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    A Selection of Prayers in Gitxsan

 

Gitxsan (called Giatikshan in this 1881 document) is a language spoken in northwestern British Columbia in the upper basin of the Skeena River, in the Diocese of Caledonia. Estimates of the number of speakers vary from about 400 to 1000; around 13,000 people are part of the Gitxsan nation.

This short translation of portions of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer was prepared by missionary Bishop William Ridley (1836-1911) , the first Bishop of Caledonia. Ridley became bishop of the newly-created Diocese of Caledonia in 1879 after serving as a missionary in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Germany and in English parishes. His own account of his experiences in British Columbia was published as Snapshots from the North Pacific in 1904. In 1882 and 1892 Ridley and his wife Jane Helmer Ridley published portions of the Book of Common Prayer in Zimshian, another indigenous language of British Columbia.

This brief translation is not mentioned by Muss-Arnolt or in David Griffiths' Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer, but Griffiths does list a later translation into Gitxsan (which he calls "Gitsk(i)an") which includes Morning and Evening Prayer, the Litany, Holy Communion, Infant Baptism, Adult Baptism and the marriage service.
 


 

 

cover page, Gitxsan Prayers

 
A Selection of Prayers

TRANSLATED FROM

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

IN THE

Giatikshan Language

FOR USE AT THE

PUBLIC SERVICES.

 

 

VICTORIA:
THE COLONIST STEAM PRESSES.
1881.

ornament

 

WILAWIL GIGIANAKUM HELTHUKQ TKANILTH SA ALTH GOLTH.

One or more of these Sentences to be read before the General Confession.

Ami dumt houdinlth giat dumt ltha magulth ltha hadak ltha wilt, gi wilt agulth anaugut, gunlth hogiak, dumt gi dimaut ltha auzun gi didilst.—EZEKIEL xviii: 27.

Nidnilth ltha gishgishum, gunlth ltha hadakgwi alth gushewi.—PSALM 51:3.

Iyuklth zalun alth a hadak gwi, megi sagimgilth tkanitq ltha gishum wili. PSALM 51:9.
 

THE GENERAL CONFESSION TO BE SAID BY MINISTER AND PEOPLE—ALL KNEELING.

WULZAGAIT NIDINLTH LTHA HADADAKT.

    Tkadakgiatgum gukgaiumgaudum Nagwaut ltha gush-ba gulth goulum alth lakgainq hogiakumlth shuwi gwautkum matikq. Ltha gul widish dup iyuklth lthkisitauk dum, gunlth lip an goumlth lip gagaudum. Ltha dup ilthagunlth ltha akbakaushkum iolthumgush gwun.
    Nilth gine gi wilum alth agolth dum gai wilum; n’lth gi yagai wilum alth agolth dum ak wilum.
    Nilth gun ne-gi sgilth dakgiat laum.
    N’lth giakai nin O Minum gaiumgaudun laum abakbakushgum hadadak num.
    Gi lthgolinlth gaudun laudit O God at un nidinlth ltha hadadak dit.
    Me gi hazukshum hokledinlth lu-guksatetuksum gagaudit. Nilth wil ltha wil gup eusgwun malth gut alth giat as Jesus Christ Menum.
    N’lth gi win O Gukgaiumgaudum Nagwaut as nit gi gunwin, wit gwut alth gion dum guniwila am, hogiak gunlth duala-gigiatkum dildilshum: dum wil lthanutk ltha an akbakaushgum wan. Amen.
 

 

THE ABSOLUTION.

Tkadakgiatgum Shimoigiat gi lakagi Nagwautlth Menum Jesus Christ alth ak hashagut dum noulth hadak witlth giat, dum gi kaii zunsh yelqut ltha hadakwut nilth gi dim didilsht Nilth git ginamlth dakgiat gi gunlth iolthumgush alth Ministers alth dim algiakt gi alth dim malthlit alth gukshatetikshum gagaudum lthi zapt gi alth dim shashakshint ut ltha hadadak gut. Nit gi shashakshilth ltha hadadaklth tkanitqush dipnedit alth shumen gukshatetikshit gunlth lugwul shimetukshit gi, alth amut ltha malthash gut gi. Nilth gun whau zi dip gunet ash nit dumt ginamt laum shumen gukshetukshum gaudit gunlth Amut lthi Haiiqut gi dum winsha eshgwushgitgusht gi gulth huwilum gion. Nilth gi dim wil gaksh goniwila shikshakshgum gunlth dum amlth lthi dildilsh dum dip dim walth ak ti shabam gunlu-ama-gaud gi aza ltha shabat. Alth wilt Jesus Christ Menum dim gun wilt. Amen.

