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Tlingit Conversation #33
K'inéix̱ Ḵwáan áyá x̱át.
I am K'inéix̱ Ḵwáan (Copper River Peopleʼs clan).
Dís Hítdáx̱.
From the Moon House.
Uh,
Speakers are Woochjix̱oo Éesh George Ramos and Achkwéi Lena Farkas. Recorded on July 23, 2010, at the home of Achkwéi Lena Farkas in Yakutat, Alaska, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.
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 Achkwéi Lena Farkas with Ḵaa Saayí Tláa Amanda Porter, by Keet Yaanayí Paul Marks 2, and by Saag̱aaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom. English translation by Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff, by Achkwéi Lena Farkas with Ḵaa Saayí Tláa Amanda Porter, and by Saag̱aaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom. Edited by X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston.
SYMBOLS: Brackets = {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 entry was accomplished using the software, ELAN (Versions 6.0 (2020) and 6.1 (2021)). Nijmegen: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Language Archive. Retrieved from https://archive.mpi.nl/tla/elan
My name is Lena Farkas.
I'm from the Moon House.
I'm Raven, that's what I couldn't think of.
Yéil áyá x̱át.
I am Raven.
Wooch Jix̱oo Éesh een áwé,
Itʼs with George Ramos,
hóoch áwé akagux̱laneek chʼáagu {yá aa}
he is the one that is going to tell the old
aadé yaa at ganeich yé x̱á.
way that things would happen, you see.
Chʼa yéi uh, daa sá du tóo daak wuxeexí áwé akakg̱wanéek.
Whatever come to his mind is what he is going to tell.
G̱anú yáax'.
Sit here.
Mhmh.
G̱eeshḵaaḵ.
Hunker down.
G̱eeshḵaaḵ?
G̱eeshḵaaḵ?
G̱eeshḵaaḵ.
Hunker down.
Dáa sáwé?
What's that?
G̱eeshḵaaḵ.
Hunker/squat, “sit down”.
See, that's what I've been telling you; they teach you only one way.
And there's a whole,
And then there's, «G̱anú.»
And then thereʼs “sit down.”
G̱anú.
Sit down.
G̱anú.
Sit down.
Yan tuḵx̱ʼeeda.á.
Sit your butthole right down.
Yándei x̱at gax̱dudóoxʼ!
Iʼm going to get tied down!
Mmm.
Ax̱ seitóox̱ áyá hél uk'é.
My throat is not good.
Mmm.
Shaan shákdé hél x̱wasakú.
Maybe it is old age, I donʼt know.
Kʼóox̱ʼ x̱ʼatáx'.
Chew gum.
Ldakát át áyá kax̱waa.aaḵw, dei xʼoon táakw sáyá {l ush}
I've tried everything, how many years now
Heʼs probably having problem with his throat.
Haaw.
Well.
Haa een áwé sh kakg̱eelneek.
You're going to tell us stories.
Mm.
Yá Lingít
This Tlingit
Yáa shuxʼwaa aa áyá,
This first one,
at kookeidí
a parable
kakḵwa.aaḵw.
I am going to try it.
Haa een ḵu.aa áwé kakg̱eenéek wáa sá iduwasáakw, daatx̱ sá isitee.
But you are going to tell us how you are called, (and) what (clan) you are.
Yan gé iwoonéi?
Are you ready?
Wooshjix̱oo Éesh yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
I am called Wooshjix̱oo Éesh.
Aaa.
Yes.
Lʼuknax̱.ádi áyáa x̱át.
I am Lʼuknax̱.ádi clan.
Yéil naax̱ áyú sitee, L'uknax̱.ádi.
That is a Raven clan (in the Raven moiety), Lʼuknax̱.ádi.
Ax̱ káak, Ḵaajaaḵw yóo duwasáakw.
My maternal uncle's name was Ḵaajaaḵw.
L'uknax̱.ádi.
Lʼuknax̱.ádi clan. [Referred to as “Coho Clan” in English.]
Aaa.
Yes.
A x̱oo aa yáa a daax’ yóo x̱’ax̱atangi nuch át áyáa,
Some of these things that I am always talking about here,
hú, du x̱ʼéidáx̱ áyáa.
him, itʼs from his mouth. (Ḵaajaaḵw Jack Ellis)
Yáa, ax̱ tláa{ch}, Kʼóoxkʼ yóo duwasáakw.
This, my mother, she was called Kʼóoxkʼ.
Ax̱ léelk'w ḵu.aa áyú s Teiḵweidí.
My grandfather, however, was Teiḵweidí. [Referred to in English as the “Brown Bear Clan”.]
Haa, Ku.oo yóo duwasáakw.
Well, he was called Ku.oo.
Yáa du shát ḵu.aa áyú s Dug̱eech.
His wife though was Dug̱eech.
Daaḵ Naḵéen du sée áyóo.
That was Daaḵ Naḵéenʼs daug̱hter.
Yéi áyá ax̱ een kadunik noojéen.
This is the way it was always told to me.
Aantleindáx̱ ḵu.oo áyú.
Those are the people from Aantlein (the area of land from the head waters of the Ahrnklin River to the ocean).
Teiḵweidí hú tsú.
He was also Teiḵweidí clan.
