Tŝilhqot’in Ch’ih Gudzɨsh

Place names are of deep ancestral significance to Tŝilhqot’in people. They connect language, history, cultural practice, traditional knowledge, and mythology to the places and features that make up Tŝilhqot’in territories. Reflected in our place names are our histories, myths, and legends, as well as the unique physical geographies, ecosystems, and environments of our ancestral homelands. As such, place names also provide evidence for Tŝilhqot’in historical land use and occupation, indicating where our ancestors held deep relationships with lands and waters, plants and animals, and spiritual beings.

Tŝilhqot’in place names also reflect the richness of our language, Nenqayni Ch’ih. Many places have more than one name, and there are often two, three, or even four versions of any one place name. This variation is a reflection of the diversity of our language speakers, as well as a long, often ancient history of using these names. While many Tŝilhqot’in place names have a meaning that can be understood by translating their components (i.e. Tsalhanqox = tsa [beaver] lhan [many] yeqox [river]), many have been used for so many generations that they can no longer be translated in this way. As with most Indigenous cultures, Tŝilhqot’in place names are ancient and dynamic, preserving memories as far back as creation, but also reflecting the evolving nature of language, cultural practices, and historical events.

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