Lummi/Nespelem

Object Details

Topic: North Straits Salish language; Lummi dialect; Clallam language; Language and languages -- Documentation; Linguistics; Ethnology

See more items in: John Peabody Harrington papers; John Peabody Harrington papers / Series 1: Native American History, Language, and Culture of Alaska and the Northwest Coast

Biographical / Historical: No date is given for John P. Harrington's study of Lummi. From the format of the notes it seems likely that the fieldwork was done in 1942--probably in January just after his return from Aleut territory. He worked primarily with Patrick George (referred to as, 'Chief ') and his cousin Julius A. Charles (shortened to Mr. Charles or Mr. Chas). Some of the work was done at George's home at Fish Point on the Lummi Indian Reservation. Part may have been done in nearby Bellingham, Washington. Addie George, a Nespelem woman acting as interpreter, was also present at the sessions. Limited amounts of nonlinguistic data were obtained from H. C. Banner, Sidney Jones, Carl Brandur, and an Icelandic couple, Mr. and Mrs. Westmann.

Collection Citation: John Peabody Harrington papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution; The preferred citation for the Harrington Papers will reference the actual location within the collection, i.e. Box 172, Alaska/Northwest Coast, Papers of John Peabody Harrington, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution. However, as the NAA understands the need to cite phrases or vocabulary on specific pages, a citation referencing the microfilmed papers is acceptable. Please note that the page numbering of the PDF version of the Harrington microfilm does not directly correlate to the analog microfilm frame numbers. If it is necessary to cite the microfilmed papers, please refer to the specific page number of the PDF version, as in: Papers of John Peabody Harrington, Microfilm: MF 7, R34 page 42.

Existence and Location of Copies: Microfilm and digital surrogates of microfilm are available. See Volume 1, reel 15, which also contains material from other subseries. Only original documents created by Harrington, his collaborators and field assistants, or notes given to him were microfilmed.

Scope and Contents: This subseries of the Alaska/Northwest Coast series consists almost entirely of vocabulary. Lummi terms are given with English translations and frequently with Nespelem equivalences. A few comparisons are provided in other Salishan languages. (George's paternal grandfather spoke Clallam.) Most of the words describe the natural world. There are small sections on astronomy, weather, and months, as well as a larger number of items pertaining to plants and animals. The placename data are keyed to a number of maps--probably to U.S.G.S. topographical maps of Whatcom County, Sumas, and Blaine Quadrangles, which were found elsewhere in the Papers. Information is also provided on the islands in the Georgia Straits. Some terms pertaining to material culture appear in the plant vocabulary section. Ethnographic notes and references to myths are interspersed throughout the material.