonlïhe built them
    'That's when Donald Gray set up boarding houses.'1

23. 'Etnduhitnï'islik?
    thatwhatthey call(trying to remember)
    'What do they call it?'

24. 'Oh de'road houseshiwitnï.
    back thendinï wit'iythey call them
    'Back then they were called road houses.'

25. 'Et'inuniwhk'in'a'in ts'ahc'it'alh be yikhhiwitnï.
    thenusin our languagelater onroad housethey call them
    'Later on in our own language they called them c'it'alh be yikh.'2

26. 'Et 'awit'agh'oonlegh.
    thenquicklyhe built them
    'He built them fast.'

27. Gginïhiybe 'it'ahnï'akw'isnïdoggechiybe 'it'ah.
    those peoplethose who work for himalmostwhite peopleexclusivelythey work for him
    'Almost exclusively white people worked for him.'

28. 'Awitts'iyewhso'ts'iyewh'awitlha'oodïnlegh.
    thenallreallyallthenthey finished structure
    'Then they completed all the buildings.'

29. 'Et 'awitnïdokotsVancouverts'a haadïlh.
    thenwhite peopletherethey come from
    'The white people came from Vancouver.'

(phone rings middle of next sentence)

30. 'Enï'et 'awitho'aanït'ën'just---
    theythenthey started to work
    'Then they started to work---'

31. 'Et 'awit,'awit'in ts'ahboarding houselïonlï.
    thenlater onit looks like
    'Later on it looked like a boarding house.'

32. Road houses'iyeonlegh.
    dinï wit'iythey built them
    'They built road houses.'

33. Nïdondesdïtshaendïl'awitho'aanït'ën'.
    white peoplefrom downriverthey camethenthey started to work
    'Then white people came from the coast and started to work.'

34. 'Awitggïbridge'awitcement'awitset-uphoynïlhtsiy.
    thenthatyen'thenthenthey started to make it
    'They started to make the cement.'

35. 'Etsa'gginïts'iyewhhibighïnlï',gginïnïdo.
    therelong timethose peopleallhe looked after themthose peoplewhite people
    'He looked after those white people a long time.'

36. Hibecooknlï.
    for themhe is
    'He cooked for them.'

37. Cooknlï'etwih,tabeehgood cooknlï.
    he isthattooreallyhe is
    'He was a really good cook too.'

38. So'cooknlï,Donald Gray.
    goodhe is
    'Donald Gray was a good cook.'

39. Hibecooknlï,tl'a,about beef---witside' yez'etkwaCNR'ët'ën'.
    for themhe isanda little beforethatalsohe worked
    'He cooked for them, and a little before that he also worked for CNR.'

40. GginïCNRcaymintiwihndetshaabaalïh'enïCNRggïfirstrailway'eyho'aaynïlh'ën'.
    those peopleChinese peoplealsofrom downriverthey bring them uptheythatitthey started to work on it
    'Chinese people were brought in when they started to make the first railway.'

41. 'Etwihhibilegh 'ët'ën'.
    theretoohe helped them work
    'He helped them work there too."

42. Gginï'enïts'iyewhhibecooknlï'aat'ah.
    those peopletheyallfor themhe isthey work
    'He cooked for all the workers.'

43. Hots'in'akwawesunye'ilh'iyh.
    that wayagainfrom itmoneyhe makes
    'He earned money that way too.'

44. 'EtndinïSand Hogs'awitkwa,tabïsa'hibilh'ët'ën'.
    therethese peoplethenalsoreallylong timewith themhe worked
    'He worked with these Sand Hog people a long time.'

45. Sand Hogshibibecooknlï,nggï,nggïbridge'aayilh'ah.
    for themhe isthatyen'they're making
    'He cooked for the Sand Hog workers, the ones building the bridge.'

46. Nintset'awitts'iyewhlha'aaydïnlegh,'et 'awitsunye'iyïnleghnï'et'engginbilhYinkadinï'hiyghi'unïhyeenlï'.
    over theredown there at placethenallthey finished itthenmoneywhich he madethathe/shethat personwith himFirst Nationsthey're jealous of himthey all were
    'Then with the money he earned, his own people were jealous of him.'

47. Ts'iyewhhiyghi'usinic.
    allthey became jealous of him
    'They all became jealous of him.'

48. 'Et 'awithibic'apack-up silï'tl'ihibic'atëzye.
    thenon account of themhe packed upandon account of themhe left
    'Then he packed up and left on account of them.'

