FNLG 331 - Hummingbird Abstract

Ruby Peter - sxwut’ts’uli




What:carving of hummingbird made by my daughter Sheila Johnny
sxt’ekw’ thunu mun’u Qwulsimtunaat.
four of them, three small and one large
xu’athun—kws suw’ mukw’s lhihw thu mumun’lh ‘i’ nuts’a’ tthu thi
Where it’s kept:hanging above where I sit
s’a’kw’usstuhw ni’ ‘u kwthu nu shni’ kwunus ‘a’mut.
What is it made of:red cedar, it should be thin not thick
xpey' wulh ts'umiil' skw'ey kws plhet-s.
How carvings are made:draw pattern on paper before putting it on the cedar wood
sxuxil'st-hwus ni' 'u tthu pipu 'i' yelh sus nemust-hwus 'u tthu syalh xpey'.
The carving is done by hand, and they would follow the tracing on the wood.
nuw' tselushel's 'ul' 'u kwsis wulh xt'ekw' wus thuytus thu ni' sxuxil'st-hwus.
What does it look like?
colours: tsqway, p'uq', tsq'ix tskwim
The image is made to the beautiful colours when it's flying.
sht'es kwsis hay 'ul' 'uy'uy'mut 'u kwsus lha'lhukw'
long nose: tl'eqt tthu muqsuns
What it signifies to me?
Reminds me of Elders saying warm spring wind brings the hummingbirds
kwsus wulh mi' yukw'akw'usthut, m'i yukwun'els 'u they' spuhels, suw' xut'us tthu s'ul'eluhw "wulh tetsul lhu sxwut’ts’uli"

key words: sxwut’ts’uli hummingbird, sxt’ekw’ carving, s’a’kw’usstuhw have it hanging up, sxuxil'stuhw have it drawn, traced



Revised 2013-06-04.Back to Table of Contents