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Tlingit Conversation #13-14
Speakers are Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson and G̱uneiwtí Marsha Hotch. Videorecorded by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff on February 10, 2010, at the Dutson home in Juneau, Alaska.
This material is based on work supported by National Science Foundation grant 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 Jooteen Jessica Isturis, Daaljíni Mary Folletti, Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester, and Shagáaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom. English translation by Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston.
SYMBOLS: {false start}, (added for clarity), [translator/transcriber's note], ??? = 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]
Déi yaa kanajúx.
It's running now.
Dikée Aanḵáawu, Haa Éesh,
Lord Above, Our Father,
Du Yéet, ḵa {ḵ}
His Son, and
Litóogu Ḵaa Yakg̱wahéiyagu,
the Holy Spirit,
{i yaa} I niyaadé kei awtudlig̱én.
we have looked up in Your direction.
Gunalchéesh áyá haa yoo x̱ʼatángi haa jeet yiteeyí.
Thank you for giving us our language.
Ḵa haa ḵusteeyí,
And our way of life,
yak'éiyi át, wooch ḵusx̱án een.
good things, with love for each other.
Haa tuwáa sigóo ldakát yéidei.
We enjoy many different kinds of things.
Hél haa tuwáa ushgú {ḵ} ḵushakʼaan tóonáx̱,
We do not want, through hatred (of people),
daa sá yan yéi wtusaneiyí,
whatever we have done,
i yáxʼ haa tuwáa sigóo kʼidéin ḵutoosteeyí.
we want to live well before you.
Yisikóo, haa Éesh,
You know, our Father,
déi haa ya.áak yan Yisinée,
You have already prepared a place for us,
«Gunalchéesh,» yóo Idaayatooḵá,
“Thank you,” we are saying to You,
Haa téix̱ʼ tóodáx̱ áyá «Gunalchéesh,» yóo Idaayatooḵá.
From inside of our hearts, “Thank you,” we say to you.
Gunalchéesh hó hó, gunalchéesh.
Thank you very much, thank you.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Mhm.
Yes.
Haa een kananeek i Lingít saayí.
Tell it to us, your Lingít name.
Shakʼsháani yóo x̱at duwasáakw, Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱.
Shakʼsháani is how I am called in the Lingít language.
Ax̱ tláa du shátx̱ {yóo} yéi wduwasáa.
My mother, her older sister was called that way.
Shakʼsháani, ḵúnáx̱ sh yáa ayawdinei yú shaawát.
Shakʼsháani, she really respected herself, that woman.
A kaadé áwé, ax̱ káak, Weihá
For that reason, my uncle, Weihá
aax̱ x̱at wusnóogu, {yéi x̱at ya} ax̱ tláa yéi ayawsiḵaa, «Ḵúnáx̱ {sh yáa} kʼidéin {sh} yéi ḵukg̱wastée ax̱ kéilkʼi.átskʼu.
when he picked me up, he said to my mother, “She is really going to live well, my little maternal niece.
{hél déi} Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú chʼa koogéiyi kei yisawáadi.
I donʼt want you to raise her any old way.
Du saayí shaawát, ḵúnáx̱
The woman (that is) her namesake, (a) very
sh yáa awudanéiyi shaawát yóo du saayí du jeedé gax̱tootée.»
self-respecting woman she was, weʼre going to give her her name.”
Ach áwé yéi x̱at duwasáakw, Shakʼsháani.
That is why I am called Shakʼsháani.
Ax̱ tláak'w saayí,
My maternal aunt's name,
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú chʼu yeedádidé, kax̱wlaháachʼi.
I donʼt want, even to this day, to dishonor it.
Mmm.
Yes.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Yak'éi.
It is good. [Equivalent to, “Itʼs all good,” in English.]
Aa,
Uh,
I tláa, {du, du} ḵa tsu, {i} i tláawkʼw, has du Lingít saaxʼú.
Your mother and also your maternal aunt, their Lingít names.
Uhuh.
Yeah.
{ax̱}
Ax̱ léelk'w
My grandmother
Ḵaachees.aak {yóo} yóo duwasáakw.
Ḵaachees.aak is how she is called.
Am.
Um.
Chʼas du x̱úx̱ saayí tsú x̱wsakóowun ax̱ sáni,
I just used to know her husbandʼs name, also, my (opposite, that is, her father and his relatives) uncle,
A kát x̱at seiwa(x'ák̲w) Neestéew
I for(get), Neestéew
yóo á duwasáakw.
that's how he was called.
Áwé, ash wushaayí, chʼa g̱óot tsú ḵoowdzitee.
Then, when he married her, there was another one (wife).
{Wunaawú} Wunaawú aa, a eetíx̱ yaa dusgútjin, chʼáakw.
The one that died, somebody would always take their place, long ago.
Mhmh.
Yes.
Wooch kíki yán ḵachʼu daaḵw.aa sá.
Siblings (of the same sex) or whichever one.
Ḵushtuyáx̱ áwé chʼa g̱óot hít yeedáx̱ aa,
It doesnʼt matter if itʼs one from another house,
{tsu yá chʼa has du} chʼa has du yáx̱, {áw}
just like them (same clan)
has du x̱ooní yáx̱ {kawdiháy} kaawaháyi aa.
one that is like a relative to them.
Áwé, a eetíx̱ yaa dusgútch, a kaadé áwé
Then, they always take their place, for that reason
has shayawdiháa, Lingít, tléixʼ wooch dusháaxʼun.
they became numerous, the Tlingit, they were always marrying into each other.
Áwé ax̱ tláa,
My mother,
Ax̱ léelk'w {du s}
my grandmother
shuxʼwáa aayí {du} du sée.
the first one of her daughters.
Áhóo,
Oh my,
wáa sá duwasáakw?
what was she called?
I léelkʼw tsú, {du} a kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw du saayí.
Your grandmother, too, I forgot her name.
Annie?
Annie?
Aaá.
Yes.
Haa,
Ok,
Katʼéx̱ʼti yóo duwasáakw shuxʼwáa aayí,
Katʼéx̱ʼti is how the first one was called,
du yinaadé áwéi ḵoowdzitee, i léelkʼw.
she was born after her, your grandmother.
Áwé, ax̱ shátx̱ du dachx̱ánkʼ jeet wuduwatée.
It was, my older sisterʼs granddaughter was given it (her name).
A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw.
I forgot it.
A káa daak tux̱wdataaní i {x̱é} jeedé x̱ʼakḵwadatáan.
When I think of what it was I will call you on the phone.
Yáax' áwé, Weihá,
Now, Weihá,
Mhm. Weihá {du}
Yes. Weihá
ḵúnáx̱ Chief Aanyalaháash
really Chief Aanyalaháash
eetít yóo uwagút, {haa} ax̱ káak.
he took his place, my maternal uncle.
Weihá, {hú} hú du eetiḵáawu áwé ax̱ éekʼ.
Weihá, his replacement was my brother.
{Yaa gan} Yaa ganáa {ax̱} ax̱ káak Weihá,
When he was dying, my maternal uncle Weihá,
áwé ax̱ tláa ax̱oox̱, «Haagú.
he called my mother to him, “Come here.
Yéidu Dultín, yáaxʼ haagú, dlákʼ.
Yéidu Dultín, come over here, sis.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo,
I want
ax̱ kéilkʼ ayáx̱ ḵudzitee,
my nephew to live the right way,
ḵa
and
du atwuskóowu yan ashawlihík dleit ḵáa yinaanáx̱.aanáx̱.
he has finished his education in the white manʼs way.
Ách áyá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo du jeet x̱wateeyí.
This is why I want to give it to him.
Chief Aanyalaháash á yóo gax̱dusáakw.»
Chief Aanyalaháash indeed will be how he is called.”
Áwé {19} 2004 du gaawú yan shuwjix̱ín.
It was 2004 his time came to an end.
Chʼa tléixʼ táakw,
Just one year,
chʼa yeisú l unanáaji áwé,
just before he died,
áwé ax̱oox̱ ax̱
he beckoned to my
wé ax̱ shátx̱ du dachx̱ánkʼ,
my older sisterʼs grandchild,
«Wa.éich yakg̱eetée {ha} haa saayí tlein.»
“It is you, youʼre going to carry our big name.”
{hé} Yú daḵkaadé ḵu.aa áwé wduwasháaxʼw, ax̱ tláakʼw. Mmm.
She had been married into the interior, though, my aunt. Yes.
Áxʼ áwé tsú ḵoowdzitee.
There, also, is where he was born.
Chief Aanyalaháash yóo duwasáakw.
Chief Aanyalaháash is how he is called.
Aadé áwé a jeet wuduwatée.
Thatʼs the way he was given it.
{hél} Tlél kaxéelʼ a daat yei ḵukg̱wastee. Mhmh.
There will not be any trouble about it. Yes.
Áwé haa tuwáa sigóo haa x̱oonxʼích yaa natéeni.
We want for it to be our relatives to carry it (the name).
Kei kg̱wakʼéi. Hél ax̱ tuwáa {kush} ushgú kaxéelʼ.
It will be good. I don't want trouble.
Ḵúnáx̱ ldakát yéide hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.
I really donʼt want it to go everywhere.
Yá Dikée Aanḵáawu du ítx̱ yaa nx̱agúdi,
As I am following (walking along behind) the Lord Above,
hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú daa sá kax̱wlahaachʼí.
I donʼt want to shame or embarass anything.
A kaadé áwé
It is for that reason that
at géide yaa ḵuyanaḵéini, tle
when people are being spoken against, then
a náḵ yóot x̱wagútch.
I always walk away from it.
Yéi áwé x̱at yatee, síkʼ. L ax̱ tuwáa ushgú kaxéelʼ.
Thatʼs the way I am, little daughter. I donʼt like trouble.
{du} Chʼa du yáa yándei kg̱eetée, hóoch tsú. Mhm.
You will just set it down in his face, he will, too. Yes.
Ḵushtuyáx̱ wé déix̱ has teeyí,
It doesnʼt matter if they are two,
wóoshdáx̱ haa wdakʼoodzí. Mhm.
if we are broken apart from each other. Yes.
Haaw, i léelk'w,
Well, your granparent,
{um wé du} a kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw wé {aa} du saayí.
I forgot his/her name.
{ax̱} Ax̱ dachx̱ánkʼ jeet wuduwatée. Wáa sáwé? A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw, tle.
It was given to my grandchild. How was it? I forgot it, now.
Ch'a dleit ḵáanáx̱ du saayí.
Just her white man name.
Annie, Annie Jimmy. Áaa. Mhm.
Yes. Yes.
A káa daak tux̱wdataaní, du saayí,
When I remember it, her name,
i jeedé x̱ʼakḵwadatáan.
I will call you.
Wé, yeisú,
Well, still,
ḵaa yatʼéináx̱ áwé wduwasháaxʼw.
she got engaged in secret.
Du x̱oonxʼí yatʼéináx̱.
Behind her relativesʼ backs.
Ách áwé {sítʼ} sítʼdáx̱ daak ḵuyaawagóo.
That is why they went out into the water in canoes from the glacier.
Tle hú tsú {yaakwt wud} yaakwt wuduwatée.
Then her too, she was put in a canoe.
Aan áwé sítʼ tuwándáx̱ du een ḵuyaawagóo.
With her from the side of the glacier the people went in canoes with her.
Ách áyá, Canada-dáx̱ {haa} haa aayí haa x̱oonxʼí áa yéi dag̱aatee. Mhm.
This is why, from Canada, ours, our relatives are all there. Yes.
Canadian-x̱ has wusitee.
They became Canadians.
{hél, tlél} Tlél Canadian áwé yeewáan.
You all are not Canadians.
Yáadáx̱, éilʼ táadáx̱ ḵu.óowu áyá yeewáan. Mhm.
From here, you folks are people from the ocean. Yes.
Tle kʼidéin ax̱ tláa x̱ʼéit x̱wasa.aax̱jín.
I always used to listen well to my mother.
Yéi x̱at daayaḵá, «Síkʼ, {hél} tlél chʼa koogéiyi yé
She says to me, “Little daughter, donʼt just carelessly
{ách kay} ách kayeelneegíḵ.»
tell about it.”
Ách áyá haa x̱oonxʼí Canada-xʼ áa has shayadihéin.
This is why our relatives in Canada are numerous.
Yáaxʼ áwé, wé ax̱ tláakʼw, Katʼéx̱ʼti, du yátxʼi,
It was here, my maternal aunt, Katʼéx̱ʼti, her children,
Tléináx̱ Navy tóoxʼ woonaa, ax̱ éekʼ.
One died in the Navy, my brother. [Male cousin same matrilineal clan]
Bob Daniels yóo duwasáakw.
Bob Daniels is how he is called.
Deiyík yóo duwasáakw. Mhm.
Deiyík is how we was called. Yes.
Woonaa Navy tóoxʼ.
He died in the Navy.
Yáaxʼ áwé tsu dáx̱náx̱ {w} wootee has {du du sh} du yátxʼi.
