Tlingit Conversation #36

Video Size

This recording is a continuation of #35 Atlin. Speakers are Kaséix̱ Selina Everson, Seidayaa Mary Anderson, Ḵeixwnéi Nora Marks Dauenhauer, Sháayi Éesh Smith Katzeek, and Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. Recorded August 10, 2010, at 5-mile gazebo on Atlin Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.

Tlingit transcription by Daaljíni Mary Folletti. English translation by Kaaxwaan Éesh George Davis and Ḵaakal.aat Florence Sheakley with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.

Áwé, am,

Itʼs like this, uh,

ḵu.éex' de tsú haa wduwa.éex'.

we also got invited to a party.

Huh?

Ḵu.éex'.

Invited. [To a party.]

At yátx'ix̱ haa sateeyí.

When we were kids.

Mhm.

Yes.

Ch'a yan uwaxíx tsu á táach akayawlijáḵ.

Before it was done, we all fell asleep.

Kei haa dusgéet áwé.

We were woken up.

Haa éenwu,

Our food to take home,

ch'as haa éenwu áwé a daat haa yawsitáḵ.

we were just paying attention to our food.

Candy, ldakát át has a ká yéi yé has tí. [At shooḵ]

Candy, and everything on it (on their plate) they put. [Laughter]

A tóo a siyeiḵ {ḵaa x̱ʼéix̱} ḵaa x̱'éit yisa.aax̱í, haa daayaduḵáayin.

The next day you listened, thatʼs what they always used to tell us.

Aaá.

Yes.

Ḵúnáx̱.

Really.

«Ḵaa x̱'éix̱ ḵunees.aax̱!»

"Listen to us."

Ax̱ gúk át ch'u áadáx̱ áa yéi kwdiyáat`, ax̱ gúk. [At shooḵ]

My ear, itʼs because of that my ear is long. [Laughter] [Traditional punishment was to pull on the earlobe.]

Oh, good punishment.

Mhm.

['At shooḵ']

['Laughter']

Ha, yéi áwé.

Thatʼs how it was.

Mhm. Gushé

Mhm. Maybe

át áwé gé sigóo tsu x̱'aydatáaní.

it is good now for you to be talking.

Áaa.

Yes.

Tóo háat x̱oox̱ x̱ʼéixʼ tóo jiyís (ji.ix̱ch???).

Here among us talking for us.???

Yá ax̱ léelk'w Yax̱góos', ḵa ax̱ léelk'w Alʼún.

My grandfather Yax̱góos', and my grandfather Alʼún. [Yax̱góos' was Billie Williams, Maryʼs motherʼs father-in-law. Alʼún was Maryʼs motherʼs (Seidayaa Elizabeth Nyman) motherʼs relative, Taku Sam. Please see the genealogical charts in the book The Legacy of a Taku River Tlingit Clan, by Elizabeth Nyman and Jeff Leer.] ]

Kayaaní yóo gí dusáagun?

The plants used to be named, werenʼt they.

Áwés yú ax̱ léelk'u hás, tsú anasḵaa.

That's what my grandparents would say too.

Ḵunx̱ashee(ch).

I would look for it [every time].

Ch'a ldakát tlél has toowúch.

Not all of it they knew.

Ḵa yóo áwé yatee wé

And there is

x̱áat áa dusxoogu yé.

the place where they dried fish.

Mhm.

Yes.

Tle áwés,

Then it was,

x̱áat, ch'a hás, has du aayí aa yéi has aya.óowu aan kwéiyi.

salmon, just them, their own there, they are using a mark on their own. [They are putting a mark on their own salmon.]

Tle wudzikóo aadóo aa sá s yateeyi wé x̱áat.

Then they knew who the fish belongs to.

Áwé, am,

That is, um,

sgóonxʼ ḵux̱ x̱wadigút.

I went back to school.

Áa ḵux̱ x̱wadagoodí áwé,

When I went back to the school

GED yóo duwasáakw wé school.

the school was called GED. [General Educational Development, equivalent to a high school diploma.]

Áx' áwé x̱áa at dultóow.

Thatʼs where they were teaching, you see.

Daḵwshé aadéi yóo ḵwáaḵ x̱wdzigidi yé. [At shooḵ]

I wonder how I acted. [Laughter]

Ch'a aan graduate-x̱ x̱at wusitee.

And yet I became a graduate.

Aadáx̱ áwé ch'a át x̱at kawdiyaayi yé áwé Anchorage.

From there I wandered to Anchorage.

College-x' áan??? neildé x̱at wududzigút.

They took me back to college.

So, I went to college for five years. I took one year off. And I graduated with a BA.

Hmh.