49. Hibic'aKitsegueclawedï[n]ende'---nu'kotsBurns Lakets'ihotsnaazdïl.
    on account of themhe moved fromuprivertherereportedlytherethey went
    'On account of them he moved from Kitseguecla to Burns Lake.' %ET says wedïzne

50. Gginïthe ancestorstl'ithe eldersts'iyewhgwinaabilï.
    those peoplebitside'nïandallhe took them
    'He took all his elders to Burns Lake.'

51. Oh,c'ide'nïeldersso'ts'iyewhnaabilï'adicbïlk'ënï.
    eldersreallyallhe took them(his) ownhis relatives
    'He took all his own relatives.'

52. Tabï co'weeyley.
    not very muchthey are not many
    'There weren't too many of them.'

53. 'Enwih'et dïndzinDonald Gray.
    hetoohe is like that
    'He was like that too.'

54. Witside'bi'athonlï''enwihhibiyez'elhghinzih'enwihEIA---flu epidemicditëzit'enwihdezay.
    previoushis wifedeceasedshetootheir childone persononlyhetooit spreadhetoohe died
    'He and his first wife had one child, who died in a flu epidemic.'

55. So','et 'awitbizkakwelew.
    thenhis childrennone
    'After that he had no children.'

56. 'EtBurns Lakets'inaazdïl'etho'ggecBurns Lakeso' ts'e'inwik'its wedï'ah.
    thentoothey wentthennotnot too muchhe doesn't care for it
    'After they went to Burns Lake, he didn't much care for the place.'

57. "So' ts'e'inbusinesswenïwec'ozu"'nï.
    not too muchforit isn't goodhe said
    'He said, "it's not very good for business".'

58. 'Enggakwanutshaneedïl.
    that's whyagainfrom upriverthey came back
    'That's why they returned from Burns Lake.'

59. DetsetHagwilgetk'aynggithot pinkhousehoz'ay hin'etyinunkët.
    just downriver at placenowthatyikhwhere it istherelandhe bought
    'Down at Hagwilget where that hot pink house is now he bought land.'

60. 'En,'enbitotem poleha(h)('i)ndzinggithodïn'a.
    himbits'anit isthereit stands
    'That's his totem pole still standing there.'

61. Killer whale,ndubilh'islik,bik'itbik'ineynïsdzïl,uh.
    nekhlhwhatwith it(trying to remember)on itthey were standing on it
    '(There was) a killer and while and I can't remember what else standing on it.'

62. 'Etkwastore'oonlegh.
    thereagainhe built it
    'He built another store there.'

63. General storehoncagh'oonlegh.
    it's bighe built
    'He built a big general store there.'

64. Nïdo'enïhiylegh 'it'ah.
    white peopletheythey help him
    'White people helped him (built it).'

65. Kwapool tablewihts'iyewhhatsayïnle.
    againtooallhe brought them
    'He brought in pool tables.' %hatsayïnle = witsayïnle

66. 'Eywihggitset upyilhtsiy.
    ittootherehe made it
    'He set those up there too.'3 %11:44

67. Ts'iyetsicyï c'ok'ët.
    everythinghe sold
    'He sold everything.'

68. Tl'a,gas pumpsnet,nektah'iyïnlegh.
    andtwohe built them
    'And he built two gas pumps.'

69. 'Etwihnekgas pumpsset upyilhtsiy.
    theretootwohe made it
    'He set up two gas pumps there too.'

70. Ts'iyetsic'iyïnlegh.
    everythinghe made it
    'He made everything.'

71. General hardware store'et'etnïonïn'ay.
    therehe put down
    'He built a general hardware store there too.'

72. Tl'ibi'at'enkwabakerynïonïn'ay.
    andhis wifeshealsoshe put down
    'And his wife had a bakery too.'

73. 'Awitc'isdewh,tabeehc'isdewhbidzïc'izu'.
    thentooreally reallytooher heartgood
    'She was too good-hearted.'

74. Tl'a,too easyts'iyenï,ts'iyenïhibits'inïwikat.
    andeveryoneshe gives them credit
    'She gave everybody too much (store) credit.'

75. 'Oh de'dictëwil'ën.
    back thenwellpeople are poor
    'Back then there was poverty.'