Here there were two of them, their children.
Ha yeisú a káa daak, {s x̱al}
Just now I thought of it,
yeisú á x̱asáagun.
I named her (said her name) just recently.
Peggy yóo duwasáakw.
Peggy is how she is called.
Tléixʼaa ḵu.aas Aantsíx̱t. Mhm.
One of them, though, is Aantsíx̱t. Yes.
Ax̱ tláa saayí.
My mother's name.
Uhuh.
Yes.
{haa x̱oo} Haa x̱oowú aa tsú yá Aantsíx̱t.
That is one among us, also, this (name) Aantsíx̱t.
Xʼéig̱aa ax̱ tláa tsú Ḵaajis.aak yéi duwasáagun tsú. Ahah.
Truly my mother was also called Ḵaajis.aak, also. Uhuh.
Ahah. Haa jeexʼ {yeiḵ} yeiḵ ana.át. Háaw.
Uhuh. Some of them are coming back down from the interior to us. [from the afterlife] Well.
Aag̱áa áwé, chʼa yeisú cannery-xʼ yéi jitooneiyí áwé, {ax̱} áa yéi s jiné ax̱ tláa,
At that time, while we were still working at the cannery, she is working there, my mother,
áwé telegram át uwaxíx.
a telegram was received.
Woonaa, Peggy. Ó, toowú néekw
She died, Peggy. Oh, sorrow
ḵaa x̱oo yéi woonei; ḵúnáx̱ g̱ax̱dustí.
came among the people; people were really crying.
{yáade} Yáade {haa} haa wduwax̱oox̱.
We were summoned to here.
{coman} Company yaagú yít
In the company boat
yáaxʼ haat haa {y}(aw)duwax̱áa.
we were ferried right to here.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
It was here,
toowú néekw tlein wutuwatʼei.
we found great sorrow.
Tsu a tóonáx̱ áyá,
Again through this,
ax̱ káak, Weihá,
my maternal uncle, Weihá,
Chief Aanyalaháash kéi at kaawashée,
Chief Aanyalaháash sang out,
shí du jeet wuduwatée, hél shákdé yisakú.
he was given a song, you probably donʼt know it.
Tléikʼ.
No.
X̱wasikóo.
I know it.
I tuwáa gé sigóo wudu.aax̱i, tléixʼ? Áaa.
Do you want it to be heard, one? Yes.
Aaá, ax̱ tuwáa sigóo x̱waa.aax̱. Mhm.
Yes, I would like that. OK.
Dáli i toowú,
Your feelings that are heavy,
ax̱ g̱oojí ḵu.aa ee aa ya
my wolf
x̱át tsú, yéi ax̱ tunateech á
me too, that is how I always feel
aa hei aaw hei
(vocables)
G̱aax̱ daasheeyí áyá.
This is a cry song.
Ax̱ shátx̱, dikéede jilatsáḵ.
My older sister, she raised her hand.
{dik} Dikéexʼ kei jiwlitsáḵ, Dikaanḵáawu yáxʼ.
She raised her hand to the Lord Above.
«Eeshandéin ax̱ eenx̱ inastí.»
“Be with me in sorrow.”
{ḵaa téix̱ʼ} Haa téix̱ʼ kaawawálʼ.
Our hearts were broken.
Hél x̱at ulgé, chʼa aan áwé,
I (was) not very big, but even so
ax̱ téix̱ʼ yanéekw, x̱át tsú, ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ tláakʼw.
my heart hurts too, my mother and my maternal aunt.
Yáaxʼ áwé du jeedé wáa sákwshé kawdujixít, i léelkʼu jeedé.
It was here, to her, I wonder what was written, to your grandmother.
Hás tsú, has du kát uwagút.
Them too, it came upon them. (the sorrow)
Yéi áwé yaa at kandayéin.
This is the way things are happening. [Events are unfolding.]
Has du yátxʼi yátxʼi áyá haa x̱oowú hás, yeedát.
It is their childrenʼs children that are among us today.
Yáaxʼ áwé, ax̱ tláakʼw Annie Jimmy,
And here, my maternal aunt Annie Jimmy,
Mhm.
Yes.
{du} Du yátxʼi ḵoowdzitee.
She had children too.
Hél has wutusakú.
We didn't know any of them.
Chʼa yá {haa}, aadé haa náḵ yóot jiwdudlihaayi yé.
This is just the way that they were taken away from us. [Literally, delivered away]
Chʼa tlákw a daa yoo x̱ʼatángin, ax̱ tláa, tlax̱ {ḵaa} ḵaa kéekʼx̱ x̱á wsitee, ax̱ tláa.
She was always talking about it, my mother, she was the very youngest of them, my mother.
Hél aadóo sá
Nobody
áhé, (tlé)l tsu du ít.aa ḵuwustí.
there was, there was nobody else born after her.
Baby-x̱ áyú sitee. Mhm.
She is the baby. Yes.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
Here,
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo {y}
I want
yisakoowú haa káak x̱ʼasheeyí, a káa yéi kg̱watée.
you to know it, our maternal uncleʼs song, it will be on it (the recording).
Dei hóochʼ gíwé?
Is that all?
Tléik'. Aadé, ah,
No. How, uh,
Yagéi haa daat ḵustí.
There are many things about us.
A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw wé át, wáang̱aneens, tatgé xáanaa áwé, {wéix, át}
I have forgotten that thing, sometimes, it was yesterday evening,
sʼíxʼ x̱a.úsʼgu, Mhm.
while I was washing dishes, Yes.
ax̱ káa daak uwaxíx, chʼu tle ax̱,
I remembered it [lit. “it came out on me”], then my...
Tlákw tooshée neejín, ḵusteeyí. Am,
We always used to sing it, when he (her uncle) was alive. Um,
Yáaxʼ áwé tléixʼ hándit ḵa {kei} jinkaat ḵa keijín yéi kéi uwagút, du katáagu. Mhm.
Here my uncle had made it to 115 years old. Yes.
{yáa, hél, hé}
Hél daaḵw aasá {yéi x̱ws} yéi x̱wa.aax̱jín yéi ḵusteeyí.
I have never heard of one that lived like that (to be that old).
Chʼa yeedát, wáa sá ax̱ tundatáani yatee a yáx̱ wootee {du} hú, yéi.
Even now, how my thoughts are, he was like that, him, that way.
Chʼa yeisú, tle, tléixʼ Sándi shuwuxeexí gíwé tsá {du} ḵut kéi sh nadag̱íxʼ.
Even still, then, maybe after one week had passed he would lose his memory (of the week before). [lit. “he is losing himselfʼ]
Haa x̱oodáx̱ áyá {y}
From among us
yá Chief Anyalaháash haa náḵ woogoot.
Chief Anyalaháash walked away from us. [he died]
Du x̱ʼasheeyí áwé i jeeyís x̱waashee.
It was his song that I sang for you.
Am,
Um,
yáaxʼ áwé,
here,
ax̱ tláakʼw haat has wuligásʼ.
my maternal aunt (and her family), they moved here.
Ḵa ax̱ shátx̱, i léelkʼu hás, yáaxʼ haat has {wu} wuligásʼ.
And my older sister, your grandparents, they moved here.
Tsu {du x̱oodáx̱} haa x̱oodáx̱ áwé,
And from among us,
Wáa sákwshé dusáagun Mary Shopert?
What was Mary Shopertʼs name?
Du saayí hél x̱wasakú.
I don't know her name.
Aam,
Um,
Martha áwé ax̱ een akaawaneek.
Martha told it to me.
Oh.
Oh.
Kashaxít.
Write it.
???
ḵa i léelkʼw saayí tsú. Aha.
and your grandmotherʼs name, too. Uhuh.
Chʼa tlákw a daa {x̱ʼax̱a}
All the time about it
{ax̱ a ax̱ een du een} has du een kax̱anik neejín ax̱ yátxʼi. Mhm.
I used to tell it to my children. Yes.
Wáa sá haa yakoogéiyín.
How numerous we used to be.
Yá haa x̱oodáx̱ woonaa,
She died from among us,
Mary yóo duwasáagu aa, Mary Shopert.
the one that is called Mary, Mary Shopert.
Shaawát kadáan haa x̱oodáx̱ wudzigeet.
A beautiful woman has fallen from among us.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
And now,
tsú ax̱ shátx̱i hás, yáa yaa s ḵunatínjin, ax̱ tláakʼw, du yátxʼi.
and my older sisters (her family), they used to travel here (to visit), my maternal aunt, her children.
{hél} Tlél "sister" ḵa "brother" ḵuwustee, tle tléixʼ áyá wooch kíkʼi yánx̱ has wudzitee. Mhm.
There was no “sister” and “brother,” it is just one, they all became siblings to each other. Yes.
{ax̱ tláakʼw tsú yéi ha} Ax̱ tláach yéi haa daayaḵáa neejín,
My mother always used to say to us,
«Yee tláa áyá,
“This is your mother,
{hél yee} tlél yee tláakʼw áyá.
this is not your maternal aunt.
Yee tláa áyá tle yee tláa áyá.»
This is your mother and this is your mother.”
Wáang̱aneens tsú {hél has}
Sometimes, too,
hél has awuskú daaḵw.aa sá too.éexʼi.
they didn't know which one it is we are calling.
«Atléi!»
“Mommy!”
Chʼu dáx̱náx̱ hás áwé haa yát has oolg̱éench. {yá}
Both of them would look at us.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
Now,
tsu ax̱ éekʼ hás, wé {Canada-dá} Canada-dáx̱ aa,
and my brotherʼs (family), the ones from Canada,
{Xʼí-} Shaanḵuyís yóo aa duwasáakw, Mhm {x̱was}
one of them was named Shaanḵuyís. Yes.
Wé tléixʼaa ḵu.aa du kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw, du saayí, Charlie.
That one, though, I forgot about him, his name, Charlie.
Ḵaajéewaa.
Ḵaajéewaa.
Ḵaajéewaa. Aháa. Aháa.
Ḵaajéewaa. Yes. Yes.
{ḵúnáx̱} Ḵúnáx̱ has haa wsix̱án.
They really loved us.
Mhm.
Yes.
Haa, Shaanḵuyís nanáa áwé,
Well, when Shaanḵuyís died,
ax̱ jeet x̱ʼawduwatán, wé,
somebody called my phone, that,
governer's office-dáx̱.
from the governorʼs office.
Wáa sákwshéwé at woonei?
What could it be that happened?
Ax̱ jeet has aawashát wé telephone.
They gave me the telephone.
«[hél] Tlél aadé yáadáx̱ jix̱tuwanaag̱i yé.»
“We canʼt let him leave here.”
Am,
Um,
George Morris. Mhm.
Yes.
«Du x̱oonxʼích áyá {a daa} a daa yéi jikg̱wanéi.
“His family is going to work on it.
{a daa yé-} Ayáx̱ gé ilitseen a daat eeháni?»
Are you strong enough to withstand it?” (to do it)
«Ayáx̱ x̱á x̱at litseen.
“I am surely strong enough.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ax̱ éekʼ du aaní ayawudlaag̱í.»
I want my brother to reach his homeland.”
«A yak'éi.»
“That is good.”
Tle yéi áyá, {a daa yéi} a daa yéi jix̱waanéi.
Then this is how, I worked on it.
Tle du een áwé, ax̱ tláa,
Then with her, my mother
ḵa du x̱án.aa,
and her spouse,
ḵa x̱át, ḵuwtuwateen, {du} du daadleeyí een ḵuwtuwateen.
and me, we went, we went with his corpse.
Yagéiyidéin,
Hugely,
yagéiyi tuwanéekw,
a huge sorrow,
haa jee yéi wootee.
we had.
Haa x̱oonxʼí haa x̱oodé yaa shugaxéex. Mhm.
All of our family is starting to run out. (die off) Yes.
Chʼu yeedádidé eeshandéin sh daa x̱at tudatée nuch wáang̱aneens.
Even up to now I feel sorry for myself sometimes.
Áyá, chʼas yeewáan áyá yeedát.
It is only you folks now.
Yee daa kei tux̱wdatáanch.
I always think about you all.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
{hél}
Tlél ḵoostí haa x̱oonxʼí yeedát.
We donʼt have any relatives now. (from around her generation)
Tléináx̱ x̱át áyá, chʼa x̱at yatee dei.
I am the only one, itʼs just me now.
{Hél aa tlél daa} Hél tsu héide
Not that way either
tukg̱idataan, yóodu ax̱ tláa. No.
youʼll think there is my mother. No.
Hóoch'.
(Theyʼre) all gone.
Yeewáan áwé,
It is all of you,
a yáx̱ kéi gax̱yidanáaḵ.
that will stand up to it.
Yá haa ḵusteeyí, tsú.
And our culture, as well.
