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Tlingit Conversation #57
Speakers are Ḵaachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia and Shak’sháani Margaret Dutson. Recorded November 16, 2010, in the Dutson home, Juneau, AK, 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 Keetyaanaayi Paul Marks II. English translation by Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by Daaljíni Mary Folletti and by X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Edwards Eggleston.
SYMBOLS: {false start}, (added for clarity), [translator/transcriber's note]. ??? = can’t understand, «Lingít quotation marks» [Time-aligned text for this video was accomplished using ELAN ((Versions 6.0 (2020), 6.1 (2021), and 6.3 (2022) [Computer software]. Nijmegen: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Language Archive. Retrieved from https://archive.mpi.nl/tla/elan]
Haat iyagút.
Oh, you came.
Aaá.
Yeah.
Waa sá iyatee?
How are you?
Oh, ḵúnáx̱ yak'éi.
Oh, I'm really fine.
Yak'éi áwé.
That's good.
Wáang̱aneens áwé wé
Sometimes the
néekw ax̱ kát jikooxeexch.
sickness pervades my body.
Aáa {yéi áwé haa ya} yéi áwé x̱at yatee, x̱át tsú.
That's the way I am too.
Yéi gé tuwajée haa gux̱dasháan?
Did you ever think we were going to get old?
Yeah, ḵúnáx̱.
Yeah, really.
Ax̱ léelk'w yéi haa daayaḵáa noojín,
My grandmother used to always say to us,
«Yaa indashán óosh gé, Chx̱ánk'.»
“If only you were getting old, Grandchild.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yeedát áwé {haa haa}
And now
haa kát uwaxíx.
it has come upon us.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yaa jinastán kát
It's coming over in waves
???
???
yaa ndashán.
aging.
Yeedát áwé at wutusikoo wáa sás
Now we know what it's like
haa steeyí shaank'.
to be old.
Wáang̱aneens áwé
Sometimes
ax̱, ax̱ tláa yéi x̱at daayaḵáa nooch,
my, my mother always said,
«Ldakát yéi áyá yanéekw, Sík' ḵa
“Everywhere hurts, Daughter, and
keey ḵa t'eeshú.
knees and elbows.
Gwál yáa dikéenáx̱ ḵa yáa
Maybe from up here and here
ḵa yáa.
and here.
Gwál {ax̱} ax̱ ḵáash ḵúnáx̱ áyá néekw nooch.»
Maybe my hips always really hurt.”
Mhm.
Yes.
At shúḵch yaa x̱at gajáḵjin.
I used to die laughing.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ldakát yéi áwé yanéekw.
Everywhere begins to hurt.
Wáang̱aneens wéi {yóo x̱a} yóo x̱a.áx̱ji noojín,
Sometimes I used to hear,
«Analseen áwé.»
“An unseen ailment.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
A daa yóo x̱ʼatux̱atángi nuch atk'átsk'ux̱ x̱at sateeyí.
I always used to think about it when I was a child.
Analseen.
Undetected ailment.
Daa sáwé yis aya sáa?
What is that?
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Néekw ḵu.aa áwé.
But it's a sickness.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áasha.
Ah, shucks.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
And now,
gwál wé,
maybe the,
paper dolls hél x̱wasakú wáa sá tuwasáakw {lin dlei} Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱.
I don't know what we call 'paper dolls' in Tlingit.
Aan ḵutoos.úk' nooch wé, Aáa.
We'd always play with it, the, Yes.
Kíndei toox̱ásh neejín.
We used to cut them out.
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Wáang̱aneens áwé, «Daaḵw.aasá i jeet yéi wdudzinei, Helen?»
Sometimes, “Which ones did they give you, Helen?”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yóot'aa.
That one.
«Montgomery Ward áwé ax̱ jeet wuduwatee.»
“Montgomery Ward (catalog), that's what they gave me.”
X̱át ḵu.aa, Sears Robuck.
Me though, Sears Robuck.
Wáa sá haa yáa lik'éi.
Oh, how we treasured it.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Aag̱áa ḵutooshee noojín tsú.
We used to look for it too.
Éeḵ áx̱ yaa ktoo.átch wáang̱aneens áa kei aa wulháash yóo á, «Ah! Yáadu á!»
We used to walk along the beach sometimes some would drift there, “Ah! Here it is!”
Hadláa!
Good grief!
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áasha.
Ah, shucks.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé
Really
yeedát áwé hél yéi at utí wéi atyátxʼí, ha.é.
now things are not that way with the kids, gee.
