Reviving language is rejuvenating culture for Puyallup Tribe

Reviving language is rejuvenating culture for Puyallup Tribe

As waves crash along the shores of Puget Sound, the descendants of the region’s earliest residents hear the words created by their ancestors. “They heard what the waves said x̌ʷəlč,” Zalmai  Zahir said, uttering a swooshing sound very similar to the echo of a rising and falling wave. “That’s what our people call the salt water or Puget Sound, x̌ʷəlč.” “They went to the crow, and they said, ‘What’s your name? Tell me your name.’ And the crow sa…