Yáax' áyá,
Here,
Shuxʼwáanáx̱ (i) een ax̱ tuwáa sigóo kax̱wlaneegí,
I want to tell it to you,
wáa sá hél ḵaa tuwáa wushgóo,
how people didnʼt want it,
yáa school teachers, yá atwuskóoxʼu ḵa ḵaa ée at latóowu.
these school teachers, these knowledgeable ones and teachers.
Wáang̱aneens áwé,
Sometimes,
ḵáasʼ een haa jín dux̱íshdin. Mmm.
they used to hit us on the hand with sticks. Ooh.
Wáang̱aneens tsú haa shax̱aawú een has akooyúkjin.
Sometimes, too, they would shake us around by our hair.
«Tle ḵúnáx̱ {aa, aa}
“Really
l uwakʼéiyi ḵáa yoo x̱ʼatángi áyá yee jeewú.
you all have a language that is no good.
Yahíxku ḵáa yoo x̱ʼatángi áyá, Áaa.
This is a witchʼs language, Ooh.
yá Lingít yoo x̱ʼatángi.»
this Lingít language.”
A kaadé áwé, yáa yeedadi aayí,
That is the reason that, the ones of today,
ax̱ shukát ḵudziteeyi aa, chʼa hásch ḵu.aa kʼidéin yoo s x̱ʼala.átgin.
the ones that were born before me, it was them, they really spoke well.
Yá has du yátxʼi ḵu.aa has akawliḵei, tle has akawliháachʼi.
But these children of theirs are shy with it, as they were shamed (for it).
«Áyá {ya} yahíxku ḵáa yoo x̱ʼatángi yee jeexʼ yéi yatee.»
“You folks have a witchʼs language.”
A kaadé áwé {ḵux̱} ḵux̱ has wudináḵ, tle. Mmm.
For that reason, the stood back then. Yes.
Hél has du tuwáa ushgú
They donʼt want
has du shoog̱ú. Mhm.
them to be laughed at. Yes.
Ách áyá ḵut wooxeex haa yoo x̱ʼatángi.
This is why our language got lost.
Chʼa átx̱ satí áyá x̱áach, x̱wasikóo.
It is just barely that I know it. [ Implies it is really something.]
Shuxʼwáanáx̱ áwé yee een kax̱wlineek, {haa ha} aadé {haa}
I have told it to you from the beginning, the way
haa ḵusteeyí téeyi yé.
our life used to be.
A shóode áyá at {kwak} kakḵwanéek.
I am going to add on to what I have told you.
Yá aadé yóo haa kawligasʼi yé.
The way that we moved around.
Yáatʼaa ḵwa, ax̱ tuwáa sigóo has awuskoowú a daat át.
This one though, I want them to know things about it.
Yá haa ée at latóowu ḵu.oo,
These people (our instructors) that teach us things,
has du toowú áyá
it was their wish
ldakát yéide tsú yá ḵu.éexʼ daat át tsú hél x̱wasakú.
all kinds of things and things about parties too I donʼt know.
Hél tlax̱ kʼidéin wutusakú.
We donʼt know it very well.
Chʼu yéi haa gusgeiyídáx̱ áyá l ḵaa tuwáa wushgú.
Even from the time we were small the people didnʼt want it (us to know those things).
Yá, a tóox̱ haa wuwáadi,
As we grew up through this,
«A yakʼéi dei,» {tle, tle}
“Oh, itʼs fine now,”
tle jiwtuwanáḵ. Mhm.
then we let it go. Yes.
A tóo sh jix̱wdináḵ hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.
I donʼt want to give up. [What sheʼs working for now.]
Wáa sá a daaxʼ x̱at dujáaḵw.
How I get attacked about it.
Tle,
Then,
tle yá a tóot toonág̱i Catholic Church tsú.
then we were part of the Catholic Church, too.
Áwé,
Then,
hél has du tuwáa wushg̱ú, ax̱ tláach
they didnʼt want, my mother
ḵa ax̱ éesh, daa sá {a daa yóo x̱ʼatula} haa een has at kaneegí.
and my father, whatever they were talking about (or) to tell us things.
Hél ḵu.aa áwé s has awuskú,
But they didnʼt know,
«Yóonax̱ aadé nay.á,» {y}
“Go over to that side,” (into another room)
{wóochx̱ k} wooch kaanáx̱ has wuda.aadí.
when they got together.
Hél ḵwa wé s has awuskú áa daak tudag̱wáatʼch,
But they didnʼt know that we would crawl out there,
aadé ḵutool.áx̱sʼi neejín.
we would listen toward there (where they were talking).
A kaadé chʼa yéi gugéinkʼ
For that reason, just a little
x̱wasikóo haa ḵusteeyí.
I know our culture.
Yakʼéi.
That's good.
Aaá.
Yes.
Ḵa, haa ḵusix̱áni, haa een wooch dzix̱áni ḵu.oo,
And, our love, the people with us that love each other,
{hóoch tsú} hásch tsú haa een has at kaawaneek.
they also told us things.
Yéi áyá yóo at kawdiyáa.
This is how it unfolded.
Yáaxʼ áwé yee een kakḵwalaneek
At this point I am going to tell you
goonáx̱ sá haat haa kawdayaayí.
where we came here from.
Haa hídi áwé Ishka Hít yóo haa wduwasáakw.
That is our house, we are called Ishka Hít.
Áwé haa shayawdiháa.
We became very numerous.
A kaadé áwé,
For that reason,
haa kʼidaaká ḵu.oo ḵoowdzitee, haa x̱oonxʼí á hás tsú. Mhm.
there were people next door to us, they are our relatives also. [They built multiple houses because there were many of them] Yes.
{hél chʼa g̱óot has}
Hél chʼa haa g̱óot has ḵoostí.
They did not just live separately from us.
Tle yankáxʼ haa x̱oonxʼí áyá.
They are really our relatives.
Lḵeináa yóo wduwasáakw, tléináx̱ aa yáadáx̱ wunaawu aa, Frank Wilson.
Lḵeináa was how he was called, one that was from here that died, Frank Wilson.
Hás has du hídi áyá haa kʼidaaká áa yéi s wootee.
Them, it is their house that was next door to us there.
Wáa yoo at kawdayaayí sáyá,
How it all happened,
aadáx̱ ḵoowligáasʼ,
people migrated from there,
Tlákw Aan, Ishka Hít yeedáx̱.
Klukwan, from inside of Ishka Hít.
Has wuligáasʼ tle,
They migrated, then
Aangóon ḵoowligásʼ.
the people migrated to Angoon.
{x̱wasikóo a} X̱wasakóowun a saayí, yá shuxʼwáa aayí, the first house.
I used to know the name of the first house.
Shúxʼwaa hídi, {hás} áa yéi haa wootee.
The first house, we lived there.
Áa haa x̱oonxʼí shayawdiháa, haa een wuligásʼ ḵu.oo, yóo áwé sh kalneegín ax̱ tláa. Mhm.
There, our relatives became numerous, the ones that migrated with us, thatʼs how my mother used to tell the history. Yes.
{tle áa} Tle áxʼ haa nax̱sadaag̱ít has tuwatee.
Then they felt like they wanted for us to move there.
Yáaxʼ áwé, wáa sákwshéwé at woonei?
At this point, I wonder what happened?
Tle wóoshdáx̱ haa wdikʼoots tsú.
We broke apart from each other again.
Aag̱áa áyá Taku Village,
And then the Taku Village,
aadé haa wligáasʼ, áxʼ áyá tle haa wsidaaḵ.
we migrated to there, this is where we moved to.
Yéi áyá sh kadulnik neejín, haa x̱oonxʼí áa shayadihéin Aangóon.
This is how it used to be told, we have very many relatives in Angoon.
Áwé i een kax̱anéek, wé
Now I am telling you, that
Mrs. S. Minnow,
a x̱oo aa Ḵaayikḵéen yóo duwasáakw, haa saayí áwé. Mhm.
one of them was called Ḵaayikḵéen, that is our name. Yes.
{haa} Haa x̱oonxʼí áwé.
They are our relatives.
Ḵa Mrs. DeAsis,
And Mrs. DeAsis,
hél x̱wasakú du saayí,
I don't know her name,
haa saaxʼú áa yéi dag̱aatee Aangóon.
our names are all there in Angoon.
Haa x̱oonxʼí áwé.
Our family are there.
{ye i} Ishkeetaan? Deisheetaan?
Them, Ishkeetaan (clan)? Deisheetaan (clan)?
Deisheetaan, Deisheetaanx̱ haa wsitee.
Deisheetaan, we became Deisheetaan.
Áxʼ yéi haa wuteeyí, Deisheetaan hídeexʼ yéi haa wootee.
When we were there, we were living inside of a Deisheetaan house.
Tlél x̱wasakú wáa sá yóo at kawdiyáa, tle Taku Village-dé haa wligáasʼ tsu. Mhm.
I donʼt know what transpired there, then they migrated to Taku VIllage. Yes.
Hél tóog̱aa áyá has wushnook. Hél x̱wasakú. Hél ax̱ tláach ax̱ een kawuneek.
They didnʼt approve of it. I donʼt know. My mother didnʼt tell me.
Tléixʼ yateeyi yéináx̱ áwé i een kax̱wlineek tatgé. Ah, basketball daat yáx̱ sá du tuwáa wsigóo wé i sáni Rusty. Ah,
There is one thing, I told it to you yesterday. Uh, about basketball, how very much your paternal uncle Rusty liked it. Uh,
Ḵaayikḵéen yóo duwasáakw.
Ḵaayikḵéen is how she is called.
Wé, chʼa tlákw {aadé x̱at ji}, «Haa gú! Nax̱too.aat tsu.»
He was always, “Come here! Letʼs go again.”
Mhmh.
Yes.
«Yá kulchʼéetʼaa {g̱an-, kei-} gax̱tulatéen.»
“We are going to watch basketball.”
Wáananeens áwé hél {du} ax̱ tuwáa ushgú neech du een, x̱á.
Sometimes I didnʼt want to go with him, see.
Áwé, {Hoonah-d} Xunaadáx̱ áwé hú ḵu.aa.
Heʼs from Hoonah, him, though.
Ásíwé tle ax̱ tóoxʼ yéi move yéi ax̱ x̱úx̱ x̱oonxʼí áwé ash koolyát.
Probably what moved me emotionally was that it was my husbandʼs relatives playing.
Tle chʼa wáa sá {ḵu áy} ḵux̱ʼayaḵá tle ayáx̱ (x̱ʼ)ayax̱aḵá, x̱át tsú.
Then whatever it was that he was saying (shouting, cheering), I was saying it like that, me too.
Áwé neil too.áat áwé ax̱ tláa
Then when we got home, my mother
«Shakʼsháani, haagú.»
“Shakʼsháani, come here.”
Du x̱ánt x̱agóot áwé,
When I got by her,
«Tlax̱ tlél ushkʼé, síkʼ, aadé x̱ʼayiḵá yé,
“It is really terrible, daughter, the way you are speaking,
ḵáa x̱ʼayáx̱ sh kalyaa sh kaneelnéek tle.
when you are saying things all crazy like a man.
Tlél ushkʼé.
That is not good.
Dikée Aanḵáawooch aan haa wliyéx̱,
The Lord Above created us with it,
wooch x̱oonxʼíx̱ haa dzitee.
we are relatives to each other.
Yóo, Tlákw Aandáx̱ áyóo s du x̱oot haa wulgáasʼi, haa x̱oonxʼí áa wdiḵee.
When we migrated there among them from Klukwan, our relatives got situated there (in houses).
{lél} Has shayawdiháa.
They became numerous.
Haaw, goodáx̱ sáyá
Well now, from where
i x̱oonxʼí has du géide áa yax̱ yijixeex tle?»
did you turn against them, your relatives then?” [ShMD had been rooting for her husbandʼs clan instead of her own clan!]
Chʼa aax̱ áwé jix̱waanáḵ, tle.
Then I just dropped it right there.
Ḵushtuyáx̱ {goo a aa} aadóoch sá at kawusháadi wé koochʼéitʼaa, chʼa sh x̱walkʼátlʼich.
It didnʼt matter who it was that caught the ball, I just kept myself quiet every time.
Yéi áwé at woonee.
This is what happened.
Yagéi áyú. Haa ḵusteeyí woogei.
It is big. Our way of life was big.
Haa ádi tsú ḵut wooxeex, yáadáx̱, hél x̱wasakú wáa sá yóo at kaawanee.
Our things have gotten lost, too, from here, I donʼt know what events took place (how they got lost).
Ax̱ tláach áwé yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
My mother said to me,
x̱áach a daat x̱at yax̱wsatáḵ.
it is me that will take care of them.
Áwé ax̱ shátx̱ich hél du tuwáa wushgú.
My sister didnʼt want it.
Mhm.
Yes.
Áwé i een kax̱anéek, tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú
This is what I'm telling you, I donʼt want
at géide yaa x̱at yandusḵéini a daax̱.
for me to be spoken against about it.
Tle jix̱waanáḵ.
So I let it go. [Her sister became the caretaker.]