Yáa
These
haa ítx̱ kéi nawát aa hás,
the ones that are growing up after us,
á áyá, x̱át tsú, yéi ax̱ ée wdudlitóow. Aaa.
this is it, me too, this is the way it was taught to me. Yes.
Has du jíng̱aa gag̱eeshée;
You are going to reach for their hands;
kakg̱ee.aaḵw has du ée latoowú has du shagóon.
you will try to teach them their origins and destiny (their ancestry, all of the things that make them up).
Yéi áyá, ax̱ een.aa yáa, kagax̱too.aaḵw.
This is the way, the one with me here, we are going to try.
Aaá, chʼa yá,
Yes, just the,
ch'a yáa shkalneek áyáa has du tuwáa sigóo tsú x̱áayú, chʼáakw
just these stories they want also, you see, a long time ago
aadé yaa at ganeich yé, yú
the way that things happen, that
yú Yéil, yú
that Raven, that
yú tʼá {neilt}, uh,
that king salmon, uh,
{yan akuwal}
Daginaa Hít ágé?
Is it the Far Out House?
Aaá.
Yes.
Aaá.
Yes.
Uh, chʼu yéi shkalneek áwé tsú has du tuwáa sigóo x̱áawé atyátxʼi een has akax̱laneegéet.
Yes, they want stories also, you see, so they can tell them to the children.
Yáa, dei ch'áakw áyú a daa yóo tux̱aatánk.
This, now I have been thinking about it for a long time.
Aaá.
Yes.
Yáa aadé yéi ḵukg̱eestee yé.
The way that you will live.
Ách áyóo at kookeidí i ée dultóow, yóo áyóo.
That is the reason why the parables are taught to you, that is the way.
Mm.
Ch'a ayáx̱ áyóo yaa haa nanéin.
That's just what's happening to us.
Haa yóo x̱ʼatángi ḵut kéi kwg̱waxéex.
Our language is going to be lost.
Mhm.
Ḵa haa ḵusteeyí tsú ḵut kéi kwg̱waxéex.
And our way of life, too, is going to be lost.
Mhm.
Yéi áyú x̱at daayaḵáa noojéen ax̱ káak, Ḵaajaaḵw,
This is what my maternal uncle Ḵaajaaḵw always used to say to me,
Mhm.
«Ách áyá hél ḵúnáx̱ i ée kḵwalatoow Lingít ḵusteeyí»
“This is why Iʼm not really going to teach you the Lingít way of life.”
Á áyá s kux̱ajéeyeen a daaxʼ yóo tux̱atángi noojín.
And here I was curious, I always used to think about it.
Daaḵw aa sáyá hél ax̱ ée agux̱latoow?
Which one is he not going to teach me?
Mhm.
Chʼu yeedádidé áyáa a daa yawx̱aa.aa,
Even to this present time I examine it, (I think it over, look it over internally)
aaa,
yes,
daaḵw aa sáyáa?
which one it is (that I was not taught by my uncle)?
Aadé yaa at ganeich yé,
The way that things happen,
ḵáax̱ igux̱sateeyí áyóo; at gag̱eexáash.
when you are going to become a man; you are going to cut something.
Yéi áyú has ḵustéeyin haa léelk'u hás.
That is the way our grandparents used to live.
Shaawát ḵu.aa s,
Women, on the other hand,
{shaat} sháaxʼsáani ḵu.aa,
little girls, on the other hand,
sháax̱ has gux̱sateeyí,
when they are going to become women,
chʼa g̱óot yéide has du daaxʼ yéi jidunéi noojéen.
they used to treat them in a different way (from the boys).
Mhm.
Á áyá, x̱áach, yóo a daax' yóo tux̱aatánk.
This is it, how I think about it, myself.
Ḵut kéi naxíx, hél déi aadóo sá {wus} has awuskú.
Itʼs getting lost, there is nobody that knows about it now.
Uhuh.
Ḵa {koo} at kookeidí a x̱oo aa tle ḵúnáx̱ dax̱dikʼéi.
And the parables, some of them are really good.
Chʼa aadé xʼwán yéi x̱at neey.oo,
Please forgive me,
ah, ax̱ satú áyá ḵut kéi naxíx.
uh, I am losing my voice.
Hél x̱wsakú, ax̱ káanáx̱ yaa natéen, tlákw áyá dei, áyá.
I don't know, it's getting the best of me, itʼs all the time now, it is.
Yáa at kookeidí tóonáx̱, tlákw,
Through these parables, all the time,
ax̱ káak,
my maternal uncle,
aadé {yéi has} yóo has {x̱ʼaya} x̱ʼaan gookxʼ áyáa x̱at uwawát.
how they, I grew up around the fire (listening to stories).
Chʼáagu ḵáawu, yéi áyú has sh kalneek.
The people of long ago, thatʼs how they used to tell it.
Wáa sá duwasáakw ah, «at kookeidí» dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱?
How is “parable” called in English?
Yáa, ax̱ káakch áyú yéi x̱at daayaḵá,
This, it was my uncle that says this to me,
at kookeidí áyú du een kagax̱dunéek.
a parable is going to be told to him.
Aaá, i een kagax̱dunéek.
Yes, it is going to be told to you.
Churcht yigoodí ḵu.aa áyáas parable yóo duwasáakw.
If you go to church, though, this is what they call a parable.
Mmm.
Haa Dikée Aanḵáawuch xʼoon sá akaawaneek.
