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Tlingit Conversation #10
Speakers are Kingeistí David Katzeek and Kaaxwaan Éesh George Davis. Recorded September 11, 2009 at Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff’s House in Auke Bay, Alaska. This recording continues on #11.
This material is based on work supported by National Science Foundation grant BCS-0853788 to the University of Alaska Southeast with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff as Principal Investigator and by National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship 266286-19 to Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or National Endowment for the Humanities.
Tlingit transcription by X̱’aagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston. English translation by Ḵínkaduneek Paul Marks, Kaaxwaan Éesh George Davis and Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by X̱’aagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston and Saḵaayí Anita Lafferty.
SYMBOLS: {false start}, [translator/transcriber's note], (added for clarity), ??? = canʼt understand, «quotation marks for Tlingit text (so as not to be confused with Tlingit ʼ)» Time-aligned text for this video was accomplished using ELAN ((Versions 6.0 (2020), 6.1 (2021), and 6.3 (2022) [Computer software]. Nijmegen: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Language Archive. Retrieved from https://archive.mpi.nl/tla/elan
I was the youngest.
{Has ḵu-} haa tradition-i, our culture has du ée wdulitéew.
They taught us our traditions, our culture.
X̱at ḵú, tlél, tlél tsu a kayaa akx̱waajóon.
I didn't imagine in my mind about this.
Uh, x̱a.áx̱ nooch ḵu.aa {has du ee-} a daa yoo s x̱'ala.átgi.
But I would hear what they were talking about.
Aadé l yaa ḵux̱jigéiyi yé ḵu tlél, tlél wanyeedé shakx̱waatlékwx'w.
Because I didn't know much I didn't store it away. (I didn't know it was important enough to remember.
Mhm.
Hél yéi x̱wajéeyin {a tóo- a tóo yéi át-} yéi yateeyi át atóow yéi x̱at gax̱du.oowú.
I didn't think they would put things like this in me (teach me things).
Aa áwé, jikaax̱ jiwlidzée.
It was difficult for me.
Minister-ch áwé kei x̱at wusiwát.
A minister raised me.
Mhm.
Atk'átskux̱ x̱at sateeyídáx̱,
From the time I was a boy,
áwé tle ch'as átk'aheen yinaanáx̱ áwé.
I just learned from the Christian side.
Mhm.
{Haa y-} Haa yoo x̱'adul.átk nuch.
They would talk to us about it (the Christian side).
{Na-} tsu nadáakw yaax̱t g̱atoo.át.
And we would all go to the table.
Hél, hél tlei aax̱ kei tudanáḵch.
And we wouldn't get up.
Tle haa een káa sh kawdu, scripture aawatéew áwé tsá,
When they would, read the scripture,
tle haa een káa sh x̱'eedagáx'.
then they would pray for us.
Yéi áwé dismiss haa dulyeix̱ín.
That's the way they would dismiss us.
Mhm.
Hél tsu...
They didn't even...
wáang̱aneens' áwé...
sometimes...
haa ḵusteeyí daat kei x̱'eedataanch haa een.
they would talk about our way of life with us.
Hmhm.
Ch'as
Just
aadé l yaa ḵux̱jigéiyi yé tlél, hél wanyeedé shakx̱waatlékwx̱.
how much I didn't know that I didn't even pile it in me (learn it).
Tlax̱ x̱áach chuch yís {ḵasa-} ḵasakóot.
Just that I wanted to know it myself.
Mhm.
Tlei yáa yoo,
From there,
yaa x̱at g̱adasháan, áwé tsá
when I got older, that's when
tsáatsgu yéig̱aa.
I knew it would happen and it happened. (afterthought)
What little I know
of our traditions and culture I'll talk a, about it uh,
on my side.
Xunaadáx̱ áwé haa,
From Hoonah we,
haa wsidaaḵ; {tlél x̱wasakóowu-} yéi x̱wsakóowun.
we moved; I didn't know that.
Charley Kake.
Yóo duwasáakw ax̱ léelk'w.
That was my grandfather's name.
Ḵa
And
shaawát aa ax̱ léelk'w ḵu.aa
my female grandparent (grandmother) however,
Jenny, Jenny Kake.
Jenny, Jenny Kake.
I tuwáa sagoowú áwé [shóogoonáx̱] g̱unéi x̱'ax̱gidataan.
If you want to you can add to my talk.
Daasá?
What?
I tuwáa sagoowú áwé sá shóogoonáx̱ g̱unei x̱at.
If you'd like to, you can talk ahead of me.
Aaá, OK.
Yes, OK.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Gunalchéesh ax̱ léelk'w.
Thank you my grandparent.
T'aḵdeintaanx̱ isateeyí.
Being that you're T'aḵdeintaan.
Yéi áwé ax̱ tundatáani yatee.
That's the way my thinking is.
Um, ax̱ toowú kei latseench,
It strengthens me inside,
ax̱ tláa léelk'u hás has du yát ax̱walg̱einí.
when I look upon my mother's grandparents' faces.
Aaá.
Yes.
Ax̱ toowú
Inside,
kei sagóoch tsú.
it makes me happy.
Um,
Ax̱ léelk'w
My grandfather
G̱unx̱aaG̱uwakaan Lukaax̱.ádix̱ wusitee.
was a peacemaker, a Lukaax̱.ádi.
Jilḵootdáx̱.
From Chilkoot.
Lḵoot yóo duwasáa.
It was called “Lḵoot”.
Yáa, yáa yeedát dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ Haines yei has
Now, in English, Haines
yéi has ayasáakw.
is what they call it.
Deishú ḵu.aa yéi has aawasáa ax̱ léelk'u hás.
Deishú is what my grandparents called it.
Lukaax̱.ádi.
Sockeye Clan.
Aan tlein has du jee yéi wootee.
They owned a lot of land.
Yan Dust'ák yé,
4-mile (Haines highway),
ḵa yáa
and also
Shg̱agwei.
Skagway.
Ḵa yáa
And also
wáa sá duwasáakw yá
what do they call
yá aan yá,
this land,
uh, Ḵaak'w X̱án Seiyí
Ḵaak'w X̱án Seiyí [David corrected himself on listening saying that he should have pronounced this ḵaak'w x̱án as opposed to x̱'án].
yóo duwasáakw.
is what they named it.
Dleit ḵáach yéi has ayasáakw
White man calls it
Point St. Mary's.
Berner's Bay
[The Tlingit name for Berner's Bay is Dax̱anáa.]
ax̱ léelk'u hás, has du aaní áwé.
Berner's Bay is my grandparents' land.
Yaa Lukaax̱.ádi.
The Lukaax̱.ádi clan.
Uhuh.
Ax̱ éesh hás ḵu.aa áwé,
My father's people though,
G̱aanax̱teidíx̱ has wusitee.
they are of the G̱aanax̱teidí Clan.
Yáay Hítdáx̱.
From the Whale House.
Aaa,
Uh,
Kootís' Hítdáx̱,
From the Looking Out House [Sentinal],
ḵa X̱'aak Hít,
and the Valley House,
ḵa Kóoshdaa Hít.
and the Land Otter House.
Aaa, yéi áwé.
Uh, that's it.
Aa, ḵa Xíxch'i Hít.
Uh, and also the Frog House.
Has du at.óowu áwé yáa
This is their property, this
aam,
um,
yáa
this
Dukt'ootl' yoo duwasáakw has du at.óowux̱ sitee.
it's called the face-is-black (Strong Man Story), this is their property.
