What Was Said to Me: The Life of Sti'tum'atul'wut, a Cowichan Woman

by Ruby Peter, Molly Peter

Overview

A narrative of resistance and resilience spanning seven decades in the life of a tireless advocate for Indigenous language preservation.
Life histories are a form of contemporary social history and convey important messages about identity, cosmology, social behaviour and one's place in the world. This first-person oral history—the first of its kind ever published by the Royal BC Museum—documents a period of profound social change through the lens of Sti'tum'atul'wut—also known as Mrs. Ruby Peter—a Cowichan elder who made it her life's work to share and safeguard the ancient language of her people: Hul'q'umi'num'.
Over seven decades, Sti'tum'atul'wut mentored hundreds of students and teachers and helped thousands of people to develop a basic knowledge of the Hul'q'umi'num' language. She contributed to dictionaries and grammars, and helped assemble a valuable corpus of stories, sound and video files—with more than 10,000 pages of texts from Hul'q'umi'num' speakers—that has been described as "a treasure of linguistic and cultural knowledge." Without her passion, commitment and expertise, this rich legacy of material would not exist for future generations

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780772679406
Publisher:	The Royal British Columbia Museum
Publication date:	06/18/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Cowichan Elder Sti'tum'atul'wut Mrs. Ruby Peter has been a tireless advocate for Hul'q'umi'num' language protection and preservation for many decades. She has served her community as a member of council, an educator, and a longstanding supporter of environmental protection and community health. Helene Demers is an honorary research associate in the Department of Anthropology at Vancouver Island University. Molly Peter is a daughter, grandmother, and great-grandmother from Cowichan Tribes territory.

Editorial Reviews

"As I read What was Said to Me I felt like I was sitting with my grandmother when she too shared stories, teachings, culture and tradition. Such a beautiful reflection of Ruby’s vision: a legacy that guides and directs her family." —Robina ThomasExecutive Director, Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement, University of Victoria

"What Was Said to Me is a beautiful and generous gift our Aunty, Sti’tum’atul’wut, has shared with us. It is rich with teachings from beginning to end. It is an example of the love she had for the people." —Samaya Jardey, Director of Language and Cultural Affairs, Squamish Nation

"A synthesis of memoir, oral history and auto-ethnography, Ruby Peter's story is a powerful testament to the persistence of Indigenous life on Canada’s West Coast." —Wendy Wickwire, Author of At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging

“The stories contained in this book are wonderful reminders about the centrality of care, and of listening, for a life well-lived. . . Its lessons are Cowichan and invaluable to all who want to live an honorable, and ethical life.” –Georgia Sitara, for BC Studies

From the Publisher