seagull – qwuní
[Larus spp., especially L. canus Linnaeus (mew gull) and L. glaucescens Naumann (glaucous-winged gull)] • Twenty species of gulls are known to British Columbia. Two species—mew gull and glaucous-winged gull—are very common and breed within the Hul’q’umi’num’ territory. The last of these species—the glaucous-winged gull—is widely known as the “seagull” of British Columbia. Gull eggs, likely mainly of mew gull and glaucous-winged gull, were formerly gathered for food during June and July.
qwuni – seagull
tthu ni’ tul’nuhween’ ’u thu qwuni.
What I know about the seagull.
nilh tthu shqwultuns st’e ’uw’ niis xut’u qwuni.
The sound they make, it sounds like they are saying “qwuni”.
’uwu niis nan ’uw’ thithiws ’i’ ni’ thulh ’uw nuts’tul.
They are not very big birds but they do come in many sizes.
hwqxa’wuth tthu sht’u’aal’usth, ni’ tthu q’uq’ ’i’ tthu tshwikw’, tsq’ix tthu sxuy’usth.
They have many shades of color. Some are white and grey with a black head.
hwthuha’lu ’u kws tslhaythut-s thu qwuni, ’i’ ’uw’ hay ’u kwus si’si’s ’uw’ nilhus kwsus kwunnuhwus tthu s’ulhtuns.
Seagull can be loud and noisy, but it is only when they are threatened or when they find food.
qux tthu s’i’lhtun’s thu qwuni tthu ’i’kw’utus s’ulhtun tthu mustimuhw, stth’ukw’ s’axwa’, stseelhtun, sq’uq’a’ tthu mumun’lh sqw’ulesh ’i’ tthu tth’utth’uxals.
Seagull eat many things like human food and garbage, worms, clams, small fish from the sea, as well as small birds and eggs.
’uw’ na’nuts’a’ ’ul’ tthu ni’ ststa’lusth ’u tthu sht’es kws hulis.
They have only one mate in their lifetime.
’uwu kws nem’s tuyqul thu qwuni.
Seagull does not migrate.
’uw’ hay wa’ ’uw’ niis nats’thut tthu shni’s yelhs nem’s tuyqul.
They only move if there is a big change in the climate.
ha’ ni’ yath ’uw’ stl’atl’um’st-hwus tthu ni’ shni’s ’i’ ’uwu kws taant-s.
But if they find the climate good where they are, they will never leave it.
’uwu kws xte’ums ’u tthu shqw’ul’eshelu thu qwuni.
Seagulls never make nests.
nuw’ lhelhuq’utus ’ul’ tthu tth’utth’xalsth ni’ ’u tthu tumuhw stutes ’u tthu kwutl’kwa.
They just lay their eggs on the ground close to the sea shore.
nilh ’uw’ yath ’uw’ shni’s thu qwuni tthu kw’atl’kwa, ’i’ nilh yath ’uw’ shni’s kws sqwuqwisth.
Seagulls are salt water birds and they are always in the water.
tl’lim’ ’uw’ hay ’ul’ thu qwuni xwum ’i’ qa’qa’t tthu tl’elhum qa’ kwus nilhs tthu ni’ ’u tthu muqsuns ni’ shqwuqwe ni’ shxwutus tthu qa’ ni’ ’u tthu muqsuns.
Seagull is the only bird that can drink salt water because there is a hole on their beak.
’uw’ hay ’ul’ tthu tun’ni’ ’u tthu tun’tsa’luqw Alaska ni’ lhey’xt tthu smustimuhw tthu qwuni.
It is only the people from the north, Alaska, that still eat the whole seagull.
niilh ’uw’ lhey’xtus tuw’ t’at mustimuhw ’u kwsus q’uq’ulum’ ’i’ niilh ’uw’ sxuxits-hwus ’ul’ tthu ni’ sht’es ’i’ ni’ ’uy’ kws lhuyxt-s tthu tth’uutth’uxals.
When they were camping our ancestors used to know when the eggs were good to eat.
Hul’q’umi’num’ description by Ruby Peter | sti’tum’at and Roberta Charlie | yuleqtunaat.