The {an a} the teacher, GED teacher said, "Use your good judgement. Donʼt pay too much attention to the..." [Laughter]

Áyá á x̱át ḵu.aa yá gaaw x̱ʼayax̱aḵá,

As I was saying now, however,

g̱aa yatee, has yeeyí át du tsu??? dleit ḵáach has du at latéewu.

itʼs okay, things of the past ??? white people, their teacher.???

Aag̱áa,

So,

ch'a hás tle, has agux̱sakóo waa sás ayagux̱saḵáayi.

even them now, they will know what they will tell them.

Ax̱ dachx̱ánk',

My grandchild,

wé kéek'i aa, wé shaawát,

the younger girl,

lawyerx̱ aa gux̱satée, ch'as Lingítch, yá Lingít káx̱ yoo á gwál aan /akg̱wal.áan ??? yóo x̱'ayaḵá.

a lawyer is what sheʼs going to be and she says sheʼs going to talk for the Tlingit people.

Á wéit yoo igax̱dultéew.

Thatʼs where they teach you.

Mhm.

Yes.

Wé {du} du éek' aa ḵu.aa {de de} dei áx̱ jeewduwanáḵ.

Her brother though is already finished.

{Wé áwé} Wé at Ottawa át du yéi jiné dei,

He now works in Ottawa,

in Parliament buildings.

Haw!

Oh!

Áwé {yóo} yóo x̱'ayax̱aḵá g̱áa yatee has {yee ée} áa s at latéewu.

Iʼm saying itʼs OK that they teach them.

A tlé hú aan, aag̱áa hú hás,

And then with it he, they,

ch'a has ch'a aan has aadé ḵudulgaaw has agux̱sakóo.

just them, however, they will learn the way people fight. [the way people defend in legal battles]

Aaá.

Yes.

Ayáx̱ áwéis keelneek.

Youʼre telling the truth.

Yáa yeedát yáax', yáax' haat ḵux̱wateení,

Right now here, Iʼve traveled here,

yóo át áwé yéi daax̱anei.

Iʼm working on this thing.

Áaa, x'úx' kax̱shaxeet. Mhm.

Yes, I'm writing a book. Yes.

Lingít x̱'éináx̱.

Tlingit language.

Aag̱áa áwés,

And then,

tle yáa dleit ḵáa yoo x̱'atángi

the white manʼs language

dáx̱ a yáx kax̱anikx̱.

[from] I interpret it.

Mhm.

Yes.

Aag̱áa áwés wéi

And then that

[aa} ách wusikóowu ḵáa yóo x̱'atánk,

the person who knows how,

a daa woos.éix̱.

they examine it.

See if I did up a good job or not.

Mhm.

Yes.

And dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ tsú,

And white manʼs language too,

a daa yei dus.éix̱.

they examine it.

Áwé {ax̱} ax̱ x̱án.aa, ḵa x̱át

My husband and myself

prize yawtuwadlaaḵ

won a prize

yéi daatooneiyí, mhm, wé át.

when we work on it.

De ch'áakw, {de} tlél unalé 200 years gíwé

Since long ago, maybe not far from [close to] 200 years ago,

shunaxíx

has gone by,

haa yoo x̱'atángi kawdujixít.

they wrote our language.

In Russia, and maybe France, and, ah, America.

Yáa ax̱ sáni yáaxʼ {uwa}kaawaháayin.

This my [paternal] uncle here was my relative,

Sháatrich. Mhm.

Shotridge. Yes.

Yee aanít kaadáx̱.

From your country.

Kaagwaantaan.

Kaagwaantaan áwé ax̱ sánee hás.

Kaagwaantaan are my uncles.

Ax̱ éesh ḵu.aa Chookaneidí.

My father however, was Chookaneidí.

Shayadihéin has du dachx̱ánx'i yán

They have a lot of grandchildren

Kaagwaantaanx̱ siteeyi aa.

that are Kaagwaantaan.

Á áwé,

And that,

{du} du {wé}kashxeedí kát nax̱atóow áwé,

his, his writing, when Iʼm reading it,

ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ daa yaa ḵushuwsigéi.

I really understood it.

What I was going to do, it became clear to me. So Iʼm still writing on the Lingít. I help a lot of people, like these guys, they, they, um, I proof read for him. Áaa. [Laughter] I check out his work. He, heʼs real good. He writes good Tlingit. And ah, so does she. She writes good Tlingit too. And um, {Seli} Selina, she teaches students. So, all of them, all of these people are good {l} workers on Tlingit. {Theyʼre} theyʼre doing all they can for Tlingit.

Yes.

So I, Roby Littlefield?

Hm?

Roby Littlefield, too?

Oh, Yeah. Roby Littlefield, too.

Ethel Makinen.

Ethel Makinen and, ah, Vida Davis from Sitka. And um, I donʼt know who else. {I} I canʼt think of them any more, my mindʼs, Satóokʼ? Huh? Satóokʼ?