Ch'a daa sáwé {haa} ḵúnáx̱ haa yáa lak'éi nooch
We treasured anything
yadátxʼix̱ haa sateeyí.
when we were kids.
Hél wuduwa.oowu át áwé.
It wasn't something bought.
Tléik', hél,
No, not,
Daaḵw.aasá wtuwat'ee ??? ḵutoos.úk' neejín. Aaá.
Whatever we found we used to play with. Yes.
Sagóo ch'a haa yaklajáḵ ??? ch'a daa sáwé,
It's fun just ??? whatever,
Tlé woosh kát katoojeilch, éi. Aaá.
We would put it together. Yes.
Haa hítxʼisáani tulayéx̱ noojín. Aaá.
We always used to play with our little houses. Yes.
Yeedát ḵu.aa, ch'as, ch'as,
Now though, just, just,
x̱ʼalitseeni át áwé s dusáakw nuch.
the expensive things they always name.
Hél tsú ??? nooch wáang̱aneens tsú ax̱ dachx̱ánxʼiyán.
Also not ??? sometimes also my grandchildren.
Ch'a wáa sá aan has ash koolyát, át has ashukoog̱éexʼch.
They play with it for a time, they just toss it aside.
Dooó.
(Slightly chiding affectionate expression.)
X̱át ḵu.aa áwé kúnáx̱
As for me, really
jinkaat táakw ḵa daaxʼoon x̱at sateeyí áwé tsú ax̱ jeet ajeewaháa.
when I was 14 something came to me.
Doll, séek'. É! Ch'a tle
Doll. Oh! Just
déi sagóoch x̱at uwajáḵ aa.
I just was so happy.
Freshman-x̱ x̱at sitee áwé
I was a freshman
Wrangell Institute.
at Wrangell Institute.
Ax̱ bunk-i káa yéi {yéi x̱ yéi x̱ y} g̱anúkch.
She would sit on my bunk.
School-dáx̱ neil x̱wagoodí áwé hóoch',
When I got home from school, all gone,
ḵut gasgítch.
she'd be lost.
Du g̱áa ḵux̱ashee nooch.
I always searched for her.
Yá seniors áwé has di g̱anúu yei.ádi kát káa yékch.
She'd be sitting on the seniors' bed.
"Ah, gee, Helen I'm sorry."
«Ḵúnáx̱ áwé shaklig̱éik', ách áwé.»
“She's so cute, that's why.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
I jeedáx̱ has ool-
From you they
Ax̱ jeedáx̱ áwé has du aayí has du
They would take it from me and
yei.ádi káxʼ has g̱anúkch.
sit her on their bed.
X̱át ḵu.aa áwé
As for me
gooshúḵ táakwx̱ x̱at sitee áwé
I was 9 years old
TB sanitorium-xʼ yéi x̱at wootee.
when I was at the TB sanitorium.
Áwé shaklig̱éi wé sík' ax̱ jeet wududzinúk, tle
It was so cute, the little doll they gave to me,
tle wé a kát tá aa at een.
she was sleeping in it (a basket).
Áwé altín, shaawát, wé tléináx̱ shaatk'átsk'ú.
So see, woman, this one little girl.
Ax̱ yáanáx̱ áwé litseen.
She was stronger than me.
Tle ax̱ jeetx̱ aawas'éil'.
She just tore it from my hands.
Ch'a yeisú a káx̱ ḵutulagaaw,
While we were still fighting over it,
shakaawawál'.
her head broke.
Oh shucks!
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
G̱áax̱ch x̱at uwajáḵw du daat áwé ax̱ séek'.
I really, really cried for that doll.
Oh, no!
[Laughter]
???
It was just an empty body.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Toowú néekwx̱
So much sorrow
ḵúnáx̱ x̱waatée.
I found.
Áwé,
So,
tle shuxʼwáanáx̱ ax̱ jeet wududzinoogu át áwé.
that is the first thing I ever got.
Áwé i een áwé kakḵwalaneek wáanáx̱ sáyá.
I want to tell you this for this reason.
Ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa ḵúnáx̱
My father and my mother really
??? kawligéiḵ.
forbid ???
Hél ḵu.aa s awuskú.
But they didn't know.
Ch'a wáa sá has x̱ʼayaḵá,
What they said,
«Yóonáx̱ aadéi nagú.
“Go on that other side.
Áa kanees.óok'.»
Go play there.”
