Colestah

Colestah (wey kpai in 1865) na one of di five wives wey Shif Kamiakin (wey live from 1800 go rish 1877) mari. Shif Kamiakin na big shif for Yakama Native American tribe. Pipo sabi Colestah as medisin wuman (dat one mins sey Colestah sabi yuz native lif an plant wel wel to mek pipo dey ok), E bi wuman wey fit see an feel tins wey oda pipo no fit see or feel. Colestah na stil wuman wey sabi fight wel wel. Im na wuman woriho.

How e tek start life

Colestah na di las bon wey im papa bon. Di nem of Colestah papa na Shif Tenax. Shif Tenax na shif Klickitat pipo. Di nem of Colestah three holda sista na: Kem-ee-yowah, Why-luts-pum, an Hos-ke-la-pum.

Colestah bon two pikin for Shif Kamiakin — di fest pikin nem na Tomeo, di sekod one na Tomomolow (som pipo dey kol am Tomolio).

Battle of Four Lakes

For September 5, 1858, Colestah folo im hosband go Batul of Four Lakes — som pipo stil dey kom am di fight Batul of Spokane Plain. Di fight na bitwin di Yakama pipo and one solja soldier oga wey dem kol Colonel George Wright.

Colestah no just folo luk. E Kari stone war klub (dis tin na wiapon wey dem dey yuz fight, e bi like stone wey dem tied to stik. Colestah suwel sey e no go lif im hosband but join bodi fight di war with im hosband. One history book wey one man wey sabi criminal justice well well, Kurt R. Nelson, write talk say Colestah wear her best buckskin dress (traditional fine dress wey dem make from animal skin), and she pack her hair tight tight inside braid, like woman wey ready for serious matter.

As di fight dey hot, one big gun (howitzer) shoot one shell (bomb), and di bomb scatter one tree branch wey come wound Kamiakin bad bad. Colestah no fear, she carry her husband go back to di family camp wey dem set near Spokane River. When dem reach there, she use all di native medicine wey she sabi (di same one wey dem dey call Indian doctor medicine) take nurse her husband until e well.

Later life and death

After di war, Colestah and Kamiakin carry demself go stay for one camp near Palouse River, for place wey near di St. John and Endicott wey people dey see today. Di family just continue dia normal life — dem go dig root wey dem dey chop, gather berry, and catch salmon fish wey dem dey eat.

For 1864, Colestah born new pikin for Kamiakin — dem call di pikin Tomolow. But after di pikin born, Colestah sick. Di sickness no gree go, and she die for 1865.