Our Lord Above told so many of them.
Mhm.
Parable.
Mhm.
«Aadé yéi ḵugax̱yeestee yé,» yóo áyú has x̱at yanasḵéijeen,
“This is the way you all are going to live,” that was what they always used to say to me,
ax̱ een akaneegí.
when he would tell it to me.
Á áyáa, a daaxʼ yóo tux̱atángi nuch.
This is it, I am always thinking about it.
[clears throat]
Á áyá kawx̱aa.aaḵw.
This is what I have tried to do.
Tsu yáa Sealaska tsu x̱at wooshee.
Again this Sealaska reached out to me (for help).
Yáa adátx'i teen yéi jinḵanéiyi.
To get me to work with the children.
«Latseen» yóo s ayasáakw.
“Latseen” (strength) is how they call it. (A summer culture camp.)
Aahá.
Yes.
Woosh kaanáx̱ táakw eetíxʼ, woosh kaanáx̱ kéi has da.átch.
Assembling in the spring time, they get together.
Tlax̱ ldakát yéidáx̱ áyá at wusikoowu aa, adátxʼi áyú.
Really from all over the place people that are knowledgeable, the children.
Mhm.
Chʼa aan ḵu.aa áyóo, Ling̱ít {na} yinaanax̱.aanáx̱ áyóo ax̱ toowóoch kakḵwa.aaḵw.
Even so, however, I thought that I would try to do it through the Tlingit side of things.
Násʼk táakw x̱ʼáanáx̱, táakw eetíxʼ, has du een yéi jiwx̱waanei.
For three years, in the spring time, I worked with them.
Ahah.
Yes.
Á áyá yisikóo tlákw a daaxʼ yóo {x̱ʼax̱} x̱ʼax̱aatánk áyá.
Here you know I am always talking about this here.
Yeah.
Yáa adátx'i áyáa,
These children here,
yáa uháan, haa aa aayí,
us here, ours,
has du káak, hóochʼ.
their maternal uncles, theyʼre all gone.
Dei ḵutx̱ shoowaxeex.
The last of them have gone now.
Yeah.
Has du léelk'w tsú s,
Their grandparents, too,
And, xʼoon sáyá haa yatee, wa.é ḵa, x̱át x̱á?
And, how many are we, you and me, you see?
Yéi áyá a daa yáa tunax̱datán.
This is the way I am starting to think about it. [«yáa» is pronounced high-tone, unusual, but WÉGR does this with other pre-verbs as well]
Ách áyá kakḵwa.aaḵw.
This is why I am going to try to do it.
Aaá.
Yes.
Aaá,
Yes,
a x̱oo aa has du ée x̱latóowu, yóo áyá.
I (try) to teach some of them, this is the way.
Ách áyá s a yáat x̱ahán yáa lʼeix̱ tsú.
That is why I am standing for it, the dancing, too. [lit. “standing at itʼs face”]
Yeah.
A tóonáx̱ has du toowú kagax̱lag̱éit.
So that they can become proud through it.
Uhuh.
Yéi áyóo.
That is the way.
Yisikóo ḵáa, aaá, yindasháan yaa nagúdi,
You know a person, yes, when theyʼre walking with their head down,
hóochʼ. Hél du toowú.
itʼs over. Itʼs not (in) his mind.
A daaxʼ yóo tutángi nuch aadé ḵustí yóo akawlishoowu yé, yóo áyú.
Heʼs always thinking about the way that life has made him suffer, thatʼs how it is.
Aaá.
Yes.
Á áyáa, yá adátxʼi yéi s daayax̱aḵá,
This is it, these children, I say to them,
tléixʼ áyóo yatee yóo x̱ʼatánk. Chʼa tléixʼ.
there is one word. Just one.
Tlákw i guktóode dutsóow nooch.
It is always getting shoved into your ear.
A áyá yáa yóo x̱'atánk ḵu.aa, ‹nalkweitʼ›.
This is it, this word though, ʼinternalize itʼ.
Á áyáa.
This is it.
Aaá.
Yes.
Tlákw ax̱ gúk tóot us.aax̱ch wáa sá yaa at naneiní áyá.
It is always echoing in my ear, whatever is happening.
Á áyá, ḵunáx̱ ax̱ toowóoch,
This is it, I really think,
adátxʼeech wusháadi,
if the children took hold of it,
has akoo.aag̱ú
if they try,
aaa,
yes,
has du yatʼákw dleit yáx̱ yaa naneiní a káa daak has sakg̱waháa, «naskweitʼ».
when their temples are turning white, theyʼre going to remember it, “internalie it.”
Yóo áyú.
That is the way.
Yáa, ax̱ een, {sh} shuxʼwáanáx̱ ḵu.aax̱í, ḵunáax̱ daak kawduwaník,
This, to me, when I heard it for the first time, it was explained,
«A daa yóo tukg̱eetáan, ḵa,
“You will think about it, and,
a daa yakg̱ees.áa,
you will examine it,
Wáa sá ishakdujeisʼí.»
However you are instructed.”
Ch'áakw.
Long ago.
Aaá, ch'áakw, tlax̱ ch'áagu aayí, yóo áyá.
Yes, long ago, itʼs a really old one (word).
Á áyá ḵut kéi naxíx.
This is what is getting lost.
Mhm. Aaa.