    Minister—O Menum gagulth gazumagum
    Giat.    Dum git-gun gialth gazumagum dup lthaudin.

    Minister—O God dadeusq ma dimautgum.
    Giat.    O Menum walukslth ma lthimaumum.

THE LORD’S PRAYER.

    Nagwaudumlth zum lakagi
    An akbakaush lthu wan
    Amlth dum adiks lthi kingdom.
    Shagaud gun dum wil hanizokum nilthwil zum lakagi.
    Ginamlth laum a shatgun am lthabid lip wuneyum.
Me gi sha gimklth hadadakum nilth wil sha gimk nalth hadak git laum.
    Gi houm za dadeunt gum alth spgait an speltgaud.
    Me gi akbagudum alth hadakq.
    Alth wilt nin ltha wilt alth kingdom, gunlth dakgiats: hunlth anlthaumsk git: nilth dum gi guniwilawil. Amen.

THE CREED.

Shumetiksni alth God gu Nagwaut, Tkadakgiat gut: at an Saplth laka gunlth hanizokum: n’lth git Jesus Christ giolo Lthgolth git gi, Menum: alth ltha adiks gut gi alth Amut Haiikqut gi alth lthisgiatit alth aktugulgiatk gut Mary: Abakgunsh dup Pontius Pilate: tkaldapdit alth lak kuzakgi; nilth gi not gi: nilth git uwhokt gi: gwulal shat gi nilth gi hazukshumo ginit gut gi, sa witgut alth spgait dadouut: nilth gi dhat alth anunshimonlth God, Nagwaut gi Tkadakgiat gut gi. Dum hok adiks gi dum witgut, ash gusht gi alth dum daplth dildilsit gi, gunlth dadouut. Shumetiksni alth amatlth Haiikq: gunlth amut shgait giit Church gi: gunlth lthi shashaks gut ltha ha-dadak-gwut gi: gunlth dum hazukshumo ok linidumuksh tgumot gunlth aiegedum gundidilsit. Amen.
 

 

THE SECOND COLLECT AT MORNING PRAYER.
(For Peace.)
ANUKSTATANUM COLLECT ALTH NA AMUK.

O God an zaplth gungiaksh, gunt an shiebun shagait giim gagaudit, an ginam aiegedum gun didilsh ash dipnedit at an wilaiyin; shim lipgigiatit, gunt an yowun. Lthanum alth duala gigiat-kum tkalwikwilumlthgwun alth lthanumsh ghun, dum wil ak lakbiziqutum alth a dakgiat ligit an lthibalt wilt ghum, alth wilth lthi dakgiat Jesus Christ Menum gi, dum gun wilt. Amen.

THIRD COLLECT FOR GRACE.

O Menum zum lakagi Nagwaudum, Tkadakgiatum alth aiegedum didilsit God: at an dilamautgum duwatum a shatgwun: lthanum alth a widishum dakgiatun aza wi sha: me gi ginamlth laum a shatgun dum wun ak lu dup lilthigim alth hadaq: ligi dum wil ak lugumgoulum alth gun ashtiwil: nilth dum gi gai amadok tkanitqlth wilum altha aiyogushgun dum wun gwalak wilum hogiakut alth zalun. Alth wilt Jesus Christ Menum dum gunwilt.

SECOND COLLECT FOR EVENING PRAYER.

O God alth wil witq gun adiks tkaniqlth shaksgum an goum: tkanitqlth am shagaudq: gunlth tkanitqlth hogiakum halthalshit. Ginamlth gun lugiaksh alth tkulwikwilum gwun, alth lthgukshinlth hanizokum dunt ginamt. Dum wil shimgiat wiluksh gagaudum alth dup dum wildin ltha iolthumgush gwun, gunlth hok wilt nin an lthanum dum wil ak lakbiziutdum alth an gushgauush gum dum wil gidiwanum giakshum dildilshum alth wilt Jesus Christ Halamaut gum gi dum gunwilt. Amen.

THIRD COLLECT AT EVENING PRAYER.

Sha goimak lthi shkeuk gum gwunaiyim laun O Menum. Nilth gi lthu widishum gaiumgaut, ma gun lthanum alth akq-tgun. Alth wil shiebunsh giolo Lthgolth gwun Halamaut gum Jesus Christ, dum gunwil. Amen.