A, áa yéi yatee wé, wé gáas' tlein,
Uh, where that big house post is, [it's actually a big (totem) pole, kootéeyaa.]
Jilḵáatx'.
at Chilkat.
Yáa...
This
yáa l'úx'x̱ wool'éex'
when the worm broke
yáa
this
dleit ḵáach yéi {s- has yaw-}
white people called this,
wáa sá yakḵwaḵáa "worm"?
what am I going to call it, “worm”?
Raising, The Woman Who Raised the Worm.
Wáa sá,
What,
wáa sá,
what,
wáa sá duwasáakw
do they call it
Lingít x̱'éináx̱?
in Tlingit?
Yaa kux̱lig̱át uh,
I forgot it uh...
some word,
neil, ax̱ neilí uh...
home, at my home uh...
Aaa. Mhm.
{Y-} áwé
That
has du at.óowux̱ sitee, the woodworm.
was their property, The Woodworm (story).
Tsú has du at.óowu.
That (story) is also their property.
Ḵa Yéil x̱'éen tlein has du jee yéi yatee tsú.
And they also have a big Raven screen.
Ḵa
And
yaa has du hítx'i ch'a yeisú
their houses still
Chilḵáatx'
at Chilkat (Klukwan)
la.áa
are standing
wé has du hítx'i tlein.
their big houses.
Áwé
So
ax̱ tláa du léelk'u hás áwé yeewháan, T'aḵdeintaan.
you guys are my mother's grandparents, the T'aḵdeintaan Clan.
Ách áwé ax̱ toowú yak'éi yáax' yee x̱ánt x̱wagoodí,
That is why I feel good coming here by you,
yáa yagiyee ax̱ léelk'w.
today, my grandfather.
Ax̱ léelk'w áwé wa.é.
You are my grandfather.
Aaa,
Uh,
tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé has at wuskóowun.
they really were knowledgeable.
At shí s'aatx'í[x̱] has wusitee.
They were singers.
Shk'e wé
Think about this
wé xeitl
this thunderbird
tlein áwé
big
akaawach'ák'w
he carved
ax̱, ax̱ tláa du léelk'w, xeitl tlein.
my mother's grandparent, a big thunderbird.
Wé áx̱ wudiḵín wé Xeitl Hít.
This it flew off at Thunderbird House.
Hú áwé {a-} akaawach'ák'w haa jeeyís.
He is the one who carved it for us.
Áa yéi yatee.
It's there.
Áwé wé, wáa sá duwasáakw yáa yáa
And what do they call it, this
aa, x'átgu kooḵéna,
um, ??? messenger,
yi, awliyéx̱ haa jeeyís.
he made it for us.
{Áa yéi-} á tsú áa yéi yatee,
And it's also there,
haa hitx'i.
in our houses.
Ḵa yáa tináa gáas' áa yéi yatee.
And this copper shield house post is there.
Haa, haa hídi wé,
Our (clan) houses,
wé uh, Chilḵáatx' Xeitl Hít, Kawduyaay Hít,
these Chilkat houses, Thunderbird House, Sun House,
ḵa Shís'g̱i Hít, yéi koogéi haa hítx'i wé,
and (Sapling) House, those are all our houses
Chilḵaatx'.
at Chilkat.
Yáa, a ítdáx̱ áwé tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé
This, after this it's really
ax̱ een
with me
akaawaneek ax̱ léelk'w
my grandparent told
ḵ'ag̱éch yóo duwasáa.
they called them Woodworm Clan.
Yáa
This
Um, um,
Klukwandáx̱.
from Klukwan.
Yáa,
This
Kiks.ádi áwé
Frog Clan
haa daakanóox'ux̱ sitee Kiks.ádi,
is our outer shell, Kiks.ádi,
Sheet'kadáx̱.
from Sitka.
Yéi áwé koogéi uháan haa
This is how much our
um
yáa haa
our
haa x̱oonx'í.
our relatives.
Um,
ách áwé
That's why
yóot x̱'ax̱dataaní
when I speak
yéi, yéi áwé,
that's it
Yéi áwé.
That's it.
Uh.
has du yaadé
in front of them
yóo x̱'akḵwatáan
I will speak
ax̱ éesh hás G̱aanax̱teidí.
my father's people, the G̱aanax̱teidí.
Ax̱ léelk'u hás Lukaax̱.ádi.
My grandparents are the Red Salmon people.
Ax̱ tláa léelk'u hás T'aḵdeintaan.
My mother's grandparents are of the Kittiwake Clan.
Ax̱ daakanóox'u
My outer shell
Kiks.ádi
is the Frog Clan
ḵa ldakát
and all
L'aayaneidí.
Ravens.
Yéi áwé ax̱ een akaawaneek ax̱ léelk'w ldakát Yéilx̱
This is what my grandparent told me, all Ravens
siteeyi aa L'aayaneidí yóo has duwasáakw.
are called L'aayaneidí.
Uháan ḵu.aa,
Us though,
tléix' Ch'áak' naax̱ sateeyí
all those that are Eagles
áwé {ax̱}, ax̱ léelk'w yéi yaawaḵaa
my grandparent said
Tléix' Xuknookeidí áwé.
are Tléix' Xuknookeidí [the name for all Eagle clans].
Ch'áak' naax̱ sateeyí.
Those that are Eagles.
Áwé
So
ḵúnáx̱ áwé
really
du tuwáa wsigóo {x̱a- uh-}
he wanted
x̱wasakoowú ax̱ léelk'w uh,
me to understand, my grandfather,
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan,
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan, [man's personal name]
Lukaax̱.ádi.
of the Lukaax̱.ádi clan.
{Du tu-} du tuwáa wsigóo x̱wasakoowú k'idéin.
He wanted me to know very well.
Am,
Um,
Shangukeidí yádix̱ wusitee,
he was a child of the Thunderbird clan,
ax̱ léelk'w, Lukaax̱.ádi.
my grandfather, of the Sockeye People Clan.
Aam,
Um,
Daanawáaḵ,
[personal name]
Uh, Austin Hammond.
Austin Hammond
Uh,
uh,
Pphp.
Wáa sá duwasáakw ax̱ léelk'w, um,
What is his name my grandfather, um,
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan James Tlanault yóo duwasáa.
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan, James Tlenault, was his name.
Washington D.C.-x' kawdujixít ax̱ léelk'w.
In Washington, D.C. they wrote (documented) my grandfather.
Du saayí x'úx' a káa yéi yatee.
His name is on the book.
Wé Jilḵóot
This Chilkoot
wé, uh, dei
this is the way
áwé {has du-} has du ádix̱ wusitee.
it is proven that this is their property.
Dleit ḵáach yéi has ayasáakw
White people call this
Chilkoot Trail.
Ax̱ léelk'u hás {has du-} has du tl'átgi áwé.
This was my grandparents' land.
Ách áwé dáanaa tlein has ayaawadlaaḵ kaadáx̱.
That's why they gained a lot of money from there.
Yáa
This
uháan ḵu.aa Yaakwdáatdáx̱ áwé.
We however, are from Yakutat.
Uh,
Áa yéi haa wootee, Tlákw, Tlákw Aanx'.
This is where we lived, in Klukwan.
Haa x̱'asheex'í áwé ḵu.aa
Our songs, though,
yá héen kaanáx̱ yaa {n-}
on this water
yaa ntulagás'i áwé
while we were travelling there,
yáa, haa x̱'asheeyí,
this, our songs,
yáa,
this,
aadé, aadé kei has akaawasheeyi yé.
the way they sang it.