Aax̱ áwé ḵúnáx̱ has du x̱ʼéit x̱wasa.áx̱ch.
From there I would really listen to them carefully.
Áwé altín am,
So see um,
Ch'a shukát ḵu.aa áwé, Peter Jack gé ysikóo?
Just before that though, you remember Peter Jack?
Daa sá?
What?
Peter Jack.
Peter Jack.
Aaá, aaá.
Yes, yes.
Áwé ax̱ tláa, ax̱ éesh kéilk' áwé.
He was my mother's, my dad's nephew.
Áwé
That's when
at toox̱aayídáx̱ áwé,
when we got through eating,
{haa haa} haat oogootch.
he would come to our place.
Ax̱ éeshch áwé haa ee latóow,
My dad would be teaching us,
wéi gaaw.
the drumming.
Wáa sá dul'eix̱.
How people dance.
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo.
Oh how I loved it.
Hél tsú tléik' yoo ???
I don't [say???] no.
«Góok!»
“Go ahead!”
K'idaak x̱washk'éinch.
I'd jump down.
Yeisú keijín táakwx̱ x̱at sitee.
I was only 5.
Áwé altín k'idéin {tle tle tle}
So see, really well
wáa sá agwáal ax̱ éesh.
how my dad was drumming,
Tle áyáx̱ ḵux̱waanóok.
I did it accordingly.
Áwé
That's when
wéi
that
wáa sá hél x̱wasakú wéi hall Juneau-xʼ.
I don't know the name of that hall in Juneau.
Aadéi haa, aadéi haa duwatee du een.
There we, they took us there with him (Peter Jack.)
É! ANB Hall. Ldakát ḵáa áwé al'eix̱.
Wow! Everybody was dancing.
Á wuháan ???
Us ???
Wáa sá i toowúch?
What do you think?
Yan ḵuyawtuwadláḵ.
We really beat everyone in (dancing).
Hah!
Oh!
Hél x̱at oolgé. Áyá yéi x̱at gusigéink'.
I wasn't big. I was that small.
Ah.
???
Ax̱ katáagu ḵín ax̱.
I [looked?] less than my age.
Gwál daaxʼoon táakw yáx̱ áwé x̱át ḵaa tuwáa x̱at yatee.
Maybe I looked like I was 4 years old.
Áwé altín ax̱ éesh
So see my dad
x̱at shukaawajáa.
he showed me how.
«Tle wáa sá x̱agwáal áyáx̱ áwé {yaa k}
“Just the way I'm drumming,
áyáx̱ áwé yaa kg̱eeháan.»
that's the way you're going to move.”
«Góok!» Tlax̱ ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo.
“Go ahead!” It was so fun for me.
Peter Jack ḵu.aa ch'a koogéiyi áwé ???
Peter Jack, though, just any old way ???
Tláakwdei ndusḵéich tsú.
They would get after him.
Áwé yéi daayax̱aḵá,
I told him,
«K'idéin anal'eix̱!
“Dance good!
{wáan} Wáang̱aneens
Sometimes
prize yagax̱toodláaḵ, x̱á.
we will win a prize, see.
Haa jeet yéi at gax̱dutée shákdéi.»
Maybe they'll give us the prize.”
Hél daa sá yawtoodlaaḵ.
We didn't win anything.
Ch'a aan ḵu.aa,
Even then,
wáa sá {ḵaa tuwáa si} ḵaa tuwáa wsigóo.
how people loved it.
Wáa ḵaa tuwáa wsigóo wé sáwé tle
People loved it so much then
aax̱ has x̱at woosháat.
they picked me up.
Kéináx̱ áwé yaa x̱at nasgít ???
They lifted me above their heads. [Because people wanted to hold her.]
Ax̱ tláa áx̱ x̱at yawsináaḵ tle.
My mother ran after me.
«Ax̱ séek', gax̱dutáaw.»
“My little doll baby, they'll steal her.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áwé ḵaa jeedáx̱ ḵux̱ x̱at uwas'él'.
She tore me from people's hands.
Ah, ch'a yeisú hél tsu tléixʼ sándi shawuxeexí áwé,
Uh, and then, not even a week later,
wéi Catholic Priest yan ax̱ neil uwagút.
the Catholic priest came to my house. [Gestures: knock, knock...]
Ḵúnáx̱ kawdigwál. {x'áa}
He was very angry.
You could
Tle
Then
xʼáan du yaadé x̱wsiteen.
I saw anger in his face.