76. So'nduwelew,sunyewelewho'ggec.
    nothingis absentmoneyis absentno
    'There was nothing, no money.'

77. Evennduyintahhokëtïnts'iyho'ggecsunyebïweyuskët.
    ïnts'iysomethinglandwhenpeople boughtevennomoneywith itthey don't buy it
    'Even when they bought land, they didn't use money to buy it.'

78. Ts'iyewh,ts'iyewhclothesclothingbï'oondzinï'etbï dinï honlïnï'eyzih,'eyzihhiyï yin ukët.
    allwhat they usethatwhat they wearitonlythey buy land with it
    'Only clothes and things they used were used to buy land.' %bï dinï henlïnï

79. So'mbïsunyeweyït'iyh.
    no onemoneythey don't have it
    'No one had money.'

80. Wilikhtahyohc'ika'aat'ahyez'etwih'elhikhtimetaabehwedïtiy'ho'ggec.
    sometimestheretheir trappinglittlethattooone timereallyit's cheapnothing
    'Sometimes the money from trapping too wasn't very much.'

81. Once in a whilekwadikneditkwis'awitzih'etwihho'ggec.
    againupit (price) goesthenonlythattoonothing
    'The fur price went up once in a while but even that was not enough.' %netitkwis?

82. 'Awmbïwesunyeut'iy'gheyt'ahho'ggec.
    everanyoneby means of itmoneycould haveneverno
    'Nobody could ever get rich from that.'4

83. 'Et 'awitnin ts'ah'et 'awitts'iyenïts'inïwil---ts'inïwilyïh.
    thenfrom then ontheneveryonethey charge up
    'After that everyone asked for credit.'

84. Nïdotiwihbilikhnïhiyts'i k'inelwis.
    white peoplealsosome peoplethey run to her
    'White people also were her customers.'

85. Oh,"lha'niwhdïnlekh"hiyilhnï.
    finish usthey tell her
    'Oh, "prepare us," they told her.'

86. "Prospectts'italïlh.
    we'll be
    'We'll be prospecting.'

87. T'alhniwhghenïnlïh.
    foodyou give us
    'Give us groceries.'

88. Bï niwhts'inïonïn'ayh'awit.
    charge it to usthen
    'Give us credit.'

89. Prospectingts'italïlhts'itadilh,"hiyilhnï.
    we'll bewe'll gothey tell her
    'We're going prospecting," they told her.'

90. 'Enggats'iyewh'et daabilh'iyh.
    that's whyeverythingshe does so for them
    'That's why she gave them credit.'

91. Ts'iyewh,ts'iyewhhibits'inïwitl'ethic---hoolghesho'ggec.
    allthey charge upthey run offnothing
    'She gave all of the credit (and) they left.'

92. Bilikhnï'enïts'ahhoots'et.
    some peopletheyreportedlythey lie
    'Some people lied.' %nenits slowly

93. Yoh,dic'ahhawilht'im' yezhoot'iy''etkwa'awithatsaneelwis.
    thereout in bushfor a little whilethey livedthenagainthenthey run back
    'They lived out in the bush for a little while and came back.'

94. Dic'aaynï'agh.
    they fooled her
    'They deceived her.'

95. 'Et 'awitggit'adic,'adichibiyikhkwa'etkwaboarding houseconïonïn'ay.
    thenthereowntheir houseagainthereagainbighe built
    'At their own house he built a big boarding house.'

96. Ts'iyenïhibilec'iditsicevery day.
    everyoneshe gives them food
    'She fed everybody every day.'

97. GginDilïz Conisstoredeltlictl'icanned stuff,'eykwabetween timekwa'eynï'yilhdenelggïhtl'iyidanc'idilht'astl'a,hibileyditsic.
    that personBig Theresaaheadshe runs inanditagainagainitback therewith itshe runs back homeandshe opens themandshe gives it to them
    'She ran in the store and ran back with canned food, and opened it and fed them.'5 %14:40

98. Dinïlhayggityin''ethibec'onilhbelh,tl'a,hibilec'iditsic.
    peoplemanytheregroundtherefor themshe rolls outandshe feeds them something
    'There on the ground she rolled out canvas for them (as a table) and fed them.'

99. 'Et 'awitkwatël'ënïtl'a,c'ide'nïtl'a,'inuniwhtside'nïïnts'iyhiley.
    thenagainpoor peopleandeldersandweour ancestorseventhey are many
    'There were many elders and poor people.'

