Language/Culture Blog

Language Lesson - Animals

Published: 03 April 2020 Hits: 758

Let’s test our knowledge of Wášiw Animals – How many can you name on your own?”

Below is a list of Animals and their Wášiw names, test your knowledge by seeing how many your recognize. Once you’ve mastered them all practice them with your family and friends!

The majority of these come from the work of Elders and Teachers at Wášiw Wagáyay Máŋal (the house where Washoe is spoken) and notes from Elder Speaker Roy James.

Birds of Prey

máɁwiɁ Hawk

paťálŋiɁ eagle

dímum Owl

dú∙t Great Horned Owl

ḱáwlak Snowy Owl

Game Birds

gówgow Snow Goose

luḱemhu Bittern

lámɨk goose

šáćil teal duck

madamátdiɁ mountain quail

ťéťɨl valley quail

ćúpum grouse

Ɂáŋaho dove (pigeon)

síyuk sage hen

dílek mallard duck

madá∙ťak mud hen

Other Birds

mémlew Hummingbird

díćem Flicker

ćašu Pinion Jay

hú∙šɨm Vulture/Buzzard

ťá∙ťat Magpie

ɁáɁa Crow

médukćáyćayiɁ Steller’s Jay (commonly reffered to as a blue jay)

šalemótdit Small bird, black-headed, gray body

dedzítdzidiɁ Snow bird

ćidó∙dokhu Robin

láɁlek Swan (grey, has long neck)

ćɨkćɨkhu Pelican

ḱá∙ḱaɁ Stork (heron)

gá∙giɁ small gray bird (similar to snow bird)

wé∙š Sparrow

Fish

Ɂáťabi fish

Ɂímgi big fish (Lahontan Cutthroat Trout)

maťóšawhu Whitefish

bákwanhu Sucker Fish

ɁaɁwaku Black Bass

ḱí∙ḱidi Silver Trout

šuɁwé∙k oysters (clams)

Reptiles

máɁkiɁ rattlesnake

múšgulhu water snake

Ɂawahó∙pi/ɁoɁhó∙pi bull snake

píteliɁ lizard

píteliɁ dasásgiɁ black lizard sp. (literally greasy looking)

ťá∙giltušúšuɁ Tagil dešušu horned toad

Amphibians

gó∙ťaɁ frog

gó∙ťaɁ deyćá∙biɁ bullfrog

gó∙ťaɁ ṕóṕoliɁ tadpole

ḱawánadaɁ/ḱawándadiɁ turtle

Mammals -Predators

tulí∙šiɁ wolf

ťá∙ba grizzly bear

mɨ∙de cinnamon bear/black bear

mó∙gop (type of) fox

géwe coyote

wátdziha fox

hilí∙za mountain lion

dumšé∙gɨl bobcat

Mammals - Domestic

deldélduweɁ Horse (descriptive of the hooves)

gawáyɨɁ Horse (derived from the Spanish word)

bá∙gaɁ cow (derived from the Spanish word)

sú∙kuɁ dog

bú∙Ʒi cat

gúšuɁ pet (blanket term for any animals that is a pet)

Mammals – Game

memdé∙wi deer

háŋamúyweɁi moose

Ɂáyɨs antelope

Ɂó∙gal mountain sheep

Ɂáṕɨl Mášiw mule tail deer, east range

táŋlelťiɁ memdé∙wi pacific deer

máyŋa fawn

mú∙daláɁ doe

péleɁ woodchuck

díteš prairie dog

pélew jackrabbit

ćáliɁ cottontail rabbit

mú∙ḱi mountain rabbit/snowshoe hare

Mammals - Rodents

bá∙sat gray squirrel

bí∙wiɁ tree squirrel

pawáwliɁ California blue squirrel

ɁućuliɁ daŋášuŋ copperhead squirrel (literally reddish)

ɁúćuliɁ chipmunk

ṕáša/ṕóɁlo woodrat

ṕušálaɁ mouse

bá∙muš muskrat

yóšoɁ broad footed mole

délem gopher

Mammals - Other

peɁwéćeliɁ weasel

tuṕíṕiwiɁ skunk, stinking

dáɁŋiš mink

bágumdálŋiɁ bat

séwɨt porcupine

ćímehel/ćímelhel beaver

tulúlu valley chipmunk

Youtube and Facebook Links

Published: 27 March 2020 Hits: 828

míw húŋa ɁumhámuhešiɁ

(how are you all feeling?)

In order to provide new and interactive resources for those interested in accessing digital materials from please take a look at the Culture/Language Resources Department Wašíšiw GúwaɁ Facebook and Youtube pages. We are hoping that these new resources will help you incorporate language and culture into your daily lives, please follow the links below for easy access!

On the Youtube Channel you will find new and old videos from the Washoe Tribe. Please be on the lookout for new videos for adults and youth alike! We hope that you are able to learn something new and even remember some of the things that you have learned growing up Wášiw!

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs-3PoulM2UUidyjx85s3qQ/videos

On the Facebook page you will find new resources, a space to interact with others and also have the ability contact the Culture/Language Resources Department Staff with questions. We encourage you all to interact with the group and use the Wášiw that you are learning with Tribal members around the country!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wa%C5%A1i%C5%A1iw-Guwa%C9%81-2291630037783676/

Language Lesson - Body Parts

Published: 27 March 2020 Hits: 745

Hello again,

For anyone interested in learning their body parts here is a simple lesson you can do at home:

lápuš – “my body”

The goal of this activity lesson is to start to identify the Wášiw names for each of the body parts listed.

For added difficulty you can also differentiate between “lápuš – my body” and mápuš – your body”

Remember that whenever you are talking about “my” body parts you use:

di- when the first letter of the root word starts with a consonant (for example to say “my eyes” you would add the prefix “di-“ or “my” to the root word “-wí∙gi” or “eyes” making it “diwí∙gi” or “my eyes”)

l- when the first letter of the root word is a vowel (for example to say “my body” you would add the prefix “l-“ or “my” to the root word “-ápuš” or “body” making it “lápuš” or “my body”)

Whenever you are talking to someone about “your” body parts:

Ɂum- when the first letter of the root word starts with a consonant (for example to say “your eyes” you would add the prefix “Ɂum-“ or “your” to the root word “-wí∙gi” or “eyes” making it “Ɂumwí∙gi” or “your eyes”)

m- when the first letter of the root word is a vowel (for example to say “my body” you would add the prefix “l-“ or “my” to the root word “-ápuš” or “body” making it “lápuš” or “my body”)

Please remember to save/download the image above for your records.

miw Ɂaŋaw waɁ mí∙biɁi (miw ang-aw wah mee-bee-ee) – "it is good that you came here"

Published: 08 April 2019 Hits: 2837

Welcome to the Washoe Tribe Culture/Language Resources Department Blog.

The Washoe (Wašiw) Language and Culture blog is meant to provide materials and outreach to Tribal Members who are looking to keep our language and culture alive. We hope that you find resources that you can use with your family and friends.

Since the language and culture are intertwined we at the Culture/Language Resources Department do our best to include materials that relevant to Tribal Members at all levels; from our youngest youth to our most cherished Elders.

The Culture/Language Resources Department will be periodically posting:

Language Lessons
Community Events
Cultural Activities
Cultural Resources

Please be patient as we continue to update the CRD Blog

Language/Culture Department Blog