Áwé ax̱ x̱án.aa yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa, shuxʼwáa aayí ax̱ x̱án.aa,
Then my husband said to me, my first husband,
«Chʼáagu ádi áwé, {hél hél aa} hél a daadé eeg̱aax̱ík. {hél}
“Those are old things, donʼt cry about it.
Tlél wa.éich áwé yánde shakg̱ilaheek.
You are not the one that is going to complete it.
Chʼa has du jee yan sa.ín.
Just leave it all in their possession.
{hél} Tlél a daa yoo x̱ʼeetángiḵ,» yóo x̱at daayaḵá.
Donʼt talk about it,” thatʼs what he says to me.
Yéi áwé yóo at kaawanei haa ádi.
That is how it happened to our clan property.
Hél x̱wasakú.
I don't know.
Yagéiyi aa haa ḵusteeyí wookʼéi.
Much of our way of life was good.
{yá}
«Shál haat tán.»
“Bring me a spoon.”
«Daa sáwé?»
“What is that?”
Tle, «Shál. ʼSpoon.ʼ
Then, “Spoon. Spoon.
Yáaxʼ {haat} ax̱ jeet tán.»
Bring it to me here.”
{ḵa ax̱ tláa} Wé, i léelkʼw ḵa ax̱ tláa.
That, your grandmother and my mother.
«Duwaakú {haat tán} haa jeet tí, síkʼ.»
“Bring that snuff to us, daughter.”
Wáang̱aneens hél x̱wasakóo nooch {goosá áa yéi}, gooxʼ sá yéi s a.oowú wé duwaakú.
Sometimes I didnʼt know just where, where they put that snuff.
«Dóo!
“You! (expression of disapproval)
Yagéi tlein wéidu á.»
The big can is right over there.”
Daat yáx̱ sá ḵaa tuwáa sagóowun wé duwaakú táaxʼ. Mhm.
People really used to like to chew that snuff. Yes.
Xʼoondahéen sáwé
How many times
yéi s x̱at yanasḵéich, «Haadé wé kwáat tí síkʼ.»
they say to me every time, “Bring me that soot.” [Probably ashes for making snuff.]
Daa sá, am,
What, um,
a een dulyeix̱ duwaakú?
do they make snuff with?
G̱ánch.
Tobacco.
G̱ánch.
Tobacco.
G̱ánch.
Tobacco.
Daa sáwé? {a} A kayaaní?
What is it? The leaves?
Á, hél x̱wasakú a saayí.
Huh, I donʼt know its name.
Áwé gé wé g̱ánch {yóo du} tléikʼ.
Is that maybe what they (call) that g̱ánch, no.
Dleit ḵáa yinaanax̱.aanáx̱ taa,
On the white manʼs side of things, tuhhhh,
"tobacco" yóo duwasáakw.
it is called “tobacco.”
G̱ánch, no, g̱ánch is that yéi daaduné át.
G̱ánch, no, g̱ánch is that, what they work on (to make it).
Wé, {has at} ax̱ tláach
That, my mother
ḵúnáx̱ stoox tóonáx̱ ootʼóosʼjin, tobacco.
she really always used to roast it in the stove, tobacco.
Yáaxʼ áwé {á}, a yís ḵustéeyin.
Here that thing, there used to be something for it.
Akatʼéex̱ʼ?
They pound it?
Akadutʼéex̱ʼ.
They pound it.
Ahah, akadutʼéix̱ʼ.
Uhuh, they pound it.
Yáaxʼ áwé, chʼa yéi googéinkʼ héen a x̱oodé s adaanéi neejín.
Here, they would always put just a little bit of water into it.
Yá mistake aadé yéi s awsineiyí kwshé kanḵalaneek á tsú.
The way that they made a mistake, maybe let me tell it, that too.
Góok!
Go ahead!
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Dei chʼáakw áwé hél has at udaná ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ tláakʼw.
It has been a long time now that they donʼt drink (they stopped a long time ago) my mother and maternal aunt.
Chʼa yéi kwshé? Aáa.
Is it alright? Yes.
A g̱óot. Góok, jé.
A different one. Go ahead, sheesh.
Góok.
Go ahead.
Ha, wáa yoo at koonée sáwé ax̱ sáni wooḵoox̱ has du náḵ.
Well, at some point my paternal uncle went (out in a boat and) left them.
Áyá, ax̱ shátx̱ yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa, Mar-
Then, my older sister, Mar-, said to me,
Tliyéide Kdul.átk yóo duwasáakw, ax̱ shátx̱.
Tliyéide Kdul.átk is how she is called, my older sister.
Mary.
Mary.
Tsu yéi yanaḵá.
Say it again.
Tliyéide Kdul.átk.
Tliyéide Kdul.átk.
Haa léelkʼw Annie, du saayí áwé.
Our grandmother Annie, that is her name.
Ooó? Hah!
Ohh? Huh!
Ahá
Yes.
{Ax̱ x̱áni áwé yéi} Du x̱ánxʼ áwé yéi wootee Ma-
She was by her, Ma-
Tliyéide Kdul.átk, wooch x̱ánxʼ yéi s wuditee.
Tliyéide Kdul.átk, they stayed together.
{Ax̱}«Goot sáwé {á} woogoot?» át wudzig̱aax̱ ax̱ tláakʼw.
“Where did he go?” my maternal aunt would keep crying.
Ách áwé ax̱ shátx̱ich yéi yawsiḵaa, «Kʼe x̱áach iḵalatíni Atléi.»
Thatʼs why she said, “Let me take care of you, Mom.”
«Chʼa wáa sá i tuwáa sigóo a yáx̱ yánde x̱át kagux̱dayáa.»
“Whatever you want, that is what is going to happen to me.”
Áwé {du, ash x̱áni} ash x̱ánxʼ yéi wootee.
So she lived with my mother.
A tóonáx̱ áwé mistake-x̱ wusitee.
Through that it became a mistake.
Yá, ḵwáaḵt daak has uwa.át.
They walked right out into a mistake.
Ḵúnáx̱, ḵúnáx̱ {a}
Really, really,
chʼa tlákw a daa sh ida.úsʼkw. {X̱at at wu}
she always gave her a bath.
Násʼk yagiyee shuwuxeexí áwé,
After three days had passed,
wé héen kaadé át nasgútch, du tláa.
she would always put her in the water (the bath), her mother.
Áwé a daa .úsʼgu nuch, tsú a kaax̱ kéi oosgútch.
There she would wash her every time, and she would bring her out again.
Ḵúnáx̱ awsix̱án.
She really loved her.
{Has wu} Wooch has wudzix̱án, yáaxʼ áwé ax̱ tláa {yéi x̱at} yéi ash yawsiḵaa,
They loved each other, at this point my mother said to her,
«Ax̱ x̱ánxʼ yéi inatí.
“Stay by me.
Tliyéide Kdul.átk, ax̱ x̱ánxʼ yéi inatí.
Tliyéide Kdul.átk, stay by me.
Ax̱ náḵ gug̱aḵóox̱ ax̱ x̱án.aa.
My husband is going to go out on the boat and leave me.
Tʼaaḵóoxʼ, hé Tʼaaḵú wát {áa aw} áa asg̱eiwú.»
In Taku, over at the mouth of the Taku is where he seines.”
«Aa, yakʼéi {x̱ánde} i x̱ánde {kḵwal} kḵwalnáa, kíkʼ.»
“Yes, itʼs good Iʼll bring them (my things) by you (to your place), little sister.”
Wooch x̱ánt {has wud has kaw} has kawdisóos.
They got together.
Áyá chʼa yeisú {wáa at} wáa {at} yoo at kawuhayi sá goodáx̱ sákwshé has du jeet wujixixi náawu.
And still Iʼm not sure how it came to be, where the booze they ended up with was from.
Áwé, ax̱ shátx̱ yéi x̱at daayaḵá,
Then my sister says to me,
«Kʼe, has du x̱ánde nax̱too.aat, ax̱ tláa.
“Hey, letʼs go see them, my mother.
{daa} Gwál tée {s du een} has du een gax̱toolóok.
Maybe weʼll go sip some tea with them.
«Ásíwé?» has du x̱ánde yaa ntoo.ádi {x̱}
“Huh?” as we were going to see them,
gaaw dugwáal, {wáa} has du
they are keeping time, their
What do you call ʼcaneʼ in Tlingit?
Tsaag̱áa. {yáa haa tsaa}
Cane.
{ḵaa tsaa}
Tsaag̱áa.
Cane.
Wootsaag̱áa.
Cane.
Aaá.
Yes.
Aan áwé {wu} tʼáa ká s agwáal.
With it they were pounding the floor.
Chʼas kéi s akana.éin.
They were just getting louder.
«Haaw! Wáa sáwé s? Gwál sh tóo has at iltóow.»
“Well! Whatʼs happening? Maybe theyʼre practicing something.”
Hél tsú akawugwaalín neil ashoowashát, ax̱ shátx̱ich.
My sister didnʼt knock, either, she just walked herself inside, my sister.
Has du x̱áni neil too.áat,
When we walked in on them,
"Oh, my goodness!"
«Ḵúnáx̱ áyá mistake yéi wtusinei.»
“We really made a mistake here.”
Áyá, «Ha goodáx̱ sá yee jeet wusixixi át áwé?»
“Oh, where is it from, that stuff that you ended up with?”
«Aa, hél haa tuwáa ushgú aadóoch sá kawuneegí.
“Uh, we donʼt want anybody to tell it.
Tle yéi áwé,
Thatʼs how it was,
«Ha déi áwé, {hél} hél tsu aa {yee} yeedanáaḵ.
“Well thatʼs enough, donʼt you drink any more.
{hél dei} Tlél ushkʼé.»
It's no good.”
«Haa yéi kg̱watée síkʼ. Yéi kg̱watée.»
“Thatʼs the way it will be, daughter. Thatʼs the way it will be.”
Tle has du x̱ánt uwaḵúx̱ wé has du x̱úx̱.
Then he came by them, their husband. [In the Tlingit way, the husband of one sister is referred to as “our husband” by the sisters. ShMD]
O, fun has áwé wu{l}sixeex.
Oh, they had a lot of fun.
We just, wé mistake yáx̱ has wusgeedí, tle a kát haa seiwaxʼáḵw.
We just, the mistake that they made, we forgot about it then.
Yáaxʼ áwé, yá ḵu.oo, {daa sáyá} hél {has} a daat át has awuskú.
Here, these people, they donʼt know anything about it.
Útlx̱i yéi daané tsú. Wa.éich ishigóok.
Making boiled fish soup, too. You know how to do that.
A een áwé kéi x̱at uwawát, chʼa tlákw.
I grew up with it, all the time.
Ax̱ x̱ʼéit yakʼéi.
It tastes good to me.
X̱át tsú ax̱ x̱ʼéi yakʼéi.
Me too, it tastes good to me.
Wé
That
Wé tsaa dleeyí, aadé
That seal meat, the way
wa.éich, aadé is.eeyi yé.
you, the way you cook it.
Kʼidéin yax̱ yax̱wlaxaashídáx̱ áwé x̱asa.ée nuch, chʼa
After I cut it all up really fine, then I cook it, just
chʼa yeisú katʼóotxʼ {yaa w awuyé}
when it is still halfway
wu.eeyí áwé, kʼúnsʼ ḵa ányans,
cooked, then potatoes and onions,
a kaadé yéi ntusaneech, {hél} thereʼs no word for onions.
I put them on there, thereʼs no word for onions.
Haa, a x̱oodé yéi ntusaneech.
Well, we add them to it.
Chʼa wé, chʼa wé {du}
Just that, just that
a, chʼa {d} wé dleey x̱oodáx̱ áwé kei gal.úkch {tle} tle
uh, then it (the juice) just boils up from that meat
tle gravy yáx̱ yaa ganéech.
then it starts to become like gravy.
Wé, chʼa kagéináx̱ tsú x̱wsa.ée nuch.
And I just cook it slowly.
Taay, tsú. Hél a g̱óot. Hél chʼa koogéiyi.
Fat, too. Not (ever) without it. Not just any old way.
Taay a x̱uká {ḵ}, yéi kei gax̱laxáshch.
The fat on top of it, I cut it up like this.
Áwé, ax̱ x̱án.aa, shuxʼwáa áwé wunaawú aa,
My husband, the first one that died,
ḵúnáx̱ áwé {tlél du x̱ʼéi}
(he) really
{hél du du lú du} tlél du tuwáa ushgú asnéexʼi.
he didnʼt like to smell it.
Áwé gáanxʼ áwé x̱sa.ée neejín, ḵa
I always used to cook it outside, and
wé tatgé xáanaa i een kax̱anéek wé, wé kʼínkʼ.
yesterday evening I (was) telling you about it, that fermented salmon head.
{aadé yéi du} Chʼa wáa sá {ḵux̱}
Just how ever
ḵux̱aatéen ayáx̱ áwé yaa kx̱asgítch.