Yes. Yes.
???, yáa ch'áakw aadé {ḵ} ḵaa ée ḵudustéeyin yé.
A long time ago, the way that people were treated.
Aa, wé tle aan áwé ḵunanáach x̱á, daa sá wduskoowú {tlél} tlél yaa kandushxít ḵa tlél tsú yá tapes káxʼ x̱á yéi utí.
Yes, then people aways die with it, you see, whatever it was that was known, itʼs not being written down and itʼs not on these tapes either.
Ahah.
Uhuh
Tlél ḵaa x̱ʼéix̱ has us.aax̱í atyátxʼi, lidzée.
These children never listen to anybody, itʼs difficult.
Tsu yáa has awsikuwu át chʼa hás yáa tv a káa áwé ḵula.us nuch yá.
And the thing they know is just on the tv, they always play those (video games).
Ch'ás á áwé yéi s adaané yá yeedát.
Thatʼs the only thing that they do now.
Aag̱áa áyóo ax̱ káak yéi x̱at yanasḵeich,
At that time, my uncle always used to tell me,
«A káa {ḵaa du} ḵuduḵéiyi át yáx̱ áwé has aawaxích.»
“They concentrate on it like itʼs something that people get paid for.”
Uhuh, yeah.
Ha, yéi x̱áawé ax̱ tuwáa yatee, x̱át tsú.
Well, thatʼs just how it seems to me, me too.
Yáa, yá yóo x̱ʼatánk,
This, this language,
at kʼátskʼu, du een yóo x̱ʼeela.átgi,
a young child, when you are speaking with him/her,
a x̱oo aa yóo yéi (a)kananíkjeen
some of them they used to tell it like this,
«Du gúk tóonáx̱ yawdzi.áx̱.»
“It resounds right through his ears.” (in one and out the other)
Mhm.
Aaha.
Yéi áyáa s yeedát a daat yóo tux̱aatánk, yéi áwé.
This is how I think about it now, thatʼs it.
A x̱oo aa tle has du yaadé dutéen nuch.
Some of them, it is visible on their faces.
Át {yaa s} yaa yakanaxíxch
Theyʼre always looking around (with a lack of focus)
Mhm.
has du een yóo x̱'adul.átgi.
when somebody is speaking to them.
Aaá.
Yes.
Hél i {s} x̱ʼéit {wus} has wus.aax̱.
They didnʼt listen to what you had to say.
Mm.
Ách áyáas, yéi x̱at daayaḵáa noojéen,
This is why they always used to say this to me,
aa,
«A daa yanees á,
“Examine it,
a daa yóo tután,
think about it,
aadé ishakdujéisʼ yé
the way you are instructed
ḵa aadé i een shkadulnik yé.
and the way the stories have been told to you.
Aag̱áa áyáas, i shantóode kachák.»
And then, compile it in your mind.”
Mhm.
Aahá.
Yes.
Yeedádi ḵáawu ḵu.aa chʼa computer tóoxʼ, "Oh, itʼs in the computer."
The people of today though, just in the computer, “Oh itʼs in the computer.”
Gaaa! Ha tlél x̱á {chʼ} has awuskú chʼáakw
Gaaah! Well, you see, they donʼt know a long time ago
tle chʼas yá yóo x̱ʼatánk tóonáx̱ áwé
it was just through this verbal communication
{x̱áay} has du ée dultóowun,
that they used to be taught it,
atyátxʼi, has du shagóon
the children, their origins and ancestors
ḵa {aadé} aadé yéi s ḵukg̱wastee yé.
and the way that they are going to live.
Cháakw
Long ago
chʼas yáa yóo x̱ʼatánk tóonáx̱ áyáa
just through this verbal communication
has awsikóo has du ḵusteeyí. Yeedát ḵwá tlél yéi utí.
they know their way of life. Now, though, itʼs not that way.
Aa, yéi áyóo
Yeah, that is the way
yéi áyóo x̱at daayaḵáa noojéen ax̱ {káa}
that is the way he always used to speak to me, my
ax̱ léelkʼw, Daaḵ Naḵéen.
my grandfather, Daaḵ Naḵéen (name).
Tlákw áyóo haa een sh kalnik noojéen.
He used to tell us stories all the time.
Yéi áyóo yaawaḵaa.
That is what he said.
Yéil ḵusteeyí,
Raven's life,
Yéil daat shkalneek,
the stories about Raven,
násʼgináx̱ ḵáach áyóo woosh x̱ʼéidáx̱ yaa s akaklaníkch.
there were three people that always told it from each otherʼs mouths. [They would tell it and correct each other so it didnʼt change.]
{yéik} Yéi jiduneiyí,
When they're working,
hél a tóode aa gax̱dutee, chʼa g̱óot yéide.
nothing is going to be added any old way.
Hél tsú s a kát aa sakg̱waxʼaaḵw yáa shkalneek.
They wonʼt forget any of these stories, either.
Tle ḵuwusteeyídáx̱ áyóo
From the time he was born
tle hóoch'i aayí shkalneek.
until the last story.
Wooch x̱'éidáx̱ yaa kakdulneek.
They tell the stories from each otherʼs mouths.
Daax'oon yagiyee x̱ʼáanáx̱ yóo yaa kakdulníkch.
It is told over the span of four days.
Aadé yóo kawdzigit yé, yéi.