PRAYER OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM,
FOR BOTH MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER.

Tkadakgiatgum Shimoigiat ga lakagi, at an ginam am laum alth shgait gulth gagaudum, alth dup dum gigiangwaklth gwun gion: nilth gi gup eusgwun a zidi shagait-wan lthi bokadilth ligi gwilaunt alth ltha wan gunwil: ginamlth ltha gwunadit. Wildinlth gion O Menum an goumlth gunlth lthi gigiangwaklth alth tkalwikwilumlth gwun alth gai gi amut ash dipnedit. Ginamlth laum alth tgun hanizok dup dum wilailth lthi shemhen, gunlth dum aiegedum dildilshum alth hanizokum alth gaugum ga. Amen.

Ltha amlth Menum Jesus Christ gunt ltha shilgawilumlth amut Haiikqut, gi dum guniwila hoks git laum.
 

 

PRAYER FOR ALL CONDITIONS OF MEN.

O Shimoigiat lakagi lthilth an zap gunt an habilbaut tkanitqulth giat diduala gigiatgum dum gunat laun zak tkanit wil likshgigiatlth gunlth zak ak matk gum wilawilt giatit, am ma dim anuk ma dim wilaiinlth a wilagiaun ash dipnedit, gunlth ltha gundimaud ashgun alth tkanitqlth wilzokzok: gai gup nit dip gigianakgun alth dim wil amlth wilawil shugait giim Churchit, dum wil ama deuntqu dit, gunlth dimt algiakut amit ltha Haiik gun: tkanit gush na t’an malthilt, nilt gi lip guk shuwat alth Christians, dim dadeuntk-shit alth gainum shimhet, nilth dum gi dakiyugutlh shimetuksh a shugait giim gaudit, alth dim shugait nididaklth alth gungiaksh, gunlth dim shim hogiak gum dildilsh dit kshkulan dip tkalmagut laun alth wil ama nagwaut nin tkanitqush na luwinwantgum ga-gaudit ligi abakbakush gut alth gaudit gi, tgumot, ligi wilwil dit: a ma dim anauk dim gun shakshlth gagaud, nilth mi gi lthimaut alth ligi lip golth an gagwea dit, gunlth ma dim ginamt ash dipnedit deakgaudit lthi shpugait gungagwea dit, gunlth dim gai amut dim wil kshahahaklth alth tkanitq ltha gun luwinwantgum gagaudit; nilth gi dip gunashgun alth wilt Jesus Christ gilth dim gun wilt. Amen.

GENERAL THANKSGIVING.

Tkadakgiatgum Shimoigiat Nagwautlth tkanitqlth gaiumgaud nungum ak tkalamamit tkalwikwilum gwun an shim sha duala gigiatqu dip doiikshin witqwut alth gagaudum alth wil tkanitqlth ltha amun, gunlth lthi shiebunsh gun amagiatun laum gunlth tkanitqlth giat. Dipgumgot gun a ma win zapun, gunlth moun dikdidium, gulth tkanitqlth amitlth a gu alth gai di dildilshdimm. Nilth gi gai giaksh lakot alth tkanitqut alth win giagaget gum shiebunsh gun, alth moun kshigitgikqulth hanizok, alth wil Menum Jesus Christ; gunlth inlthnit an lthimaum alth am, gunlth ltha an bishquti alth ltha hoiash gut lakagi.

Nilth gi dip hazukshumo hok gunat laun dip dum adikt tkanit lthilth goulum gaudin alth dip dum doiikshin, gunlth dip dum wun gwun giadit dip amadalukdin, nilth gi ne gi dum kshak kut gamakum, nilth gi gai wila didilshdim alth dum lip guks gilginamt ghum alth ltha halthalsh din, gunlth dum akbagaudqu gunlth dum hogiakum wilukshim gun nakqut za dildilshdim, alth wil Jesus Christ Menum dum gunwilt, ash nit gi gunsh nin gunlth amut Haiik-qut gi, dum shugait tkanitqut amadalgushq gunlth an lthauumshu wagait ne gi dum shabakt. Amen.

Thanks are due to Richard Mammana, who transcribed this eight-page pamphlet and conducted background research for the introduction.

 

Web author: Charles Wohlers U. S. EnglandScotlandIrelandWalesCanadaWorld