This material is based on work supported by National Science Foundation grants BCS-0651787 and BCS-0853788 to the University of Alaska Southeast with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff as Principal Investigator and by National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship 266286-19 to Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Symobls used in the transcription

  • {false start}
  • (added for clarity)
  • [translator/transcriber's note]
  • ??? = can’t understand
  • «Lingít quotation marks»

Software Used

Time-aligned text for this video was accomplished using ELAN, Versions 6.0 (2020), 6.1 (2021), and 6.3 (2022) Nijmegen: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Language Archive. Retrieved from https://archive.mpi.nl/tla/elan

We use SLEXIL to render ELAN XML output as interactive web pages. Pronounced "sluck-HAIL", SLEXIL means daylight in the Lushootseed language, for which it was originally developed. The name may also be understod as an acronym: Software Linking ELAN XML to Illuminated Language.

SLEXIL is documented here, maintained on github, can be run interactively on the web, and is actively supported by Paul Shannon who welcomes your feedback.

To compare your pronunciation to that of the Tlingit elders, click on the microphone icon located at the right top of the main page. This opens the "RECORD YOURSELF" window in which you can record your own pronunciation of any line of interest.

Begin by clicking on the number of a line of an elder speaking. It may help to do this repeatedly, LISTENING more than reading, absorbing the sounds of their speech. (In English, we donʼt talk the same way a printed word is spelled. The same is true for Tlingít.)

When you're ready to record yourself, click RECORD in the "RECORD YOURSELF" window, then STOP, then PLAY. You can keep recording yourself with the same line and hear your pronunciation improving!

Usage notes from Alice Taff
Using a Macbook Air M4, Sequoia 15.5, the record-self works fine:
  1. with Firefox 140.0.2
  2. with Safari 18.5
  3. with Chrome 138.0.7204.158
Video Size
Tlingit Conversation #48

Speakers are Ḵeixwnéi Nora Marks Dauenhauer, Ḵaaxʼanshee or La.oos Tláa Ida Calmegane, Kaséix̱ Selina Everson, Lasaayí Emma Shorty, Gusʼdutéen Bessie Jim, Kaltín Susan Jim, and Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. Recorded August 14, 2010 at Carcross/Tagish First Nation Administration Building, Carcross, YT, Canada, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.
Tlingit transcription by Koolyeiḵ Roby Littlefield with Daasdiyaa Ethel Makinen. English translation by Kaaxwaan Éesh George Davis and Kaséix̱ Selina Everson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by Shag̱aw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom.
When we left the conference,
Conference dáx̱ wutoo.aadí,
that Robert McKinnon,
yú Robert McKinnon,
I read his book.
du x'úx'u áwé x̱waatóow̃.
The um,
Áwéi, am,
the one who told us the story,
haa een esh kawlineek, eh,
that sasquatch,
yú sésgwaach, {du}
whatʼs it called
máa sé duwasáakw
the creature that has a long tail?
{long a} du tl'eet liyáatʼi aa ét.
Monkey.
Aandaat kanahík.
Yeah, monkey!
Aa, aandaat kenehík!
{aan aan}
Monkey, uh huh.
Aandaat kenehígi, ah hah.
I used to tell my grandchildren the story about the monkeys.
Ax̱ dechx̱ánx'i een áwé x̱watláagun wé aandaat kenehígi. [ShÉDA: This is an interior story about "monkey people" that are very violent and agile. It exists to my knowledge in Yukon Territory as well as the Copper River Valley in AK.]
They say those monkeys,
Yóo has x̱'ayaḵá yóo áa, yóo aandaat kenehígi,
they take women
shaawát tóot {hes ele} hes ele.étch
and,
ḵa {i}
and,
ḵa
and little children too.
etyétxʼi sáani tsú.
Long ago, my father,
{chʼa yáakʼudé áwé} Ch'áagudé áwé, ax̱ éesh
left us
a haa náḵ woogoot
(with) my mother.
ax̱ tláa.
My father always used to talk to us.
Ax̱ éesh áwé ch'e tl'ákw haa een x̱'atáan nijín.
That's why, ah,
Éch x̱áawé, ah,
my mind would lose it. [It would leave my tongue.]
ax̱ l'óot' áwé ḵut gexíxch.
I think about it in vain,
Ch'a g̱ég̱aa ét {ḵa} tux̱wditaan yáat,
what people said.
{máa sé máa sé} máa sé ḵux̱ʼayaḵaayí.
Yes, he said
Aa, yóo áwé x̱'ayaḵá, {a}
they're fishing (with hook and line)
hes estʼeix̱
the land.
yóo aan.
It's called the Copper River.
Copper River {yóo ḵayóo} s yóo dusáakw.
That's when, um,
Á áwé, am,
the old lady
mé shawat.shaan
they don't dry the fish in the house.
neil {tíl aadé} tíl aadé x̱áat {aḵw} akg̱waxʼáanin.
That's why, um,
Éch x̱áawé, am,
inside, inside,
neil, neil aa,
they left her grandchild with her.
áwé du dachx̱ánkʼ du x̱án wududzinook.
"Donʼt leave your grandmother," they said (to the grandson).
«Tíl x'wán du náḵ yigoodí i léelkʼu,» yóo daayaduḵá.
"If she wants you to feed her see,
«E tuwáa segóowu du x̱'éix̱ {na} et neeteeyí x̱á,
fix anything for her.
chʼe daa sé du jiyís (yéi) yéi nesní ḵwáayáas.
Sit by her all the time," they told her.
Ch'a tlákw {du} du x̱án g̱eenú,» kwshé yéi daayaduḵá.
And then, uh, uh,
Á áwé a, a,
he wants snowshoes,
du tuwáa sigóo jáajee,
to build.
alyéix̱i.
He wants to build snowshoes.
Du tuwáa sigóo jáajee g̱walyéx̱.
And, uh, over there, uh,
And, a, yóo a,
it was on the mountain top.
shaa kát áwé.
He wanted to go to (the mountain top), so
Aadé du tuwáa sigóo woogoodí, {s} ch'a
he left, he went there and ah,
á áwé woogoot, aadéi woogoot and, uh,
He was telling grandma, "Iʼm going to go to that," uh, uh, um,
Du léelk'w yéi adaayaḵá, «Aadé kḵwagóot yú,» a, a, am,
What do you call birch tree?
Máa sé duwasáakw birch tree?
Red alder.
Shéix̱'w. [Shéix̱ʼw is red alder. At daayí is birch.]
Yeah. So he went for, Red alder
Aa. Á áwé léiḵ'w g̱áa woogoot, Shéix̱ʼw.
he went after red alder.
shéix̱'w g̱áa woogoot. And uh.
He told his grandmother,
Du léelk'u áwés yóo daayaḵá,
"I'm going there."
«Aadé kḵwagóot.» and, and, his, his uh.
His grandmother said, "Don't, don't,
Du léelk'w yéi x̱ʼayaḵá, «Tíl, tíl,
Just sit here, they said. When they come back here, then...
ch'a yéi {n} chʼa g̱anú yú.á. Yóo {t} haat has wu.aadí aag̱áa tsá {yi}...
Just here, sit here."
Ch'a yáax', yáaxʼ g̱anú.»
"You can watch me while I go there for the red alder (branches).
«X̱at, x̱at g̱ilitín yóoxʼ ét x̱waagoodí yú shéx̱ʼw g̱áa.
You will see me walking around over there," he said.
Yei ḵat g̱isatéen yóoxʼ ét x̱waagoot,» yóo x̱'ayaḵá.
So he went anyway. He went.