Satóokʼ.

Satóokʼ? Oh, yes. Of course.

Linda.

Linda Belarde. Yeah.

Keri. Keri. Keri Edwards.

Oh, yes. Keri Edwards is a linguist. Ahhuh. She made that dictionary. So, thatʼs Jimmy, with all these people helping, we have got to help them too. We have to help those who are helping our kids. So that they could go farther, so we could all advance, more, into what weʼre trying to do.

Yéi ákwshé?

Is that right?

Mhm.

Yes.

Gunalchéesh.

Thank you.

Gunalchéesh. Gunalchéesh. Aaa, gunalchéesh. Yeah.

Thank you.

Yéi áyáx̱ á,

Thatʼs right,

sh x̱adinook.

thatʼs my feelings.

Tle yóox̱, ch'a goosá at x̱wagoodí x̱aa.áx̱ji aa.

Wherever I walk I can hear them.

Tle áx̱, á áx̱, x̱ánx' aa yei yáaxʼ, áa yei yá,

It is as if it is [they are] with me,

áwé a yáx̱ yatee. Mmm.

it is like that.

Ax̱ yéet tsú, du kaa yán {wu} yú du káa yóo toowa.oo.

My son also, we put it on him.

We skóolx' ḵoo at latéewu aa,

The one that was teaching in the school,

daséigu yan shoowatán wé áyá yá cancer wéi át yú a giyú.

he had cancer and it killed him.

Wé ash yaawadlaaḵ. Mmm.

Thatʼs what beat him. [Agreement]

Gwál,

Maybe,

I was looking for what his name gí yá.???

I was looking for what his name ???

Mhm.

['Agreement']

I was looking for that Katzeek.

Are you going to do some more?

I couldnʼt.

Tlél du saayí kát x̱at seiwux'aakw.

I didnʼt forget his name.

Áwé a yóo,

So,

I was trying to, weʼre trying to get peacemaker. We couldnʼt do a peacemaker here.

['pacemaker???']

Mhm.

And that lady we got, she never said anything. She just, she just keep quiet.

Introduce myself first? I, Iʼll be English first. No?

Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱.

['At shooḵ']

['Laughter']

Ax̱ toowú yak'éi yáax' yéi haa wooteeyí, yá lingít yoo x̱'atángi.

Iʼm happy we are here for the Tlingit language.

Ḵut kei ntoog̱íx'i.

We are losing it.

Ḵunáx̱ ax̱ toowú yak'éi has du een,

Iʼm really thankful to be with them,

yáaxʼ, daḵká aa {haa} haa x̱oonx'í yán,

here, with our inland relatives

has du yoo x̱'átángi tsu tusakóo aadé yóo s x̱ʼali.átgi yé.

so we can still know the way they talk.

Ḵa haa yoo x̱'atángi has ag̱a.aax̱t.

And so they can hear our language.

Haa yátx'i jeeyís

For our children

haat ḵuwtuwatín.

we traveled here.

Has du daa, has tusax̱ánich.

Around them, because we love them.

K'idéin {ḵ} ḵustí áx̱ has g̱ateet haa yátx'i.

So our children can live well here.

Has du ée tulatóowu haa,

Weʼre teaching them our,

haa Lingít

our Tlingit

ḵusteeyí,

way of life,

haa atx̱aayí,

our food,

aadé sh yáa awudanéiyi yé.

the way to be respectful to each other.

A yáa ayatuwanéiyi yé, {ay}

How we respect

yá toox̱á át,

the food that we eat,

ḵa yá haa aaní.

and our land.

Aadéi a daa haa tuwateeyi yé has ax̱sakóo,

How we feel about it so they can know it, [How we care about it]

haa yátx'i.

our children.

Ch'a yeisú áyá g̱unéi wuduwatee ḵúnáx̱ has du jeeyís yá haa yoo x̱'atángi.

They just started going forward with our language for them.

Haa tuwáa sigóo

We want

k'idéin has awuskoowú

them to really know it

tsu k'idéin ḵustí áyá has akg̱watee haa yátx'i.

so they can live a good life, our children.

Has ḵut kei na.at aa,

the ones that are going wayward, [getting lost,]

aax̱ has akg̱watee.

so they will pick it up.

{ha} Aadéi haa wdudziwádi yé,

The way we were brought up,

has du een kanax̱tooneekt.

so we can tell them.

Haa een dáx̱ yáa has agux̱sakóo.

They will learn from us.

K'idéin has awuskoowú aadé ḵududziteeyí yé káax';

[So] they really know well the way people live;

k'idéin has agux̱sakóo.

theyʼll know it well.

Yak'éi x̱áawé!

Thatʼs good! [Well said!]

