Skookum

[skinem]

Yeah, yeah, not English. A word that has been used as a place name for quite a few places in Washington state.

Skookum-usual spelling, archaic is skookoom, or skukum.

From the Chinook language--noun, adjective.

1. A ghost, evil spirit or a demon.
2. Strong.

Sometimes you'll see it alone, such as Skookum Meadows (place name); often with other words--for example, multiple places called Skookum Chuck which means literally means strong water, or rapids; or skookum tumtum, which means brave or not afraid.

Some older folks in the Pacific Northwest refer to sasquatch as Skookum.

[Slava]

This is fun. Now we know the Chinook for intestinal fortitude: skookum tumtum. If that's not fun, I don't know what fun is.

Down with chutzpah! Go Chinook!