Ch'e aan áwé woogoot. Woogoot.
When they came home, the fishermen,
Neil hes áat áwé {wé} estʼéig̱u hés,
the ones who were drying fish,
yóo x̱áat {hes e} hes exʼáani aa,
when they came inside they asked her,
neil hes áat áwé yóo hes edaayaḵá,
"Where did your grandchild go?"
«Goodé sé woogoot wé i dechx̱ánk'?»
"Over there, um,
«Yóo, am,
up over there he went to get birch (red alder), he said, but I donʼt see him.
yú kínde áwé woogoot, shéḵ'w g̱áa ḵa yú.á, but ch'a aan ḵwá tíl x̱wasiteen.
I donʼt see him walking around."
Tíl x̱wasiteen {ét} ét woogoodí.»
Meadows or something, a what?
What?
Oh, muskeg.
O, sháchk.
In a muskeg.
Sháchgi ká áwé.
There, they, um,
Wéi, hes du, am,
thatʼs their land, where they put up fish.
hes du aaní sitee, hé x̱áat hes exʼáani yé.
That's it,
Á áwé, yóo, am, a
to the mountain top, uh,
shakéede, a,
mountain top.
shakée.
Hills?
Hills.
Gooch.
Hills.
Gooch.
Hills.
Gooch.
Hills.
Gooch {áw}
That place, they were around their home.
Wéit áwé, e neil daa sitee.
That's it, um,
{á} Á áwé, {am}
All of the
Ch'e ldekét {aadé am}
boys, toward him,
k'isáani du x̱ánde
they ran around there,
ét hes leewag̱ooḵ
the hills, the hills,
yú gooch, gooch, a,
the tops, all over the place.
shakée, ch'e ldekét yéi.
That's when, uh,
Á áwé, a,
they didnʼt find him.
{tíl du} tíl wuduwatʼee.
Then, then,
Ch'u tle, ch'u tle,
it looks like they scraped it.
ch'e wuduwaxásʼi yáx̱ yatee.
That's,
Á áwé {a}
that one person,
wéi tléináx̱ aa,
one man,
tléináx̱ ḵáa,
an old man
wudisháni.aa ḵáa
was walking around.
ét woogoot. {ét sh}
He always walks on the top of the mountain, and then,
Yú shaaká éhé ét negútch, aag̱áa tsé,
so after a long time, inside, and then,
á áwé chʼáagudé neil, áwé chʼu tle,
he heard a voice,
{e} et seiwa.ax̱,
"Ha, ha, ha," he heard, "Ha, ha, ha."
«He, he, he, he, he,» yá ḵudaaya(ḵá), «he, he, he, he.»
Hunh.
Háʼ.
So he went sneaking over.
Á áwé ch'u tle, a x̱ánde wudlitlʼóot.
What is that thing?
Daa séyú {yóo yóot e} yú ét?
Almost looked like a human,
Tlax̱ lingít tléinlí ooyaa.ú,
and he has a long tail.
ḵa du tl'eet tlein ḵudzitee.
Well!
Há!
A monkey!
Aandaat kanahík!
Yes, a monkey.
Aa, aandaat kenehík.
That, man
Áwéi {wéi a wé} wé ḵáa,
that boy,
wé yedák'w,
it was his head,
du shá áwé,
they were playing with it.
{hes du hes du ch}hes een hes eshkoolyét.
That's what they were laughing at.
{ach ach a} É áwé hes eshóoḵ.
When it escapes from them,
hes du jeedáx̱ {wudzi} nesgítji áwé,
they laugh.
hes eshuḵ neech.
The man watched it carefully, from far away,
K'idéin awlitín {yoo} yóotʼét {yoo du} yú ḵaa,
that old man.
yóo ḵáashaan.
When the dusk is coming,
Tle yaa ḵune.édi áwé,
that monkey,
yóo aandaat kenehígi,
he goes back into the mountain.
yóo shaa tóode {tóode} hes negútch.
All of their dens are there.
A ḵoowú chʼe ldekét yéi yatee.
They would go hunting that way, toward them.
{Aadé} Aadé hes du x̱ánde elʼóon neech.
And then,
Aag̱áa tsá,
they invited all the people.
hes {aa} aawa.éex' ch'e ldekét yóo {am, yóo am} ḵu.oo.
Then he said to them,
Áyá ḵa yéi edaayaḵá,
"When the moon comes out (on the first of the month), then
«Yáa a, a dísi {daak} daak uwagúdi, aag̱áa áwéi
those things, those monkeys,
yóotʼét, yóo aandaat kenehígi,
wonʼt leave their cave.
tíl {aadáx̱} du ḵoowú tóodáx̱ hes ne.étch.
When dusk is coming,
Yaa ḵune.édi áwé, ch'u tle
they come to their cave.
hes du ḵoowú {nee hes} hes ne.étch. {tlax̱...}
There, um,
Yóo, am,
if we make a fire in their cave,
ḵʼaan {we too} yéi wtuseneiyí hes du ḵoowú,
and then the, um, smoke
aag̱áa tsá, yú, am, smoke? How you say "smoke?"
Smoke.
S'eiḵ.
The smoke,
Yú ts'eiḵ,
they'll go to them with it.
hes du x̱oodé kg̱wagóot.
Then we like
Aag̱áa tsé haa tuwáa sigóo
a big hill,
gooch tlein,
the den
{yóo am} yóo et ḵoowú,
out from inside of it, all of them, all of them.
e g̱eináḵ, ch'e ldekét, oo chʼe ldekét.
There were many dens on that mountain, they say.
E ḵoowú sheedihéin yú.á e ḵoowú wéitʼaa wéi shaa ká.
Thatʼs what happened,
And a,{yéi de áwé has wudli} yéi áwé,
they called all of those monkeys.
{hes du hes du ah} hes du jeex' yóo aandaat kenehígi {hes du a a} hes aawa.éen.
That's why there's none around here anymore.
Ách x̱áawé tlél yéi ét yéi yatee yaax' ye yeedét.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Thank you.
Gunalchéesh!
I'll tell you about this one.
I een áyá kḵwalaneegí.
Do you know about the Tlʼanaxéedáḵw?
Yóo át gé ysikóo Tl'anaxéedáḵw?
No.
Lucky Lady. Aaá. Yeah.
That's how
Á áwé,
maybe we have to turn this off, it's going to be off color!
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
So, so, um,
Áwé, áwé, am,
when they tell it they ask questions.
kadulneegí áwé we [video break] ??? st'íx'ch.
Once in a while they see it when they're doing something.
Wáa ḵudunoogú sáwé yei dustínch yú.
They explained it to him thoroughly.
Áwé du een kawduwaneek tle k'idéin.
"Well this is what Iʼm going to do," he said, "Iʼm going to see the Lady of Luck."
«Ha yéi kḵwasgéet,» yú.á, «yei kḵwasateen Tlʼanaxéedáḵw.»
So one time,
Áwé tleidahéen áwé,
everybody went hunting, the men.
al'óon {ḵu ḵukaw} ḵukawdik'éet', ḵáax'w.
Then,
Áwé,
they said somebody should play the part of Tl'enaxéedaḵw for that man.
Tlʼanaxéedáḵwx̱ sh g̱adulyeix̱ít has yaawaḵaa du yís.
He went around making noise. The Lady of Luck has a baby on her back,
Át sawdzi.aax̱. Tl'anax̱éedáḵ'w ḵu.aa béibee áwé du díx̱' káwu á,
itʼs just right on her skin.
tle du {dook} dooktín yatee.
She would croon to shush the baby.
Áwé ax̱'awoo.áaych. You know what that is?
