*Dave’s Version

About: Understand this SO-RCD 💾 doc

S1-1984 contains scans and transcripts of the 1st edition of Saltwater People, a foundational text of W̱SÁNEĆ Saanich cultural knowledge from the transcribed lectures of PENÁĆ Dave Elliott Sr. In its 1990 2nd edition, Saltwater People is widely available online and at libraries, especially on and around Vancouver Island, and the Gulf and San Juan Islands. Rights-holder W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council shares this PDF, a scan from Belinda Claxton’s copy.

As I began my research into SENĆOŦEN Saanich-language place names, it became clear that the 2nd edition was influential on subsequent publicly available maps and lists of names. I was unable to track down any copies of the 1st edition, and found no references to it in the secondary material I reviewed.

On December 15, 2023, I visited the UVic libraries for the first time. Before lunch, I had unexpectedly come by the text reproduced in part below: a 1st edition of Salt Water People. After comparing it to the 2nd edition, I identified these pages as having significantly changed by the 1990 printing, and share them below in hopes that they might bridge some gaps.

The transcripts below reproduce any typographical errors from the original. Place names have been restructured into tables. Assuming cultural property to be represented by W̱SÁNEĆ, who have made the 2nd edition freely available as an educational resource, Factso hosts this version under fair use for similar open-access reasons.

Inside: What this SO-RCD 💾 doc tells us

Why call this “Dave’s Version?” Both editions provide Dave an author’s credit, but the 1st edition — with its distinctively bold fonts and modern design — appears to be much closer to the original transcripts, as I realized when comparing place name lists.

Timothy Montler’s 2018 electronic dictionary draws from here directly, accounting for some of the discrepancies with later sources. Per the preamble to the index of place names in the 2nd edition, the list was revised from the original and reviewed by YELḰATṮE Earl Claxton Sr., Dave’s nephew, who continued his work alongside Dave’s kids John and Linda.

As noted in its acknowledgments, the text in the 1st edition was “transcribed and typed [from] hours of taped lectures and interviews” by Diana Henry, who also “typed the final manuscript.” Henry’s typesetting was therefore likely a lot closer to the actual things Dave said — and her fonds must be freakin’ incredible.

Epigraphy: comparing different versions of the same text and asking why the differences are there. Confused at some of the divergences between Montler’s list of place names and the locations given in Earl’s Version, I have found some answers in Dave’s Version… and many new questions.

I will follow up with my insights in a separate post. In the meantime, enjoy your exploration of this rare edition of Saltwater People. Dave’s Version: 30,000 years’ knowledge, delicately handled by a classroom of Sidney teenagers 40 years ago, printed for the first time in June 1984 (school year 1983, as the copyright notes).

Contents: Navigate this SO-RCD 💾 doc

Scans: Salt Water People, 1st edition, June 1984; Covers, pages 1 to 4, 64 to 69

Transcripts follow. Images link to texts; texts link to images.

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Transcript: PENÁĆ Dave Elliott’s SENĆOŦEN Alphabet & Place Names in Saanich Territory

Front Cover – Table of Contents

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SALT WATER PEOPLE

as told by DAVE ELLIOTT SR.

COVER PHOTO: Saanich Canoe photographed in 1923 at Tsawout (East Saanich Reserve). The large float at the front of the canoe is probably made from a seal skin. It would be attached to a harpoon line to keep the harpooned animal from sinking. There are two harpoon shafts at the back of the canoe. The rush mat was sat upon or it could be attached to the large pole along the left side of the canoe and used as a sail.

B.C. Provincial Museum

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Inside Front Cover

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Table of Contents

FORWARD	2
INTRODUCTION	5
ANCESTORS	6
TEACHINGS	9
SAANICH TERRITORY	15
SAANICH SEASONAL CYCLE	19
EARLY CONTACT WITH THE EUROPEANS	34
JAMES DOUGLAS TREATIES WITH THE SAANICH PEOPLE	45
THE REEF-NET FISHERY	51
THE PAST AND FUTURE	58
APPENDIX I	64

© Dave Elliott, Sr. and School District No. 63 (Saanich)

Page 1

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[Signature, blue ink, centre to top right; reads Dave Elliott.]

