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Skookum is a Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in British Columbia and Yukon Territory in Canada, and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It has three meanings:
Principal meaning It has a range of positive meanings. As described in the FAQ from Skookum Tools, the word can have meanings from "'good,' to 'strong,' 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate' and 'first rate.' Something can be skookum meaning 'cool' or skookum can be 'tough.' A skookum burger is a big (or really tasty) hamburger, but when your Mom's food is skookum, it's delicious but also hearty ... When you're skookum, you've got a purpose and you're on solid ground." Being called skookum may also mean that someone can be counted on as reliable and hard-working, or is big and strong. In a perhaps slightly less positive vein, skookum house means jail or prison, cf. the English euphemism "the big house" but here meaning "strong house". Skookum tumtum, lit. "strong heart", is generally translated as "brave" or possibly "good-hearted". In the Chinook Jargon, skookum is also used as a verb auxiliary, as in "can" or "to be able". Another compound, though fallen out of use in modern BC English, is skookum lacasset", or strongbox. A related word "skookumchuck" means turbulent water or rapids in a stream or river, i.e. "strong water" ("chuck" is Chinook Jargon for "water" or "stream" or "lake"). There are three placenames in British Columbia using this word, one of them for a famous saltwater rapid at the mouth of Sechelt Inlet, the others at rapids on the Lillooet and Columbia Rivers. While the rapid at the mouth of Sechelt Inlet is the skookumchuck on the coast, the term is used in a general sense for other patches of rough water al, typically tidal-exchange rapids at the mouths of other inlets or bays, which are a regular feature of the British Columbia Coast. Monster A second meaning of skookum is a variety of mountain giant or monster, similar to the Sasquatch or Bigfoot. In the surviving Tshinuk-Wawa spoken in Grand Ronde, Oregon, this variant is pronounced differently - skoo-KOOM, but when used in English with this meaning it is pronounced the same way as the "big and strong" meaning. A derivative usage of the skookum-as-monster context was the application of the name to a local souvenir doll, simply called "a skookum", once common in truck stops and local retailers in eastern Washington, Idaho and Montana. Cat Skookum is also the name of breed of cat. It is a small affectionate cat, very similar to a related breed called the Munchkin, but with curls similar to its other parent breed, the LaPerm. Its head is a broad modified wedge shape with rounded contours and medium large walnut shaped eyes. The head shows no extremes of features, but the eyes are large and expressive. The neck and body are moderate in type but thickish with a rounded chest and good solid musculature. The body should not appear elongated, but tends slightly more towards cobby type. The short yet well proportioned legs have medium boning. The upper and lower forelegs are approximately even in length, as are the thighs and lower legs of the slightly longer hind legs. The feet are well rounded and compact and well planted. The coat is the result of the LaPerm gene so has a similar soft light airy texture. It should not be overly thick and should stand away from the body on fuzzy ringlets and curls or waves. The curls should not ripple close to the body but should spiral randomly out away from the skin. They can be long haired or short haired and the short coated variety has a coat which is closer to the body but still springy in feel. Regardless of hair length the Skookum should have very prominent curled whiskers and eyebrows. They are fun loving and kittenish cats, playful and athletic and fond of jumping and climbing. History The Skookum was developed from crosses between Munckins and LaPerms with the aim of creating a short legged cat with a curly coat. The original crosses were carried out in the 1990s by Roy Galusha, and other breeders joined the breeding programme, with breeders in the USA, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The Skookum is currently recognised as an Experimental breed by TICA and by Catz Inc in New Zealand. Temperament The Skookum personality is very similar to the Munchkin and is a sweet and cuddly cat, with just an bit of an added spark of brightness from their LaPerm ancestors. See also | ||||||||
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