I saw people (doing things) I always did things like that.
Wáa ḵwa sáyá {tlél} ax̱ ée kawdigeiḵ, tle tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.
But for some reason it (fermented salmon head) didnʼt agree with me, so I donʼt like it.
Ldakát áwé a daa yoo s x̱ʼala.átgi nuch {yá} yá haa x̱oodáx̱ haa een wooch dzix̱áni ḵu.oo.
They are (were) always talking about all of this, these people from among us (that have passed on), the people with us that love each other.
Áwé, áyú s at x̱waa.oo, yéi koogéi.
That is, I bought something this big.
A káxʼ chʼas wé a loowú yax̱ yax̱wlixásh.
On this I cut up the nose into pieces.
Ḵa wé, wé x̱áat tóodáx̱ át,
And those, those things from inside the fish (internal organs),
a kináat kax̱waajél.
I put it all on top of it.
Ḵa a wásh tu.aayí,
And the one inside itʼs cheeks,
chʼas yéi kwdigéi, aag̱áa
just about this big, and then
{a kaa} a kaadé yéi x̱wsinee. {tlél tlél} Tlél ugé wé ax̱ káasdi, tle.
I put them on there. Itʼs not very big, my barrel.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Wé, yan née áwé, has du een kax̱waaneek
Then, when it is ready, I told them
«Haat yi.á! Yan ax̱wdzikʼín!»
“Come over here! I finished fermenting them!”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
«Yan ax̱wdzikʼín.»
“I finished fermenting them.”
Has shayadihéin wé sháa ??? dux̱á, lichán.
There are a lot of those ladies ??? they eat it, it smells bad.
Aaá, ax̱ x̱án.aa yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
Yeah, my husband said to me,
«{hél yáaxʼ neil aax̱} Hél yá neilxʼ {has} has oox̱éix̱iḵ. Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú, lichán!»
“Donʼt let them eat inside the house. I donʼt like it, it stinks!”
Wé gáanxʼ áyá
Then outside
tsʼaxweil áa wdziḵeeyi yáx̱ duwa.áx̱ch wé gáant.
it sounded like a bunch of crows sitting there, outside.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yáaxʼ wé ax̱ tláach ax̱ ée wlitóow kaháakw kasʼeex.
Here it was my mother that taught me (how to make) fermented salmon eggs.
Ax̱ een kananeek, á.
Tell it to me.
Chʼu tle
Then while
a x̱oodáx̱ wudaayí, kʼidéin a x̱oodáx̱ wudaayí áwé, wé
the water has drained out, when it drains out well, that
sʼíxʼ káa, {wé a kát, kát}
on a plate
How do you say, I canʼt say it in Tlingit. Strainer?
Aaá.
Yes.
A káxʼ áwé yéi ndu.eich.
It gets put in that.
Tle a tóotx̱ kawudaayí, ldakát wé x̱ʼílʼk,
Then when it has drained out of it, all of that slime,
Mhm.
Yes.
yáaxʼ áwé éilʼ een
this is where with salt
shuktooyúkch.
we mix it up. [lit. “we shake it”]
{shukawtuli shi} Kʼidéin a káa yoo kawtoohaayídáx̱ áwé,
After we have covered it (with the salt) well,
{tsu á, tsu} chʼa yéi googéinkʼ, tléixʼ yagiyee yáx̱ gíwé tsu {tóodáx̱ tu, tóodáx̱ yei tu, kei tusa}
just a little bit, maybe like a day, then again
a tóodáx̱ {li} x̱áach.
from inside of it, (G̱MH suggesting a verb root)
A tóodáx̱ xʼée.
From inside of it.
Aaá, ahah x̱áach.
Yes, uhuh (G̱MH suggesting a verb root)
{kei k} Kei katulacháaych.
We always strain it out.
Aaá, -cháaych. Ahá.
Yes, ʼstrainʼ (this is the verb root she was looking for, perhaps). Yes.
Aag̱áa áwé tsá, wé a tóoxʼ,
And then at that point, inside of it,
yéi gax̱too.oowu át,
the thing we are going to put there,
násʼk yagiyee x̱ʼáanáx̱ hél kʼidéin {chʼa chʼa} chʼa a daa yéi at, {nadu}
for three days, they donʼt very well,
A kináak
On top of it
Daa sáwé a kináak?
What (is put) on top of it?
Chʼa xʼúxʼ yáx̱ yateeyi át.
Itʼs something just like paper.
Aa.
Oh.
{tlél tlél kʼidéin tle} Hél kʼidéin aa yánde kakg̱ilatéix̱ʼ.
You wonʼt twist it (the jar lid) all the way down.
Wé jar, wé jar lid.
That jar, that jar lid.
Mhm.
Yes.
Hél x̱ʼéide kakg̱ilatéix̱ʼ, kʼidéin.
You wonʼt twist it all the way shut.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ áwé yá, héide shukg̱eetáan.
Youʼll open it just a little bit.
Yáaxʼ áwé, aadáx̱ ḵukg̱waháa
And now, itʼs all going to get out of there
ldakát wé
all of that
bacteria {dikée at} dikéede aax̱ yéi wuneeyí.
bacteria when it come up out of there.
Aag̱áa áwé tsá x̱ʼéide kg̱eetáan, kʼidéin.
Then and only then will you close it well (tight).
Ḵúnáx̱ si.áatʼi yéixʼ áwé yan x̱waatée.
I put it in a place that is very cold.
Yan x̱wasa.eench, wáang̱aneens áwé yáa
I always put it (there), sometimes, this
refrigerator tóode nax̱sa.ínch.
I put it in the refrigerator.
Chʼa áxʼ áwé, wáang̱aneens jinkaat yakyee,
Just right there, sometimes ten days,
aag̱áa áwé yan unéech.
and then itʼs ready.
Yá, ḵúnáx̱ ḵaa x̱ʼéi kʼéi nuch a x̱oo aa áwé, a x̱oo aa
This, some people really enjoy the taste of it, some of it
{kax̱sa} kax̱sa.ée nuch.
I cook.
Chʼa katʼóotxʼ een wé
Just halfway, that
{kéi wudl a} yan wuneeyí áwé,
when itʼs (halfway) done,
tsu a kaadé kanax̱saxéich, yóo
I pour some more onto it, those
kax̱wsi.eeyi aa.
ones (onto these ones) that I have cooked.
Uh, hél sh daawudaḵá wé kʼínkʼ, ḵa chʼa
This, they never talk about (how they do it), those fermented fish heads and just
áwé chʼa wáa sá ḵux̱aatéen ayáx̱ áyá {x̱at} ḵux̱anuk neejín.
however it was that I was seeing things, thatʼs how I always did things.
Yáaxʼ áyá, hél yan kax̱wlaneek yá
This here, I have not finished telling this
aadé haa yoo x̱ʼatángi hél a kát x̱at sawuxʼaaḵw (yé).
the way that I did not forget our language.
Keijínnáx̱ haa wootee.
There were five of us.
Wooch x̱oonxʼíx̱ haa wdzitee.
We all became relatives/friends.
Xʼáatʼ Tʼáak, Douglas, {áxʼ} áa yéi haa wootee.
Douglas Island, Douglas, we were living there
Háawé, wáa kéi tutudasháat sáwé wé
then, after thinking for so long we
sʼeeḵ {aa} aag̱áa át ḵuwtudlitʼéet.
we went around looking for cigarettes.
Áwé, a x̱oo.aa
Then, some of them
gwál jinkaat has aawatʼeitxʼ.
maybe they found ten of them.
«Germs» yóo gé dusáagun? {hél} Tlél tsú a daa yoo tootángin.
“Germs,” is that how they were called? We didnʼt think about those, either.
Áwé ltín, g̱áa sh x̱ʼatudasʼeig̱í kíknáx̱ áwé Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ sh katoolneek.
And then look, we would smoke up good and at the same time we tell stories in Lingít.
Daa sá yéi gax̱tusaneiyí, tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ shákdéwé hél haa ushkʼéiyin.
Whatever we were going to do, we were probably pretty bad.
Ldakát uháan, ḵúnáx̱ tudaléich a yíde.
All of us, we would really shout around (be loud) in there.
A yeedáx̱ daak too.áat tsú, wáa sákwshéwé ax̱ toowóoch ḵwá hél ax̱ tláach gux̱sakoo?
When we would come out, too, I wonder why I thought my mother wasnʼt going to know? [We took over the old shack of a man named Wak after he died. ShMD]
Ax̱ kagéide yóot uwagút.
She came out to meet me.
«Daa sáwé daa.eenéiyin, síkʼ?»
“What were you doing, little daughter?”
«Áwé áxʼ áwé sh tóo tooltóowun Lingít yoo x̱ʼatángi.»
“We were over there studying the Lingít language.”
«Há. Ha likoodzí.
“Oh. Thatʼs amazing.
Wé sʼeeḵ ḵwá a tóonáx̱ tán wé {át} áxʼ sh tóo at yiltóowu yé.»
But there is smoke coming out of the place where you were studying.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
«Haaaw, tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ shákdé x̱at gax̱dux̱ísht,» yóo ax̱ tuwatee.
“Weeeellll, Iʼm probably really going to get beat,” so I thought.
Mm.
Yes.
Áyá, neilt too.áat áwé ax̱ éesh een akanéek.
When we got home, she is telling it to my father.
«Yisikóo óosh aadé yaa s nasgít yé áwé dei, wé shaaxʼsáani.
“If only you knew what these little girls are up to now.
Wé sʼeiḵ tlein has du kináat tán wé áxʼ sh tóo has at iltóowu yé.
There is a big smoke cloud hanging above them where they are studying.
Haa toowóoch ḵwa hél Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼatánk kʼidéin has awuskú.
But we didnʼt think that they really knew how to speak in Lingít very well.
Ax̱ yáa ḵut has wunaltín wé shaaxʼsáani.»
I'm really surprised at those girls.”
Hél has du tuwáa ushgú ḵut wuxeexí haa yoo x̱ʼatángi.
They donʼt want our language to be lost.
Dei xʼoonínáx̱ sá haa x̱oodáx̱ has woonaa?
How many have already died from among us?»
Yá tléináx̱ yateeyi aa ḵu áwé,
But this one,
«Hé-e-e-e, hél x̱wasakú a daat át, wé Ling̱ít yoo x̱ʼatángi.»
“Ehhh, I donʼt know a thing about it, that Lingít language.”
«Wáa sá? Dláa! Ax̱ yáx̱ á yóo x̱ʼeetángin.
“How? Cripes! You used to speak like me.
Goodé sáwé kei iyag̱íxʼ?»
Where did you throw it away to?”
«Ayáx̱ sh kalneek, yakʼéi,» yéi daayax̱aḵá.
“Heʼs telling it right, itʼs good,” I say.
Yéi áyá, {hél} tlél aadóoch sá haa ée wultóow.
This is the way, nobody ever taught it to us.
{ách á uháan} Ách áyá yéi ḵudaayax̱aḵáa nuch,
That's why I always tell people,
«Sh tóo yiltóow kʼidéin yoo x̱ʼatánk.»
“Really study the language well.”
Hél {aadé} chʼa a kayáa yáx̱ at sáakw,
Not just naming things like an imitation of it,
hél deit ḵáa áyá wuháan; Lingít áyá uháan.
we are not white people; we are Lingít.
Ách áyá kʼidéin yoo x̱ʼatánk sh tóo yiltóow,
This is why you study the language well,
hél uldzée, dei yee sháantóoxʼ yagéi
itʼs not hard, itʼs already large in your mind (a lot of it is already in your mind)
yá haa yoo x̱ʼatángi.
this language of ours.
Kʼidéin
Well
chʼa tlákw yakyee yoo x̱ʼeetángi,
if you speak it (well) every day,
aag̱áa áyá {kei, kei} i sháanch kei kg̱washáat tle.
then your mind is going to catch it.
Tsu ḵushtuyáx̱ goodé sá át ijeewahaa,
It wonʼt even matter wherever it is that you are taken (in life),
áxʼ hél a kaadé isakg̱waxʼaaḵw.
you are not going to forget it there.
Mhm.
Yes.
Chʼas shuxʼáanáx̱ ḵú áwé kei kg̱watʼéexʼ.
It will only be hard at the beginning.
At sáakw,
Naming things,
yáaxʼ áwé tsu ḵúx̱de gux̱dagóot i éexʼ.
here it is going to come back to you again.
Yéi áwé x̱at yatee.
That is the way I am.
Yá tléixʼ yateeyi yéide tsú, i een kax̱wlineek tatgé xáanaa,
There was this one time also, I told you about it yesterday evening,
yá ḵu.éexʼ hél ḵaa tuwáa wushgú.
people (the Europeans) didnʼt like the potlatches.
A kaadé áyá {tlél k} hél kʼidéin x̱wasakú a daat át.
This is why I donʼt really know much about it.
Yóo,
Those,
yú wunaawú ḵu.oo,
those people that have died,
{chʼa yéi} chʼa x̱át tsú, tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.
me too, I donʼt like it either.