The way that things happened, thatʼs how.
Á áyáa, yeedát ḵu.aa, «Tláakw, tláakw, tláakw!» tle yáa has, chʼa g̱óot át.
This here, now though, “Hurry, hurry, hurry!” these guys, (they always want) something different.
Áyáa, yáa ‹nalkweitʼ›,
Here, this ʼinternalize itʼ,
yéi x̱at daayaḵáa nuch,
this is what he always says to me,
«Aa, aadé yaa at nanein yé i daaxʼ.
“Yes, the way that things are happening around you.
A daa yóo tután,
Think about it,
a daa yanees á,
examine it,
adáx̱ áwé s i shantóode kachák.»
and then store it in your mind.”
Yéi x̱at daayaḵáa nuch.
Thatʼs what he always says to me.
Hóochʼi aayí áyáas
These are the last ones
yáa aandaḵeení [contraction of aandaaḵeení]
the people of this land
aadé yaa at nanein yé.
the way that things are happening.
Mhm.
Wáa sá yaa at kandayéin, aa,
Whatever is happening,
a daa yóo tután,
think about it,
a daa yanees.á.
examine it.
Chʼa hóochʼ áwés, wé
Thatʼs the end of it, that
aadé
the way
dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ kanax̱duwaneek yé shákdé,
it can be told in English, probably,
"Analyze it.
ḵa evaluate it.
And evaluate it.
Aag̱áa áwés i shantóode kachák.
And then store it in your mind.
Aadé ḵukg̱waháa.
Its time will come.
Átx̱ gag̱ilayéix̱,» yóo áyóo.
You will use it,” thatʼs the way (they spoke).
«Aadé ishakdujéisʼ yé,» aahá.
“The way you are instructed,” uhuh.
There's going to come a time when you'll think about it and what they, you were taug̱ht.
Yéi áyáas, yéi áyá tux̱wditaan.
This is the way, this is the way I thought.
X̱át tsú.
Me, too.
Ax̱ toowú yanóokw.
I am sad.
Aadé ax̱ ée s ḵuwdziteeyi yé.
The way they treated me.
Yáa haa yóo x̱'atángi hél yóo x̱'akg̱eetaan.
This language of ours, you wonʼt speak.
Ḵaa jintáak dutʼáchjeen.
They used to slap the backs of peopleʼs hands. (at school)
{hél ax̱ tuwáa si}
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú
I donʼt want
yáa yées {kana.éini ḵu.oo}
these young
kéi kana.éini ḵu.oo áyá
these people that are growing up
yéi has ḵusteeyí.
to live that way.
Mhm.
Chʼa ayáx̱ áyóo, Yaa Nyaan Éeshch haa yawsiḵaa,
Itʼs just like, Olaf Abraham said to us,
Olaf,
«Déi áwé.
“That's enoug̱h.
Déi áwé.»
Thatʼs enough.”
Ḵateeyí wooch kaanáx̱ ḵu.éexʼ
Itʼs really something, when all the people were gathered together
yéi {has} has {daa} haa daayaḵá,
this is what they say to us,
«Hél yéi ḵukg̱eenook.
“Youʼre not going to do that.
Hél tsú s agax̱yeelʼeix̱.»
Youʼre not going to dance, either.”
Yisikóo x̱á.
You know indeed.
Aag̱áa, 1955,
And then, (in) 1955,
áwé s du een kax̱anéek tliyaatgé, 1904 áyú,
just the other day Iʼm telling it to them, in 1904,
Governer Bradych yéi haa yawsiḵaa, «Tléikʼ.
Govenor Brady said to us, “No.
Hél agax̱yeel'eix̱.
No, you all are not going to dance.
Hél tsú wooch kaanáx̱ ḵu.éexʼ
No potlatches, either,
de gax̱yee.aat.»
youʼll go to.”
Áa yan shukaawatán.
Thatʼs where it ended.
Ach áyás
This is why
yéi tunax̱datanch,
I always think,
«Gunalchéesh
“Thank you
Kaagwaantaan.
Kaagwaantaan.
Yeewháan x̱á,
It was you all indeed,
haa kaadé jeeydi.aat.»
you fought for us.”
Aa.
Yes.
X̱ʼeeyawóosʼ,
You asked him,
«Hél gé aadé chʼu tléixʼ?
“Is there no way even one?
Chʼa hóochʼi aayí yéi nax̱tusanei.»
Let us do one last one.”
Aag̱áa áyá Yaakwdáat
At that time Yakutat (people)
Sheetʼkaadé {wud}
to Sitka
wuduwa.eex'.
was invited.
Tle ldakát
Then all of them
Tlákw Aandáx̱
from Klukwan
yá, a, Angoon
and from Angoon
Xúnaadáx̱
from Hoonah
aa,
uh,
has wuduwa.éexʼ.
they were invited.
Hóochʼi aayí áyóo.
That was the last one.
Aadáx̱ áyáa
From then
Daaḵw aa sáyá? 1970 shákdé, Sheldon Jackson-dé
Which one (year) is it? 1970 probably, to Sheldon Jackson
Sheldon Jackson {s} has ḵoowa.éex'.
(to) Sheldon Jackson people were invited.