Náande kanadéini x̱áa,
While I'm paddling,
náande kanadéini x̱áa,
while I'm paddling,
i kát x̱at yatán.
my mind is on you.
Aa hei i kát x̱at yatán.
Oh, I'm thinking of you.
Yaa has nalgás' áwé
When they landed there
yáa ax̱,
this my,
yáa
this
ax̱ naax̱ satí
my clan
tlél ch'as uháan
not just us
a káa yéi haa wootee wé yaakw.
those of us that were on the boat.
G̱aanax̱teidí tsú haa eenx̱ has sitee.
The Woodworm Clan were with us also.
Ḵa, ḵa gwál uh, T'aḵdeintaan.
And probably the Kittiwake Clan were with us too.
Uh, ách áwé ax̱ léelk'w uh, T'aḵdeintaan yátx'i.
That is why my grandparents are the Kittiwakesʼ children.
Daat kei at kaawashéeg̱aa
He sang about this
ḵa yáa uh, Lukaax̱.ádi
and this, Sockeye people
yátx'i daat
about children
ḵa G̱aanax̱teidí yátx'i daat.
and also about Woodworm children.
Áwé,
So,
{k} ḵúnáx̱ áwé
truly this
yá g̱áax̱ sheeyí
these cry songs
áwé ch'a yei googéink' een kax̱waaneek.
I just told you a little of the story.
G̱unéi áwé has wuligás'
When they landed
{teesh}, dei teesh gux̱lajáaḵ ahéi.
loneliness will kill, ahei.
{Has du-} Has du x̱oonx'í,
Their relatives,
x̱ándáx̱ áwé {yaa x̱anal ga-} yaa has nalgás'
as they were travelling,
ách áwé yéi kei kawduwashee.
that is why they sang it like this.
Yéi áwé akaawaneek ax̱ léelk'w.
This is the way my grandparent told me.
Kichildál x̱'ayaḵá.
This is the way Kichildál says it.
Kichildál x̱'ayaḵá,
This is the way Kichildal says it,
yéi áwé kei du.éex'ch.
this is the way they announce it.
Kei dusheeyí wé, wé g̱áax̱ daa sheeyí.
When they're singing these, these cry songs.
Um,
Ch'a {yéi goo-}
Just
uh, ax̱ tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ wé,
this really my,
{at- uh} yadak'átsk'ux̱ x̱at sateeyí
when I was a little child
ax̱ léelk'w,
my grandparent,
uh,
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan ḵa tsú ax̱ léelk'w
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan and also my grandparent
uh, Ḵ'agéch
Ḵ'agech [personal name]
ax̱, ax̱ tláa du tláa
my mother's mother
du x̱ánxʼ, has du x̱ánx' áwé yéi x̱at wootee.
by them, this is where I stayed with them.
Ách áwé
That is why
ch'a yéi googéink' x̱wasikóo haa yoo x̱'atángi,
I (can) speak a little of our language,
has du x̱'éidáx̱.
from their stories.
Ch'a tlákw yagiyee áwé,
Every day then,
ldakát wóosht wutuda.aach
together we would sit
haa sh kalneek haa een
our stories
has akaneek nooch.
they would tell us.
Ách áwé yáa wé,
It looks like that,
wáa sá duwasáakw,
what do they call it,
x'úx' dutóowu yáx̱ nateech ḵa
it was as if they were reading a book and
ḵa wé
and that
uh, television yéi has ayasáakw yeedát,
they call this 'television' today,
ách áwé {yáa ha} uh, tulatíni yáx̱ áwé.
it looks like we're watching.
{Ax̱ léel- ax̱ léelk'w} ax̱ léelk'u hás tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ has awuskóowun uh, yáa sh kalneek.
My grandparents really knew the old stories.
Uh, ḵa ldakát yáa
Uh, everything, this
Dleit ḵáach yéi has ayasáakw
white people call this
sound effects
sound effects
has, has du tóo yei wootee.
for most of them, they have it (sound effects) inside of them.
Shk'e wé té
You know what a rock is,
héende kei wdug̱éex'i
when you drop it in the water,
«Tl'oom!»
[sound effect]
yéi áwé.
That's it.
Yéi áwé {yaawa- ya-} yanag̱éich ax̱ léelk'w ḵa
This is the way my grandparent would say it and
ldakát yéide áwé.
all kinds of ways.
Uh, at shooḵ yáx̱ áwé nateech.
Uh, it's always humorous.
Uh, uh, uh, yáa du sh kalneegí.
Uh, this is his story.
Um,
Yáa ax̱ yoo x̱'atángi
This, my speaking
gwál
maybe
uh, nás'k
uh, three
uh, uh...
wáa sá yakḵwaḵáa yáa?
how can I explain this?
Umm.
gooshúḵ táakwx̱ x̱at sateeyí.
I was 9 years old.
Uh, gwál uh, nas'gadooshú táakw.
Maybe 8 years old.
Ḵu.éex' tlein áwé yaawaxeex wé, wé Tlákw Aanx' wé,
There was a large ceremonial gathering at Klukwan,
Jilḵáatx'.
at Chilkat.
Áwé
That
Ankgáax.
[personal name]
uh, Kuwanagáas'
[personal name]
Káasgu, yóo duwasáa.
Kaasgu, he was called.
Ḵa
And
Tom Jimmy kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw du saayí, du, du Lingít saayi.
I forgot Tom Jimmy's name, his Tlingit name.
Áwé
This
{yéi ha-} yéi has x̱at yawsiḵaa,
is what they would tell me,
«Góok!
“Hurry!
Góok!
Hurry!
Has du éet x̱'atán!»
Talk to them!”
Tlél tsu tléix' has ax̱ een
Not even once with me,
has yoo x̱'awul.áat aadé yakḵwaḵaayi yé.
they wouldn't even explain what they wanted me to say.
«I éet áwé ḵuwaháa, has du éet x̱'atán.»
“It's your turn, talk to them.”
Áwé át x̱waahaan.
There I stood.
[At shooḵ]
«Aa, aa, aa.
“Uh, uh, uh.
Tlél x̱wasakú.»
I don't know.”
Uh, «Góok, has du éet x̱'atán dé!»
“Hurry up, speak to them now.”
Áwé
There
yei yax̱waaḵaa,
this is what I said,
«Gunalchéesh,
“Thank you,
gunalchéesh,
thank you,
gunalchéesh.» Nas'gidahéen áwé gunalchéesh yéi yax̱waaḵaa.
thank you.” I said thank you three times.
Ldakát hás wé
All of them,
wé ḵu.éex'
the invited
ḵu.oo áwé
people
has wudinaaḵ.
they all stood up.
Has du jín
Their hands
ḵa has du x̱'oos
and their feet
yéi has adaané.
this is what they were doing.
Ch'as «gunalchéesh» áwé yéi yax̱waaḵaa.
I just said, “thank you”, to them.
Tlei has wudinaaḵ
They all stood up
sagú een.
with happiness.
Has wunoogú áwé.
They were hurting.
Ax̱ léelk'w
My grandparent
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan
G̱unx̱áa G̱uwakaan
wudihaan.
stood up.
Áwé yéi yaawaḵaa,
There he said this,
«Ax̱ dachx̱ánk'í,
“My dear grandchild,
ax̱ dachx̱ánk'í,
my dear grandchild,
ch'as gunal-, Kingeistí.»
just thank, Kingeistí.”
Áwé
This
x̱at uwatáḵ ax̱, ax̱
he poked me
ax̱ léelk'w wé
my grandparent,
du wootsaag̱áa.
