Feature type: Creek (1)
Province: British Columbia
Location: Flows NE into Fraser River near Shere
Latitude: 53°02’00”
Longitude: 119°34’00”
NTS map: 83E/4
Official name listed at BC Geographical Names
Province: British Columbia
Location: Flows NE into Fraser River near Shere
Latitude: 53°02’00”
Longitude: 119°34’00”
NTS map: 83E/4
Official name listed at BC Geographical Names
Kiwa is Chinook for “crooked.” Before 1915, the creek was called the Little Shuswap River (Raush River was the Big Shuswap). (The Chinook language, which after European contact became the usual language of intercourse between different tribes, is a degraded form of the Chinookean language spoken in the state of Washington.)
References:
- Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names. British Columbia representative: D.F. Pearson, director of surveys and mapping, B.C. Ministry of Environment, Victoria..
Also see:
Interesting language parallel on the Kiwa / Kiwah!
Five years a captive among the Black-Feet Indians, or, A thrilling narrative of the adventures, perils and suffering endured by John Dixon and his companions, among the savages of the Northwest Territory of North America-Crakes, Sylvester
We found a rare species of bird as an inhabitant of
these mountain fastnesses, which I wish to describe more
particularly. To me its manners and appearance were
quite novel, and I am satisfied that in Europe there are
none like it. I am not an ornithologist, and can not
describe the bird technically; but in size it was about
equal to the robin, with alternate black and yellow
spots covering the body, excepting the wings, which are
a beautiful bright crimson. It is a delightful singer,
with notes clear, shrill and melodious, which are only
heard early in the morning and during the summer
months. The Indians, I learned subsequently, at
tach a degree of sacredness to this bird, and will,
under no circumstances, permit it to be killed or in
any way molested, believing they are messengers to
them, indicative of good fortune, peace and plenty.
These birds are not numerous, and it is only occa
sionally that the adventurer among these mountains gets
sight of one. They are exceedingly shy and timid, and
on the first alarm disappear.
The natives of these regions call this bird Kiwah,
which signifies, in the Black-Feet language, “sacred.”