SALT WATER PEOPLE

as told by
DAVE ELLIOTT, SR.

A Resource Book
for the
Saanich Native Studies Program

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 63 (SAANICH)

1983

Edited by JANET POTH, M.A.

NATIVE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

[Pricing from book sales in pencil: top right, 15^–; near top left, 35⁰⁰.]

Page 2

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[Library access codes in pencil: top right, M45529A, LAB238; under heading, Law, KID40, E55, 1983. Original in University of Victoria Archives.]

FORWARD

Dave Elliott has said, “I grew up with one foot in each century.” Because of this Dave has recounted the history of his People, and the history of the settlers, as neither has been told before. I have seen people sit entranced for hours listening to his accounts of our entwined history.

During the last seven years at Stelly’s School hundreds of students have had the priviledge of hearing Dave Elliott speak on the topics covered in the book. It is intended as a resource book for use with grade nine, ten and eleven courses of the Saanich Native Studies Program in School District 63 (Saanich). As such, the topics are limited and by no means represent the wealth of historical and cultural information from the life and experiences of Dave Elliot.

These are Dave’s words and thoughts. It is the product of hours of tape edited for the written word.

The writing system for the Saanich dialect used in this book was developed and taught to me by Dave Elliott.

Over the seven years of working with Dave I have been most inspired by his concern for his People and for the future of us all.

Janet Poth

Native Curriculum Development Coordinator
June 1984

Page 3

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PENÁĆ – FAIR WIND

PENÁĆ is Dave Elliott’s SENĆOŦEN name. It means Fair Wind. This photo was taken on Dave’s 73rd birthday, May 17, 1983.

Page 4

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DAVE ELLIOTT’S ALPHABET

with equivalent symbol from the
INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET

[Content from pages 5-63 similar in the 1990 2nd edition.]

Page 64

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APPENDIX
Place Names in Saanich Territory

#	Name	PENÁĆ Says
1	PKOLS Mount Douglas	means ‘white head’
2	X̱EOLX̱ELE₭ Elk Lake	means ‘drifting along’ referring to a small island that would appear to be moving around
3	HELEṈIḴEN Colquitz Creek	means ‘a stream tumbling down’
4	W̱ȾIXES Observatory Hill	from TXINIS meaning ‘to clench your teeth and show them’ – bare your teeth
5	ȾELIȽIĆ Cordova Bay	means ‘place of defeat’
6	ṮEMELÁĆEṈ Cowichan Head	probably comes from ṮOM meaning ‘enough’ but difficult to translate or decipher for English
7	XṮEUEȽ Mitchell Flat	comes from the word SXÁXEṮ for ‘crossways’ referring to the driftwood land every which way – good area for crab and oyster
8	ȾW̱ÁEN Point of land south of Cordova Spit where the sewer plant is now	comes from the word ȾWÁS meaning ‘cook in a pit’
9, 10	ȾIX̱EṈ • PENAḴ Cordova Spit	meaning ‘spit’; some may call it PENAḴ
11	ÍYEḴEN Bay at Tsawout between the land and the spit	means ‘nice place’ – also if someone has a clear, pleasant voice you say IYEḴEN
12	SȾÁUTW̱ Tsawout	means ‘houses up on’
13	TETȺET Shady Creek	means ‘little inlet’
14	W̱SÁNEĆ ‘Saanich	means ‘raised up’
15	TILEQEṈ James Island Dock	gives the idea of ‘dripping – water dripping off the bank
16	SJEPW̱EṈ next point north	means ‘wart’
17	ḰELSET Bazan Bay	means ‘bailing out’
18	W̱EĆEĆ Reay Creek	probably from the sound it makes
19	SETINES Sidney	means ‘sticking out’
20	W̱SIIKEM Roberts Bay (often called Shoal Hbr.)	means ‘small place of clay’
21	SIÁTEN Shell Island	means ‘hair’
22	SESIÁTEN Little Shell Island	means ‘little hair’
23	ȽEKTINES Coal Island	means ‘wide chest’
24	SḴEḴETEḴ Canoe Cove area (across from Coal Island)	means ‘little pass’