Du ée akux̱dlix̱éitl'.
I was afraid of him.
Hah!
Well!
Tle,
Then,
ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa, «Yóonáx̱ aadéi nagú.»
my dad and my mom, “Go to the other side.” (they told him)
Tle wáa xʼáan tunoogú sáwé, «Tléil aadéi kḵwagoot.
He was so angry, “I'm not going to go there.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo hóoch tsú awu.aax̱í.»
I want her to hear it too.” (said the priest.)
Ax̱ toowóoch ḵú ax̱ tláa jeedáx̱ {yá x̱a} x̱at gax̱dus'éil' tsú.
I thought they were going to tear me away from my mother again.
Ax̱ toowú yanéekw.
I was heartbroken.
Áwé altín,
So see,
tle yéi ayawsiḵáa ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa,
then he said to my mother and dad,
«At yidaná yeedát.
“You guys are drinking now.
A káa kawtushixít ya xʼúxʼ káxʼ.
We wrote it down on this paper.
At yidaná.
You folks drink.
A kináadei áyá,
On top of that,
Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ ḵa Lingít
Tlingit language and Tlingit
aadé ḵuwanóogu yé
doings
a kináadei áwé {yéi daa} yéi jeeyné.
on top of that you're doing that.
Tle yá Church ḵa,
And this church,
tugéidei áwé yaa nayeesgít.
you're working against it.
Yee jeedáx̱ yei has gax̱tusanée, i yátxʼi.»
We're going to take your children away from you.”
Wáa sá ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa, wáa sá s du tuwáa sigóo wé Catholic Church.
How my mother and dad loved the Catholic church.
Áwé
That
tle áyá
and this
{yéi x̱at} yéi s daayaduḵá ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ éesh.
they were saying to my mom and dad.
«Haa yáa yanaysaḵá,
“Swear before us,
hél Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo,
no Tlingit language
has du éet gax̱yeelatóow.»
you won't teach them.”
Áwé
So
tle, tle kéi s jiwlitsáḵ.
they just raised their hands.
Ch'a aax̱ áyá hél has tuwáa ushgú ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ éesh yá Lingít yoo x̱ʼatánk.
From there they didn't want the Tlingit language, my mother and my father.
Ax̱ toowú yanéekw, Helen, yéi áwé.
I was heartbroken, Helen, that's it.
Ḵux̱aajée.
I imagine it.
Tle, tle yeexʼ tle has du jeetx̱ áwé yéi haa yawdudzinee.
Then they took us away from our parents.
Aadé ???
The way ???
A ??? has haa wshik'aan.
They hated us for it.
Ch'a wáa sá x̱wasgeedí tle
No matter what I did
ḵushtuyáx̱ tsu yak'éiyi déin ḵux̱anoogú,
even when I did the right things,
has du tugéide wusitee.
it was always against how they felt.
Yáaxʼ áwé,
That's when
uh, school yóo tuwa.át, wa.é tsú.
we went to school; you did too.
Mrs. Davis.
Marion
Tassel.
You remember her.
Hél tlax̱ sgóoni yoo wugoot.
She didn't hardly go to school.
Awlitín wéi du kéek' hás ḵa du éek' hás.
She took care of her little brothers and sisters.
Neilú g̱anúkch.
She would sit at home.
Wáang̱aneens ḵú áx̱ goodín.
Sometimes though she went there.
Uhuh.
Há át wugoodí áwé altínx̱
When she went there, she watches,
wéi teacher een x̱at kaawanéek
she told the teacher on me
Lingít yoo x̱ʼatángi.
(for using the) Tlingit language.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
X̱wasikóo.
I know.
Tle- Áa x̱ʼakawdudligéiḵ.
They forbade it.
Áwé yéi s
So
??? wéi school-xʼ yan [lutu.aadí???] áwé kei x̱at kaawanéek.
when we got back to school she told on me.
Áwé Mrs.Davis tle ḵúnáx̱ x̱at woojáaḵw.
Mrs. Davis really beat me up.
[Ch'al satí ???] áwé ax̱ shá hél aax̱ kéi awus'éil'.
It's a wonder she didn't tear my head right off.
Ax̱ shax̱aawóoch áwé x̱at wusix̱óot'.
She was dragging me around by my hair.
Gee.
Yáaxʼ áwé wéi
And then the
xʼús'
club (ruler)
tle hóoch'i aayí dei aan ax̱ jín aawax̱ísht.
with all of her might she hit my wrist.