Thatʼs what it sounds like.
Lullabye, a-a-a-a-á, a-a-a-a-á. Yéi áwé du.ax̱ji nuch.
That's what he heard.
Áwé aseiwa.áx̱.
"People will only see it if they have taken all of their clothes off," the tell him. [Laughter]
«Ch'as ḵaa naa.ádi náatx̱ kawdujeilí áwé yei gax̱dustéen,» yóo daayaduḵá. [At.shooḵ]
So he tore off his clothes as he was walking along.
Áwé náatx̱ adas'éil' du naa.ádi ch'a áx̱ yaa nagut yé.
He took his clothes off right in the place where he was searching.
Chʼa áx̱ yaa ḵunashin yéixʼ áwé náadáx̱ yéi adaané.
So, ha, when they got tired of (the ruse), {the man that was being tricked}
Áwé, hàa, has x̱'adaxwéitl áwé déi, {we trick-x̱ dulyex̱ ká}
the man that was tricking somebody,
trick-x̱ ḵulayex̱ ḵáa,
he put his rear end up on a log [Laughter]
x̱áaw káa kéi tux̱'awdzitée [At.shooḵ]
meeting right up with the path that he was going to walk to come back! [Laughter]
ḵúnáx̱ aadé haadé kg̱wagut yé kagéi! [At.shooḵ]
He was looking at him naked! [Laughter]
Kaldaag̱ákw áwé ash latín! [At.shooḵ]
There was something right by his butt! [Laughter]
Du tóoḵ déin at satéen! [At.shooḵ]
Thatʼs all there is to it.
Yéi áwé kaawagei.
Yeah, he wanted to go after the Lady of Luck. [Laughter]
Yeah, Tlʼanaxéedáḵw áwé aag̱áa tuwatee. [At.shooḵ]
I heard men tell this story. [Laughter]
You know, um, years ago, we never thought of bad stuff. They tell it among ourselves. And now we have to keep it away from women and children. But when I was growing up it was all, everybody could hear it. Oh, I woke you up.
No, itʼs ok.
Yeah, thatʼs a, I, I get kind of stuck sometimes when I was trying to talk. But I guess it was ok?
Itʼs fine! You did a good job.
Thank you.
Gunelchéesh.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Gunelchéesh.
It's very good.
Ḵúnáx̱ yak'éi.
Land otter man stories. [supernatural]
She did the kooshdaaḵáa stories. Two of them.
There was two, wasnʼt there?
Yeah and the way they used to tell us like when we were growing up all the time and, just play around by the house, donʼt go far away and stuff. Donʼt go by yourself anyplace. Because somebody might come to see you and they said this, ah, kooshdaaḵáa. He has the ability to change himself into, [video break] they say that, they said,
We share names though.
Yeah.
We share names.
The Deisheetaan? Was she Deisheetaan?
I think she was Deisheetaan. She was from Angoon.
Yeah, yeah.
And she lived behind our house.
Yeah. Mhm.
So heʼs a clan brother, not the real brother, eh?
Yeah. Heʼs a clan brother but um, how did it work anyway?
Yeah. Clan brothersʼ wives are
in-law,
káani,
Yeah.
In-laws.
Káani yán.
Yeah.
In-laws,
Káani yán, when thereʼs more than {two} one. You were using it.
my in-laws.
Yeah, yeah, ax̱ káani.
my in-law
I introduced to you,remember, ax̱ káani, in, in Haines? Yeah.
My
Ax̱ Tlingit Oxford Dictionary I told them.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
I drag it around all the time.
Ét x̱waax̱óotʼ all the time.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Sheʼs the one that said I spoke Oxford Tlingit.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Yeah.
That was after I read, uh, oratory, Lingít oratory.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ] Well itʼs', ' [video break']
If she hadnʼt gotten angry, that thing would have, And, my mother used to imitate how, how it spoke too. Ready?
Go ahead.
Góok.
I like how you told that story but there's another about the Land Otter Man.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo wé aadé sh kaydlineegi yé wé Kooshdaaḵáa daat.
My mother used to tell us that
Ax̱ tláach haa een kalaneegín,
so that we would be instructed,
haa yanax̱dujeet,
so that we could live well, so that we would listen to what they had to say,
k'idéin ḵug̱aax̱toosteet, has du x̱'éit g̱atusa.aax̱t,
they used to tell us stories.
haa een has sh kalneegín.
My grand(mother)
Ax̱ léelk'w áwé
went berry picking with her mother
ḵuk'éet' du tláa een {ḵa du aat du}
{her paternal aunts and her}
{du aat hás ḵa du} how do you say her aunt there?
her maternal aunts.
du tláak'w hás.
They were picking berries, "Sit down in the boat right now. Donʼt even go anywhere at all. Sit still."
Ḵuk'éet', «Ch'a yáakʼw yáa yaakw yée g̱anú. Hél tsu goodé sá yoo eegútguḵ. Tliyéixʼ g̱anú.»
I wonder how old that girl was, she was a young girl still, she was about so small.
X'oon táakwx̱ sákwshé sitee, ch'a yeisú yées shaatk'átsk'u, yéi kwsigéink'.
When she got exhausted, she said,
Wulsaag̱í áwé tle yéi yaawaḵáa,
"Mom,
«Atléi,
let me go over there!"
wéit kwshé ḵagoot!»
"Wooo!" [The aunts acknowledge with this call.]
«Wóoo!»
Like an OK sign. She got ??? jumped out of the boat.
She jumped out of the boat and (started)
Wé yaakw yíkdáx̱ kei wjik'én tle
running.
yaa nashíx.
"Where are you, Mom?"
«Goosú wa.é, Atléi?»
"Woooo."
«Wóooo.»
It was actually leading her
{tle} Tle yaa ash shunagút ásíwé
up into the woods.
{dáḵ} dáaḵde.
She ran so far she began to get angry.
{t'aa} Wáa {ng̱a} yoo kanéi sáwé x'áant uwanúk.
"Why are you all leaving me so far behind?"
«Wáanáx̱ sáwé tlax̱ yéi ax̱ náḵ {yaa yina yaa yan yaa yina} yaa nay.át?»
"Shhhhh!
«Jáa!
(Walk faster)." [whispering]
Ch'u tle tlax̱ ??? tláakw.»
It was imitating her mother,
Du tláax̱ sh wudliyéx̱,
saying to her, "walk faster."
{yéi xaayí} yéi ash daayaḵá, "walk faster."
At that point, she kept falling onto the ground.
Aag̱áa áwé tsá tle anax̱ yei isgítch.
Then she was frightened.
Aag̱áa akawdlix̱éetlʼ.
Her mother told her
Du tláach du een kaneegín
things can turn themselves into people.
ḵóox̱ at sh ilyéx̱x̱.
When she reached the beach,
Wé éeḵt ishéex áwé,
they were hoarse from yelling for her.
tle tsu has du seitóox̱ kaawakísʼ du eeg̱áa.
After her
Du eeg̱áa
They were calling a lot.
Has du.ix' nich.
They were hollering around looking for her.
Du eeg̱áa ḵus.éex'.
Did I say that right? Maybe.
Ayáx̱ ák.wé x̱waasáa? Gwál yé.
Some of the Tlingit words just get away from my mouth, just like you folks.
Tle ax̱ x̱'anáḵ ḵut kei {a saa} agútch wé Lingít yoo x̱'atángi ch'a yee yáx̱ áwé.
I just forgot what it was going to be called.
Tle, tle a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw aadé gax̱dusaayi yé.
Itʼs really something, I even tend to forget my own name these days.