Uháan tsú haat ḵuwusteeyí.

We also are the same way here.

Tsú

Also

sh yáa awudané tóonáx̱.

by respecting oneself.

Churchx̱ kei x̱at wududziwát.

I was brought up in the church.

Sheldon Jacksondé ḵux̱waateen.

I traveled to Sheldon Jackson.

Ch'as choir tóox' at shí ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo.

I just loved singing in the choir.

Ach áwé yá Lingít sheeyí x̱áat tsú ax̱ tuwáa sigóot x̱asheeyí.

Thatʼs why I like to sing Tlingit songs. [to sing in Tlingit.]

Ch'a yeisú yaa nax̱sakwéin k'idéin.

Now Iʼm still learning it well.

Ax̱ aayí tsú, t'áa x̱ʼáakde wooxeex yáx̱ wooneix̱,

My language also kind of fell on the wayside, it was saved

aadéi x̱át wududlitoowu yé.

[by] the way I was taught.

Haa yátx'ich k'idéin has ax̱sakóo.

Our children let them know it well.

Ḵúnáx̱ wé sgoolx' has x̱alatínch wé yátx'i.

I really watch the children at the school.

K'únáx̱ has du tuwáa sigóo Lingít x̱'éináx̱,

They really like it in the Tlingit language,

at shí ḵa al'eix̱.

the singing and dancing.

Yak'éi áwé.

Thatʼs good.

Tlél áx' yéi x̱wagoot x̱át ḵu.aa, wé sgóon.

Me though, I didnʼt go to school.

Ch'a x̱át ax̱ sgóoni x̱wasikóo.

I had my own school. [I was self taught. Just me, my school I knew it.]

Yéi x̱áawé has ḵoowdzitee, haa shuká aa.

You see, that's how they lived, our forefathers.

Ch'as {yát} has du yátx'i aadé s awsix̱áni yé,

How they loved their children,

has du atx̱aayí,

their food,

k'idéin {ḵu} ḵustí {ha}aax̱ has akg̱ateet.

so they can have a good life.

«Haa dachx̱ánx'i yán jeeyís,» ch'a tlákw yóo x̱wa.áx̱jin, has du yoo x̱'atángi. Mhm.

"For our grandchildren,"I always used to hear, their language. [Agreement]

Aag̱áa yakʼéi.

Thatʼs good.

Tle has du jeedáx̱ {haa wduwa} has du latséen, hás yoo jeet awduwateeyi yéi á yáx̱ yatee.???

Then itʼs like they took their strength away.

Can I revert to English? Me again?

Háaw! Yak'éi ix̱wsateení!

Well! Itʼs good to see you.

X̱át tsú, ax̱ toowú yák'éi ix̱wsateení.

Me too, Iʼm happy to see you.

Ḵa Bessie tsú, ḵúnáx̱.

And Bessie also, very much.

Mmhm. Ch'as dáx̱náx̱ yeewáanx̱ siteeyí áwé, k'idéin yee x̱wasikóo.

[Agreement] Just the two of you, I know you well.

Mhm.

['Agreement']

Wa.é, aadé gí gax̱yeeḵóox̱, wa.é tsú,wé Téslin?

You, are you going to drive out there, you also, to Teslin?

Aaá.

Yes.

Téslindé gax̱tooḵóox̱.

Weʼre going to drive to Teslin.

{Yá} Yá haadéi yaa nagút, ḵutaan,

This summer that is coming,

haa wuduwa.éex', x̱áawé, Celebration.

weʼre invited, you know, to the Celebration.

Mhm.

['Agreement']

Goox' sá yakg̱waxéex?

Where is it going to happen?

Yáax', yú.á yakg̱waxéex gushé.

Here, they say, itʼs going to be, maybe.

Teslin?

{Chʼu} Ch'u yeis dáx̱ tlél yáa haa x̱oox̱ x̱wagoot, ḵa yú Teslin yú.á.

Since fall time I havenʼt come by us, and Teslin. [I havenʼt been among us.]

Ax̱ ḵáakwt uwaneiyí áyá.

This is when my accident happened. [She had a stroke.]

Aag̱áa ka??? Aahah. chʼa haa dáx̱??? náḵ x̱wagoodí.

That's when [agreement] I walked away. [And then after that I left everything behind.]

Ch'a ax̱ séek' s áwé yan has awsinéi wé s du eedi ká.

My daughters fixed [finished] their bedroom.

Kei kg̱wak'éi ḵúnáx̱ wé Celebration,

The celebration will be really good

áaa, woosh de tuda.aadí.

yes, when we come together.

Mhm.

['Agreement']

Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa sigóo nooch haa x̱ánt has ḵuwuteení.

I always really like it when they come by us.

Has du at sheeyí ḵa has du naa.ádi.

