ḰENES

Saanich

Noun

ḰENES (Americanist spelling qʷə́nəs)

1. whale, especially the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

   ÁN¸ U¸ ĆEḴ TŦE ḰENES.

   That whale is very big.

2. mouth of Hagan Creek (at Hagen Bight)
3. Stuart Island, especially Reid Harbour (an island of the Discovery Islands, British Columbia, Canada)

   SX̱ELX̱O¸LE¸ TŦE W̱ILṈEW̱ LÁ¸E E TŦE ḰENES.

   The people were reef netting at Stuart Island.

Usage notes

This term is not used to refer to the killer whale (orca). For that, the term KELȽOLEMEĆEN is used.

Derived terms

• ŚW̱ḰENE, ŚḰEN¸E (“ocean, sea”)

See also

• KELȽOLEMEĆEN (“killer whale, orca”)
• HÍYÍSET (process of a whale flapping itself before it dives)

References

• Timothy Montler (2018), SENĆOŦEN: A Dictionary of the Saanich Language‎^[1], electronic edition, Victoria, BC: W̱SÁNEĆ School Board, page 284