Yóode, tʼaa x̱ʼayeedé wunaawu aayí,
Over yonder, food for the person that has died,
a tóo dusáakw nuch,
their name is called,
hú du jeedé gax̱yisa.éen x̱ʼaan ganaltáade yax̱ kagax̱dusxáa.
youʼll give it to him (and) it will be poured out onto the fire.
Hé-e-el ax̱ tuwáa ushgú, x̱áach tsú.
I don't like that, me neither.
Yagéiyi át x̱wasikóo a daat, yá aadé ḵudunook nuch yé.
I know many things about it, this way that people used to do things.
Uháanch ḵu.aa yá yéi wtusinee ax̱ tláa nanáa.
Us though, this is what we did when my mother died.
Ax̱ shátx̱i een,
With my older sister,
yáaxʼ daak has kawdikʼítʼ ax̱ sáni hás, Canada-dáx̱.
all of my paternal uncles came out here to the coast from Canada.
«Gunalchéesh,» yóo áwé {s daayaw} has yawtusiḵaa.
“Thank you,” we said to them.
Yagéiyi át ax̱ shátx̱ich, yáatʼát yáx̱, yá kasné,
Many things my older sister (made), like this thing, this textile weaving (crocheting, knitting)
yagéiyi át akawsinei ḵaa jeeyís.
she wove (knitted, crocheted) many things for peope.
Ḵa
And
{wutisi a}
{wutus} wutuwaḵaayi át tsú woogei.
the things we sewed, also, were many.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
Here,
chʼa ḵúnáx̱ shaklig̱éiyi yáx̱ has du jeeyís sʼíxʼ yéi wtusinei.
we made very beautiful dishes for them.
has du saayí een ḵaa jix̱oodé kawdudligaa.
with their names (on them) they were distributed amongst the people (guests).
Hél yá Lingít yáx̱ {yan yéi} yan yéi jiwtooné
We didnʼt work (on it, do it) like Lingít people
haa tláa wunaawú.
when our mother died.
Yáaxʼ áwé dáanaa daak wutuwatée.
Here we brought out the money.
Yéi s yawtusiḵaa, «Wutusikóo yagéiyi yéidáx̱ haat ḵiyeeyteení.»
We said to them, “We know that you have all come here from many different places.”
Chʼa gunalchéesh áyá yéi wtusinei hél ḵaa yáa ḵut at kawusné áyá a yáx̱ ḵuwtoonook.
We just made a thank you, we didnʼt act like something was unraveling in peopleʼs faces. [Old expression?]
Ḵa Dikée Aanḵáawu yinaanax̱.aanáx̱ {ax̱} haa tláa {dikée aa} dikée aadé yaa nagut yé.
And the way of the Lord above, the way my mother was walking up there.
Dikée Aa Áan awsiteen.
She saw the Land Above.
Heaven yóo duwasaagu yé.
The placed called Heaven.
Ax̱ tláach wusiteen.
My mother saw this.
{ḵúnáx̱ aadé} «Tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú yáa yéi x̱at teeyí dei,» {yóo} yóo ayawsiḵaa du x̱úx̱.
“I dont want to be here anymore,” she said to her husband.
«Dei x̱at x̱ʼawlis'ís,
“It has already blown me away,
yá ḵustí.
this life.
Dei x̱wsikóo {yan} ax̱ ya.áak yan uwanéi.»
I already know that a place for me is ready.”
Ách áyá hél haa tuwáa wushgú yá chʼáagunáx̱ aa
This is why we didnʼt want this old style one
yéi wtusaneiyi yé.
(for us) to prepare it (that way).
Haa chʼas gunalchéesh yáx̱ wé ḵaa x̱oo yáaxʼ yéi haa wootee.
We were just here among the people like (saying) gunalchéesh.
Hél a daat át wutusakú
We didnʼt know anything about it
{yú} tsu yá ḵaa naawú x̱ʼasheeyí tsú.
these songs of the people that have died.
{Haa} Haa aayí ḵoowdzitee, yú.á.
Ours existed, they say.
Wunáatʼi ku.oo x̱ʼashéexʼi.
The songs of all of the people that have died.
Aan daak oo.aatch, hél wutusakú.
They always come out with them, we didnʼt know them.
Tle yéi áyá, gunalchéesh daak wutuwatée.
Then like this, we brought out thanks.
Yéi áyá x̱áach x̱wasikóo a daat át.
This is the way that I know about it, myself.
Ḵa, ax̱ séekʼ,
And, my little daughter,
áyá {haa yéi du jee i ye i jee} i yáade kax̱waajél ḵa ax̱ dachx̱ánkʼ.
now I have brought it all out before you, and my little grandchild.
{chʼa y} Chʼa yá i yáx̱ has du een kax̱lanik nuch.
Just like you here I always tell it to them.
Yan at wutoox̱aayí,
When we finish eating,
{hél} «Yee léelkʼw, Yéide Dultín,
“Your grandparent, Yéide Dultín,
yóo duwasáakw,
s/he is called,
tle dleit sháax̱ yee wsitee, síkʼ.
you have become white women, little daughter.
Hél yá haa ḵusteeyí sh tóo yeeltóow.»
You didn't learn your culture.”
A tóodáx̱ ḵu.aa yá {haa} kei haa kawduwshítʼ tle.
They pushed us up out of it, though.
A kaadé hél kʼidéin wutusakú haa ḵusteeyí.
That is why we donʼt know our culture well.
{yá} Yá haa x̱oonxʼí aadé ḵudziteeyi yé ḵu.aa
These relatives of ours, the way they live though,
{ax̱} haa toowú kʼéi.
we feel good.
Ḵa yá ḵukʼéetʼ át natoo.átjin.
And we used to go out berry picking.
Daa sáwé ee.een?
What do you pick?
Aa, ax̱ tláa,
Oh, my mother,
ḵa ax̱ shátx̱,
and my older sister,
háay, haa shayadahéinin.
my, there used to be many of us.
Át natoo.átch ḵukʼéetʼ.
We go out berry picking.
Wáang̱aneens áwé,
Sometimes,
hél x̱wasakú {wé} wé {saḵw- kei- kei dus.áanaa}
I donʼt know it, that [sheʼs trying to remember “berry can”]
How do you say ḵeidus.áanaa...
How do you say (berry can)?
Saḵatáan,
Seiḵʼatáan,
Seiḵʼatáanaa.
Berry can.
Seiḵʼatáanaa áwé
It was a berry can
tlax̱ yéi yagéiyi aa áwé {ax̱ jeet ax̱ ax̱ yáa} ax̱ jeet oos.éench ax̱ tláa.
my mother always gave me one this big.
{hél} Du toowóoch ḵwá chʼa a katʼóotxʼ {kei k} kei shakḵwalahéek tle shaa x̱ajáḵch
But she thought that I was just only going to fill it up halfway, then Iʼd make a mountain [Literally: Iʼd kill a mountain]
wé seiḵʼatáani tlein.
that big container.
Shaa x̱ajaaḵch...(?)
[sheʼs asking about what ShMD just said]
Aa, wé tléḵw tlénxʼ [ḵé???)]
Uh, those big berries.
Ḵa, am,
And, um,
kanatʼá, uh, how do you say
blueberries,
Chʼé, ax̱ x̱ʼahéeni dei yaa kana-
Shoot, my saliva is now (flowing, “my mouth is watering”)
{hél} Hél at x̱wax̱á, yaanch yaa x̱at najáḵ.
I havenʼt eaten anything, hunger is killing me.
Yagéiyi át x̱wasikóo {wé at} yáaxʼ áwé {neil} neil x̱wasa{t}.eení áwé,
I know a lot about this, here when I would bring it in the house,
ax̱ x̱án.aach, eeshandéin gíwé ax̱ daa tuwatee, tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ yakoogéi.
my husband, maybe he felt sorry for me, they (berries) were far too many.
Yáaxʼ áwé, .é, ax̱ jeeyís yéi awsinei, chʼas yá kayaaní áwé kei ashátch.
Here it was, wow, he made it for me, it just catches all of the leaves.
Wé tléiḵw ḵu.aa áwé a kaadé kanajúxch.
The berries, though, would roll onto it.
Ḵúnáx̱
Really
Héen, héen teen
Water, with water
Aaá, héen táade kanasóosch.
Yes, they would fall into the water.
{chʼas a} Hél x̱wasakú wáa sáyá awliyéx̱ yá át áwé.
I don't know how he invented this thing.
A káa yax̱ yakoosxáaych ax̱ jeeyís.
He would pour it all out onto it for me.
Yáaxʼ áwé {n ei}
And here
wé ḵʼwátl tlein káa áwé, a kaadé áwé nax̱sa.ínch.
in that big pot, Iʼd put it in it.
Ḵa wé linúkdzi {kax̱xʼw} éilʼ. {aa aa}
And that sweet salt. (sugar)
{kʼidéin, chʼas, hél ké} Hél kʼidéin dul.úkx̱.
They arenʼt boiled much.
Chʼas kei nadéini áwé wé héen,
Just when that water starts to flow upward,
{tóo} tóo áa {yakoo}
inside of it
kax̱waa.aaḵw
I tried to
aa kx̱wag̱oodlí, tle ḵúdáx̱
to mash some of it, too much
tle ḵúdáx̱ áyá
it is too much
kʼidéin yánde yaa naneiní áwé
when it is really getting done
a kaadáx̱ daak x̱wasa.éench.
I would take it off it (the stove).
Wé jars
Those jars
Ínxʼeesháa.
Jar.
Ínxʼeesháa tóode,
Into the jars,
tóode yéi daax̱anéi nuch.
I always put it in.
Kʼidéin x̱ʼéit kax̱latéix̱ʼ áwé,
When I twist it shut well,
kindatóog̱un áa yá yé a káa yéi nx̱a.eich, wé.
upside down in this place I put them on it, that.
Nageich.
Thereʼs a lot.
Wáang̱aneens áwé, {a mm}
Sometimes,
wáang̱aneens áwé keijín jinkaat yéi nax̱saneech.
sometimes I do fifty.
Wow!
Wáang̱aneens ḵwá, Christmas yaa nagúdi áwé {ḵaa x̱éix̱} ḵaa x̱ʼéide yaa kanx̱ajélch.
Sometimes, when Christmas is coming I give them to people to eat.
Aaá. [At shooḵ]
Yes. [Laughter]
Ḵa wé jam yéi daané tsú wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo.
and making jam, too, how much I like it.
X̱át tsú.
Me too.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
{Y\yagéiyi ya} Yagéiyi át yan x̱wasanee, wáang̱aneens áwé
I make a lot of things, sometimes
yá kéi tux̱wdishát tléixʼdahéen,
I thought of something one time,
Aa, aag̱áa dei x̱alhúnch
I always go shopping for it,
wé
that
atx̱ʼéeshi, a daa x̱ʼéeshi, wáa sá ax̱ x̱ʼéi yakʼéi.
dry fish, dry fish, how good it tastes to me.
Haa wé, {tlél x̱at x̱ʼak} tlél x̱at x̱ʼakdushtán.
Well, nobody brings me food.
Yáaxʼ áwé, chʼa x̱áach yéi kḵwasanée ax̱ tuwatee.
Here, I am just going to do it myself, I thought.
Dei, kindatóog̱un {yan shaa} yan x̱wasayéḵch.
Now, I always hang it upside down.
Yan x̱wasa.íḵch.
[G̱MH is asking about what ShMD said]
A tóodáx̱ yei gadéich.
It all (the slime) drains out of it.
Yakʼéi.
Thatʼs good.
Kʼidéin a tóodáx̱ wudaayí áwé,
When it has all drained out of it,
kʼidéin ḵú kei x̱wa.óosʼch.
I always wash it up well.
Tle ldakát áwé x̱ʼílʼk {a, yóodáx̱} a tóodáx̱ kawdakʼéetʼi áwé,
When all the slime comes out of it,
yá
this
a daadleeyí kʼidéin naneech.
the meat gets better.
Aag̱áa áwé tsá {kéi x̱a} yá
Then (and only then)
a shaayí yáadu,
itʼs head is here,
yáadu ḵu.aa áwé wé a koowú. Aaá.
and itʼs tail is over here. Yes.
Yú a koowúnáx̱ áwé kei x̱waxásch.
I cut it up from the tail side.
Ḵúnáx̱ {hél tlél a} about 1/4th inch thick.
Really about 1/4th inch thick.
Mmhmh.
Yes.
Wáang̱aneens áwé kx̱watʼéx̱ʼch, tle wé
Sometimes I pound it (to tenderize it), then that
atxʼaan hídi Dzikáak. Aahá.
smokehouse Itʼs thick. Yes.
At xʼaan hídidéi
To the smoke house
yaa kakx̱ajélch.
I take it.
Tléixʼ xáanaa áwé,
One night,
{kʼidéin tle} áa shax̱danúkch.
