Gitanemuck

/ɡɪtənɪˈmʌk/ noun

Definition

A person of mixed Gitkan (Native American) and European heritage, historically used in the Pacific Northwest, particularly among First Nations communities.

Etymology

A compound of 'gitane' or 'Gitkan' (referring to the Gitxaala or Gitanga First Nation peoples) and 'muck' or 'muk' (from Chinook jargon meaning 'man' or 'person'). Reflects colonial-era descriptive terminology.

Kelly Says

Gitanemuck shows how colonial languages mixed indigenous terms with borrowed words from trade languages like Chinook jargon—a linguistic record of cultural contact!

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