Ḵateeyí chʼa ax̱ saayí tle a káx̱ x̱at sexʼaaḵw de yeedát ḵu.aa.
OK. Thatʼs the, thatʼs the kóosh{daa}.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Iʼm G̱aanax̱teidí.
Iʼm G̱aanax̱teidí.
G̱aanax̱teidí?
Yeah.
You guys going to ??? with us?
Yeah, come on!
Should we move?
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Might as well laugh together.
G̱aanax̱teidí. Thatʼs how we say it, but if you say it.
Yeah.
There's G̱aanax̱teidí and G̱aanax̱.ádi.
Well whatʼs the difference between G̱aanax̱teidí and G̱aanax̱.édi.
Itʼs a, old people, old people
Yeah, their pronunciation was different.
Yeah, thatʼs what it is.
But our sounds are changing.
They might be from different local areas.
Yeah, so different.
G̱aanax̱.ádi, itʼs from Taku.
G̱aanax̱.ádi itʼs from Taku.
G̱aanax̱teidí is from Klukwaan.
G̱aanax̱teidí is from Tlákw.aan.
Oooh.
Smitty (Katzeek).
Then itʼs the same?
Itʼs the same.
Yeah, uh, theyʼre both Raven.
Yeah, thatʼs what I mean, itʼs the same. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Just like Lukaax̱.ádi and then thereʼs Lʼuknax̱.ádi.
Sometimes they mistake them for each other.
Lukaax̱.édi and G̱aanax̱.édi? Yeah.
Lukaax̱.ádi is mine.
Oh, yeah.
And G̱aanax̱.ádi is, uh, somebody in there.
Weʼre surrounded.
Heʼs a,
dʼyou mean Norman?
That might be him. Alice, sheʼs our only Eagle. Heʼs Daḵlʼaweidí.
How do you say, "Sheʼs our only eagle,"?
Wáa sáyú duwasáakw, "Sheʼs our only eagle,"?
What is your name?
Wáa sé iduwasáakw?
What is your name?
Wáa sá iduwasáakw?
How...
Wáa sé...
is your name? Whatʼs your name?
iduwasáakw? Wáa sá iduwasáakw?
Tlingit language.
Lingít x̱'éináx̱.
Tlingit language.
Lingít x̱'éináx̱.
['name']
Gusʼatéen.
['name']
Goos'atéen?
They can see the clouds.
Góos' ayatéen.
They can see the clouds.
Góos' ayatéen.
They can see the clouds.
Góos' ayatéen.
Clouds. They can see the clouds.
Goosʼ. Goos' ayatéen.
They can see the clouds.
Góos' ayatéen.
She said, "Cloud." Cloud. She sees the clouds.
She said, «Góosʼ.» Góosʼ. Góosʼ ayatéen.
How about you, whatʼs your Tlingit name?
We.é déi máa sé iduwasáakw Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱?
['name']
Kaséix̱. Kaseix̱,
Deisheetaan. Deisheetaan. [Clan name]
Deisheetaan. Deisheetaan.
Shaax̱aatk'í is also my name.
Shaax̱aatk'í yóo tsú x̱at duwasáakw.
I'm also called Aanshaawátk'i.
Aanshaawátk'i yóo tsú x̱at duwasáakw.
But Kaséix̱ is the one I use.
Kaséix̱ ḵwá átx̱ x̱alayéix̱.
It was given to me from the time I was a baby.
Béibeex̱ x̱at sateeyídáx̱ ax̱ jeet wuduwatée.
Me too
X̱át tsú my grandma she gave me a name. She had two names. Goosʼetéen and the other one she gave to my younger sister.
Yendekʼwáat'. [name]
Yendekʼwáat'.
Did I say it right? Yendegáatʼ?
Did I say it right? Yendegáatʼ?
['name']
or Yendegáat'?
I donʼt know. Sounds like "Sheʼs crawling."
Gushé. Sounds like Yaandag̱wát'.
Yendegáat'. [name]
Yendegáat'.
What?
Daa sá?
Her other, her grandmaʼs name?
Yeah, my grandma, she had two names.
['name']
Goos'etéen and
['name']
Yendegáatʼ, or
['name']
Yindegáasʼ?
[name] It sounds like Goosʼsatéen.
Yendagáa, It sounds like Goosʼsatéen.
Sounds like cloud.
Sounds like góosʼ.
Is she Daḵlʼaweidí?
Yeah.
Thatʼs a {porp}, uh, killer whale name.
Yínde Gáasʼ is ʼgoing downʼ.
Yínde Gáas' is ʼgoing downʼ.
Like a pole. I think thatʼs it?
Mhm.
They go down. Killer whales. Yeah. Whatʼs the first one?
Góots
['name']
Goots.atéen
The cloud is sitting.
Góos' Satéen.
Hmmm. Thatʼs a hard one.
Looking at the Clouds.
Góosʼ Atéen. It means Looking at the Clouds.
Oh, yeah, thatʼs right.
Sheʼs got it.
And my great grandmother, she had two names, too.
['name']
Yookunashéen
['name']
and Ḵoowaaḵ Shoonéi.
['name']
Ḵaa Waaḵ Shuné.
['name']
Ḵaa Waaḵ Shuné.
['name']
Ḵaa Waaḵ Shuné.
['name']
Ḵaa Waaḵ Shuné.
Yeah, she had two names. My grandma had two names and my great grandma. Making people look at you.
She gave one to my second oldest daughter. Are we recording?
Tell us a story (about) your name.
Haa een sh kaneelneek i saayí.
Bug check. ???
Big one. I donʼt know, looked like a spider.
Well, thatʼs my doctor.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
My doctor too!
I think we can all introduce each other, that way we can, when we introduce each other we tend to start talking.
Go ahead!
Góok!
You should tell us your name in English.
Dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ sʼé sh idasá.
Your white man name or your Indian name.
['Now Susan Jim.']
Youʼre Susan Shinkel, Raven. Tlingit. G̱aanax̱teidí clan.
You were born here.
Yáaxʼ ḵiydzitee.
Is this your country?
I aaní ákyá?
She donʼt understand. You were born here. Yes. Your country.
Our grandparents', their land.
Haa léelk'u hés, hes du aaní.
Your grandparents' land.
Mhm, i léelk'u hás aaní.
My grandmother was uh, my great grandmother was um, Jeannie, Jeannie Jim.
Iʼm not sure how, but I know mom, Mrs. Patsy Henderson, was G̱aanax̱teidí.
And we try to do my geneology and go back a couple hundred years and find my way back to Klukwan.
When Iʼm, a, when Smitty Katzeek, heʼs G̱aanax̱téidi, so he must be my people.
It gets very emotional when you meet someone. Like when she told me sheʼs Deisheetaan and her Lingít name.
Here.
Ná.
I think um, when you guys, when you came here, you opened my heart up to, something new, something that I want to be a part of.
How you say "tears"?
Tears.
Waḵhéeni. Waḵhéen.
Tears.
Waaḵ héen.
Tears.
Waaḵ héen?
Tears.
Waḵhéen.
Water.
Héen is water.
Theyʼre cascading.
Wulix'áas.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Itʼs falling like a waterfall.
Eye
Waaḵ is eye, heh?
Eye water. (tears)
Waaḵ héeni.
Just leave it. (Itʼs ok.)
Ch'a g̱aa yatee.
Theyʼre cascading.
Wulix'áas.
Theyʼre cascading.
Wulix'áas.
Are you recording, Alice? We just want to record her in English, interspersed with Tlingit. It made her very emotional.
What is your name in Tlingit?
Wáa sá iduwasáakw Lingít x̱'éináx̱?