Page 65

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#	Name	PENÁĆ Says
25	ṮX̱ITEN Knapp Island	comes from ṮEX̱ meaning ‘hard’ because at low tide it is completely surrounded by reef rocks
26	ŚJELKES Swartz Bay	means ‘hand sling’
27	SḰEḰŦINES north end of peninsula across from Piers Island	a clam digging area
28	ṮEWEṈ big rock at Land’s End	means ‘howling’ – refers to a story
29	SQEQOTE Piers Island	means ‘crow’
30	SḰEMIN Arbutus Island	means ‘to get out of the water’; comes from Halkomelem (Cowichan)
31	W̱EW̱NEĆ beach at northwest area of peninsula	this was a clamming campsite
32	ĆELḰINES Moses Point	comes from ‘up, back from the shore’ describing the area
33	SW̱EMW̱EMEN Deep Cove	no translation available
34	W̱EW̱TEṈOŦ Coal Point	means ‘jump across’ relates to a story about a young man jumping across the point to an extension of the point.
35	KEUKEUET cove south of Coal Pt.	from KEUÁTEṈ which means ‘drumming’
36	W̱LILEĆ Towner Bay	when you say W̱LILEĆ you get an image of a tide that goes away out
37	W̱MESÁLE Towner Beach	from MESET which means ‘to gather in’
38	W̱SÍKEM Tseycum	means ‘place of clay’
39	TELÁW̱EṈ Pat Bay slough	no translation
40	TETḴȺEĆ spring at slough	no translation
41	ȾEṈTEN creek at Research Institute	means ‘bailer’
42	BOḰEĆEN Cole Bay	means ‘earth bluff’
43	ĆOĆCNEĆ Henderson Point	no translation
44	ȽÁWELṈEW̱ Mount Newton	means ‘place of escape’ refers to the story of the great flood
45	SENINES Senanus Island	means ‘chest raised up’
46	KEXMIṈEṈ Hagen Bight	means ‘place of Consumption plant’ – seeds used as incense for ritual and everday
47	ŦIŦEȻEN Hagen Beach	from ŦIŦEȽ which means ‘high’ describing the bank there
48	W̱ȻÁNESEṈ Saanich Point (nw. corner boundary of Tsartlip reserve)	means ‘clam shells’
49	ḰENES mouth of Hagen Creek	means ‘whale’ – a whale beached itself there once.
50	X̱ELEĆEN reef south of KENES	comes from SX̱ELISEN which means ‘to back out of water’ – this is where older women would go to collect bullheads in the spring.
51	W̱JOȽEȽP Saanich Bay (Tsartlip)	means ‘place of maple leaves’
52	ḴELAXE creek by Agnes Smith’s	means ‘dogs’ referring to a story that sometimes some people can see dogs there
53	TEL₭OŦEN spring west of Linda Henry’s	means ‘bump your mouth’
54	MÁW̱UEĆ meadow behind Manny Cooper’s	no translation
55	ŚEŚIWE spring behind Gabriel Bartleman’s	means ‘urinating’
56	TÁLEQEṈ creek by canoe shed	no translation
57	ĆIITṈEW̱ÁLE Sluggett Point	means ‘owl place’ – used to be an Indian burial island • corpses were laid out above ground on a platform sometimes with a fence • enclosure
58	ȾIKEL fields along Wallace Drive	means ‘bog’ – used to be a large bog or swamp until it was drained for farmland – it was a bountiful place for collecting foods and materials; when it was drained Dave Elliott’s mother said, “This place will be no more good to us.”
59	SṈITȻEȽ Todd Inlet	means ‘place of blue grouse’ • ṈIED blue grouse
60	W̱ĆEĆEĆE creek west side of Todd Inlet	named after the sound it made – believed to have once been the boundary of Tsartlip reserve because at one time the people used to take livestock over there for the summer when they were leaving to fish in the islands; fenced to other side of Willis Point