Their singing and their clothing.

Mhm.

['Agreement']

Áwé, {ya yi yee} s iyatéen á wéitʼaa

You recognize them there

has du l'aakx'í.

by their dresses.

Mhm.

Yes.

Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ waaḵ alshát. Sheet'ká áax̱ aa áyá yáat'aa.

It really catches my eye. This one is from Sitka. [Referring to the robe she is wearing.]

Axʼ ḵóo at x̱alatéewu gé wéit,

My teaching there, perhaps,

ḵu.a, k'ídéin has du tóog̱aa wootee.

however they really appreciated it.

Tle x'óow has aawaḵáa.

They sewed a blanket.

Ax̱ jeet wuduwa.áx̱.

They gave it to me. [It was given to me.]

Yáa tsú, yáx̱ ch'a tlákw has du een yéí jix̱waaneiyí.

This too, it's like I always worked with them.

Tle s'áaxw ax̱ jéet has aawaḵáa tle

They made [sewed] a hat for me when

ax̱ yéet yú ká yánde yaa nanéin áwé; ax̱ jeet wuduwatée.

my son passed away, they gave it to me.

Whereʼs that hat? Mm. Try and tuck it around me but, [Laughter]

{oo ḵook}ḵóok too yéi has aya.oo.

they put it in a box.

Tom? Where are you?

Iʼll find somebody. You want the hat.

Yeah. To get it.

Yee yéi adaayaḵá has du yáa??? kax̱wa.aaḵw ch'a tlákw has du éexʼ x̱altéewu.

They tell you I try to teach them all the time.

Mm.

Has du x̱án haat x̱waagoodí ch'as Lingít x̱'éináx̱ has du éen yóo x̱ʼali.átk'.

When I come by them here just the Tlingit language with them they speak.

X̱át ḵu.á, tle ax̱ jeex' kei naldzéen tle ch'as dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱.

Me though, now itʼs getting hard for me when itʼs only white manʼs language. [because I only hear, or speak, English.]

Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo mhm déi yoo x̱'atánk.

I really like this language now. [I want this language now.]

Mhm.

['Agreement']

X̱át uwa tu wáa tóo ??? wé at.oowú.???

Me, I ???

Tlax̱ ax̱ shantú dáx̱ ḵut gagútch.

It always leaves my mind. [It always gets lost in my mind.]

Oh, wáa sá yei yakḵwaḵáa?

Oh, how am I going to say it?

Aah, yóotʼát has du een kanḵaneek.

Oh, I should tell them about that thing. [Oh, let me tell them about that thing.]

Tle, hóochk'!

Then, no more.

Ch'a,

Um,

ax̱ léelk'w hás

my grandparents

ch'a yéi {s}

just

keijín táakwx̱ x̱at siteeyí woonaa, ax̱ léelk'w.

when I was five my grandparent died.

Kaagwaantaan yádi áyá x̱át.

Iʼm a child of the Kaagwaantaan.

Teiḵweidí dachx̱án.

A Teiḵweidí grandchild.

Ax̱ káak ḵu.aa, Yeilnaawú yóo dusáagun,

My uncleʼs name was Yeilnaawú .

ḵa Áayaax̱.

and Áayaax̱.

Ax̱ {tla} tláa ḵu.aa, Aanshaawátk'i.

My mother though, Aanshaawátk'i.

Ax̱ tláak'w ḵu.aa,

My little mother [my aunt, my motherʼs sister] though,

K'ax̱tsóow.

Yú at has du x̱'ax̱aa.áx̱jin,

I used to hear them there,

yú daḵká aa, haa x̱oonx'í yán.

over there, our relatives from the interior.

X̱át, l x̱wasakú daaḵw.aa sáwé daa yoo s x̱'ali.átk yóo x̱a.áx̱jin, mhm,

Me, I didnʼt know what it was they were talking about that I heard, [agreement]

daḵká aa.

the interior ones.

Mhm.

Yes.

Shayadihéin yáat'aa káxʼ áwé,

Thereʼs a lot of them [came] here,

tle wooshdáx̱ gé yaa ḵuwusdaaḵ.

then maybe they settled apart from each other.

Yeah.

Ách áwé shayadihéin yá ḵu.oo yá daaḵ ḵu.oo.

Thatʼs why there are so many people in the interior.

K'ei aadéi has yaawaḵaayi yé.

That's how they told it.

Gee!

Chush [inaudible] Du sháax̱ g̱atí.

[Inaudible] Put it on her head.

Yéi áwé.

Thatʼs it.

Beautiful.

How does

Daa á áwé.

Itʼs ermine.

Daa áwé, ch'a ldakát aa.

All of it is white ermine.

What?

Daa. Weasel?

Weasel.

Ooo, hél Lingít x̱'éináx̱ x̱wasakú.