Wáa du ée akx̱walx̱éetl' sáwé hél yéi yax̱wsaḵaa.
I was so frightened by her I didn't tell her/confess.
Neildéi kḵwagóot.
I'll go home.
Ch'a koogéiyi áwé gáant x̱wajixíx,
I ran home rashly,
ax̱,
my,
ax̱ kinaa.ádi g̱óot.
without my coat.
Áwé neil x̱ashéex áwé ax̱ éesh x̱ánt x̱wajixíx.
Soon as I got home I ran to my dad.
«Wáa sáwé iwoonei, Sík'?»
“What happened to you, Daughter?”
«Ḵúnáx̱ x̱at woojáaḵ wéi teacher.»
“The teacher really beat me up.”
Ax̱ jín awdlig̱én ax̱ éesh.
My dad saw my hand.
??? Tle wudliḵách.
It was swollen.
Yisikóo ḵúnáx̱ ligéi wéi haa teacher-i. Eee.
You know that she was very big, our teacher. Yes.
Hél yoo x̱ʼatángi g̱óot áwé wudihaan ax̱ éesh.
Without a word my dad got up.
Du {ku} kinaa.ádi káx̱ awditee ḵa du s'áaxw.
He put his jacket on and his hat.
Ax̱ jínt uwashée {ax̱} tláakw yaa x̱at jinatán.
He held my hand and quickly led me along.
Yáaxʼ áwé ḵux̱ ax̱alg̱éin áwé ax̱ tláa haa ítx̱ yaa nashíx.
Then I looked back and my mother was running behind us.
Ch'a yeisú keijín táakwx̱ x̱at sitee ch'a aan áwé hél yaa ḵux̱lag̱áat.
I was only 5 and I still up to this day have never forgotten.
Tle {át haa l át} át haa jeewutaan áwé x̱at jeewanáḵ ax̱ éesh.
When we got there my dad let my hand go.
Wáa áxʼ x̱waax̱éetl'i sáwé wéi
I was so scared, the
x̱ʼahaat x̱ánt áwé {ax̱}
next to the door
kát áwé áx̱ shakax̱wdligán.
I leaned against it.
Tle,
Then,
tle ax̱ éesh ax̱satéen áwé yóot ayawdihán.
then when she saw my dad, she ran away.
Áwé ldakát,
Every
wéi ch'áakw, wéi
that long ago, that
shúxʼaa aayí wéi,
the first one,
áaxʼ haa ée at dultóowu yé
where they used to teach us
tle yá
just there
shóoxʼu yéi yatee,
she lived at the end,
Mrs. Davis.
Mrs. Davis.
Áwé altín aadéi yawsinaaḵ ax̱ éesh.
So see, my dad chased her there.
Ax̱ éeshch aadéi
My dad there
tle hóoch'i aayí dei
with all his might
he said
{yéi x̱at} yéi ayawsiḵáa,
he said to her,
«Ix̱ʼakḵwagwált.
“I'm going to beat you up.
Ḵushtuyáx̱ jail-xʼ yéi x̱at,
I don't care if I go to jail,
jail x̱at wudusnoogú.
if they put me in jail.
Wáa sáwé daa.eenéi ax̱ séek'?
What are you doing to my little daughter?
Du jín ch'a ldakát yax̱ awdliḵách.
Her hands are all swollen up.
Ḵa du shax̱aawú ch'a át yisax̱óot'.
And you pulled her around by her hair.
Hél gé eeteen aadéi ksigéink'i yé?»
Can't you see how little she is?”
Wé a daa aawagwált.
He punched her several times.
«Eetí yáanáx̱ ikḵwajáaḵ ch'a
“I'm going to beat you up more if
ch'a du daat eeshéeni tsu.
if you ever touch her again.
{wáa sáyá} Wáa sá yee tuwáa yatee yá Lingít yoo x̱ʼatángi?»
What is it you folks hate about the Tlingit language?”
Aax̱ nagóot áwé akwdlix̱éetl' wéi teacher.
When my dad left the teacher was so scared.
Ch'a aax̱ áwé hél tsu ax̱ éet wooshí.
From there on she never touched me.
Tle x̱at nalgé áwé {tsu} tsu akaawa.aaḵw.
When I got bigger she tried again.
Áwé du jeedáx̱ tóoch x̱wadis'él'.
I tore myself away from her.
Gee.
Hél yáx̱ x̱wajeeyín tlax̱ yéi has wuteeyí.