Page 66

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#	Name	PENÁĆ Says
61	MÁLEX̱EȽ Mill Bay ferry dock	from MEMEX̱ÁȽ which means ‘caterpillar’ referring to a time when the whole area was infested
62	EWOEḰ Mill Bay reserve	could come from EWO which means ‘no’; many people now at Pauquachin come from here
63	CUÁEN Cape Kepple area including Tuam Mountain	no translation available
64	W̱ENÁNEĆ Fulford Harbour	means ‘move your butt over’ • reference not known
65	SXEĆOŦEN Portland Island	means ‘you can see where the mouth is’
66	PIȾEṈ little island south of Portland	it describes a kind of slippage describing for example when a knot slips down a rope
67	ȽOLEĆEN Morsby	means ‘place to leave behind’ because it’s always being left behind. ȽOLES which means ‘leave it’
68	ȾESNOEṈ Beaver Point	means ‘to be struck right on’ referring to the tides hitting the point
69	SYOW̱T Ganges Harbour	from SYO which means ‘caution’ – this is the first place the herring came in the early spring
70	W̱ÁSW̱EM Prevost Island	means ‘place of seal’
71	SḴŦAḴ Active Pass area • Mayne Island	means ‘pass’ or ‘narrows’
72	XIXNEŚETEN spring on Helen Point	means ‘a track’ referring to it looking like a footprint; it is said to be XAELS footprint
73	YÁYEMNEĆ spring on Indian Bay	from the word YÁ ‘to go’ referring to it being a place to go
74	SKÁEŦEM Otter Bay (Pender Island)	means ‘place of otters’
75	X̱EX̱IÁĆSEN Shingle Bay, north of Mouat Point	comes from X̱IX̱EX̱I meaning ‘narrow’
76	SX̱OX̱IYEM Willis Point	comes from SXELISEN which means ‘to back out of water’ referring to its appearance at low tide
77	SPÁEȾ boulder north of MacKenzie Bight	means ‘bear’
78	W̱MÍEŦEN MacKenzie Bight area	means ‘place of deer’ traditional hunting area
79	₭ĆEMES Elbow Point	has to do with ‘sweating’ perhaps because of the steepness
80	W̱QENELEȽ Repulse reef and Joycelyn Hill area	from the idea of ‘looking up’
81	ṮQEȽNEȽ area of the mouth of Goldstream including the island	means ‘to expire’; a slow burning fire of the spongy material inside a rotting log, fire kept in a clam shell for those coming to the area to camp – once the fire went out, thus the name ṮQEȽNEȽ
82	SELE₭TEȽ Goldstream	gives the idea of upstream
83	W̱ȻELEȽP west side of inlet across from Elbow Point	no translation available – could come from the word ‘ȻEL‘ to upset
84	S₭OŦEN waterfalls and stream south of McCurdy Point	from the idea of streams ‘coming together in one mouth’
85	XÍXIṮEM McCurdy Point	means ‘place of cod-fish eggs’
86	ḴÁŦEȽP Sheppard Point	no translation available – sea lions used to get out of the water here
87	ḰELES sandy beach between Bamberton and Mill Bay	could come from ‘bailing out’ – good clamming area
88	YOS highest peak of Malahat behind Bamberton	from the word SYO meaning caution; they used to tell children not to point at it or it would rain
89	ȻAḴSEṈ west beach at Boat Nook	no translation – Malahat reef-net location
90	Ś₭E₭IṈES Pender Bluffs	means ‘place to get out, disembark’
91	XIXNECANEN Wallace Point	means ‘little running trail’ from the Cowichan word ‘to run’
92	X̱ELISEN Browning Bay and canel area	from SXELISEN which means ‘to back out of water’; it used to be a thin isthmus joining North and South Pender Island – a bay on each side
93	ILEĆEN Bedwell Harbour	no translation
94	SDÁYES Pender Island	no translation
95	SMONEĆ South Pender Island (eastern point)	means ‘pitch’ referring to pitch for fire
96	QENÁNW̱ South Pender Island (southeast point)	means ‘observing weather conditions’
97	TELOSEṈ Hope Bay	means ‘taking a mate’