Ooh, I didn't know it in Tlingit.

Wéitʼát, a áx̱ gíyú ḵu.a ax̱ jeet {daa sá} wáa sá duwasáakw wéit.át wé asíyá?

That thing given to me, what is it called, perhaps?

Áaa.

Yes.

Yáat'át gé?

This thing?

Áaa.

Yes.

(Hél) x̱wasakú.

I donʼt know.

X̱'adaadzaayí shákdé?

Whiskers maybe? [Sealion]

Aaá. Áaa. {xʼ yú at} ee x̱'adaadzaayí duwa...

Yes, itʼs its whiskers.

Taan x̱'adaadzaayí.

Sealion whiskers.

Taan x̱'adaadzaayí.

Sealion whiskers.

Mmm.

Yes.

Yáat'aa ḵu.aa,

This one though,

We used to use taan x̱'adaadzaayí.

We used to use sealion whiskers.

tle x̱'anáḵ ḵut sá gagútch yáat'aa.

the name of this left me. [the name of this always gets lost, doesnʼt it.]

Áaa, gunx̱aa.

Yes, abalone.

Gunx̱aa.

Abalone.

Ax̱ waaḵ alshát.

Itʼs holding my eyes.

{Kʼidéin haat yah yee eexʼ hás}

K'idéin haa wé {ee}eexʼ latóow yoo x̱'atánk, yóo x̱at has daayaḵá.

She is really teaching us the language well, theyʼre telling me.

{Haa} Haa éet yidashée, wéi ch'a aa sá áaa yéi wooneeyi haa éet yidasheeyí.

You are helping us, yes, just whoever [everyone], you are helping us.

Ách áwé ax̱ jeet has aawatee.

Thatʼs why they gave it to me.

Yá {a díx̱' yáaxʼ} a díxʼ ḵu.aa, yá

On the back of it, however, this

Yáat yisak???

Here, do you know???

gé ch'a aa, g̱úḵl'i doogú áwé á yéi dulxʼóolʼ.

do you know, if itʼs swan skin there they pluck?

Swan.

Wow!

Yá, under, under here.

This, under, under here.

But this one here is.

Some of them.

Daa.

Weasel. [ermine]

You could find them in...

Daaḵ.

The interior.

That ermine is pretty much.

Yeah. You have. {No} No more.

Tle hóoch'k'.

No more.

Mhm.

They gave it to me one year when, ah, they tell me, "You have done so much for the Tlingit people here." Thatʼs why they gave it to me.

Shakee.át. Áaa.

Headdress.

Daa sáyá?

What is this?

Gushé daat ḵu.a; yán gíwé yéi utí.

I donʼt know [this] however, perhaps it is hemlock.

Itʼs a wolf.

Daaḵw naax̱ sá isitee?

What clan are you?

Yanyeidí.

Yanyeidí sháa.

Yanyeidí woman.

Chʼa á ḵux̱wasteeyí Sʼigax̱sháakʼw yóo x̱at has oowasáa aax̱ ax̱ tláa.

At my birth there they named me Sʼigax̱sháakʼw, from my mother.

Ch'u ax̱ tláa du ká yá, du ká yik.ádi ḵu.aa tootí áwé, haa éekʼ

When we put the headstone on my mother, however our brother

yóo x̱at has ayawsiḵaa,

they said to me,

{Yú haa haa} «Ax̱ tláa saayí,

"My motherʼs name,

gé tlél wáa sá utí i jeet wutooteeyí?»

would it be okay if we give it to you?"

«Yak'éi x̱áawé,» yóo daayax̱aḵá.

"Thatʼs good," I told him.

Wé áwé háat yei has x̱at áwé has ayawsiḵaa,

And here they said to me,

«Seidayaa áwé yóot.»

"This is Seidayaa."

Tle ch'á tle ax̱ tle ch'as át áyá x̱aa.óo x̱uk.???

Now I just always use that one.

Ḵúnáx̱ g̱ooch. Mhm.

A real wolf. Yes.

Yanyeidí.

Wolf clan.

{Tsu,}

Also,

Tsu seig̱án tsú {yoo} yoo x̱ʼagax̱tula.áat kwshé.

And again tomorrow too, perhaps weʼll talk.

Mhm.

Yes.

X̱'akḵwawóos' áwé. Daa sá?

I'll ask. What?

Seig̱án tsu yoo x̱'agax̱tula.áat.

Tomorrow weʼll talk again.

Aah. Are we going to talk again tomorrow?

Different subject. [At shooḵ]

['Laughter']

Jitterbug. Lingít ... [At shooḵ]

['Laughter']

Wáang̱aneens yóot áyá kg̱watée, yéidu g̱aa yatee. ???

Sometimes that one will be, it will be okay.???