Aag̱áa áyá
At that time
«Yá atwuskú daakaḵóok,
“This box of knowledge,
x̱ʼéidáx̱ tsu yagax̱yeetáan,» yóo ákyú?
you all are going to open it again,” is that how (he said it)?
Aa, á áwé.
Yes, thatʼs it.
Yáa
This
ch'a aan ḵwa áyáas
even so, however,
hél yagax̱toodlaaḵ
we are not going to succeed at it
ldakát á
all of it
ḵux̱ wutooteeyí yei.
us restoring it. (We will not succeed at restoring all of it.)
Yá, haa
This, our
yées {kana.éin} kéi kana.éini,
new (ones) that are groing up,
yées ḵáaxʼw, shaaxʼsáani,
young men, little girls,
has ag̱asakóot
so that they will know it
ahá, yánde áyá gax̱yilatóow.
my, youʼre going to teach it all the way through.
{chʼa} Chʼa yéi sh (g̱a)toolsaa, sʼé.
Letʼs just rest a while, please.
[Recording break] neegéet.
to tell it.
At kookeidí
Parables
káaxʼ yéi ḵugax̱dustée.
by them people are going to live.
yóo áyóo x̱a.áx̱ji nuch
thatʼs how I always hear it
x̱ʼaan gookxʼ aḵeení,
when people are sitting by the fire,
at kookeidí.
parables.
Ách áyáa
This is why
yee ée dultóow.
they are taught to you guys.
Ch'a yéi x̱at gusagéinkʼi áyóo ax̱,
When I was small, my,
{ḵaa} Ḵaajaaḵw een áyóo ax̱asg̱eiwú {kʼi} Sʼitáḵxʼ.
I fish with Jack Ellis at Situk River.
Sʼitáḵ
Situk River
chʼa tléináx̱ áyóo,
is just on one side like this,
a shú wé Aantlein
at the end, the Ahrnklin River
wé Black Sand Island tliyaanax̱.áxʼ kaawaháa.
is on the other side of that Black Sand Island.
Á áyá
And here
naaliyéide áyóo yaa ktooḵúx̱ch.
we used to go a long way by boat.
Yáa
This
Strawberry Point
yéi duwasáakw, a daa yaa ktooḵúx̱ch.
is how itʼs called, we go up around it.
Yakwdeiyéede.
To Canoe Trail.
Aaá.
Yes.
Yaakw Deiyí.
Canoe Trail. [To local fisherman, in English this is “The Divide”.]
Yaakw anax̱ yanagwéiji nuch yé, áxʼ áyá adusg̱eiwú.
Where the boats used to go through, thatʼs where people gillnet.
Yáa
This
ḵéesʼ yan wulaayí ḵu.aa áyóos,
but when the tide is all the way out,
aa,
ah,
naakée [Recording break]
upriver
Yáa {yaakw} Yakwdeiyí,
This Canoe Trail,
áyá, ḵúx̱de, yóo
it is, (flows) backward, like this,
«ḵúx̱dei nóow» yóo duwasáakw.
“back eddy” is how itʼs called.
Aa.
Yes.
Á áyáa
It is
hél tlax̱
not very
koolajée áxʼ
dangerous at the place
adusg̱eiwu yé.
where people gillnet.
Wé teet a tʼikáxʼ áyáa
The waves on the outside of it
nalʼíxʼch.
break.
Mhm.
Yáa Yaakw Deiyí áx̱ {yaa}.
Along this Canoe Trail.
Áxʼ áyáas atoosg̱eiwú.
This is where we gillnet.
Yan tʼiká.
Off the shore.
Yáa,
Here,
ḵéesʼ yagux̱dadaayí ḵwa áyáas
but when the tide is going to turn (come back in)
naakéede yéi gugéinkʼ natooḵúx̱ch
weʼd go back upstream a little ways
aag̱áa áwés
and then
yánxʼ g̱atooḵéech
weʼd sit down on the beach
awdagaaní.
when it's sunny.
Yisikóo aadé.
You know the way.
Yéi áyáas yan {yaa} haa kawdiyáa.
This is what happened to us.
Naakéede
Towards upstream
á áyáa
at this time
ax̱ káak,
my maternal uncle,
ḵa,
and,
du saayí kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw.
I forgot his name.
Sheldon James Sr.
Ḵaajax̱daḵeináa. Ḵaajax̱daḵeináa
Sheldon James, Sr. Sheldon James, Sr.
Á áyáa
Here
x̱áaw kát áyáa s ḵéen.
they are sitting on a log.
A tʼikaadé áyóo s at latín.
Theyʼre looking out toward the ocean side.
Awdigaan.
It's sunny.
X̱át ḵu.aa áyáas,
But as for me,
ah,
uh,
násʼgadooshú táakwx̱
at 8 years old
{x̱} áyá, át x̱wajixíx, ldakát.
I was just running around all over.
Yisikóo yú x̱áaw táni áyóo,
You know when a log is lying there,
a káxʼ ayawdateeyí,
when the wind blows on it,
ha yáanáx̱.aanáx̱ áyá kéi kooháaych.
it starts to come out and pile up on this side. (the sand)
Ḵóok yáx̱ áyá, you see?
Itʼs like a box, you see?
{hél has} Hél has du éedáx̱ x̱at ulé.
I am not far away from them.
Aadé áyá sh x̱wadlix̱eech.
I threw myself down to it (behind the log).