(with) his cane.
«Aaá, yéi yanaḵá.
“Yes, speak like this.
Áwé.»
That's the way.”
Áwé áwé yéi yax̱waaḵaa.
This is the way I spoke.
Has aawashúḵ wé,
They laughed (with happiness),
wé ḵu.éex'i.
the guests.
Áwé yéi yaawaḵaa ax̱ léelk'w,
And there my grandfather said,
«Aatlein yoo x̱'atánk áwé.
“That is a great speech.
Aatlein yoo x̱'atánk áwé.
That is a great speech.
Ch'as «gunalchéesh» yéi yawduḵaayí,
When you just say “thank you,”
ch'as «gunalchéesh» yéi yawduḵaayí,
when you just say “thank you,”
aatlein
it's a great
yoo x̱'atánk áwé.»
speech.”
Tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé ldakát ḵáa tsú
Really all the people
woosh jín has wudit'ách ḵa
they clapped their hands and
has du x̱'oos yéi has adaané.
this is the way they moved their feet.
Has du x̱'oos áwé has [atúxch].
They'd stomp their feet.
Wé, wé tléix'aa shí áwé kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw.
This, this one song I forgot.
Sh k'aynaytóox.
Stomp your feet.
Ch'a yáatx̱ kaḵasháat eesháan ásgí hé.
And I will embrace you in your sorrow.
Ax̱ toowú ḵu.aa,
Within me, though,
Shangukeidí yátx'i
Children of the Thunderbird clan
yéi áwé, ch'a yéi googéink' i een,
this is all just a little,
i een kakḵwaneek. Ax̱, ax̱ Lingít
that I will tell you. My Tlingit
saayí áwé
name
Kingeistí yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
Kingeistí is what they call me.
Yáa
This
Daḵl'aweidí dachx̱án áyá x̱át.
I'm a grandchild of the Killer Whale clan.
Uh, Kéet Eesháank'i,
Uh, Kéet Eesháank'i [personal name],
Kéet Gooshi Hít.
Killer Whale Dorsal Fin House.
Ax̱ léelk'wx̱ wusitee.
This was my grandparent.
A ítdáx̱ uh, áwé yáa
After that, this
a,
uh,
Kaagwaataan,
Wolf clan,
tsú ax̱ léelk'u hás {has} has sitee.
these are my grandparents also.
Um,
yéi áwé ch'a yéi googéink' kakg̱wagéi ax̱, ax̱ yoo x̱'atángi.
This is all I will talk about.
Aade, aadé litseeni yé haa,
This is how strong our
haa ḵusteeyí, Léelk'w,
our way of life, Grandfather,
ch'u yáa yáax'.
just this here.
Ax̱ x̱ánt yigoodí yáa, yáa yagiyee yáx̱ áwé
You came by me this, this day
ax̱ tundatáani yatee,
this is the way my thinking is,
ch'a uwayáa, ax̱ léelk'w,
looks as if, my grandparent,
i éet x̱'ax̱wataaní yáx̱ áwé
it's like when I talk to you,
i een kax̱aaneek.
I tell you.
Gunalchéesh á!
Thank you!
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
{Ax̱ to-} ch'a yéi googéink' ax̱ toowú yanéekw, x̱á.
Inside, I'm feeling pain inside a little bit.
Dei has {a x̱ándáx̱} haa x̱ándáx̱ has woo.aat.
They already walked away from us.
Yáa yeedát ḵu.aa, i yát ax̱walg̱einí,
This day however, when I look at your face,
ch'u a yáa has du yát ax̱walg̱einí yáx̱ áwé yatee.
it's as if I'm looking at the faces of my ancestors.
??? Ax̱ toowú kei latseen.
I am strengthened inside.
Gunalchéesh á.
Thank you.
Yéi áwé kakg̱wagei.
That is all.
Aatlein yoo x̱'atánk áwé haa
That's really a big story
haa jeet iyatée.
you presented to us.
Tlél x̱wasakóowun
I didn't even know
i shuká.
your history.
Tle yáa yeedát áwé tsá
Although right now
ḵúnáx̱ x̱waa.áx̱
I really heard
aax̱ yeewsidaag̱i yé.
where you all originated from.
Ch'a yéi googéink' kakḵwanéek ax̱ aayí tsú.
I'll just tell a little about mine also.
Tlél tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ x̱wasakú
I really don't know very well
yaa haa shagóon.
my history.
Tlél ax̱ ée wdultéew.
They didn't teach me.
Haa shayadahéinin.
There were a lot of us.
Yeedát ḵwá tlei ax̱ déint ḵaa shuwaxéex.
Today they are all gone. [The ones who would have taught George. He was a teeny little kid when his father passed away.]
Ch'as x̱át áwé ḵux̱dzitee yeedát.
I'm the only one living today.
Ḵa
And
dáx̱náx̱
two
yatee ax̱ dlaaḵ hás yéi áwé haa yakoogéi yeedát.
of my sisters, that's how many we are.
Tlei ḵut haa shuwaxéex.
We're all gone now.
T'aḵdeintaanx̱ áwé sitee.
They are of the Kittiwake clan.
Haa shagóon.
Our history.
Tlél x̱wasakóowun tlei i tláa x̱'éide áwé tsá x̱waa.áx̱,
I didn't even know but I heard it from your mother,
I léelk'ux̱ x̱at sateeyí.
that I was your grandfather.
Áwé ax̱ x̱ánaa tin kax̱waaneek k'idéin áwé a kaax̱ ax̱ toowú sigóo.
I told my wife about it and I was real happy.
Tlél x̱wasakóowun wóoshi haa kawdahaayí. Gunalchéesh. Gunalchéesh.
I don't know we were related. Thank you. Thank you.
Áwé
So
ax̱ x̱ánaa tin kax̱laneek aadé
When I told my wife about it
ax̱ yát x̱'awdliyóowu yé i tláa,
how your mother knew I was a relative,
x̱'alitseeni átx̱ sitee.
this is a priceless thing.
Yéi {ya-} ḵaa yáx̱ x̱'adulyoowú.
This is how we identify our relatives.
Ákshíwé ax̱ tláach
Maybe my mother
x̱aan yoo x̱'ala.átgi,
when she would talk with me,
«Tlél i yáx̱ Lingít neekdéin daa yeeḵáaḵ,» yoo x̱at yanasḵéich ax̱ tláa.
“Don't say hurtful things to a human being like you,” is what my mother would tell me.
«Yaa nalgwát yá Lingít aaní.
“The Tlingit world is turning.
Huh.
I kagéide gux̱lagwáal' áx' ux kei ikg̱wateeyí i ḵusteeyí.
Bad things will happen if you live wrong.
Ách áwé tlákw
That's why always
ch'as tula.aan
always with kindness
i téix̱' tóo yéi na.oowú.» Yak'éi yoo x̱'atánk áwé, gunalchéesh.
wear it in your heart. Those are good words, thank you.
Aaá.
Yes.
Ách áwé
That's why
a kaax̱ ax̱ toowú sigóo.
I am happy about it.
Yáa
Here
i tláa aadé ax̱ yátx̱ x̱'awdliyóo áyá tlei.
how your mother identified me as a relative.
Wáang̱aneens' áwé
Sometimes
yéi áyá nag̱atéen tle g̱aax̱ yáx̱ ḵaa jee yaa ksateech.
when people are identified, it makes one feel like crying (from being touched by love).
Yéi x̱áa wé. A kaax̱ ḵaa toowú {k'ei-} k'eiyí.
