Kwanesum: kwah'-neh-suhm
Many people have asked about the name of our boat. And how it was chosen. I have yet to enter that on this blog. I shall remedy that right now.
When you name a boat it’s as if you are naming one of your children. You want to make sure it is an appropriate name as it will be with you forever. Or at the very least, as long as you own the boat; and sometimes beyond that. When we purchased our boat it was brand new…sort of. It was actually a 2004 model we purchased in 2006. It was used by Island Packet at boat shows, and now they were ready to sell it. As yet, it remained unnamed. We threw names back and forth at each other. Our last boat was MoonGlade, the name for the shadow a full moon makes on the water. Perhaps something along those lines…MoonShine, (umm…maybe not)….MoonGlow,….MoonDancer, MoonShadow… I immediately got online to be sure we didn’t pick a name that had already been used. I wanted us to be unique. A zillion Moons have been used. OK…let’s go another direction. Perhaps something with Packet in it…since we’re an Island Packet. Packet Inn! Been used…a few times. Packet Up! Used. Ugh.
Let’s try something else. How about Intrepid? That’s what we are…intrepid. Intrepid…used many times. Darn. I get out the Thesaurus to find other words meaning intrepid. None sound good. Arrghhh!
It’s amazing how many boats have the same name: Intrepid, Serenity, Indigo, Liberty …. And when you’re cruising, as we are, you are remembered mostly by your boat name. So you don’t want to be confused with another boat…with the same name.
The thinking process continues. “How about Popcorn!” (Randy LOVES popcorn and our boat is a similar color.) “Then we can name the dinghy Kernel!” I thought I was so clever. I actually really liked it! But we decided it was too cutesy. We aren’t cutesy people. You also need to consider how it sounds when you use it on the VHF and SSB radios. “Ocean World Marina, Ocean World Marina, this is the sailing vessel Popcorn.” “Yes, Popcorn, go ahead.” Nah…too cutesy.
Still thinking. Some people name their boats after a wife, girlfriend, or daughter. Always the woman, as boats are considered feminine. Maybe the daughter would be ok, but the wife or girlfriend might not stick around. The Lacey Jane (our daughter) sounds good, but you see mostly tugs or fishing boats with women’s names like that. And I didn’t want to slight our two sons.
Keep thinking. We set our thinking beyond the obvious. For many years Randy has been an avid fan of Lewis & Clark the great explorers and cartographers that Thomas Jefferson commissioned to explore and map the new frontier. “How about a name associated with Lewis & Clark,” Randy said. Great idea! OK…now…what name could we glean from that? Brain storming begins.
We get serious. We want a name that is both unusual and representative of our feelings about sailing. By choosing the Lewis & Clark thought process we’ve included our heritage, i.e. living and being raised in both California and the Pacific Northwest. With Randy’s interest in the Lewis & Clark expeditions, the Corps of Discovery, and specifically the winter they spent trading with the Chinook Indians, we decide to explore their language. The Chinooks created a ‘trade’ language that was universally used by the native groups and European settlers. It ended up being used by nearly all who traveled and worked there, thus bringing together many different cultures by a common language. This is what we’re doing in our own way…exploring and bringing together different cultures. Our common language...sailing.
Quote from National Geographic: The Chinook tribe had been trading with the British and American traders who came to the Oregon coast for decades. Their languages were mixed into "Chinook jargon," which the expedition members picked up. It became the lingua franca from Washington State to California.
That would be us! Mild and inoffensive. =).
Now to explore their language for an appropriate word that might be used for a name. I jump on the internet. Skookum…I like skookum. I like how it sounds and it means strong and durable. But in researching further, there’s already a line of boats called Skookum. Shoot. We keep looking. I’m finding old documents that have the Chinook jargon in dictionary form. Interesting.
I happen on a word. I think this might be it: Kwanesum, kwahnesum - always, forever.
I explore it further. From one of the Chinook jargon books: Kwah'-ne-sum, -or Kw'an-e-sum, adv. (C). (Chinook,-Kwanisum; Yakima,- Kwalisim.) Always; forever; eternal; continual; everlasting; perpetual; unceasing. Example: Okoke steamer yaka kwanesum klatawa, that steamer is always going. Kahkwa kwanesum, as usual. Kwanesum mitlite, permanent; to keep.
I think it’s fitting. We like it. Our boat will always keep us safe, we will always be together…forever. Taa daahh!
We shall call our boat Kwanesum.
We shall call our boat Kwanesum.