100. GginniwhtsetsJoseph'enïnts'iyts'iyewhhibighïnlï'.
     that personour grandfatherheevenallshe took care of them
     'She looked after all of them, even our grandfather Joseph.'

101. Ts'iyewhhibilec'aaditsicevery day.
     allthey feed them
     'She fed them all every day.'

102. 'Et wileghts'ibankruptsilï'ho'ggec.
     because of thatshe becamenothing
     'That's why she went bankrupt.'

103. So'ts'iyewhclean-outhiyilhtsiy.
     allthey did to her
     'They really cleaned her out.'

104. Bilikhnïskakyin k'ëëlïhso'ggïmilkïnts'iyhiyulht'ikwwelew.
     some peoplechildrenthey give birth tothateventhey suck on itnone
     'Some people gave birth to babies and didn't have milk.'

105. Middle of the nighthiydetic dilkwiztl'a,hiyts'ide'nï.
     they knock on her doorandthey ask her for it
     'They knocked on her door in the middle of the night asking for (milk).'

106. Nisstorets'oolggïhtl'a,canned milkdïndzinEagle Brand cream,'eydïndzin'ey'oh de'lhay,'eytahhiyïhibits'inïwilïh.
     aheadshe runs toandfor exampleitfor exampleitback thenlotsitthey with itshe gives them credit
     'She would run to the store and charge up canned milk for them.'

107. Tabïlhanïho'ggecso'hiybe c'ik'ëlha wewilhtsel.
     reallymany peoplereallythey did not pay her
     'Lots of people didn't pay her.'

108. Nin ts'ah'et 'awityinhoyunïnkët,yinlhayyunkët.
     later onthenlandhe started to buy itlandlotshe bought it
     'Later on he (Donald Gray) bought lots of land.'

109. 'Etwihnïdohileytahtabïhiybe 'ët'ën',nïdo,ndïyindïndzints'iyewh.
     theretoowhite peoplethey are manyreallythey worked for himwhite peoplethislandfor exampleall
     'There too white people worked for him on the land.'

110. Team of horsesïzïlhiycolhts'ah,wilikhtahdïnc'iy,dïnc'iyteam of horses'enïdiyin'aayilh'ën'
     horsesbigreportedlysometimesfourtheyhis landthey work on it
     'Sometimes four teams of horses worked on this land.'6 %lhts'ah poor condition, count low; here it seems to be ET's way of saying ts'ah

111. Tabeehdicincotahhoninïlhye.
     really reallytimberbigthey grew out
     'Big trees grew on this land.'

112. Tl'ihazel bushdïndzinïbigbirchco,tabeehlhay,lhaydohts'iyewhdic'ahggechonlï.
     kwis co winïexamplesk'iybigreally reallylotsaround hereallbushjustit is
     'There was lots of timber on the land, hazelnut trees, birch trees, etc.'

113. Hagwilget---Tsë Cakh---ts'iHagwilgetwewdizisnï'.
     I don't say
     'I don't call it Hagwilget.'

114. Tsë Cakhts'iwitnï.
     we say
     'We call it Tsë Cakh.'

115. 'Ey,'etWitsuwit'enhibikeyikh'oondzin.
     itthattheir villageit is
     'That is a Witsuwit'en village.'

116. Tsë Cakh'etwihggïdicinco'eyggeczihhaninïlhye'.
     theretoothattimberbigitonlyjustthey grew
     'Big trees grew on Tsë Cakh land.'

117. 'Eygginïnïdots'iyewhhiylegh,hiylegh haniyilht'agh.
     itthose peoplewhite peopleallthey helped him clear it
     'White people helped clear the land.'

118. 'ElhghinDan McKenziets'itnïnï'New Townwit'en,'enwihsa'yibe'ët'ën'.
     one personhe's calledback therepersonhetoolong timefor himhe worked
     'One guy named Dan McKenzie from New Town worked for Donald Gray for a long time.' %17:19

119. Tl'a,Lou Yorkhiyilhnïntsin',Ward Marshallbi'atbibep,Lou Yorkhiyilhnï,'enwihïzïlhiycoït'iy',dïnc'iyïzïlhiy,four teams of horses,colhts'ah,so'bigworkhorses.
     andthey call himdownhill therehis wifeher fatherthey call himhetoohorsesbighe hadfourhorsesbigreportedlyreally
     'And Lou York down there, Ward Marshall's father-in-law, owned big horses too, four team of horses.'