That's the way it is. When a man is feeling good inside.
T'aḵdeintaan
Kittiwake Clan
áwe ax̱ tláa
my mother
áwé T'aḵdeintaanx̱ wusitee.
was of the Kittiwake Clan. [She was adopted.]
Xunaadáx̱ ásíwé haa wsidaaḵ.
We are originally from Hoonah.
Hél x̱wasakóowun,
I really didn't know,
tlei, tlei ax̱ tláach áwé tsá x̱aan akanéek.
until my mother told me.
Aaá, ax̱ léelk'w,
Yes, my grandparent,
Lkánx' yóo dusáagun.
Lkánx' is what they called him.
Charley Kake.
Charley Kake.
That one
du x̱án.aa tsu ax̱ shaawát aa ax̱ léelk'w, Jenny Kake.
his wife is also my grandparent, Jenny Kake.
Uh, hél x̱wasakóowun yéi {haa last} has du last name, ax̱ tláa.
I didn't even know my mother's last name. [Until my mother's brother told me.]
Ḵa ax̱ léelk'w,
And my grandparents,
Kake áwé has du last name-x̱ wusitee.
their last name was Kake.
Aa, yáax'
Uh, here
yáax' áwé kei uwawát ax̱ tláa.
Here is where my mother was raised.
Xunaadáx̱ ḵu áwé yáat has wusidáḵ.
They moved here from Hoonah, though.
Aag̱áa wé Douglas mine áa yaa yanaxíxi.
It was when the Douglas mine was in operation.
Aangóondáx̱ áwé wsidaaḵ ax̱ éesh ḵu.aa, Shaakux Éesh yóo duwasáakw.
My father came from Angoon however, Shaakux Éesh is what they named him.
Uh, Kaagwaantaan áwé hú ḵu.aa.
Uh, he was a Kaagwaantaan.
Á aag̱áa
And then
Haines
Haines
wé héen, héen yíx'
the river, over there by the river
ḵoowligáas'.
is where he originated from.
Uh, Aangóondáx̱ ḵu.oo
Uh, people from Angoon
{ax̱, áa has} a yíx̱ has wuligáas' wé héen.
they pushed themselves out from that river.
Yáadei
Toward over here
has du aaníg̱aa has ḵusheeyí ḵu tle wóoshdáx̱ has wusidaaḵ.
when they were looking for their land, they found out they were from the same place.
Iya.áx̱ shákdé yáa, áwé shkalneek. Aaá, aaá.
You must have heard this story. Yes, yes.
X'oon dahéen sá x̱waa.áx̱ has,
How many times did I hear
a daa yoo has x̱'ala.átgi.
them talking about it.
Áwé Ḵeex̱' déinde wusidaaḵ a tlei ax̱ éesh ḵu.aa.
There at Kake my father came to an understanding.
Áx' áwé, aag̱áa áwé ax̱ tláa áa aawasháa.
Then that's where he married my mother.
Uh, has du yahaayí ḵu.aa ax̱ jee yéi yatee neilx'.
I have their pictures at home.
Áwé,
Well,
aa,
um,
Ḵéex̱' has ḵuwa.óo
They lived in Kake
áwé ax̱ léelk'w,
my grandparent,
Charley Kake, Lkánx'.
Charley Kake, Lkánx'.
Ax̱ éesh ḵwá tlei
My father though
Tskanáx̱dei wligáas'.
went to Saginaw Bay.
Saginaw Bay.
Áx'
There
taakw aaní noow yéi yaa kdusaaych yé áx' áwé. [example of 'g̱' non-gamma]
is what we would call the winter camps.
Át has ḵuwa.óo.
That's where they gathered.
Aag̱áa áwé wé
Over there at that time
military
military
yaakw bombard wuliyéx̱.
ship bombarded.
Ax̱ éesh áa yéi wootee aag̱áa yéi yaa at nanein yé.
When my father was there this is what was happening.
Ḵa Lkánx'.
And Lkánx'.
Kaḵáataan yéi duwasáagu ḵáa.
Kaḵ'aataan is what they called this kind of man.
{du saa-} Du yahaayí ax̱ jeewú hú tsú.
I have his picture also.
Wow. Has du yahaayí.
Their pictures (photos).
Gwál aa,
Maybe uh,
i waḵshayeedé yéi kḵwasanéi wé pictures.
I'll bring them to show you.
Uh-huh.
Ḵa shayadihéin
And a lot
uh,
yá Lingít yoo x̱'atánk
this Tlingit speaking
aa, aadé yoo at kaawanei yé yá Tebenkof.
[about] what happened to Tebenkof.
Á tsú ax̱ tuwáa sigóo i jeet aa x̱wateeyi wé... Uhuh.
This also I would like to give you the...
Ḵutx̱ x̱áwé kei kakgwagéi. Wáa sá duwasáakw Tebenkof
This is really going to be a lot. What did they call Tebenkof
Lingít x̱'éináx̱?
in Tlingit?
Ḵuyú.
Ḵuyú.
Ḵuyú.
Ḵuyú.
Oh, Ḵuyú.
Oh, Ḵuyú.
Uh-huh.
Naasdeidí.
[clan name]
Naasdeidí
Tribe teen áwé woosh has wudisháax'w hás.
They intermarried with the tribe.
Uh-huh.
Wé ḵuyú ḵwáan.
The Ḵuyú people.
Á áwé,
So,
Deikeenaax̱ ágé has wusitee wé Ḵuyú ḵwáan? Uh-huh.
Were they Haidas, these Ḵuyú people?
Deikeenaax̱ has wusitee Ḵuyú ḵwáan.
They were Haidas, these Ḵuyuu people.
Good.
Tlél, tlél wuduskú
People don't know
ách áwé ix̱'ax̱waawóos'.
that's why I asked you.
Góok.
Continue.
Ch'a aadé yéi x̱at na.oo.
Just forgive me.
Áwé
There
aag̱áa at ḵaa shuwaxíxi yé.
they ran short.
Íx̱t'ich áwé áx̱ has jikawligéiḵ yá g̱aat.
A shaman asked them to stop this sockeye.
G̱aat héeni áwu á.
There's a sockeye river there.
Wé {áa} áa ká has ḵuwa.óo yé
These people lived here
ḵa hás Ḵag̱atx̱wáa yóo áwé duwasáakw.
and Ḵag̱atx̱wáa is what they called them.
Áwé
From there
tlél has du tuwáa ushgú tlei yóo has ak'íx̱'di.
they didn't want them to gaff the fish like this.
Wé íx̱t'ich áx̱ has jikawulgéig̱ich.
This shaman stopped them.
Yaa ḵux̱lig̱át du saayí ḵu áwé íx̱t',
I forgot the shaman's name,
du saayí.
his name.
Uh,
{wé} ax̱ jee yéi yatee recording káx' ḵwá shákdé yéi yatee.
I have a recording and it's probably on there.
Á áwé
From there
ch'a áwé íx̱t' a kaanáx̱ áwé tlei
from the shaman's orders
trap yáx̱ has at wuliyéx̱ tlei wé héen yíx'.
they made something like a trap in the river.
A yát laléini,
When the tide went down at the face (mouth of the river),
wé a yát laléini,
when the tide went down at the face (mouth of the river),
ch'as áa dáḵde áa gax̱toog̱éech áa gax̱tooxáash.
there we threw them (sockeyes) up and there is where we cut.
Yéi áwé s yaawaḵaa.
This is what they said. (How they instructed.)
Wé
That
shóogunáx̱
half (tide)
a yát laláa.
it came down.