See folks, áwé {ga} gax̱toox̱éix'w. Mhm.

See folks, and we will sleep. Yes.

Kei at gax̱tooshée.

Weʼll sing.

Ya, we can call it a day and start again tomorrow.

Get the words from your sister, Seig̱óot. On your computer. I will. Thatʼll be something to record. Names of the month in Lingít. Áaa.

Ḵunalgóos'.

It is getting cloudy.

Ḵusi.áat' áyá gé? August aa áyá ḵuyatee,

Itʼs cold isnʼt it? This is August weather,

ch'a aan ḵusi.áat'.

yet itʼs cold.

Ayawditee yáx̱ ḵuyatee, ḵusi.áat'.

Itʼs kind of windy weather, and cold.

Ḵuwdigwás'. Xóon ḵuwdigwás'.

Fog. North wind [and] itʼs foggy.

Áatlein áyá yéi yatee.

Atlin is like this.

Wé héendáx̱ gé á tlax̱ ayáx̱ ḵoosi.aat'. Tléixʼ dís.

From the water isnʼt it, thatʼs why itʼs cold. Month 1.

Déix̱ dís.

Month 2.

Nás'k dis.

Month 3.

Daax'oon dís.

Month 4.

Keijín dís.

Month 5.

Tleidooshú dís.

Month 6.

Dax̱adooshú dís.

Month 7.

Nas'gadooshú dís.

Month 8.

Gooshúḵ.

Jinkaat dís, jinkaat ḵa tléix'.

Month 10, 11.

Tleiḵáa. One man.

20.

Násʼk jinkaat. Thirty.

30.

Nás'k jinkaat.

30.

Nice.

This is good, but weʼve got to have the Lingít names.

I remember March. I think March is

At Gadax̱eet Dísi. Daa sá?

At Gadax̱eet Dísi, the Month When Animals are Born. [The month when animals give birth, literally "breeding".]

At Gadax̱eet Dísi.

The Month When Animals are Born. [Give Birth, Breed]

Which one?

March.

Yeah, I think it is.

Aag̱áa áwé, X'éig̱aa Kayaaní Dísi.

And then the Real Plants Month. [literally: "Month of true plant budding when land plants begin to bud and sprout. Month of green plants."

Kayaaní Dísi. Mhm.

Plant Month. Yes.

It sounds like [at shooḵ]

['chuckles']

Yeah. Swanton has them.

I think April would be Kayaaní Dísi.

I think April would be Plant Month.

Yeah.

Itʼs either April?

Is it April?

Áaa, gwál yé.

Yes, likely.

Dei wutuwaḵoox̱.

We already drove.

Táakw ḵa yeis {yee s sh} yee shuxʼw... ???

Winter and autumn... ??? the first

...á de. Kóoshdaa tléig̱u.

['first] now. Watermelon berries. [Showing the word as it appears on the paper.']

I remember that.

Otters?

Mhm.

Yes.

Ḵóoshdaa tléig̱u?

Land otter berries? [Watermelon berries]

Mhm.

Yes.

Tle yóo {shaa} shaa

Then the mountains,

goochk'i sáani.

little hills.

Yóo dag̱aateech, tle ch'as yellow yáx̱ yatee {wé}wé

The ones that are up in the hills are just yellow, the

{wei} wé katléiḵw.

the berries.

I donʼt know which one

is kóoshdaa tléig̱u.

the land otter berry.

You canʼt eat it. Donʼt eat it. Yaa, I

know, but

Áyú, I see them. Yeah, Iʼve seen them.

Thereʼs one we used to

save it. There he is.

But then somebody told us you could

mash it with berries and eat it.

Kaxwéix̱. I want to get some this year, kaxwéix̱.

High bush cranberries,

Make kanéegwál'.

Make berry and salmon egg dish.

Who knows what kanéegwálʼ is?

Who knows what berry and salmon egg dish is?

I do.

What, whatʼs that? Do you guys make

kanéegwál'? Yeah.

berry and salmon egg dish?

Yeah. Aam,

cranberry kanéegwál'.

Cranberry and salmon egg dish.

O, kaxwéix̱. Áaa,

Oh, cranberries. [High-bush cranberries] Yes,

kaxwéix̱

Cranberries

ḵa shaax̱.

and grey currants.

Mhm. I like shaax̱.

Yes. I like grey currants.

I do too. I like shaax̱.

I like grey currants.

Wé T'aaḵú Héeni x̱ʼateix̱ áwé kaxwéix̱. Dáa sá?

By Taku River the grey currants grow. What?

T'aaḵú Héeni kaadé áwé x̱óx̱ kaxwéix̱. Oh,

By Taku River the cranberries grow.

honest! ???

Ch'u tle áwé {a a} á wéide chʼa yéi dáx̱ ḵuwditláa.

