INDIAN REMINISCENCES By Israel Bennion The Language The Indian vocabulary is very limited, but very full of meaning. All names have a definite and significant meaning. They did not spell; consequently the pronunciation becomes of paramount importance. Otherwise we lose both the word and its significance. We who supply the spelling should sense the responsibility we owe to the Indian of the past and the cosmopolitan of the future. We should have an Indian ear, an Indian heart, to manufacture a commonsense spelling. We must not manufacture a key to pronunciation and then supply the pronunciation. What sins have already been committed in the process of Americanizing names! For instance, my own county, Tooele: pronunciation and meaning unknown. Evidently the word was Tu le, or Tu la, meaning rushes. There is the mountain range, On a qui, the school O ne qua, the forest reserve, On a qui (O nak we), called by the Indians On go pi (tilde n, long o, short i), meaning Pine Tree Mountain. The Indians themselves cannot be relied on to clear up these matters; for whatever their traditions, folklore or culture may have been, it is mostly merged into a more or less abject following of the lead of the aggressive whites. The only way to arrive at the truth is to approach the subject from the Indian point of view, and softly awaken in the Indian heart the question, and the answer. What does this mountain, this valley, this stream, this peculiar kind of weather signify to you? For example, you want a name for a certain time of day, sunset. By look, gesture or word you draw attention to the going down of the sun. The Indian is a marvel at sign reading. You may get the word and the symbolic significance direct, together with an unmistakable gesture of the lips: Tabby yike wa (long i, long a in wa)—Sun Dies! Indian Philosophy Chief Wash, of ample proportions, was riding a small pony. The ubiquitous white brother remarked: "Wash, why don't you walk and carry the horse?" " H u h ! Big man talk like little boy !" The white brother was getting the names of his Indian neighbors. One rather surly old fellow made reply: "No name. Me got no name." "All right; your name is No Name." " H u h ! What name you?" "Poor Old John" was the answer, half jesting. " H u h ! 'S aw-right! Your name Poor Old John!" Both names stuck. Chief Moody and his white brother were discussing a re-
Utah Historical Quarterly, Volume 2, Number 1-4, 1929
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