Shaa, shaa áa yeiḵ uwa.át
Women walked down to the beach
lítaa tin has akg̱waxáash.
with knives to cut with.
Shóogu,
Still,
tlei shóogu
still
shaawát
a woman
lítaa a kát ayaawatée wé g̱aat.
put a knife on the sockeye.
G̱aax̱, kadag̱aax̱ yáx̱ yaawaḵaa.
Crying, as if they were crying, is what they said.
Tlei awdzigeet.
That one (that woman) just fell.
Du x̱úx̱ch ḵú wusiteen.
Her husband saw her.
Tléx'g̱aanáx̱ áwé has dag̱átch.
One by one is how they got them (sockeyes).
Du x̱úx̱ch wusiteen áwé shóogu wdzigeedi aa.
Her husband saw the one that fell before.
Ch'u dagwálayi aax̱ kei aawax̱út'.
He took the club away.
X'áan teen áwé ch'u tlei kaawayík dei aksagooḵ,
With anger held inside,
tlei hú tsú tlei áa wdzigeet.
he also just fell.
Yéi áwé.
That's it.
G̱aatáa áa yéi wtusinei wé,
We fixed a trap there,
ḵa a daa yoo x̱'ax̱aatángi yé.
and this is what I'm talking about.
Aa,
hél x̱wasakóowun
I didn't even know
át ḵaa shuwaxíxi ásíwé.
that it ran out (ended) there.
Aanáx̱ yei ḵagoot x̱at yawsiḵaa áwé haa een yei,
He wanted me to go with him,
x̱'aakw yéi duwasáakw.
X̱'aakw is what they called it.
Hás, Ḵuyú Ḵwáan áwé wé [the non-gamma]
Them, the Ḵuyúu people, that is
awsikóo ch'a aan áwé aanáx̱ yéi x̱at kaawaḵáa.
even though they knew me, they still told me.
«Nuksheeyáan yá eetíg̱aa át eelg̱én,» yóo x̱at yawsiḵaa.
“Look for the remnants of the shaman,” he told me.
Á áwé
There
aanáx̱ yei x̱agóot,
as I walked,
tlél, tlél tsu daasá tlei wdudlig̱óowu yé yáx̱ yatee.
there was no evidence, like it was wiped away.
Huh.
Hél tsu at x̱'oos.eetí á.
There weren't even footprints there.
Wé yaakw aanáx̱ dáḵde s akax̱útx'i ḵú ch'a áa yéi yatee.
The boats that they pulled up are still there.
Ch'as ch'a yeisú yéesx̱ sitee yáx̱ duwateen áwé.
It looked as if they were still new.
Wé logs a káx̱ wé,
The logs that were on,
yaa has dei yaakwx'ú a {kaa-} kaanáx̱ dáḵde has akax̱út'x'i nooch.
they would pull their boats up on it (the logs).
I toowúch wáa sáwé at woonee,
What do you think happened, in your own way of thinking,
wé aadé, aadé, uh, ax̱ een kayineek yé wé ḵu.oo has woonaayí?
about how those people died?
{daa s} Daa sáwé s- has uwajáḵ?
What do you think killed them?
Ayakg̱wahéigu ákwé?
A spirit, was it?
At yakg̱wahéigu gé áwé?
A spirit, was it?
Íx̱t'.
Shaman.
Oh.
Íx̱t'ich.
It was a shaman.
Du éet áwé uwaxíx.
He fell there.
Neek yáx̱.
That's the gossip.
Uhuh.
Oooohhh. Ách áwé ax̱ tuwáa sigóo i jee yéi awuteeyí wé, wé recording.
That's why I would like you to have this recording (the old recording).
Mmhm.
K'idéin i daa kei yaa shagux̱sagéi yeeyayát' wé story.
You will really come to an understanding; it's really long, this story.
Wow.
Ax̱, ax̱ jeewú á.
I have it.
Uh, let's see, extra copy shákdé.
Maybe I have an extra copy.
Ch'as wududliyéx̱.
They just made it.
Mmhmm.
Uh,
Ax̱ jee yéi natéen áwé,
While I had it.
Gwál {x'ooní} x'oon copy shák sháwé ax̱ jee yéi yatee?
Maybe, how many copies do I have?
I jeedé yáa kḵwasanéi.
I'm going to give you some.
Ḵa Dukt'óotl' story tsú ax̱ jeewú á.
I have the Strong Man (face-is-black) story, too.
Oh.
Áyá latseen, latseen s'aatí.
Consider these strong people.
Uhuh.
Á tsú,
That too,
aa,
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ee.aax̱í.
I want you to hear it.
Ḵa, yóot'aa shákdé ee.aax̱ín dei yoo x̱'atángi.
Maybe you heard this story.
Peter,
Peter Johnson, no Andy Peter Johnson from Sitka.
Átk'aheen yinaanáx̱.
From those who believe (Christians).
Oh, yeah, x̱wsikóo.
Yes, I know.
Uhuh.
Hú du,
He,
chush daat yoo x̱'awdataaní tsú ax̱ jeewú á.
I also have this, what they talk about.
Uhuh.
Tlél wáa sá utí wé, wé, wé, wéit'aa tsú tlél.
It's OK with that one too.
{ax̱} Yéi áwé ax̱ tundatáani yatee aadé yaa at yanaxíx yé yáa.
That's the way I'm thinking about it, the way things are happening.
Dleit ḵáach yéi has ayasáakw "history".
White people call this history.
Uháan ḵu.aa, haa ḵusteeyí áwé.
But for us it's our way of life.
Aaá. {Uh, uh, wé,}
Yes. {Uh, that,}
Christianity.
Uh, tlél wáa sá utí a daa yoo x̱'awtula.aadí.
It's OK if we explain about this.
{wáa sá has} Wáa sá has agux̱sakóo
How will they know
u{h, aadé} aadé haa tundatáani wooteeyi yé?
how our way of thinking is?
Ch'áakw, um, yéi áwé ax̱ tundatáani yatee.
For a long time my thinking has been like that.
Wáa sá i toowúch yatee?
What are your thoughts?
{Uh, hél} Hél tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ naaléide kakḵwalaneek.
I won't go too far back about this story.
Uh, ch'a yéi googéink' ch'a aadé x̱wsikóowu yé áwé, {ts}
Just the little I know,
tskaanáx̱ gówé gé haa wdudziwát.
from the way we were raised.
Saginaw Bay.
{Uh, áwé á} taakw aaní noow yéi duwasáagu yé.
This is what they called the winter camp.
Áwé áx̱ kei haa wdudziwát.
There is where we were raised.
Taakw aaní noow.
Winter camp.
Shayadihéin noowx' áx' a x̱oo aa.
There were a lot of camps in that area.
Aaá, áwé.
Yes.
Déix̱ áwé x̱wsikóo taakw aaní noow ḵáa.
I knew two men that lived in the winter camps. [They lived that life style.]
Tsáxweil noow,
Crow camp,
Tsáxweil noow. Yóo duwasáakw. Aaá, tsáxweil kát udaháaych yá noow. Uh-huh, uh-huh.
it was called. Yes, Crow Camp, they all gathered at the camp. [The crows gathered there, that's why they called the place Crow Camp.]
Uh, yáa,
This,
tskanáx̱ Saginaw Bay x̱'aká áwé.
along side Saginaw Bay.
Uh, right side as you're going up to that bay.
Sheeyanx̱á.
On the right.