{áy} Áxʼ ax̱wdlisín, has du x̱ʼéit x̱wasi.áx̱.
I hid from them there, I listened to what they were saying.
Mhm.
Aag̱áa áyá Ḵaajax̱daḵeináa áyá,
And then, Sheldon James Sr.,
du daa, yéi áwé.
around him (he looked around himself), like this.
«Haaw,
“Well,
goosú wé
where is that
atkʼátskʼu?»
little kid?”
Ax̱ káak hú tsú chʼa awulg̱ein.
My maternal uncle, him too, he just looked around.
Aag̱áa áyóo, {yóo} yéi yaawaḵaa,
At that time, then, this is what he said,
«Ha tle chʼa héinax.á wdzigeet.»
“Oh, he just fell on that side.” (Or, “He just ended up over there.”)
Yéi á, has du x̱ʼéit, x̱wasi.áx̱.
That is the way (he spoke), I listened to them speak.
Ḵaajax̱daḵeináach áyóo yéi yaawaḵaa,
It was Ḵaajax̱daḵeináa that said,
«Aa, aakʼé atkʼátskʼu áwé.»
“Yes, that is a good little child.”
Ax̱asg̱eiwú du een, ax̱ káak,
I gillnetted with him, my maternal uncle,
ách áyóo yéi yaawaḵaa.
that's why he said that.
Hél áwés wáa sá yawuḵaa, ax̱ káak.
He didnʼt say anything, my maternal uncle.
Aag̱áa áwé tsá,
And then at that time,
yax̱ yaawanoogún.
he sat back.
«Haaw,»
“Well,”
yisikóo,
you know,
chʼáakw yéi yanduḵéich, chʼáakw,
long ago theyʼd say, long ago,
sh kalneegí,
when theyʼre telling a story,
«Aas yáx̱ áyóo, duwatéen.
“Itʼs like the way trees look.
Aa,
naaliyéide áyú kʼidéin duteen nuch.
from far away it always looks nice.
Aas, yóo.
Trees, like that.
Hé diyáanax̱.aadé,
Over on the other side (of the bay), [Heʼs pointing across Monti Bay.]
atoolg̱einí.
when we look there.
Ha.é!
Oh my!
{áx̱} yáanax̱.áxʼ kéi kaawa.áa.
They have grown up on this side.
Hél ḵu.aa áyóos,
But you wonʼt
gag̱isakoo
know
wáa sá kaxádi, yú aas.
how those trees are shaped.
Tle a kʼéet yigoodí,
When you walk right to the trunk,
a daax̱ kéi iyalg̱einí,
when you look up alongside it,
aag̱áa tsá kg̱isakóo.
only then will you know.
Naaliyéidáx̱,
From afar,
shákdé kʼidéin duwatéen.
it probably looks nice.
Yóonax̱.aadé ḵu.aa áyáas katán ḵachʼu yinaadé.
But they are either leaning to this side or to that side.
Mhm.
A daax̱ kéi iyalg̱einí tsú,
If you look up alongside that tree, too,
kaawatéx̱ʼ tsú shákdé.
itʼs probably twisted, too.
Mhm.
Aa, naaliyéidáx̱ ḵu.aa áwé s hél duteen.
Yes, but itʼs not visible from a distance.
Aa.
Yes.
Aa.
Yes.
A x̱oo aa aas áyóo,
Some of those trees,
wóochdáx̱ yawdi.aa yú dikéexʼ.
they separate up at the top.
Mhm.
Hél ḵu.aa áyóos eeteen. Yóo áyú.
But you donʼt see it (from a distance). Thatʼs the way.
Tlax̱ hóochʼi aayí ḵu.aa yóo s,
The very last ones, though,
a daa yeeyagoodí,
when you walk around it,
a tóo wdináḵw.»
it is rotten on the inside.
Mhm.
Aahá.
Ḵúnáx̱ at kookeidí,
Really a parable,
chʼu yeedádidé,
even to this moment,
ax̱ yáa daak uxeexch.
comes out before me.
Ḵáa,
A person,
yisakoowú,
when you know him/her,
ḵáa yisateení,
when you see a person,
hél
not
kʼidéin gag̱isakoo.
well will you know him/her.
Tle du toowú
When their inner being,
yisakoowú tsá.
you know it, only then.
Uhuh.
At kookeidí áyá.
This is a parable.
Uhuh.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo kax̱waneegí,
I want to tell this
has ag̱asakóot,
so that they will know it,
chʼáakw
long ago
aadé ḵaa ée at dultóow nuch yé,
the way that people are taught things,
wooch ítdáx̱ yaa kakduníkch.
theyʼd tell them one right after the other.
Ách áyá kʼidéin yéi ḵukg̱eestée.
This is why you are going to live well.
A tóo wdináḵw.
It's rotten inside.
Dóo, aadóo sáwé wa.é?
(Expression of disapproval), who are you?
Tléixʼ.
One.
Tléixʼ tsu
One more
aa kakḵwanéek.
I'm going to tell one of them.
Mmm. Aahá.
Yes. Yes.
Yáa,
This,
yées ḵáa ée at latóowu áyóo,
teaching the young people,
yatʼéexʼ.
it's hard.
Yóo áyá.
That's the way it is.
Yatʼéexʼ yées ḵáa éexʼ at latóow, adátxʼi, kʼisáani.