Page 67

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#	Name	PENÁĆ Says
98	ṮEḴTEḴSEN east point of Saturna	means ‘long nose’
99	ŚȺḴETSES Saturna bluffs (south west side facing South Pender)	means ‘to dig in the pocket’
100	ÁMEĆEṈ bay east of Taylor Point	means ‘to wade for crabs’
101	TIWILES bay across from Tembo Island	means ‘take a look’
102	TEMOSEṈ Tembo Island	means ‘back eddy’ referring to the big and dangerous back eddy there
103	X̱IX̱YES Boat Passage	means ‘narrow’ from X̱IX̱EX̱I
104	ṮELȺ Samuel Island	no translation, there was an Indian burial for ȻELOW̱ENŦET‘s brother here XIÁȻEĆTEN
105	SĆUOŦEN Tsawwassen ferry terminal	from the ideas of ‘river mouth’ Dave Elliott’s mother’s father comes from here TELX̱ILEM
106	SMO₭EĆ Point Roberts	means – ‘bluff’
107	ĆELȽTENUM Blaine area including Boundary Bay	from ‘place to turn around’, probably referring to the tide
108	SEMYOME Semiahoo Bay	no translation
109	DAMW̱IḴSEN Gooseberry Point (north Bellingham Bay)	means ‘gooseberry place’ in Halkomelum
110	SMEMIEḰ Lummi Island (center facing east)	no translation
111	ŦIEṈȽNEȽ Cypress Island	means ‘bleeding neck’
112	ȾX̱INES Anacortes ferry dock	means ‘bare your teeth’ belongs to the Laconner people of Whidby Island
113	W̱ĆOṈES Deception Pass	means ‘to push away’
114	NE,ENTEN Smith Island	no translation – seal hunting place
115	W̱ȾISEĆEN Lopez Island	no translation
116	XEMXEMIȽĆ Blakely Island	from XEMXEM meaning cattails; means ‘place of cattails’
117	SȻENÁW̱ Bay on Point George	means ‘bullhead’ – a kind of bullhead that lives in the sand comes from the word ȾAȻEN meaning ‘no salt’
118	TÁȻEĆEN Shaw Island	no translation
119	TḴÁYEĆ Deer Harbour (Orcas Island)	no translation
120	ṮḰOLEḴS Coal Point (Orcas Island across from Waldron Island)	no translation
121	SWÁLEX̱ East Sound	probably Lummi for ‘reef-net place’
122	ŚEPELIḰ Mount Constitution	no translation
123	ȽAUḴEMEṈ Sucia Island	means ‘place of mussels’
124	PENÁW̱EN Patos Island	means ‘harvest’ references to collecting Ḱ,ȽOEL
125	ȾXENI Waldron Island	no translation
126	ĆIETṈEW̱ Gull Rock	means ‘big owl’
127	W̱ḴIMEQEṈ Flattop Island	means ‘place of devil fish’
128	X̱ODEȽ Spiden Island	said to be the mother of Mandarte Island X̱OX̱DEȽ
129	W̱ȾȺYEMEṈ John’s Island	Lummi dialect, no translation available
130	ḰENES Stuart Island	means ‘whale’; used to be a fishing camp
131	ŚÁNES Turn Point (Stuart Island)	no translation – a bleak place where young men preparing themselves for manhood would go there to dive off the sheer sides deep into the water. It is said to be a dwelling place for monster-like sharks and octopus.
132	TOLES Three Tree Island	comes from TOL meaning ‘way out, off-shore’
133	ṈENÁNET Henry Island	means ‘rocky’ from ṈEN many, SṈÁNET rocks
134	ȽEȽINȻEȽ Open Bay	from ȽIṈES for paddling; reef-net site
135	X̱UEṈEḴSEṈ San Juan Island: Limestone Point	means ‘fast-running nose’ referring to the tide

