Halkomelem (also Halq'eméylem, Hul'qumi'num', and ) is a Coast Salishan language of the First Nations around the Fraser River and the southern end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

The word "Halkomelem" is an anglicization for a language with three dialects: Halq'eméylem, the dialect spoken by the upriver lo of the Fraser Valley, , the dialect of the downriver Stó:lō, and Hulq'umín'um', spoken by six separate but closely related First Nations in the Georgia Strait area: the Chemainus, Cowichan, Halalt, Lake Cowichan, Lyackson, and Penelakut.Hul'quim'num Treaty Group

In 1977 Brent Galloway of the University of California at Berkeley compiled the first grammar of Upriver (Chilliwack) Halkomelem and developed the now-official Stó:lō orthography. He is currently working on a Halkomelem dictionary.

According to Galloway, some words in Halkomelem "encapsulate the whole knowledge of the culture." The language has a rich oral literature which shows a whole way of looking at the universe that is different from that of English or other European languages.

The Halkomelem language is near extinction largely due to the extensive transportation of First Nations children to residential schools. In 2000, it was estimated that the number of fluent Halkomelem speakers was less than one dozen. Language programs at the lō Nation, Seabird Island First Nation, and Cowichan First Nation have been developed to save the language. A program aimed at adults at Musqueam is a collaboration between the band and the University of British Columbia First Nations Language Program.

Phonology

The phonology of the dialect is (based on the charts at LanguageGeek):

The vowels are /i u e ə a/, with long counterparts .

Peoples speaking Halkomelem

Hunquminum (Island dialect)

• Penelakut First Nation
• Nanoose First Nation
• Somena
• Halalt First Nation
• Lyackson First Nation
• Malahat First Nation
• Sneneymux First Nation
• Cowichan First Nation
• Cowichan Lake First Nation
• Quamichan

Hulquminum (Downriver dialect)

• Tsawwassen First Nation
• Tsleil-wau-tuth First Nation
• Musqueam First Nation
• Kwantlen First Nation
• Coquitlam First Nation
• Katzie First Nation

Halqemeylem (Upriver dialect)

• Matsqui First Nation
• Sumas First Nation
• Lakahahmen Lake First Nation
• Scowlitz First Nation
• Skwah First Nation
• Seabird Island First Nation
• Yale First Nation
• Tsakuam First Nation
• Union Bar First Nation
• Chawathil First Nation
• Skawahlook First Nation
• Skwah First Nation
• Ohamil First Nation
• Peters First Nation
• Popkum First Nation
• Cheam First Nation
• Skway First Nation
• Squiala First Nation
• Aitchelitz First Nation
• Kwawkwawapilt First Nation
• Yakweakwioose First Nation
• Skowkale First Nation
• Tzeachten First Nation
• Soowahlie First Nation
• Chehalis First Nation (non-lo)

See also

• Brent Galloway

External links

• Ethnologue Report for Halkomelem
• First Nations Languages of British Columbia page on Halkomelem
• Language Geek page on Halkomelem
• Status of British Columbia First Nations Languages
• Hul'q'umin'um Talking Dictionary
• Halkomelem Ethnobiology Web Site (SFU)

Reference

• Carlson, Keith Thor, ed. 2001. A Stó:lō-Coast Salish Historical Atlas. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.