LibGuides: Dakelh Phrases (Lheidli): Seasons, Holidays, Weather

Seasons

Holidays

Labour Day - 'ut'en-a hubudzen 'U•t'en-a Hu•bu•dzen Etymology: A phrase consisting of 'ut'en-a ‟worker”, q.v., and hubudzen ‟their day”, q.v..
World Rivers Day - yunka 'ukoh dzen yun•ka 'u•koh dzen Observed on the fourth Sunday of September.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - soo nawhults'ut dzen Celebrated on September 30th. Etymology: ‟the day when things fall back to the right place”. Soo Na•whul•ts'ut Dzen
Orange Shirt Day - dzoost'an kwun dot'en dzen
Thanksgiving - nenachailya dzen Ne•na•chail•ya Dzen Etymology: ‟The day we say thank you”.
Indigenous Veterans Day - Dakelh nus̲uba hubudzen
Remembrance Day - whunalhunih dzen whu•na•lhu•nih I remember
Winter Break - khui noye Khui No•ye (Winter Fun/Break)
Christmas - nebayaz hooni Ne•ba•yaz Hoo•ni Also: Sizi Whuzdlidzen Siziyaz Hooni Siziyaz whuzdli: Etymology: ‟little Jesus was born”.
Happy New Year - 'inyoo yus̲k'ut hoont'i
Family Day - natneke dzen
Pink Shirt Day - dzoozt'an dunulk'un dzen Dzooz•t'an Du•nul•k'un Dzen The anti-bullying day. Etymology: A compound of dzoozt'an ‟shirt”, q.v., dunulk'un ‟it is pink”, q.v., and dzen ‟day”, q.v..
Spring Break - 'olulh noye 'O•lulh No•ye (Spring Fun/Break)
April Fool's Day - whuts'itdahdzen Whu•ts'it•dah•dzen Etymology: ‟liar's day”.
Easter - sizi dunadija dzen si•zi du•na•di•ja dzen Etymology: ‟the day Jesus rose again”. Also: dunadijadzen neba dunadija nebadindijadzen nebadunadijadzen
Earth Day - yunkadzen yun•ka•dzen Observed on April 22nd.
Mother's Day - 'uloodzen
Father's Day - 'ubadzen
National Indigenous Peoples Day - Dakelh dzen
BC Day - bisidzen Bi•si•dzen Etymology: The abbreviation ‟BC” for ‟British Columbia” plus dzen ‟day”, q.v..
Happy Birthday - dzen hooni hoont'i
Happy International Women's Day - Yunka Ts'ekoo Dzen Hoont'i!

Months

September - nadlehyaz Na•dleh•yaz Etymology: ‟little (salmon) run”.
October - lhewhnandelnun Lhewh•nan•del•nun Etymology: ‟period when whitefish come back”
November - benats'ukuihnun Be•na•ts'u•kuih•nun Etymology: ‟time when we pull our boats in”.
December - 'eldziyaznun 'El•dzi•yaz•nun Etymology: ‟the period of the small moon”.
January - 'eldzichonun 'El•dzi•cho•nun Etymology: ‟the period of the large (bright) moon”.
February - yussulnun yus•sul•nun Etymology: ‟the period of wet snow (flakes)”.
March - datsannandelnun Da•tsan•nan•del•nun Etymology: ‟the period when crows return”.
April - dulats'eknun du•la•ts'ek•nun Etymology: ‟time of the Cottonwood buds”.
May - dugoos̲nun Du•goos̲•nun Etymology: ‟time of sucker fish”.
June - daingnun Daing•nun Etymology: ‟time of high summer”
July - gesnun Ges•nun Etymology: ‟period of Spring Salmon”.
August - nadlehcho Na•dleh•cho Etymology: ‟big (salmon) run”.

Some Local Place Names

Canada - Kanada Ka•na•da Etymology: Loan from English Canada. Ultimately from Iroquois.
Prince George - Lheidli Lhe•i•dli Etymology: Literally, ‟they flow into each other”, that is,‟confluence”, since the Nechako and the Fraser join here.
Connaught Hill - Ts'undus̲'aiyaz-i
South Fort George - Ts'untsila Ts'un•tsi•la Etymology: ‟at the end of the fir trees”.
Cranbrook Hill - Khas̲d̲z̲oon Yus̲k'ut Khas̲•d̲z̲oon Yus̲•k'ut Etymology: ‟Dwarf Maple (q.v.) ridge”.
Fraser River - Lhtakoh Lhta•koh Etymology: ‟waters within each other”, due to the fact that for a considerable distance after the Nechako enters the Fraser one can see the distinct streams, which differ in colour due to the different amounts of of silt they carry.
Nechako River - Nichakoh
North Nechako Cutbanks - Galbanuyeh Gal•ba•nu•yeh Etymology: After a famous runner, because footraces to the top used to be held here.
Giscome Portage - Lhdesti Lhdes•ti Etymology: ‟shortcut”
Stoney Creek - S̲aik'uz̲
Ancient Forest - Chun T'oh Whudujut Chun•toh Whu•du•jut Etymology: chuntoh q.v. ‟forest” plus whudujut ‟it [wh-class] is old”.

Days of the Week

Monday - jimosdzen hukw'elh'az ji•mos•dzen hu•kw'elh•'az Etymology: ‟after Sunday”.
Tuesday - whulhnatdzen whulh•nat•dzen Etymology: ‟second day”.
Wednesday - whulhtatdzen whulh•tat•dzen Etymology: ‟third day”
Thursday - whulhditdzen whulh•dit•dzen Etymology: ‟fourth day”.
Friday - ts̲unts'usyihdzen Etymology: ‟the day we do not eat meat”, after the former Roman Catholic custom.
Saturday - sumdidzen sum•di•dzen Etymology: Compound of sumdi, borrowed from French Samedi ‟Saturday” and Carrier dzen ‟day”.
Sunday - jimosdzen ji•mos•dzen Etymology: Compound of jimos borrowed from French Dimanche and Carrier dzen ‟day”.

Weather

Sun is shining - sa nilhdzun
It is windy - nilht̲s̲'i
Snow is falling to the ground - najas̲
It is snowing - nawhujas̲
It is raining - nawhulhtih
It is foggy - 'a naints'ut 'a nain•ts'ut Literally, ‟fog has come”.
It is cold - whunez̲k'uz̲
The weather has become good - nahoot'e
It is hot - whunez̲ul