Name? Tlingit name? I know what it means, Splashing Waters, but I donʼt know how to say it.
Would you recognize if someone said it?
Is it splashing water?
Héen kach'íshjaa ák.wé?
Weʼve been trying all kinds.
It had a, I remember my grandma saying it and it was like itʼs X̱owthéen or something like that. it had héen in it but it had this x̱x̱x̱ in the front.
Itʼs her mum(ʼs) glottal. Must be must be more glottal down here.
Can you say it?
Iʼm learning to. Just like her, Iʼm learning.
It sounded like, when we were talking before it sounded like that, what you were saying, you and Ida.
Kedultʼaji Héen, or something like that.
Kedult'aji Héen,
How you say that,
Splashing water? Kedult'ach...kedult'ách? No.
Splashing water? Kedult'ach...kedult'ách? No.
Itʼs splashing.
Kadult'ácht.
"Splashing" is all I know.
Kadachʼíshjaa is all I know.
Splash from slapping.
Kadat'ach Héen?
Splashing.
Thatʼs when you hit it, kadat'ách.
Like the beavers, too.
Splashing. [slapping the water]
Kadut'ách.
Itʼs um, when you hit it with your hand, itʼs like swimming.
Youʼre a beaver, sʼigeidí?
When they hit the water with their tail, that means theyʼre warning the other beavers to stay in their...
Slap the water.
Kedult'ach Héen. Nobody knows. Old way.
You see long time ago, when, when those people, like Patsy Henderson, when he found his wife, he went some place else to get his wife.
On my grandmaʼs side, Grandma, Grandma Susie and Jack Shakoon, her brother. He went someplace to get a wife, Jennie Shakoon. And he, he married Jennie Shakoon and had all the family from her. I donʼt know if they were from Burwash or from where but I know the two sisters, Jennie, and um, Pats, Mrs. Patsy Henderson. Edith. Edith? Thatʼs her name, right? I think Edith Henderson. Those two were sisters. Uh, Jennie Shakoon and Mrs. Patsy Henderson.
Did you say Grandma Susie?
My Grandma Susie, yeah.
The one that came to Celebration? 2010?
No, no, no, no, different grandmas. Yeah.
Oh, you mean that young girl. That uh, that Sharon?
Yeah, thatʼs her daughter. Thatʼs my niece. Thatʼs her niece. The one that said Grandma Susie ??? Thatʼs her.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
I like that part where, I put those two together trying to, trying to get
get to speak some of that simple language, baby talk or whatever you want to call it. But um, I say
On the other side (is Caribou Mountain),
Tliyaadé Wets(íx Shaa),
Iʼm going to try, Iʼm going to try to say, "Over there is Caribou Mountain and I see three goats on there." So this way would this way, would it, would it be said this way?
Caribou Mountain,
{we} We(tsíx) Shaa,
I see three mountain goats.
nésʼ jénu x̱wasiteen.
Is that
that sounds good, yeah.
Yeah, that sounds okay.
Yeah, thatʼs what, what I say to try teach myself that language.
And when I first started out I asked Creator to help me when I first start
cause I know I can hear it. I, I grew up with it around me.
['Residential school.']
I know it. But when you go to that school itʼs,
Yeah, other things happen there.
Itʼs bad when they start teaching in the school culture.
We gotta start with our, our own way of living.
When we talk our way of talking. Not the way somebody else is doing it.
And then I, the first time I say, I asked Creator to help me to speak that language I said,
Our Lord, help us.
Haa Aanḵáawu haa éet idashí.
He will give us our language.
Lingít x̱'éináx̱ haa yoo x̱ʼaténgi haa jee(dé) akg̱watée.
Thank you. Yak'éi. Poor thing.
Gunalchéesh. Yak'éi. Eesháan.
Thatʼs good. Nice.
And then I say,
my grandparents,
ax̱ léelk'w,
my grandparents, do you have tobacco?
ax̱ léelk'w, duwaakú áwé i jeehú.
My grandparents, do you have tobacco?
Ax̱ léelk'w tuwaakú gé i jeewú?
I will give you tobacco.
You could say, duwaakú i x̱ʼéix̱ kḵwatée.
Tobacco.
Tuwaakú
Tobacco.
Tuwaakú.
What is tobacco.
What is duwaakú?
Tobacco.
Tuwaakú. Itʼs snuff. Thatʼs snuff. Itʼs just a mispronounciation.
Snuff...
Tobacco.
Tuwaaḵú.
Tobacco.
Tuwaakú.
And then when I say "boat coming" I say,
My grandparent,
Ax̱ léelk'w,
a boat is coming. [Laughter]
tliyaadé yaakw yaa naḵúx̱! [At.shooḵ]
Good!
Yak'éi!
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Itʼs like that story about that crow [Raven] when he, he put his eye on a rock, and then, yeah, and then that, that eye fool him and told him,
"Boat is coming!"
«Yaakw yaa naḵúx̱!»
So he went down there and beat up his eye.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
He beat up his eye because it lied to him.
Your opposite clan aunt is telling you a story.
I aat áwé i een sh kalneek.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
And then a, then when it, when it really came, he didnʼt believe it and then here it was people took his eye! They say he put blueberries in there so thatʼs how come they got blue eyes.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Yeah. They had all kinds of funny stories like that, old people.
And, and, um, I know some of those old, old people too, they, it could be 50, 60 below up here. So those old timers, they get tired of it. They said, "Thatʼs enough of that cold weather. We had enough!" So what they do, they go do ceremony. You wake up next morning, the water dripping off the roof. They say they use that seaweed, they must boil it or something and then they pour it in the snow. And then that warm weather. They ask for that chinook, chinook, um,
Storm wind. [ʼsouth windʼ in Interior Tlingit]
Kʼeeljáa.
Storm.
I guess thatʼs the one thatʼs south wind. K'eeljáa?
The storm is really blowing.
K'eeljáa ayawditee. I guess they say, I donʼt know.
['Laughter']
[At.shooḵ] They used to make kids do it.
"Treat people with medicine," they would say to them.
«Ḵunanáaḵw,» yóo daayaduḵáa nuch.
"Give somebody medicine.
«Ḵunanáaḵw.
Go over there.
Aadé nagú.
Show your butt to him. [Moon him.]"
Du yaadé kéi tux̱ʼeestí.»
['Laughter']
Put your bum out, put your bum out toward it they say. And [At.shooḵ]
How about you see this!
Kʼe yáatʼát g̱asteen!
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
['At.shooḵ']
And, and, and when thereʼs no rain, like this itʼs dry. That time, they tell those boys, "Go up in that tree and pee down from it." [Laughter]
And it worked. Those things were,
"Pee down onto the ground," they would tell them.
«Daak kalalóox',» yóo has daayaduḵáa neech.
So heʼd go up there and
he pees down.
he lúxʼ down.
Yeah, they have to have a little boy to do that.
Next day it just (pours).
Do they have to prepare the little boy for something like that?
I donʼt think so, eh? I donʼt think they did. No, they just say that.
And long time ago too they use that, when they have babies fast. They say women, no problems with babies. They do that ceremony too and they say, one hour, and they have babies. They get ready to have baby and one hour, theyʼre through having the baby. Some women, you know how they suffer? They do a ceremony with them for that. When theyʼre little girls, little, young like that.
['At.shooḵ']
I wish they had done that to me. Holy. [Laughter]
How many do you have?
How many do you have? Xʼoon sá iya.óo?
I had five but they were all just like the first one. I went into labor on the 31st of August and my daughter was born in the morning the first of September.
Oh, gee.
A long, long labor.
Mm, and there were no doctors around?