Page 68

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#	Name	PENÁĆ Says
136	WELÁLḴȽ north end	comes from the term for singing of the LEHÁL game
137	ḰIḰEL Roche Harbour	means ‘lime’ – referring to the lime deposits
138	SMÍYE Wescott Bay	no translation – however some reference to ‘good’; location for duck-netting
139	PḰEILWEȽ Mitchell Bay	means ‘place of rotten wood’ from PḰȺ ‘rotten wood’
140	WȺETEṈ Smuggler’s Cove	means ‘place of ling cod’ – from ȺYET – ling cod
141	ŦIŦEḰ cove between Smuggler’s and Andrews Bay	refers to ‘big head’ in Lummi; reef-net location
142	SȻEHENE Andrews Bay	no translation
143	W̱ṮEĆ Deadman’s Bay	means ‘deep place’
144	ṮIQENEṈ Cattle Point	means ‘place of peas’ referring to reef-net location of the Songhees
145	STOLȻEȽ Friday Harbour	means ‘place way out’ from TOL
146	ĆḰALETEN Rocky Bay	comes from ĆEḰ, meaning ‘burn’ perhaps from a fire here
147	XELEXEṮEM Gooch Islands group including Brethour, Domville and another	means ‘crossways’, because islands are across the current
148	PW̱ÁN Forrest Island	means ‘blown’
149	X̱OX̱DEȽ Mandarte Island	said to be the daughter of XODEȽ (Spiden Island)
150	SISȻENEM Halibut Island	from the idea of ‘someone sitting out just for the pleasure of the weather’.
151	SḰEŦÁMEN Sidney Spit, north end of Sidney Island	from ‘washed by the waves’
152	W̱YOMEĆEṈ southwest point on Sidney Island	means ‘to take caution’ from SYO meaning caution
153	ȾELXOLU west side, beach across from James Island	means ‘place of defeat’; halibut fishing area
154	ȽELTOS James Island	means ‘splashed in the face’
155	KELJIEUEȽ spit on the center east side of James Island	from KELEJ which means ‘shelter’
156	ȽTÁĆSEṈ northeast corner of James Island	means ‘belonging to neck’
157	BOḰEĆ bluff south end of James Island	means ‘earth bluff’
158	ĆTESU D’Arcy Island	means ‘just arrived’
159	ĆTISU Little D’Arcy Island	from above

Page 69

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A number of people have contributed to the publication of this book and we appreciate the help of each of them.

Chris Doman teacher of the Career Graphics Program at Parkland School organized students:

• Len Collins – printing
• Emma Doman – camera work
• Kerry Kereluk – typesetting
• Wendy Laing – initial layout concept
• Hughes Partridge – reef-net fishery drawings

and help from other members of the graphics course.

Diana Henry transcribed and typed hours of taped lectures and interviews and typed the final manuscript.

The Split Salmon graphic used at the end of each chapter was designed especially for this book by Charles Elliott.

To them and everyone else who helped in anyway we are grateful.

Dave Elliott Sr.
Janet Poth

Back Cover

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[Back cover: Falsified “signatures” made by HBC employees to “represent” South Island Indigenous leaders on the 1853 Douglas Treaty. At bottom right: Parkland Graphics logo and wordmark.]

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HÍ,SW̱,ḴE SÍAM

(gratitude, honoured ones,
in SENĆOŦEN)