120. Tl'a,Tommy Muldowhiyilhnï,Delbert Turnerbitsets,'enwihDonald Graymany yearsyibe'ët'ën'.
     andthey call himhis grandfatherhetoofor himhe worked
     'And Tommy Muldow, Delbert Turner's grandfather, worked for Donald Gray for many years.'

121. Oh my,ggindinïho'ggecDonald Grayso'wentisletl.
     that personmannothe doesn't sleep
     'Oh boy, Donald Gray didn't sleep.'

122. Five o'clock in the morning'et 'awit'itnï,nïdo k'in'a'itnï,
     thenhe saysin Englishhe says
     'Five o'clock in the morning, he said this in English,'

123. "How can a person sleep at this time of the morning?" It's early in the spring, like, eh?

124. Bin'ts'ënedzic.
     morninghe gets up
     'He gets up early.'

125. "Nts'ën'a'awitdinïta---ntalilhwitah?
     howthenpersonwill sleepis able
     "'How can a person sleep?' %18:28

126. Ho'ggec."'Awnts'itilelhtah'aw, 'awdollar'its'olh'iw'gheyt'ah,"nï.
     noeverwe sleepwhenneverwe could makeneverhe says
     "'We can't make a dollar when we sleep", he says.'

127. 'Et 'awitdidïltlic'et 'awit.
     thenhe jumps upthen
     'He jumps up.'

128. Clothesbïnede.
     he puts them on
     'He gets dressed.'

129. Tënedidlïhtsët'et 'awitholggïh,nis.
     he says a prayerfirstthenhe runs offahead
     'First he says a prayer before he leaves.'

130. Ïzïlhiyhibilec'iditsic.
     horseshe feeds them
     'He feeds the horses.'

131. Ïzïlhiyso'ts'iyewhhibilec'iditsic.
     horsesreallyallhe feeds them
     'He feeds all the horses.' %18:52

132. 'Et 'awit,'et 'awitdïtsholggïh.
     thenthis wayhe runs off
     'Then he runs this way.'

133. Dïtsyink'itholggïh.
     this waylandonhe runs off
     'He ran off this way on the land.'

134. Ggï,every winterggïtsë,tsëndikfrostbïts'iyewhndik,ndikhalwisk'a'it'iyh,hanelwisk'a'it'iyh.
     thatthatrockupsoby means of itallup thererun outit happensrun back outit happens
     'Every winter the frost pushed up rocks.' %19:15 %halwis

135. 'Eyts'iyewhlhineyudïlïlhtl'a,dilebï'ohkhëlhyitilhdïlh.
     itallhe's collecting themandhis own handwith ittherehe packs them away
     'He gathered all that and packed them away by hand.' %19:21

136. Gginïïzïlhiyntsetshaatalh'is.
     thosehorsesfrom downhillthey will bring up
     'They bring the horses up the hill.'

137. Teamster'adicteamsterye---hibit'iy.
     he himselfhe has them
     'He had his own teamster.'

138. NtsetsTsë Cakh(ha)tsaatalh'iswitsëhde','awittwo hours,three hours'oh tah'it'iyh'etk'idziyeïzïlhiyhatsaalh'is.
     from downhillHagwilgetanimals will comebeforethenabout that (much)he worksthenfinallyhorsesthey're coming here
     'Before the horse came to the village, he worked two-three hours before the team of horses (on his own).' %19:41

139. Tl'iho'aanït'iyh.
     andthey start to work
     'They all start to work.'

140. Yi'eystone boathiyilhnï'eybï'aat'iyh.
     ittsë lhoodïlïhthey call ititwith itthey work
     'They used a stone boat.'

141. Oh my oh my,'awmbïyilh ul'ën'gheyt'ahho'ggec.
     neveranyonewill compare to himneverno
     'No one can ever compare to him him, no.' %20:03

142. I think that's all we're going to say for now.

Notes

1. hiwit'iy wik'ëlhaonlï rental, boarding house
2. also means 'restaurant'
3. nïïnïnle 'he set them up'
4. 'aw... gheyt'ah 'never'
5. Dilïz Co, nickname for Theresa Gray
6. i.e. with only four horses he did all that land clearing.