There was a doctor. I was in the hospital.
My mind reverts back to long time ago how the elders put up with such hardship.
I think probably if I was at home it would have been different because the old people know how to help them, you know, when they have babies and stuff because every time,
Lasaayí I'm called.
Lasaayí yóo x̱at duwasáakw. [video break]
I am a Pit House woman.
Kooḵitaan sháa áyá x̱át.
I came here from Teslin.
Deisléendáx̱ haat x̱waagút.
My grandmotherʼs name was Laanaatkʼ
Ax̱, ax̱ léelk'w Laanaatk' yóo dusáagun
and my grandfather,
ḵa ax̱ léelkʼw,
Jim Fox,
Jim Fox,
his name was Ḵaasxʼáan.
Ḵaasx'áan yóo dusáagun.
They came here from Juneau.
Juneau-dáx̱ áwé haat has uwa.át.
To Teslin.
Teslin-dé.
They were born there.
Áa has ḵumdzitee.
Hundred Mile it's called,
Hundred Mile yóo dusáagun,
the Nisutlin River.
wé Nelaseen.
The mouth of the river, the river,
Héen wát, héen,
it was called Hundred Mile when I was born.
Hundred Mile yóo dusáagun ḵu.aa x̱at ḵuwusteeyí.
1933, May
1933, May. Huh.
I donʼt know all of it, myself, my Tlingit language.
Tlél ldakát x̱wasakú, x̱át, ax̱ Lingít yoox̱ʼatángi.
So
Áwé a,
through my mother,
ax̱ tláanáx̱, {x̱at jeedáx̱ wud}
they took me from my mother after that time.
ax̱ tláa jeedáx̱ x̱at has wootee wé gaaw̃ ít.
I lived here at the school (residential school).
Yáax' áyá sgóonx' yéi x̱at wootee.
That's why I didnʼt know it very well.
Ách áwéi tlél k'idéin x̱wasakóowun.
Nevertheless,
Chʼa jáa, chʼa g̱aa,
I really want
aatlein ax̱ tuwáa sigóo
to speak Tlingit well.
k'idéin yoo x̱'ax̱atángi, Lingít x̱'éináx̱.
That's why I went to Juneau last fall, September.
Ách áwé yú Juneau-dé x̱waagoot last fall, September.
I'm very grateful for helping me, Nora.
Aatlein ax̱ toowú yak'éi, ax̱ éet has wudishée, Nora.
I found (my language) well.
K'idéin x̱waatʼee.
I never {make} I never did lose it. I just hid it away in my back of my head because
they used to beat me up
has x̱at jáag̱un
for speaking in Tlingit.
Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yoo x̱'ax̱atángi.
"Speak English," they always said.
"Speak English," yóo áwé has x̱at daayaḵáa neech.
I understand.
I just locked in my head so bad I just, I couldnʼt speak it. Sometimes I get stuck when I was in Teslin. I couldnʼt speak because I always think, those are my people. And theyʼre always correcting me every time I say something. I donʼt know why it is if itʼs your own relatives. Youʼre afraid to speak it because they like to get after me for not speaking. Itʼs not my fault. Itʼs not my motherʼs fault. Itʼs the government that did that. Not just me only. I hold all that. But itʼs ok. Iʼm better. Iʼm feeling good now. I find who I am. I love myself. And it helped me to love other people. Iʼm not angry anymore. And I feel good. And Iʼm happy to sit here with you. Iʼm happy I can speak my language.
I didnʼt lose it.
Tléil ḵut x̱wag̱éex'.
Ch'a ayáx̱ (???) áwé.
They really tried.
Ḵúnáx̱ has akaawa.aaḵw.
A Deisheetaan man from Angoon,
Aangóondáx̱ Deisheetaan ḵáa,
when he first spoke up about it,
a daa kei x̱'andatáni,
he was already 84 years old.
de nas'gadooshú (jinkaat) ḵa daax'oon du táagu.
Even so, when he talks about it, he cries, his tears flow
Ch'a aan, a daa yoo x̱'atángi tle, tle g̱aax̱ nuch, du waḵhéeni kanadáa nuch
(because) of what they did to him.
aadé wdudzineiyi yé.
They used to wash is mouth out and slap his (wrists).
Du laká du.úsʼgun ḵa du jín, du jín dult'áchx̱.
It was that way for me too.
Yéi áwé x̱at téeyin.
Only very recently,
Ḵúnáx̱ ch'a yeisú,
when they were thinking about it,
a daa yoo {tu} has tutángi, haa,
their way of life, the way that they were treated by the government.
has du ḵusteeyí, aadé, aadé yéi has daadunéiyi yé wé government-ch.
They did the same thing to me too,
X̱át tsú yéi x̱at wududzinei ts(ú)
when I went to school.
wé school-de nx̱agóot.
I was just happy when I got to school.
Tle ax̱ toowú yak'éi áwé school-t x̱agóot.
I think I was about eight years old when (I) first (went).
Shux'wáanáx̱ 8 years old-x̱ gíwé x̱at sitee.
At that time I was pretty old for going to school.
Aag̱áa I was pretty old for going to school.
And all I could speak was Lingít. Me too. Bad, bad, bad, were the teachers. And she spanked my hand so bad I just cried there. And of course, kids you know, make fun of each other. They always made fun of us when we were crying. That was bad. I never forget it. Me too.
Hardest thing I ever did was forgive them.
Thank you.
Gunalchéesh.
Is this yours, grandchild?
Gwál, i aayí ákyá, chx̱ánk'?
No, I carried it over there.
Tléik', aadé x̱waataan.
Do you want tea, Ida?
Herb tea if you have it. Please. Thank you.
Me too, weʼre sleepy.
X̱át tsú, haa éet yataawaháa.
Itʼs cause itʼs three oʼclock.
Oh.
So we're going to take revenge, Emma!
Ách áwé a yáax' gax̱toosgéet, Emma!
(So) we can really know Tlingit.
K'idéin g̱atusakoo Lingít.
If we teach the youngsters,
At yátx'i éex' tulatóowu ldakát,
whoever we see,
ch'a aadóo sá wutusiteen,
whoever wants it.
chʼa aadóo tuwáxʼ sá sigóo.
That is good.
Yéi áwé yak'éi.
Did you grow up here too?
Tle yáax' ák.wé eewawát wa.é tsú?
Yes.
Aa.
Um, I grew up here.
Am, yáax' áwé x̱at uwawát.
That school used to be over there.
Yóo sgóon {you know} wéix' yéi téeyin.
So my father and my mother,
Á áwé ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa,
when we went to school, thatʼs the only time they lived here.
sgóon wutoo.aadí, aag̱áa tsá yáax' yéi has (ya)téeyin.
Really,
Tlax̱,
I felt really strong
tlax̱ {ax̱ toowú} ax̱ toowú litseen
when we came home on Saturday
neil wutoo.aadí Saturday
day.
yagiyee.
One oʼclock
we would go home.
{deilí kax̱} neildé netoo.étch.
6:00, we would already be back here at school.
6:00 ḵu.aa sgóon de tsu yáaxʼ yéi haa yatee.
{aa, ax̱}
My father always spoke to us.
Ax̱ éesh ch'a tlákw áwé haa een yoo x̱'atengi neech.
Thatʼs why, thatʼs why,
Éch x̱áawé, éch x̱áawé,
my
ax̱, um,
language
yoox̱'aténgi
is very nice.
ch'a naanáx̱ yatee.
I know however, um,
X̱wasikóo ḵu.aa, am,
at the school
yú sgóonx'
they taught me
ax̱ éet wududlitúw̃
white man's language.
dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱.