I get up (out of bed) there.
A tóot ax̱a.ák nuch.
I always build a fire in there.
Mmm?
Ooh?
{hél} Tlél tsú haa déin {du.aat} aadóo sá ḵoostí aag̱áa.
There weren't too many people living around us at that time.
Tsu yú
And those
xóots ḵudzitee, wáa sákwshé duwasáakw wé black bear?
there are brown bears, what do you call black bears?
Sʼeek.
Black bear.
Sʼeek.
Black bear.
{hél tsú haa daat} Tlél tsú haa daat aawugoot.
None of them ever came around us.
Yáa yeedát ḵu.aa,
Right now though,
Áa has shayadihéin. Aaá.
They are many there. Yes.
Gáanxʼ, a tóot oox̱a.aakch kʼidéin.
Outside, I would fix the fire well inside of it (smokehouse).
tle, kʼidéin kawunaayí,
then, when it is smoked well,
aag̱áa áwé tsá {tlél ax̱} tlél sʼeiḵ tóoxʼ yéi x̱wa.oo.
then at that point I would not put it (back) in the smoke.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
And now,
yáatʼát x̱ooní áwé a daat at x̱wasi.ée {w}
something like this thing I would cook around it.
Ooo. Háw!
Oh. Well!
Kindatóog̱un á áa yax̱ x̱wasi.ín.
I would turn it upside down. (some kind of filled container)
Kʼidéin yaa kagaxúkch tle.
Then it really starts to dry out.
Háw!
Well!
Kʼidéin kawuxoogú áwé tsá,
When the surface has really dried well, only then,
tsu kax̱atʼéx̱ʼ nich.
then I would pound it again.
Wé plastic bags,
Those plastic bags,
a tóo koox̱achákch.
I pack it inside of them.
Ó, hél neildé, a káx̱ x̱at dujáaḵw!
Oh, not home, I get beat up for it!
Há, ḵaa x̱ʼéi yakʼéi. Mhm, mhm.
Oh, it tastes good to people. Yes, yes.
Yéi áwé yéi daax̱ané wé haa atx̱aayí.
That is the way that I put up our food.
Yeedát ḵu áwé hél du tuwáa ushgú yá yeedát x̱at uwasháyi aa.
Now, though, he doesnʼt like it, the one Iʼm married to now.
{a ax̱} ax̱ een woo.aat,
He went with me,
yá xʼaa tʼáakde,
up behind the point,
xʼoondahéen sá kindatóog̱un áyá x̱at wudzigít.
how many times I fell upside down.
{x̱at} Tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú x̱at wusteení chʼa dei yá du tʼéináx̱ áwé kʼidéin áa kei x̱dahánch.
I donʼt want him to see me so I was just really staying there behind him.
Áwé x̱at wusiteen.
Then he saw me.
Yeisú, «Hél tléináx̱ át gag̱eegoot.»
Still (I was trying to get up), “Youʼre not going to walk on your own.”
Át áwé x̱at jinatánch. {hél aa}
He walked me around by the hand.
Wáa sáwé tlax̱ a yáx̱ áyá kliháachʼ. L ax̱ tuwáa ushgú aadóo sá át x̱at jiwutaaní wé atgutú.
How very embarrasing it was like that. I donʼt want anybody walking me around by the hand in the forest.
{ax̱ tuwáa} Daat sá ax̱ tóode ax̱ tuwáa sigóo.
Oh how much I like it.
Mhm.
Yes.
So, yéi áwé. Aasgutú.
So, thatʼs the way. The forest.
Aaá, aasgutú. Át yigoodí. Aaá.
Yes, (in) the forest. You walking around. Yes.
Sʼikshaldéen gí?
Hudson Bay tea?
Mhm.
Yes.
{hé} Dusxúk neech áwé yú.á chʼa wé g̱agaan tóoxʼ.
They say they always dry it the sun.
Aha.
Uhuh.
Ach áwé áa sh ultínch.
It takes care of itself. (doesn't need attention)
Mhm.
Yes.
Kʼe yá ḵu.aa,
This here though,
A een áwé kei x̱at uwawát tsú, chʼa tlákw
I grew up with it also, all the time
wé stoox káxʼ,
on the stove,
ax̱ tláa.
my mother.
Yóotʼát tsú, amm, laaḵʼásk gé yéi daa.eené?
That thing, too, um, do you put up black seaweed?
Tléikʼ.
No.
Áwé, ḵúnáx̱ yatʼéexʼ.
It's very hard.
Chʼa yeisú kawunaayí áwé, wé
While it is still damp, the
kadulxákw.át,
grinder,
aan yaa kakduljúxch.
it is spun with it. (You turn the handle of the grinder and put the seaweed through.)
Háaw.
Well.
Aax̱ áwé tsu wé {shú} shúgaa yá
From there that sugar
Mhm.
Yes.
a kinaadé kdulit nuch, wáang̱aneens áwé kanduhéench,
it is sprinkled over it, sometimes they dissolve it in water,
Hmm.
Hmm.
éilʼ een kaadé dulit nuch.
with salt water, they sprinkle some on there.
Wé daat (yá)x̱ sá yakʼéi.
It is very good.
Mhm.
Yes.
{tlákw wé tlákw aa gaa} Gáanxʼ yéi x̱a.óowu, tlákw áwé
When I keep it outside, all of the time
{hél hél a daa x̱at hé}
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú chʼa g̱óot ḵáach yéi daaneiyí, chʼa x̱áach áwé át kanx̱ahéich.
I donʼt want anybody else to work on it, I just turn it myself.
Mhm.
Yes.
Tle wé g̱agaanch áwé yaa ksaxúkch.
Then the sun dries it out.
Yatʼéexʼ a daa yéi jiné, ltín.
Itʼs really hard working on it, you see.
Hmh.
Hmh.
Ḵa {laa a} ḵʼáachʼ.
And ribbon seaweed.
Ḵʼáachʼ ḵu.aa x̱wasikóo.
Ribbon seaweed, though, I know.
Wáa sá yéi daaduné, á ḵu.aa?
How do they put it up, that one though?
Chʼa wé laaḵʼásk yáx̱, chʼa
Just like that black seaweed, just
kadusxook, wé {g̱agaan} g̱agaanch áwé
itʼs dried, that sun
asxook.
dries it.
Wé
That
Ḵéex̱ʼde ḵux̱waateen tléixʼdahéen yéixʼ áwé ax̱ ée wdudlitóow.
I went to Kake one time and it was taught to me there.
Haaw.
Well.
Yá
This
kei has awu.óosʼidáx̱ x̱á chʼa yéi googéinkʼ,
after they washed it up just a little bit,
áwé yan has oosyíḵch.
they would hang it up.
Tle a tóodáx̱ wudaayí wé a héeni,
Then when all of its water flows out of it,
Ahah.
Yes.
aag̱áa áwé shúgaa s akanahéich.
at that point they mix in the sugar (by turning it).
Laaḵʼásk ḵúnáx̱ liyáatʼ?
Black seaweed is very long?
Liyáatʼ nuch?
Itʼs always long?
{hé hél yéi yéi s yéi koolye yéi s} Yéi kulayáatʼ nuch.
Itʼs (about) this long.
Yá ḵʼáachʼ ḵú áwé yan has oosyíḵch tle tle wé
This ribbon seaweed though they hang it then, then that
a tóodáx̱ héen wudaayí áwé tsá,
only when the water has drained out of it,
{ha kéi s} wé héen, shúgaa héen has akanahéich, {has akanas}
that water, they mix up sugar water,
{has} yan has oosnéech.
they finish it up.
A kaadé s aléet nuch.
They sprinkle it on there.
Yáaxʼ áwé, g̱agaanch yaa ksaxúkch.
Here, the sun starts to dries it out.
Ó, daat yáx̱ sá ax̱ x̱ʼéi yakʼéi.
Oh, how good it tastes to me.
X̱waaḵéi wé dáx̱.aa.
I paid for that second one.
Ḵúnáx̱ has du {ḵʼáa a} ḵʼáachʼi yá
Their ribbon seaweed is very
ḵúnáx̱ {ldak has} has liyátʼ.
theyʼre very long.
Ḵa has du laaḵʼásgi.
And their black seaweed.
Mmhmh.
Yes.
Yáaxʼ áwé, ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ yátxʼich has du x̱ʼéi yakʼéi, wé Lingít atx̱aayí.
Here, my children really like to eat Tlingit food.
Ha wáa yateeyi aa sáwé hél has du tuwáa ushgú wé {kʼkʼ}
Well, why is it they donʼt like those
How do you say gumboots in Tlingit now? Um.
Shaaw.
Gumboots.
Hél has ooshgóok.
They don't know how.
X̱áach tsú, tlél x̱washagóok, tlél {was} x̱wasateenín
Me too, I donʼt know how, I never used to see it
wé héen x̱ʼayaax̱
by the river
chʼa Tlákw Aan,
just (in) Klukwan,
áwé {chʼa nei aa} haa jeet wudus.eení,
when it was handed it to us,
hél x̱wasakú, ax̱ x̱ʼéit yakʼéi ḵu.aa.
I didnʼt know it, but it tastes good to me.
A, tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ wuli.úk, wé
Uh, it really boils hard, that
héen a káa yéi ndu.eich, aan áwé kdutʼéx̱ʼ nuch.
they put water on it, and they pound it with it.
Tle kʼidéin yaa na.éeni áwé,
Then when itʼs really getting cooked,
x̱ʼéi aa yei kḵwadanóok, a x̱oo.aa, ó, tle ḵúnáx̱ {hél} tlél ushtʼéexʼ ó!
I am going to taste some of it, some of it, oh, itʼs very soft, oh!
{Yakʼéiyi} Ḵúnáx̱ ḵaa x̱ʼéi kʼéi nuch.
It tastes very good.
Wé
That
xʼoonínáx̱ sá {ax̱ tu-}
how many people
haat u.áatjin.
used to come here.
«Shaaw x̱á,
“Gumboots,
ḵúnáx̱ áwé ishigóok aadé dus.eeyi yé.»
you really know how to cook it.”
Hél ḵú dul.úkx̱.
But it isnʼt boiled.
{Kei} Aadé yatʼéexʼi yé yáanáx̱ {wu- u-}
How hard it is,
kei kg̱watʼéexʼ
it will get harder
yila.oogú.
if you boil it.
Chʼa dustʼéich?
It is just heated up?
Aaá.
Yes.
"Simmer" yóo duwasáakw dleit ḵáa x̱ʼéináx̱.
“Simmer” is how it is called in English.
Aag̱áa áwé you turn it off?
At that time you turn it off?
Uh-huh. Ó, ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéi.
Uh-huh. Oh, itʼs very good.
Hél at x̱wax̱áaych, ha ḵúnáx̱ yaan áwé-
I havenʼt eaten yet, so very hungry-
Eesháan. -G̱MH Ax̱ éede yaan yaa nahéin. -ShMD
You poor thing. -G̱MH I am getting hungry. -ShMD
{Yakʼéiyi} Yakʼéiyi át áyá haa een
This is a good thing
yéi daaduné yeedát.
that people are working on with us right now.
Ax̱ toowú yakʼéi x̱á,
Iʼm feeling good indeed,
yáa haa Lingít yoo x̱ʼatángi ḵa tsu
our Lingít language and also
haa atx̱aayí
our food
aadé toos.eeyí yé ḵa tsu
the way we cook it and also
Uh-huh
Kʼidéin {gax̱tushaxéet}
Really well
(Ka)gax̱tushaxéet.
we are going to write it.
Kax̱tushaxeet, uh-huh.
Letʼs write it, uh-huh.
Yáaxʼ áwé yeedát,
And right now,
ldakát ḵáach {yá du du-} has du tuwáa sigóo.
everybody wants it.
Ha wáa sákwshéyú?
Well how could it be?
Yá university chʼas
The university just
chʼas yáa
itʼs just
áxʼ áwé ḵaa jeet wudutée aag̱áa tsá,
itʼs there that itʼs given to people, only then
ḵaa ée at dultóow; thatʼs not good.
they are teaching people; that's not good.
Mmm.
Yes
Kʼe uháan, {hél} tlél degree {haa jeet} x̱át ax̱ jeet wudutí.
Like us here, me, I was not given a degree.
So close, but I didnʼt make it.
Dáanaa hél ayáx̱ kawugei.
There was not enough money.
Ách áyá
This is why
yeedát, yaa shunaxíx haa yoo x̱ʼatángi.
now, it is coming to an end, our language.
Mhmh.
Mhmh.
Ha gunalchéesh haa éet yidasheeyí.
Well thank you very much for helping us.
Uh-huh.
Uhuh.
Wookʼéi.
That was good.
Uh-huh.
Uhuh.
Uh,
I tuwáa sagoowú,
If you want,
{tsu} tsu woosh kaanáx̱ gax̱tuda.áat,
to come together again,
Mhm.
