Tsawout hereditary Chief Eric Pelkey tells the story of the ancient village of QENEN,IW̱
Click below to listen to Eric tell the story in English.
Click below to listen to PENÁĆ tell the story in SENĆOŦEN.
QENEṈ,IW̱
The history of QENEṈ,IW̱ was passed on to us by our Elders because it deals with the natural laws of the W̱SANEĆ people. In relating the history and the incidents that brought about the name QENEṈ,IW̱.
Our Elders told us that many years ago our family had a reefnet site SX̱IX̱TE; that was directly across the bay from what is now known as Poets Cove. Poets Cove resort is located on the village site of QENEṈ,IW̱.
SXEDQELÁNEW̱ was the Chief of this village until our people were forcibly removed and relocated to Tsawout.
QENEṈ,IW̱ got its name from an incident that occurred around the reefnet site located SX̱IX̱TE; ; Many years ago that reefnet was a thriving center of the economic life of our families of QENEṈ,IW̱. It was to benefit all the people of the village equally. That was the law. There came a time when a powerful SIÁWE (a visionary person who was able read thoughts and see individuals’ futures), was using her powers for personal benefit. The SIÁWE sought to take possession of the reefnet site at SX̱IX̱TE for her own benefit and personal wealth. She went out to the reefnet site and chased the fisherman away. XAALS the Creator saw what the SIÁWE was doing and came down from the heavens to the people of the village. He bade them all to look at the SIÁWE out at SX̱IX̱TE. A loud roar came from the heavens and a bolt of lightning shot down and struck the SIÁWE and turned her to stone. XAALS warned the people of the village “ Greed is against the laws of the W̱ILNEW̱ people, in order to survive you must share the wealth, none must go hungry. You have all witnessed the consequences. From this day forward this place shall be known as QENEṈ,IW̱ because of what you have witnessed!”
I ȽEȻSILEṈ TŦE SYESES LA,E EṮ QENENIW̱ ĆSE LA,E TŦE SELÁLEW̱ LE ȽTE.NIȽ ȻO, TŦE SḴÁLs ȽTE.
The history of QENEṈ,IW̱ was passed on to us by our Elders because it deals with the natural laws of the W̱SANEĆ people
HIŦ ȻO, YEŦOST TŦE SELÁLEWW̱ LE E TŦE SW̱ÁLET I NIȽ ȻO, TŦE SNÁ,s SX̱IX̱ŦE. ĆÁȽ LA,E DÁȻEL EṮ Poets Cove U S,ET,ÁUTW̱.
Our Elders told us that many years ago our family had a reef net site SX̱IX̱TE; that was directly across the bay from what is now known as Poets Cove. Poets Cove resort is located on the village site of QENEṈ,IW̱.
HIWEḰ LE EṮ SXEDQELÁNEW̱ LA,E TŦE ÁLE,LEṈ TOW̱ LA,E U ĆÁNEL TW̱ OX̱ LA,E EṮ SȾÁ,UTW̱.
SXEDQELÁNEW̱ was the Chief of this village until our people were forcibly removed and relocated to Tsawout.
ĆSE LA,E TŦE XAXE SĆÁ,Is TŦE QENENIW̱ SX̱ÁLET LA,E EṮ SX̱IX̱ŦE ( SDIWIEȽ SNÁ,s)
QENEṈ,IW̱ got its name from an incident that occurred around the reef net site located SX̱IX̱TE;
ṈEN TEĆÁNȻE, SĆELÁNEṈ LE STEL,ĆIX̱ OL TŦE W̱SÁNEĆ ŚW̱ELO₭E LA,E ET QENENIW̱ SX̱ÁLET.
Many years ago that reef net was a thriving center of the economic life of our families of QENEṈ,IW̱.
LA,E LE ŦE XISEL SYEU,WE ȻS ĆOȻES LE TŦE SIWINs E TŦE ÍY,NOṈETs E ŦE SȻÁ,S OLs. X̱EṈs LE I QENET TŦE ENÁ, SE SȻÁĆEL I XEĆNOW̱s TŦE ŚḰÁLEȻENs E TŦE SÁN OL.
There came a time when a powerful SYEU,WE (a visionary person who was able read thoughts and see individuals’ futures), was using her powers for personal benefit.
SṮI,ÁLṈEN ŦE SYEU,WE TŦE SX̱ÁLET SX̱IX̱TE E ŦE SȻÁ,s ÍY,NOṈET .
The SYEU,WE sought to take possession of the reefnet site at SX̱IX̱TE for her own benefit and personal wealth.
YÁ, OX̱ LE E TŦE SX̱ÁLET I WEȽET TŦE QENÁLYEN I TŦE ŚW̱ELOKE LA,E. SU TW̱ENÁNEJ OL TŦE SȻÁ,s. I QENEW̱ EṮ XÁLS TŦE SXÁ,ES SĆÁ,Is E TŦE SYEUWE SU ȻIL LA,E TŦE ÁLE,LEṈs E TŦE W̱ILṈEW̱ EṮ XÁLS.
She went out to the reef net site and chased the fisherman away. XAALS the Creator saw what the SIÁWE was doing and came down from the heavens to the people of the village.
I ĆTÁTEṈs TŦÁ,IYE ȻS QENET LA,E E ŦE SYEUWE LA,E EṮ SX̱IX̱ŦE. SU X̱EṈ OLĆḴEḴEN SW̱EW̱O,EŦ I TÁU,ṈENs LÁ,E I ȽENEQT ŦE SYEUWE SU TW̱E SṈÁṈET ŦU NIȽ LA,E ȻSI LA,E.
He bade them all to look at the SYEUWE out at SX̱IX̱TE. A loud roar came from the heavens and a bolt of lightning shot down and struck the SIÁWE and turned her to stone.
SU YOTEṈS TŦE W̱SÁNEĆ W̱ILṈEW̱ LA,E ȻS SQȺ OL TŦE SḴENEW̱EȽ E TŦE SX̱ENÁṈs I ȽELEḴT YEW̱ MEQ EN SȻÁ,s I EWENE SÁ,ÁN QÁQI OL.
XÁLS warned the people of the village “ Greed is against the laws of the W̱ILNEW̱ people, in order to survive you must share the wealth, none must go hungry.
U QENET SW̱ OL NEȻILIYE E TŦE SḴÁU, NOṈET TŦE SÁN E TŦE SXÁ,ES SĆÁ,Is ĆSE LA,E ȻSI SU NÁTEṈ TŦÁ,E TŦE SX̱ÁLET QENENIW̱.
You have all witnessed the consequences. From this day forward this place shall be known as QENEṈ,IW̱ because of what you have witnessed!”