Yaa ḵux̱dax̱lig̱át k'idéin,
It came to me very well,
daax'oon yatee áx' wé noow.
there were 4 camps there.
Áx' G̱ooch Éesh kawulneegí áwé ax̱ jee.
There I have G̱ooch Éesh telling the story.
Á tsú kee.áax̱.
You will also hear this.
Atk'átsk'u
A boy
kóoshdaach wusineix̱.
a land otter saved him.
Ch'a ax̱ tláa áa yéi has teeyí áwé.
My mother was still living.
Uh, Daag̱ú noow {sá} shák sháwé yéi has yatee.
This Daag̱ú is for the winter camp. Maybe this is the way they lived.
Uhuh.
Tlél,
Not,
tlél tlax̱ koogé yeedát wé, wé kóoshdaa
there's not very many land otter
uh, shkalneek {i- uh, i-} i jeewú aa gé?
stories. Do you have one?
Ax̱ jeewú á.
I have one.
Ooohhh.
Yak'éi.
Good.
Aadé
That
sh daa yoo tudutánk nuch yé.
the way they thought about it.
Áwé atk'átsk'u
As a child though
anáḵ ch'a g̱oot yéide has kawdiyaa.
they went a different way.
Tléináx̱ áwé áwu wé,
He's the only one
wé áa yaa s yateeyí.
where he lived (that lived there).
{ye- ye-} Yeex' át tá áwé atk'átsk'u.
He slept in there.
Áwé kóoshdaa du déint kawdiyáa.
A land otter came over by him.
Hóoch ḵux̱ has daḵóox̱ tlél átx̱ ḵustí has du, uh,
When they were leaving there were no more of them,
baby áwé yeisú tlél yee.unayát'ch ḵuwusteeyí.
it wasn't long before a baby was born.
Áwé aag̱áa has ḵushée.
After a while, they started looking.
Tlei yóo át,
It was really,
eech kaadé áwé has aseiwa.áx̱
on a reef they heard a voice
kadag̱aax̱í,
crying,
wé, wé atk'átsk'u.
that, that child.
Tlél a káx̱ yoo has ḵoosheeknéek áwé tlei
They couldn't find him
wé, wé ḵáa, du saayí áwé yoo duwasáa G̱ooch Éeshch
that, that man when they recalled his name, G̱ooch Éesh
uh, a daa you x̱'eiwatán wé,
talked about it, the,
wé recording káx' wé i jeedé kḵwatee.
in the recording that I'm going to give you.
{Da- has daat hás}
{Tlél} hél áwé yei gax̱tusateen ya {haa} haa sée.
We will not be able to see our daughter.
Tlei,
Sure enough,
kanaadaayi héen yíx'.
a flowing river.
Daa tuda.óos'i áwé tsá,
After we bathed,
ách áwé tlei wé ulix'áasi héen
that is why this flowing water
tayeet has uwaḵúx̱.
they went under it on their boat.
Has daa nda.óos' áwé ???,
They bathed themselves,
tlei clean-x̱ has nax̱satee, pure.
to be clean and pure.
Áwé tsá yei gax̱tusatéen.
After that (because of that) we will see it.
Áwé eech kaadé s aseiwa.áx̱.
After that they heard a man's voice on the reef.
A yinaadé has wooḵoox̱.
They traveled toward it with the boat.
Daa sáwé?
What was there?
Kandliyeeji át du kát wudziḵín.
A bunch of birds flew on him.
Wé atk'átsk'u wé eech kaadé kdag̱áx̱ aa.
This boy that was crying on the reef.
Yá du, du jín ḵwá tlei yá du, tlei yóo, at x̱'oosi yáx̱ {du daa}.
His hands though were like feet.
Huh.
Du daanáx̱ dáḵde yóo yatee wé kóoshdaach wusneix̱í.
His arms were pulled back (shortened) after the land otter saved him.
A x̱ánt has ḵóox̱ áwé
After the boat traveled to them
k'ákw áwé du x̱ánt ishḵáḵ.
an owl (without ear tufts) sat by him.
Wáa sáwé at, a daa x̱'awditaan á ḵu.aa G̱ooch Éeshch?
Why did G̱ooch Éesh talk about this?
Du yéigi,
His spirit,
du yéigix̱ áwé wsitee yéi áwé;
it became his spirit;
Ooohhh.
explain-x̱ awliyéx̱.
this is the way he explained it.
Yéi áwé daa yoo x̱'eiwatán.
This is the way he talked about it.
Wé k'ákw du yéigix̱ áwé wsiteeyí áwé.
This owl (without ear tufts) became his spirit helper.
Uh, ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ix̱'ax̱wawoos'i yáa,
This, I would like to ask this,
yá k'ákw daat.
about this owl (without ear tufts).
Ax̱ een akaawaneek wé,
I was told about that,
ax̱ léelk'w uh,
my grandfather,
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan. Wáa sá,
G̱unx̱aa G̱uwakaan. How,
k'ákw du lú
the owl (without ear tufts), his nose,
uh, aadé, aadé wooneeyi yé du lú?
what happened to his nose?
Uh, Yéilch áwé kawliník wé x̱'aan.
The Raven told him of the fire.
{aw-} Awdiḵeen.
It took flight.
Yéi áwé.
That's the way.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé lig̱éi, du,
It was very pretty, his,
wáa sá duwasáakw yáa,
what is this called,
dleit ḵáach,
white people
"beak" yéi has ayasáakw. Wáa sá,
call it “beak”. What is it,
wáa sá duwasáakw Lingít x̱'éináx̱, du lú?
what is it called in Tlingit, his nose?
Du lú.
His nose/beak.
Mm-hmm. Ásí, ch'a yéi áwé x̱waa.áx̱ a x̱'éide x̱áach tsú. Uh-huh. Yeah, du lú.
That's how I heard it, too. His nose/beak.
Áwé,
Then,
ax̱ léelk'w áwé,
my grandparent,
"hawk" yéi aawasáa dleit, dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱.
“hawk” he called it in white manʼs language.
Aadé kawdujixídi yé wé x'úx' ḵu.aa,
The way it's written in the book, however,
"horned owl".
“horned owl”.
{Yéi has} yéi has akawshixít.
That's how, that's how it is written.
Áyáx̱ ákwé?
Is that right?
Yeah.
Ch'a áyáx̱ áwé.
That's right.
It's a horned owl? Mm-hmm.
Mhm.
Ooohhh, OK.
All right, good.
Góok.
Go ahead.
Keep going.
Ch'a aad- ch'a aadé yéi x̱at na.oo.
Forgive me.
Hóoch' áwé aadé,
That's it there,
hóoch' áwé aadé yaa yakunagen yé yaa yeedát haa,
they're all gone now, our,
ax̱ een aa hás.
my relatives.
Tlei haa deint ḵaa shuwaxíx.
Our relatives are all gone.
Daax'oonináx̱ áwé haa yatee yeedát.
There's just four of us now.
Yá Seattle-x' yéi áa yatee.
There's one living in Seattle.
Ax̱ kéilk hás ḵú has shayadihéin.
But I have many nieces and nephews.
Ax̱ húnx̱
My oldest brother,
tóonáx̱,
through him,
has tóodáx̱ ḵudziteeyi aa has shayadihéin.
from him, these nieces and nephews were born. There's many of them.
Yá Seattle principal-x̱ aa sitee.
There's one living in Seattle as a principal.
Yá ax̱ neice-i.
My neice.
Wow.
Uh, school principal-x̱ sitee yá shaawát.
She's a school principal.
Yées, yées shaatk' áwé tlél, tlél tlax̱ unawátch yeisú.