My dad would always tell me,
{Yóo x̱'ayaḵ} Yóo x̱'ayaḵáa neech ax̱ éesh, aa
"When you're old enough, you will be married.
«Eewáadi áwé igax̱dusháa.
You will have children.
Atyátx'i i jee yéi kg̱watée.
It is you
We.é áwé {hes du een}
with them, um,
{hes du een, am,}
youʼre the one that will teach it to them.
hes du éede kg̱ilatóow̃, we.é.
And this money also,
Ḵa yá dáanaa tsóo,
your husband's money,
i x̱úx̱ dáanayi,
he will have it,
yéi du jeewú,
and then you will
aag̱áa tsá we.é ḵu.aa wé
buy food with it.
atx̱á ḵwaawé kg̱eehóon.
That's why
Éch x̱áawé
you will know
igux̱sakóo
how, how it is."
wáa sé, wáa sé yateeyí.»
How do, how do you say count?
Wáa sé du, du, how you say count?
Count?
To count.
Datóow.
Yes. He kept counting his money.
Aa. Dáanaa edetóow nich.
"This is (how) it will be you,
«Éch x̱áawé we.é áwé,
you will raise your children,"
wé i yétxʼi sáani yeg̱isewáat,»
thatʼs what he kept telling us.
yóo áwé haa daayaḵáa nich.
I feel really sad.
Tlax̱ ax̱ toowú yenéekw.
"You will go to school," they tell us.
«Yóode sgóonde kg̱eegóot,» {yóo x̱at} yóo haa daayaḵá.
{ch'e ldekét, chʼe máa sé igax̱
i, i, i, i een, i, i een}
"Your name is not like it used to be. [Children were given English names at residential schools.]
«I saayí tíl eyáx̱ yeteeyín.
So,
Á áwé,
you'll know, however,
yeg̱isekóo ḵu.aa,
where your way of life comes from.
wé {goodéx̱ sé} goodáx̱ sá i ḵusteeyí.
You are Deisheetaan,"
Deisheetaan áwé iyatee,»
he said to us.
yóo haa daayaḵá.
"Be very sure not to forget it."
«Tláx̱ {tíl} tíl x'wán e két isex'áaḵw.»
Well,
Haa,
he would name all of our grandparents to us.
ch'e ldekét {haa} haa léelk'u hés haa een esáakw neejín.
Thatʼs why, in vain,
Éch x̱áawé chʼe g̱ég̱aa,
calmly,
ch'e náanáx̱,
I still have my language to this day.
ax̱ yoox̱ʼaténgi chʼoo ax̱ jee yéi yetee yeedét.
However, that's why
Ch'a aan ḵu.aa áwé
I always used to feel incredibly sad.
tlax̱ ḵudzidéin áwé ax̱ toowú néekw neejín.
"You are savages.
«Savages áwé iyatee.
Heathens.
Heathens.
{Tíl, a}
You wonʼt see it,"
Tíl yeg̱isateen,»
thatʼs what they say to us.
{yóo áwé x̱at} yóo áwé has haa daayaḵá.
Thatʼs why, you know,
Éch x̱áawé ch'e ldekét yéi áwé ḵu.oo
they walk that way (with their heads down),
chʼu tle yéi áwé ét hes ne.étch,
my relatives.
yá ax̱ een.aa.
My father
Ax̱ éesh ḵu.a {yóo}
used to tell us,
yóo haa daayaḵá,
"Stand up!
«Gidahaan!
You are Deisheetaan!
Deisheetaan áwé iyatee!
Hold your head up high," he used to tell us.
{i, i, kínde n kínde} I shá kínde yéi niy.oo!» yóo haa daayaḵá.
That's why I think my grandparent, my father,
Éch x̱áawé ax̱ tuwáxʼ ax̱ léelk'w, ax̱ éesh,
they used to teach us well,
{hes du} k'idéin áwé {hes haa} haa éet hes eltóow neejín,
and my mother.
ḵa ax̱ tláa.
About life.
Ḵustí daat.
Yes.
Aa.
My mother
Ax̱ tláa
used to say to us,
yéi haa daayaḵáa noojín,
"A woman leads life.
«Shaawátch {yaa ḵuna—} yaa shunagút ḵustí.
The woman saves the money
Shaawátch áwé yei ksanéx̱ch wé dáanaa
to feed her children."
du yátx'u sáanis x̱'eis.»
They didnʼt keep their money in the bank.
Hél bank-íx̱ has aa uteeyín.
Belt.
Séek.
Money belt they call it, on their torso.
Money belt yóo duwasáakw, {kas} kasánxʼ.
Thank you.
Gunelchéesh!
My mother used to count the money in Tlingit.
Ch'a Lingít x̱'éináx̱ áwé atóow nooch ax̱ tláach wé dáanaa.
Yes.
Aaá.
The fishermen,
Fishermen,
when the purse seine season ended,
purse seine season yan yawuxeexí,
she would say how she was going to (spend it),
tle anal.eich wáa sá agux̱sahóon,
how she was going to (spend it on) our clothes and our food.
wáa sá akg̱wahooní haa naa.ádi ḵa haa atx̱aayí.
Not too much on food.
Hél ḵúdáx̱ haa atx̱aayí.
They used to gather our food from the land. [Obtaining and preserving it.]
A daa yoo has koo.átjeen haa atx̱aayí.
Berries, picking berries.
Tléiḵw, tléiḵw een.
Drying food to preserve it.
Atx'aan.
The men would be hunting.
Ḵáax'w ḵwáawé hunting.
My father used to go (hunting).
Nagútjin ax̱ éesh.
Up to now, I havenʼt even had a taste of salt salmon since I lost my father.
Tlél tsu x̱'éi ux̱danookch yeedát, tle {ax̱ éesh} ax̱ éesh ḵut x̱wag̱éexʼidáx̱, salt salmon.
The ones that they used to salt.
Dul.élʼx̱i aa.
And the dried salmon for soaking that they soak in the water.
Ḵa téeyi héenxʼ kadulkelx̱i aa.
Dry fish.
When it gets too dry in the winter,
Winter-xʼ {ḵútx̱ xu} ḵútx̱ wuxoogú,
he used to soak it in the water. It was very good.
{héenxʼ} héen táaxʼ aklakélx̱in. Ḵúnáx̱ wook'éi.
Right now,
Yeedát,
we don't eat that way now.
{hél} hél yéi at toox̱á yeedát.
We are losing our food.
Ḵut kei ntoog̱íxʼ haa atx̱aayí.
Just Old McDonald's.
Tle ch'as old McDonald's.
He really stands at the head of our money. [Laughter]
Tlax̱ wáa sá a sháade hán haa dáanayi. [At.shooḵ]
Tle xóots tsú.
The brown bears too.
Ḵa wé KFC.
And KFC.
A brown bear,
Tle xóots,
(in the) Juneau Empire (newspaper)
Juneau Empire x̱á, tle
that brown bear was walking on the beach at the Red Dog Saloon with a McDonaldʼs bag in his mouth.
Red Dog Saloonxʼ éiḵx̱ áwé yaa nagút wé xóots McDonald bag du x̱ʼé.
He was carrying it along in his mouth!
Yaa anasyíḵ!
It was in the newspaper!
Newspaper ká!
That's Larry,
Á x̱áawé wé Larry,
Jackson. Paul Jacksonʼs son. He had a stroke or a heart attack. And all they ate was McDonaldʼs, him and his wife. Gee. I donʼt know if theyʼre back doing it again.
It's not good.
Hél ushk'é.
Yeah, itʼs... They get the bottom leftovers, McDonaldʼs.