And theyʼre really thick towards there.

Chéeee!

Jee!

Tle yíndei shukawtudli.aadí oh ch'u tle

When we bend down

á x̱oodáx̱ tle wé

then, from among them,

ḵákw kaadéi too s awusitee, yéi daatoonéi. Chéee.

we put them into the basket, we do it. [thatʼs how we work on it.] Jee.

Tlél yóo aadéi yóo haa jín duxítʼ tóoxʼ á.

We canʼt sweep it with our hand, into it. [Too much for a handful.]

Too, itʼs too small.

Wé yíndei dulshádi áwé tle yóo

When they [the branches] are held down

wéit.át tayee s át hánee??? tle yoo aadé aa, ???

when you put your bucket underneath it,

a kaadéi tooleet.

we throw it in there.

Tlél tsu yei aawa.oo áwé tle ḵu.a "can" tle shawuheekch.

It doesnʼt take long there, however and the can gets full fast.

Chee.

Jee.

Yóot tsú yóo s... Gosh.

Over there also...

Sítka, I mean, ah,

Skagway tsú yéi áwé yatee. Áaa.

Skagway (they) are like that also.

Át wtuwaḵúx̱ ch'u tle yán de has ayakaawdzig̱át wé áwé

We drove there and then they piled them up [caught them???]

á wé s'íx'. Jee.

in that dish. Jee!

Wutuwa.ín tléiḵw.

We picked berries.

Áwé á

There

Teslint {sʼíxʼ} s'íx' daakeidí tlél shawutudihík. Mhm.

In Teslin, we didnʼt fill the [berry-picking] bowl. Yes.

Ch'as kaxwéix̱.

Only cranberries. [high-bush cranberries]

Áwé jóos aan yéi daatoonéi.

We make juice out of it.

Ah, hóoligan oil teen tsú yéi daadunéi.

They also use it with hooligan oil.

Mmm. Wáa sáwé duwasáakw? Kanálx̱i?

What is it called? Kanálx̱i.

Mhm.

['Agreement']

You guys, experts at it.

Kanálx̱í. (Kanálx̱i.) [at shooḵ]

Steamed berries. [steamed berries, usually high-bush cranberries]

I donʼt know whatʼs that.

I never knew about that one.

Hooligan oil.

Somebodyʼs always saying, "Yeah, we know about it."

Mhm.

Yes.

Stevens! Mrs. Stevens should know.

Yeah, Margaret?

Yeah. Yeah.

Mmmm.

Delicious.

Aax̱ áwé héen ts...

And from it water...

I donʼt have an idea how they do kanálx̱i.

kanálx̱i. [steamed berries, usually high-bush cranberries]

I see my grandma too, she, Itʼs simmered in, how itʼs,

sink it in cold, hot water.

Wéit'aa kahéeni áwé ḵu.a kaxwéix̱. Steam.

That juice, however, high-bush cranberries. Steam. [steamed berries, usually high-bush cranberries]

Ax̱ léelk'u, Laanaatk,

My grandmother, Laanaatk,

«Aax̱ yee.ín, áwé,

"You all pick them.

ch'a yeisú (gu)géink'x̱ sitee.

when itʼs still little.

Tlél yán kawut'á.»

It hasnʼt ripened yet."

Áwé áx̱ wutuwa.ín.

And so we picked it.

Tle áwé

And then

de s, stove pan-t kát yéi aawa.oo tlákw,

she always used a stove pan then,

yú kayaaní, tle héen káa yú a yéi awsinei tsú a kát,

the plants, then she put water also on them,

a kaadéi yei adaanéi.

and then she works on it. [she does it.]

Tle we {u} oven tóode awsin(ei) ch'a aadé aag̱áa shoogaa g̱aa akaawatée

She put it in the oven and then sugar for it she put on it

a kaax̱ tle aag̱aa s éen ??? chʼu tle aadáx̱ kaawatáa, wé {kaa} kaxwéix̱.

on it, and then they boiled??? the high-bush cranberries. ???

Oh, my.

Aan tle áwé kaxóogu.

Then it's dried.

Áwé kanálx̱i ákwé?

Is that the steamed berries? [steamed berries, usually high-bush cranberries]

Yeah.

Mhm. Oh, gee!

I wish you were in my house when I do mine. [At shooḵ] Iʼll just have to make kanéegwálʼ.

[Laughter] ...berry and fish (often salmon) egg pudding.

Yeah? Yeah.

My mother taught me. With, ah, salmon eggs.

Kanéegwál' aan yéi adaané wé ax̱ léelk'w.

My grandmother made the berry and fish egg pudding with it.

Children drumming and singing follows.

Some Tips

Symobls used in the transcription

Software Used

Usage notes from Alice Taff