Chʼa daa sá i tuwáa sigóo
Whatever you want
wéitʼát tóode kax̱tushaxeedí.
letʼs record it into that thing.
Mhmh.
Mhmh.
{You kno- uh} gwál,
Maybe,
at isa.eeyí,
when you are cooking,
Mmm. Mhm.
Aa, aa...
Um, um...
tlél x̱wasakú chʼa daa sá tsú,
I donʼt know what else,
Tléixʼ yateeyi át áwé ḵut x̱waag̱éexʼ.
There is one thing that I have forgotten.
Sáxʼ, aadé yéi daaduneiyi yé, yéi ákwé wa.éich- -ShMD Sáxʼ? - G̱MH Aaá. -ShMD
The sap scraped from the inner bark of a hemlock, they way they used to put it up- is that right, do you- -ShMD Sap? -G̱MH Yes. -ShMD
Daa sá- -G̱MH Wa.éich gé yisikóo? -ShMD
What is- G̱MH Do you know it, yourself? -ShMD
Tléikʼ.
No.
They call it bark in English.
Oh.
Oh.
{Ax̱ tláa} Ax̱ tláakʼúch,
My maternal aunt,
{ka- at-} hóoch
she's the one
hóoch áwé haa ée altóow.
she is the one who taught it to us.
At a yís, at du jee yéi téeyin yees yóo ayasáakw.
Something for it, she had something for it, stone ax is what she called it.
Aan áwé [aksaháa???] neech.
With it she scrapes it. [Expect the root -xeetʼ here for 'scrape']
Yeis.
Stone ax [G̱MH pronounces it yeis, ShMD pronounced it yees].
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Yan awul.oogúdáx̱ áwé, shúgaa een, wé
When she was done boiling it, with sugar, that
Oh, {a du-} dux̱á.
Oh, itʼs eaten.
Uh-huh.
Aaá, x̱wasikóo {yee, aa, aa}
Yes, I know it
Sáxʼ yéi duwasáakw.
It is called sáxʼ.
Tsu yéi yanaḵá.
Say it again.
Sáxʼ.
Cambium (inner bark of hemlock)
Sáxʼ.
Cambium.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Yá tléixʼaa tsú, {wáa-}
This one also,
wáa sá duwasáakw? A,
how is it called? Uh,
Dúḵ, dúḵ aasí áwé.
Cottonwood, that is a cottonwood tree.
Yá chʼa gwál yéi {koo-}
Maybe like this-
Uh-huh.
-kulgé.
-big.
{Tlél} Tlél yéi {kwda-}
Not this-
Tléikʼ.
No.
{Chʼa, chʼa} Chʼa yéi s {yéi}
Just like
Yéi kootláa yéi. -ShMD Honeydew yáx̱ -G̱MH
About this big around, like this. -ShMD Like a honeydew. -G̱MH
Uh-huh.
Yáaxʼ áwé wé kaxwéix̱.
And then there are the highbush cranberries.
{A-} Aadé yéi daaduneiyi yé gé yisikóo?
Do you know how they put that up?
Aaá.
Yes.
Kanéegwálʼ.
Berry and salmon egg pudding.
Aaá, kanéegwálʼ. Aaá.
Yes, berry and salmon egg pudding. Yes.
{Hé-} Hél yéi daax̱wanei yeedát a kaadé yaa x̱at sanaxʼáḵw.
I don't make it anymore, Iʼm starting to forget it.
Chʼas wé at, wé x̱áat kaháakw áwé kwshé dus.ée nuch.
Just that stuff, that fish eggs maybe they always cook it.
Aaá.
Yes.
{Wá-} Wáa duwasáagu aa kaháakw sáwé a tóo(wu)?
How are they named, the kind of fish eggs (that are) in there?
Coho.
Lʼook.
Coho.
Lʼook.
Coho.
Aaá.
Yes.
A kaháagu áwé
It's the eggs
ax̱ tláach yéi x̱at daayaḵá,
my mother says to me,
«Áwé kʼidéin yaa kg̱isa.ée {tle} tle, kʼidéin, chʼa yeisú
“Youʼll keep on cooking it well, when it is still
hél kʼidéin yan kawu.{aay-}eeyí áwé tóodáx̱
not yet all the way cooked, from inside of it
{kei kg̱} kéi kakg̱ilajéil.>>
youʼll take them all out.”
Wé, wáa sákwshé iyasáakw?
That, how do you call it?
<>
“At that time you are going to put the highbush cranberries in there.”
É, daat yáx̱ sá ax̱ x̱ʼéi yakʼéi.
Wow, just how good it tastes to me.
Chʼa
While
Chʼa aa, tlél x̱wasa.eeyí,
When I havenʼt cooked it,
aag̱áa áwé chʼu tle, {kax̱-, kax̱li-}
thatʼs when,
Keetʼéex̱ʼ nuch.
You pound it.
Chʼu tle kanéegwálʼ yáx̱,
until itʼs like berry and salmon egg pudding,
aag̱áa áwé wé strainer, or tlél wé strainer,
and then that strainer, or not that strainer,
chʼa um
just um
a kaadé kax̱wsixáa {nu-}
I pour it onto them-
aag̱áa áwé wé
at that point those
kaháakw, x̱wasi.eeyi aa,
fish eggs, the ones that I have cooked,
Oh.
a kaadé
into it
Tsu kináade. -ShMD Chʼa pudding yáx̱ nateech. -G̱MH
Onto it again. -ShMD Itʼs just like pudding. -G̱MH
Ó, daat yáx̱ sá ax̱ x̱ʼéi yakʼéi, ax̱ x̱ʼéi wookʼéi, ltín.
Oh, how good it tastes to me, it tasted good to me, you see.
Yagéiyi haa ḵusteeyí.
Our way of life is huge.
Yagéi haa ḵusteeyí.
Our way of life is huge.
Yá a x̱oo.aa
Some of it
yéi daax̱anéiyin
I used to make it
tle yáa shuxʼáa aa yá ax̱ xán.aa.
with my first husband.
Néekw du kát góot,
When the sickness came upon him,
jinkaat táakw kaanáx̱ x̱walitín.
I watched and took care of him for ten years.
Eeshandéin yoo x̱at kaawashóo.
I suffered pitifully.
Hél ḵwá sh daawux̱daḵá, {hél}
I didnʼt say anything about myself (complain), though,
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo kʼidéin {yan wu-} yan x̱wasaneeyí.
I want to stick it out to the end.
Ax̱ x̱ánt aa uwagút.
Somebody came to see me.
Hél x̱wasakú daat g̱áa sáyá ax̱ x̱ánt uwagút.
I didnʼt know what they came to me for.
<>
“You brought a boat all the way to shore with him, your husband.”
Mmm.
<>
“You left him in a good place.”
Mhmh.
Yes.
Áwé, toowú néekw x̱waatʼei, ḵúnáx̱.
I found sorrow, really.
Keijínnáx̱ has wootee, tle has kawdikʼéetʼ haa náḵ.
There were five of them, then they left us. (they passed away)
Mhm.
Yes.
Ách áwé dei yeedát, tléináx̱ áyá át nax̱anúkch.
That is why now, I just sit around by myself.
Haadé shákdé aa kg̱wagóot ax̱ shátx̱i yátxʼi... No.
One of my sisterʼs children will probably come here (I thought)... No.
Chʼa hás sh daat has yawdzitáḵ.
They were just taking care of themselves.
Ách áwé tlax̱ yéi ax̱ toowú sigóo tatgé xáanaa haat yigoodí.
That's why I was so very happy last night that you came here.
Aa, gunalchéesh, x̱át tsú x̱á.
Yeah, thank you, I was too.
Uh-huh.
Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ toowú wulitseen.
My spirit really grew stronger.
Uh-huh.
{Chʼa} Chʼa uwayáa ax̱ tláa
Just like my mother
du een nisdaat x̱waanook, {chʼa ayáx̱ yee} chʼa aadé yéi x̱at na.oo.
with her last night I sat, please forgive me.
Ax̱ toowú ḵúnáx̱ sigóo.
I am very happy.
Uh-huh. Haaw, kei gax̱tooshée i léelkʼu x̱ʼasheeyí, kʼe sh tóo iltóow. -ShMD Aaá. -G̱MH
Uh-huh. Well, we are going to sing your granparentʼs song, please learn it. -ShMD Yes. -G̱MH
Ax̱ jeeyís x̱'anashee.
Sing it for me.
Uhnh.
Uhnh.
{Héi-} uh
Yá shuxʼwáa aayí melody yóo duwasáagu aa,
This first part is what they call the melody,
ayáx̱ áwé kéi akooshéejin.
this is how he used to sing it.
Hei-ei hei hoo wei ee aaa
aaa hei-ee-ei hoo hei nee haa
aa hoo hei haa hoo waa ee-ee-ee ei
aa hoo haa heiiiiiiii
daa lí i toowú
please stop your yearning
ax̱ g̱oojí ḵu hei naa
my wolf
x̱áach tsú yéi ax̱ tunaatée hei haa hei hoo haay
me too, that is the way that I am feeling now
{When ax̱} Ax̱ shátx̱ nanáa
When my older sister died,
Peggy, aag̱áa áwé yaa s naḵúx̱,
Peggy, at that time they were going along in a boat,
du shát een, Ḵínx̱ashée, ax̱ aat,
with his wife, Ḵínx̱ashée, my paternal aunt,
aawasháa,
he married her,
áwé, has shawdziyáa,
then, they moored their boat,
Wéixʼ áyú kéi akaawag̱áx̱ wé g̱ooch, has du daadé.
There was a wolf there that started to howl and mourn them.
Mmm.
Áwé, du x̱án.aa, {ax̱ sh-} haa aat, Ḵínx̱ashée,
That is, his wife, our paternal aunt, Ḵínx̱ashée,
Tle a x̱'éitx̱ áwé g̱áax̱ wé g̱ooch has du shaayí {ashaa-}
That wolf cries from its mouth, the head of them (his wifeʼs people)
has du daa-
around them-
has du shukaadé.
in front of them.
{has aws, yéi aa s- yéis aawa- uh} yéi has awusáagun, g̱ooch. G̱oochx̱ has wusitee.
they named it, the wolf. They became wolves. [they named the wolf “their head” or main crest and became of the Wolf Clan]
Áwé g̱áax̱ {du} du shát aag̱áa.
That was his wife crying at that time (the wolf).
Ax̱ káak du shát.
My maternal uncle's wife.
Aag̱áa áwé kéi akaawashée wé shí.
That's when he began to sing that song.
X̱át tsú,
Me too,
i yáx̱ ax̱ toowú yatee ax̱ shaawádi,
I feel just like you, my dear wife,
Mhmh.
x̱at gux̱sanaayí ax̱ kéilkʼ
my maternal niece/nephew that is going to bury me [The death of someone who was going to bury another, caused a lot of heartache.]
tléixʼaa hás ḵú yeisú yéi s áwé s kudzigéi.
the other ones though are still small.
Mmm.
G̱aax̱ kíknáx̱ áwé,
Through his heartache,
du x̱ʼasheeyí ḵoowdzitee.
his song was born.
Mhmh.
Yá i léelkʼw.
Your grandpa.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Wéitʼát tóonáx̱ kʼidéin sh tóo kg̱eeltóow.
Through that thing you are going to learn it well.
Aaá.
Yes.
Tsu, {chʼa tsu}, a yinaadé aa,
And the one after,
ḵu.aa a kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw.
I forgot it though. [The second verse.]
Mmmm.
Gwál
Maybe
wé ax̱ yéet
my son
wé {tʼaḵká-} daḵkáa yéi yateeyi aa,
the one that is living in the interior,
Chief Aanyalahaash,
Chief Aanyalahaash,
gwál hóoch awsikóo.
maybe he knows.
Mhmh.
Dleit ḵáach yéi yasáakw
The white folks call it
second verse.
second verse.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ha gunalchéesh.
Well thank you.
Yéi áwé kaawagei.
That is all there is of it.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
This is February 5th,
2010
And I believe we started at 5, Iʼm not quite sure, maybe before,
but um, and my name is Margaret Dutson, Margaret Theresa Dutson, and um,
My Lingít name is Shakʼsháani,
ax̱
my
ax̱ tláakʼw du saayí ax̱ jeet wuduwatée.
I was given my maternal auntʼs name.
Yá shuxʼáanáx̱ yee een kax̱wlineek
At the beginning I told you all
Lingít tlein saayí áyá {du ee- du} du eetít x̱ahán.
this is a big personʼs (noble personʼs) name, I stand in her place.
Áwé yeedát, yá ax̱ yátxʼi hás, ax̱ shátx̱i hás yátxʼi,
Now my children, my older sistersʼ children,
has du káa daak tux̱wdatáanch.
I always think about them. (remember them)
Yá
This
yeedát
now
haa daadé ḵushuwuxeexí,
as we have lost so many of our family,
hás áyá ax̱ x̱oonxʼíx̱ sitee yeedát.
they are now my relatives.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.