Elizabeth Phillips (Stó:lō Nation elder) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elizabeth Phillips HON D.Lit
Siyamiyateliyot
Born	1939 Cheam First Nation, British Columbia
Citizenship	Canada
Education	St. Mary's Residential School
Occupation	Language preservation
Known for	the last known fluent speaker of the Stó:lō Nation’s Upriver Halkomelem
Notable work	Co-Authored: Talking in Halq’eméylem, Documenting Conversation in an Indigenous Language

Siyamiyateliyot Elizabeth Phillips was born in 1939. She is a respected elder from the Stó:lō Nation in British Columbia, Canada. She is very special because she is the last person who speaks the Halq’emeylem language fluently. This is an Indigenous language from the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon. For over 50 years, she has worked hard to save and protect her language.

Her Early Life and Language Journey

When Elizabeth was young, she went to live with the Peters family on Sea Bird Island. This family spoke Halq’emeylem very well.

From ages 8 to 15, Elizabeth attended St. Mary's Residential School in Mission, British Columbia. At this school, children were not allowed to speak their own languages, including Halq’emeylem. Even though it was forbidden, Elizabeth kept her language alive by thinking in Halq’emeylem.

Working to Save a Language

When Elizabeth Phillips was in her early 30s, local leaders asked her to help. She started working as a translator for elders who spoke the language.

In the 1980s, she began working officially to save the Halq’emeylem language. She worked at the Coqualeetza Cultural Education Center. Elizabeth and 11 other elders worked with a linguist named Brent Galloway. Together, they created a way to write Halq’emeylem. They also helped to complete a dictionary for the language. Elizabeth took over this important work from another elder, Elizabeth Herrling, who had started recording stories in the language.

Recording Stories and Sounds

For 20 years, Elizabeth has worked with another linguist, Strang Burton. They have recorded many stories and added to the Halq’emeylem dictionary. Mr. Burton even used special ultrasound technology. This helped them record how Elizabeth's tongue moves when she speaks. This helps new learners understand how to pronounce the words correctly.

Sharing Her Knowledge

Elizabeth Phillips often visits classrooms to teach Halq’emeylem. She goes to the University of the Fraser Valley and other schools in the area. She also helps plan how new language courses should be taught.

In 2018, the University of the Fraser Valley honored Elizabeth. They gave her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. This was to recognize all her amazing work.