It's hard to teach young people, children, little boys.
A x̱oo aa tle has du guktóonáx̱ yoos.áax̱ch.
Some of them, it (the words) just resound right through their ears. (Go in one side and out the other.)
Ách áyá,
This is why,
yáa at kookeidíx̱ nasteech.
itʼs always a parable.
Tsʼítsgúkʼ áyóo ḵoowa.éexʼ.
A little bird invited the people.
Aag̱áa áyú yéi yaawaḵaa,
And then he said,
«Tle ldakát át kawdliyeeji át,
“All of the birds, (the things that flew [when Raven opened the box of daylight])
haat yi.á!
come here!
Haat yi.á
Come here.
Kwát layeix̱ áyá yee ée kḵwalatóow.»
I will teach you all to build a nest.”
Yeah.
Du x̱ánt kawdakʼéetʼi áyú,
When they had all come by him, [In this usage, implies at his house ]
aag̱áa áyóo
that is when
yéi ayawsiḵaa, «Yan gé yee woonéi?»
he said to them, “Are you all ready?”
«Aa.»
“Yes.”
Tle ldakát du daa áwé.
Then everyone was around him.
Aa.
Yes.
«Kwát layeix̱ áyáa,
“This is nest building,
yee ée kḵwalatóow,
I am going to teach it to you all,
aadé yéi daaduneiyi yé.» Itʼs a cute story.
the way that it is done.”
Aag̱áa áyáa,
That is when
yá téixʼ kisáani áyá wóoshdáx̱ ayakaawahaa.
he dug the little pebbles away from each other. [He made a little hole among the pebbles.]
Yáa
Here
áxʼ kwát agux̱layex̱ yé.
at the place where he is going to build a nest.
A x̱oo aa áwé tle kéi s wudiláa, «Ahó-hó-hó!
Then some of them cried out, “Aho-ho-ho!
Déi kwát layeix̱ x̱ashigóooook!»
I know how to make a nest now!”
Neil kawdli(yeech).
Home they (flew).
Adáx̱ áyáa,
From here,
ḵáasʼ kisáani áyóo,
they were little sticks,
woosh kaadé yéi adaané, a daa, a yaa.
he piled them up around it, along it.
Tsu chʼa g̱óot aa áyóo s, tle,
Again, different ones then (said),
«Hó-hó-hó! Déi kwát layeix̱ x̱ashigóook!»
“Ho-ho-ho! Now I know how to build a nest!”
A ítde áyá, ḵútlʼkw, ḵútlʼkw áyóo,
After that, mud, it was mud,
ḵútlʼkw.
mud.
Ḵa yéi kwdzigéiyi
And small
xʼaan {y}
tips
aadé akacháak a yaa
he stacks them up along it
kʼwátʼ yáx̱.
In a circle.
Ákwé wé "mud" yóo duwasáagu át ákwé?
Is that what is called that “mud,” is that it?
Hél ix̱ʼawx̱aa.
I didnʼt (hear) what you said.
«Ḵútlʼtʼ» yo̓o gé yeesáa? Ḵútlʼkw.
«Ḵútlʼtʼ,» is that what you called that? Mud.
Ḵútlʼkw áyóo.
It's mud.
A x̱oo aa tle kawdliyeech.
Some of them flew (off) then.
«Hó! Déi kwát layeix̱ x̱ashigóok.»
“Ha! I know how to build a nest now.”
Yóo áyóos.
Thatʼs how they were.
Adáx̱ áyáa
And then
káa yax̱ g̱anúkch
then he sits on it (over and over to press it flat and even)
yaa anasnéin.
heʼs fixing it.
Hóochʼi aayí áyóo,
The last thing (he does),
a séidáx̱,
from its neck,
x̱'wáalʼ áyóo,
they are down feathers,
aadé yéi adaané.
it puts them there.
Aahá.
Yes.
Yeah, aag̱áa áwé s tle yá,
Yeah, and then, then (like) this,
yéi áyóos
that is the way
kadunéek.
it is told.
Yáa hóochʼi aayí yéi adaaneiyí,
As she is doing this last part,
a daa
around it,
tle áx̱ woogoot kʼidéin.
then she walks around (on) it well.
Haaw,
Well,
á áyá, yéi kadunéek,
this is it, the way it is told,
yan uwanéi.
it is ready.
Tléináx̱
One
{k} át kawdliyeeji át wé du x̱ánt áa.
bird is sitting by her.
Tléixʼaa hás ḵu.aa áyás has kawdliyeech,
All of the others, though, have flown, (away)
«Ó, déi kwát layeix̱ x̱ashigóok.»
“Oh, I already know how to build a nest.”
Yéi áyú ḵuyandusḵéich,
This is what is always said to people,
«I ée at dultóowu xʼwán,
“When somebody is teaching you something, be sure to
tle hóochʼi aayíde
until the very last one (the last thing theyʼre teaching)
áa yéi kg̱eenóok.
you should sit there.
Hél chʼa koogéiyi kéi kg̱idaḵeen.
Youʼre not just going fly off any old way.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ áwé kg̱isakóo.
You will only know a little bit.
Áyá, yéi ḵukg̱eejée,
Here youʼre going to think,
‹ ḵux̱dzigéi.› »
ʼI am smart.ʼ “ [This recording is coninued on Tlingit Conversation #34.]