She's a young lady, she's not very old yet.
Yéi áwé haa yakoogé yeedát, daax'oonínáx̱ áwé haa yatee.
There's only 4 of us left.
X̱át áwé hooch'i aayí.
I am the last one.
X̱at sitee ḵaa húnx̱ux̱ x̱at sateeyí.
As a brother.
Tlél x̱wasakú uh,
I don't know uh,
shátx̱ aa ax̱ dlaak' ḵú
my oldest sister however,
two years áwé ax̱ yáanáx̱ woowáat.
she's two years older than I am.
Eighty-three-x̱ áwé x̱at, x̱at gux̱satée yá year.
I'll be 83 this year.
Ldakát,
Everything,
ldakát, ldakát yéide yaa ḵuganeich yaa ḵunawádi, ch'a áyáx̱ sáwé yanaḵéich.
everything, everything happens when you're getting old, he was telling the truth.
{Ná- nás'k jin- uh} nás'k jinkaat táakw ḵa nás'k ákwé wa.é? [David meant to say nas'gadooshú jinkaat táakw ḵa nás'k - 83.]
You're 33 years old?
Aaá.
Yes.
Ha! Tlél, ch'a yeisú yées ḵáa yáx̱ áwé i yáduk yatee. Oh, jé.
Your face still looks like a young man's face. Oh, gee.
X̱át, x̱át ḵu.aa gwál ch'as {tlei-} uh, tleidooshú jinkaat táakw yáx̱.
Me, (I thought) maybe in (your) sixties.
Here I thought you were only in your sixties, you're in your eight,
in your mid-eighties.
Ax̱ húnx̱w, eesháan áyá yaa koogax̱dasháni.
My brother, poor us as we're getting older.
Ch'a yeisú i shax̱aawú i jee yéi yatee. X̱at ḵu.aa, tlél,
You still have all your hair, but me,
tlél ax̱ jee yéi utí yeedát ax̱ shax̱aawú.
I don't have all my hair now.
Ohh.
Yéi áwé
That's
aadé koogeiyi yé áwé,
how much,
hóoch' áwé aadé x̱wsikóowu yé {haa- haa-} haa daat át.
that's about all I know about us.
Áwé i aayí yaa kag̱ilanéek x̱wá tlei
When you're telling your story,
áyá kei kg̱wak'éi yá recording.
the recording will be good.
Káa yéi iwuteeyí i daat shkalneek.
When you described your life story.
Aax̱ yee wsidaag̱i yé.
Where your family came from.
Hóoch' áwé ch'as Xunaadáx̱ áwé {haa} wusidaaḵ ax̱ ín.aa hás.
My family is originally from Hoonah.
Ax̱ éesh ḵú Aangóondáx̱.
My father however, was originally from Angoon.
Yéi áwé
That's
yéi áwé ax̱ toowáx' yan shuwatán ax̱ aayí.
that's how mine ended.
Áyá ax̱ jee yéi yatee recordings ax̱ tuwáa sigóo i jee yei awuteeyí.
I want you to have some of my recordings.
Uh, gag̱isakóo aadé
You'll know how
haa, uh, yá haa déindáx̱ ḵu.óo has du shagóon.
our, uh, the history of the people from our area.
X̱á yak'éi x̱áwé.
That is very good.
Yak'éi. X̱át tsú yei át ax̱ jee {yéi} yéi yatee.
Good. I also have some recordings.
Wé, uh...
That, uh...
1972 áwé ḵu.éex' tlein yaawaxeex wé Xeitl Hít.
In 1972 there was a big potlatch that took place at Thunderbird House.
Uh, yan wudulyeix̱í Ḵashisgi Hít / Kawdiyaayi Hít yéi áwé.
Ḵashisgi Hít / Kawdiyaayi Hít (clan house) was built.
Uh, wé tléix' hít yéi wtuwasáa.
We named this house.
Áwé ldakát yéidáx̱ áwé {ḵuw-} ḵuwtuwa.éex' yáa,
We invited people from all over,
yáa uh,
uh,
Dleit ḵáach yéi has ayasáakw "dedication" yéi has, yéi has ayasáakw.
In English they call it “dedication”.
Tlél x̱wasakú wáa sá duwasáakw uh, yáa Lingít x̱'éináx̱ ḵu.aa.
I don't know how to say it in Tlingit.
Áwé
Then
yee x̱'asheex'í
your songs
tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé {si} sigóo ḵa litseen.
are so exciting and powerful.
Ḵa yee yoo x̱'atángi.
And your language.
Yóot'aa áwé yoo x̱'eiwatán, wáa sá duwasáakw, William Johnson.
A person who made a speech, what's his name, William Johnson.
Uh, Xunaadáx̱ T'aḵdeintaanx̱ wusitee.
He was T'aḵdeintaan from Hoonah.
A ítdáx̱ áwé Jessie Dalton.
And after him was Jesse Dalton.
Hú tsú haa éet x̱'eiwatán.
She also made a speech.
Um.
Yee x̱'asheex'í ḵu.aa áwé tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱, ḵúnáx̱ sigóowu yáx̱ yatee.
Your tribe's songs are so exciting.
Uháan haa x̱'asheeyí yáx̱ áwe yatee.
Our tribe's songs are like that too.
Shk'é uháan haa x̱'asheex'í áwé tlax̱ tláakw yáx̱ áwé.
Our songs are fast.
Kei at gatoosheech,
We start off like this,
«Hei natudziyáa, hei natudziyaa,
hei natudzi, hei natudzi...»
Tláakw yáx̱ áwé yeewháan {aa} yee aayí tsú.
It's fast, like your clanʼs too.
Tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé {kʼaw} ḵ'awsigóo.
It was so exciting.
Uh, ldakát ḵáa neil áwé has aawal'éx̱ áwé
Everybody came dancing in the,
haa, haa hídi yan wudulyeix̱í.
our, when our house was finished.
Tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwe wsigóo.
It was so exciting.
Nás'k yagiyee kaanáx̱ áwé yaawaxeex.
The party took three days.
Yaa, yaa ḵu.éex' tlein dáanaa tlein daak wudu- wuduwatée ḵa
During this big celebration, a large amount of money was put out and
ldakát yéide atx̱á.
all different types of food.
Daak has, yéi has awsinei ax̱, ax̱ káak {G̱un-} aa yaa,
They brought out, my uncle,
Ḵuwanagáas'.
Ḵuwanagáas' (personal name).
Tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé yisikóo wé yáa,
It's really good that you know the,
yáa aan saax'ú áwé tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áwé yak'éi.
the names of these villages, that's really good.
Wé Dleit ḵáa yóo duwasáagu aa Tom, Tom Thornton een gé yoo x̱'eeyatán
The white man named Tom Thornton, did you speak with him
{yaa haa yaa haa} yaa yee aaní daat? Aaá.
about your land? Yes.
Uh, uh, let's see...
Yáa,
yáa yeedát aadé recording yéi daatooné yéi yá Keri hás-
Right now, how we're recording with Keri and those guys,
áyáx̱ áwé record haa wliyéx̱ wé Tom Thornton.
that's exactly how Tom Thornton recorded us.
Yáa ldakát yá haa déin
Everything around us
{uh, has du} has du een kax̱waaneek.
I told them.
Wáa sá dax̱dusáagu.
How those areas were named.
A x̱oo aa [daḵlishóoḵ].
Some of those names are [real funny]. [This conversation is continued on 11DavidGeorge.]
This conversation is continued on Tlingit Conversation 11.