Our foods
Haa atx̱aayí x̱á
there are no colors or preservatives in there.
hél tsu colorxʼ x̱oo yei utí ḵach'oo preservative.
Not a thing.
Tlél tsu daa sá.
Or any flavors. Just the food itself is dried.
Ḵa tsu flavor. Tle ch'as á dusxoogún.
The white people call things organic.
Yéi {d—} has at yasáakw dleit ḵáach organic.
That's our food. Thatʼs it.
Á áwé haa atx̱aayíx̱ sitee. Yéi áwé.
Long ago they used to live so long that they just shriveled away—
Ch'áakw tle, tle yéi ḵukdahéijin aadé—
How old they used to get, eating our food without preservatives or coloring or anything. Dried, canned, berries picked. Even from, Iʼm trying to think of that one, we were talking about,
['A dessert made from the inner bark (cambium) of a hemlock tree.']
sáxʼ.
I had it once and I remembered.
I had it once and I remembered.
Not anymore.
Hóochʼ. My grandmother used to make it all the time, every spring.
We used to go and get it. Roots? Is it roots?
Itʼs tree sap, hey? Sáxʼ? Yeah.
Yeah, itʼs tree sap. Jackpine, mostly.
Inner sap with the milk inside. Itʼs got natural sweetness.
They eat it like dessert. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sometimes they dried them.
Sometimes dusxúkx'un.
When they dried it, they would eat it
Wudusxoogú áwé dux̱áa nuch
after the main course
atx̱á ítde
with grease.
eex̱tín.
I remember Grandma used to dry berries on a big sheet. She had big camp.
"Oh, my goodness the gold old,"
(she'd say) when she saw salmonberries, theyʼre this big.
awusteení salmonberries, yéi kakwdigéi.
How you say now, blue?
the branch of it was big salmon berries.
Blue (Blue jay, Stellar Jay)
X̱'éishx'w.
Blue.
X̱ʼéishx'w.
Itʼs right here, itʼs like the color of my shirt.
Yáadu ax̱ kʼoodásʼi a yáx̱ yatee.
She was so happy.
Blue.
X̱'éishx'w. Itʼs like money in the bank to her. X̱ʼéishxʼw.
Blue.
X̱'éishx'w
Yakitee-yak is how they talk!
Yakitee-yak yóo áwé yoo x̱'ayatánk! (Jays)
['At.shooḵ']
['Laughter']
You can always hear them talking!
Kaadé du.ax̱ji nuch du yoox̱'atángi!
There, McDonaldʼs too they eat there all the time, those big ravens.
['At.shooḵ']
['Laughter']
Yeah, Iʼll bet they donʼt live long.
['At.shooḵ']
['Laughter']
You know, ah,
When I was going to school here,
Yáaxʼ sgóonde yoo x̱agútgi áwé
we were always hungry.
ch'a tlákw haa éet yaan.uwaháa.
It was there, there, on the shore?
Áwé wéix' wé., wéi a, on the shore?
We walked around
Át wutuwa.aat
to dig bear root/Indian potato. [Ligusticum porteri?]
wé tsáats katusaháa.
We dug Indian potato.
Tsáats katusaháa.
Indian potato?
Tsáats yóo gé?
Bear bread.
We ate it.
Á áwé toox̱áayn.
Oh.
Yes, it's good in springtime.
Aaá, yak'éi, sik'éi, springtime.
Yeah, it, my mother says itʼs good.
I never saw any.
Porcupine we would,
X̱alak'ách' wutoos,
We killed porcupine.
Gee. I didnʼt even know that. [Was Ida at the same school with Emma?]
['At.shooḵ']
['Laughter']
Grace and Kathleen.
Wé Grace, ḵa Kathleen. My sister Mabel. And Sally. When you kill it you bury it and you put it under a stump. And we cover it because we have no time to burn it. And on Saturday we went down there and we burn it (to scrape off the hair) and we roast it.
Itʼs like chicken?
Yeah.
Wow.
It was nice and fat.
That other one too, we didnʼt get used to eating it; sea cucumber.
Yóot'aa tsú, hél, hél haa x̱ʼéix̱ wudaa; yéin.
In Klawock, the people eat a lot of sea cucumber.
Lawáakxʼ ḵu.oo ḵúnáx̱ has ax̱áa nooch yéin.
Kake.
I don't know what that is.
Tél x̱wasikóo daa sé yatee.
Sea cucumber is an ocean creature.
Yéin héen taak.ádi áwé.
It was ugly.
Far out thing
Deikée ádee áwé
on the ocean.
éil' ká.
They got some in Sitka. We went to pick some.
They ate them all up near Craig, the sea cucumbers.
Tle áx̱ yawdudzix̱áa Craig tawán, yéin.
fireweed, fireweed.
Grandma ??? used to talk about a, lóol, lóol.
Yes, that one is a plant though.
Aaá, kayaaní áwé, á ḵu.aa.
Oh, yeah.
Some fireweed is called lóol.
Some fireweed áwé yei duwasáakw lóol.
The yéin, though, is called sea cucumber.
Wé yéin ḵu.aa, sea cucumber áwé.
You can turn it inside out and then you scrape the flesh from it.
Thereʼs a thing that runs down to ???
I don't know.
Tlél x̱wasakú.
Japanese restuarant buys it, goodness!
Japanese restaurant aya.óo Juneauxʼ, jée!
Goodness, I wonder where he got sea cucumber.
Jée, goodáx̱ yéin sáwé tlax̱ yéi, oh, god!
It is cooked in the oven.
Oven tóot as.ée.
Itʼs old.
Wudishán.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
I think it an ugly thing, the sea cucumber.
Ax̱ toowáa kwlijée wé yéin.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Theyʼre long and skinny.
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Some people break the heads off this way. [Gestures as if biting it off.]
['Laughter']
['At.shooḵ']
Indian celery it was called.
Yaana.eit yóo dusáagun.
Yeah, we get those every spring.
Is it called indian celery? Yes, that's what it's called.
Wild rhubarb. Indian celery ák.wé yéi tuwasáakw? Aaá, á áwé yéi duwasáakw.
Thereʼs that other thing too, wild rhubarb.
Yú át tsú ḵudzitee, Lingít tlʼaaḵʼwáchʼi.
Mhm.
Indian rhubarb... and Indian rice.
Indian rhubarb... ḵa Lingít kóox.
['Fritillaria camschatcensis']
Wild rice.
Wild rice, hmm.
Kóox, hmm.
We also pick seaweed
Áwé laaḵ'ásk tsú too.een
from way out.
yú deikéedáx̱.
And sea ribbon.
Ḵa ḵ'áach'.
Um, coho, what you call it?
Coho salmon.
L'ook.
Coho salmon.
Oh, yeah, l'ook.
My grandma used to talk about it, «Oh
I want coho.
l'ook áwé ax̱ tuwáa sigóo,» and I didn't know...
"Worm,"
«Tl'úkʼx̱,» I tell her.
I forget the Tlingit word for Sockeye.
Sockeye tle a káx̱ x̱at sax'aaḵw a saayí.
Coho.
L'ook
Sockeye (salmon)
It's sockeye.
G̱aat áwé. G̱aat.
Sockeye.
G̱aat.
Thatʼs what I am, sockeye. [Sockeye is the primary crest of her clan.]
Yéi átx̱ áwé x̱at sitee, g̱aat.
Sockeye.
G̱aat.
Sockeye.
G̱aat.
Halibut
Seems like I heard after that what I was wishing for was, Cháatl is halibut.
that sockeye.
wé sockeye.
Because up here we get kings, eh?
And dog salmon.