I didn't realize they were that way.
Tle ḵúnáx̱ tlél has wushk'é.
They've always been no good.
Tléik'.
No.
Uháan ḵu.aa,
But we,
Lucy ḵa Clara een áwé át haa,
with Clara and Lucy we
ash katoolyát nooch.
always played together.
Áwé ch'a tlákw Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo x̱ʼatuli.átk wóoch.een.
We used to talk Tlingit together all the time.
Sgóonxʼ ḵu.aa áwé, tléik'.
But in school, no.
Mmm.
Yéi ḵutuwa.áx̱.
We heard that.
Ḵaa jín áwé {dush}.
People's hands they'd.
Hél tsu x̱wasateen,
I never saw anything like that,
x̱áach.
me.
Hél yéi,
Not,
hél Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo x̱ʼawtula.áat sgóonxʼ.
we never spoke Tlingit in school.
X̱át dei ch'a wéi Marion áwé kéi x̱at kaawaník.
Me now, that Marion told on me.
Há!
So!
Tlax̱, tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱.
That was too much.
Dleit shaawát yáx̱ góosh daa toowditee, hél x̱wasakú.
Maybe she felt like she was a white girl, I don't know. (She was identifying with her white side.)
Ah, hél tlax̱ sgóon yóo wugoot á shákdéi áwé l k'idéin daa sá awuskú, Mhm.
Uh, maybe it's because she didn't go to school too much, she didn't know too much,
Lingít yinaanáx̱ tsú.
even on the Tlingit side.
Aaá.
Yes.
Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo x̱ʼayatánk ḵu.aa.
She spoke Tlingit though.
Áwé,
So,
hél shákdéi {a kát yis} hél x̱wasakú, a kát yisawoo ??? aag̱áa.
maybe not, I don't know, she forgot about it ??? at that time.
Wé tléixʼdahéen tle, tlákw át ḵux̱wdlit'éet wéi cigarettes.
Oh I was always looking around for cigarettes.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
K'idéin shax̱lahéek áwé wtuwa.áat.
When I filled it (a cap) up good, we'd go.
Waḵ áa yéi yatee yé, yisikóo gé?
Do you know the place where Waḵ lives?
Wé hítk'.
That little house?
Aaá, aaá.
Yes, yes.
Gwál wa.é tsú ???
Maybe you too ???
Hél x̱wasakú.
I don't know.
{ax̱} Axʼ áwé sh x̱ʼatudas'éiḵ.
That's where we were smoking cigarettes.
Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo x̱ʼatuli.átk'. É.
We spoke Tlingit. Wow.
Tlax̱ wáa sá haa toowú sigóo.
We were so happy.
Yáaxʼ áwé {nax̱}
That is when
Aax̱, aax̱ wutuwa.át ???
we left there.
Tle,
Then,
neil x̱agóot áwé, ax̱ tláa,
when I came home, my mother,
«Goodáx̱ sáwé yaa neegút, Sík'?»
“Where are you coming from, Daughter?”
«Oh, Waḵ hídi áwé
“Oh, Waḵ's house
áxʼ Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼatuli.átk'.»
that's where we were speaking Tlingit.”
«Haaw.
“Well.
Há likoodzí.»
How amazing.”
S'eiḵ tóot satéen.
The house was in (full of) smoke.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ax̱ toowóoch ḵú tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ x̱at gug̱wajáaḵ ax̱ éesh.
I thought my dad was going to give me a real hard licking.
Ax̱ tláa áwé yashóoḵ.
He was smiling at my mother.
«Yisikóo hél áwé,
“You know there is no way
áyáx̱ has du ée
with her
ch'a aadéi yéi g̱ax̱too.óo.
we'll have to forgive her. [Her parents were disappointed in her but didn't punish her.]
Lingít ch'a tlákw áwé a káx̱ x̱ʼadudlig̱éiḵ altín wéi haa yoo x̱ʼatángi.
They're always trying to stop her, see, from speaking the Tlingit language.
Á ḵúnáx̱ akwdlix̱éitl', hél
She's really afraid, don't
{haa} a x̱ʼáaxʼu duwajáaḵw, ilí eesháan.
we could give her a licking but we won't, have pity on her.
??? ḵu.aa wé yawtuwajeigí ??? kei {yagax̱tooch}
We're going to punish her ???
Tláakw du een yoo x̱ʼagax̱tula.áat.»
We're going to speak to her about it.”
Ch'a x̱áawé ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa has sh kalneegí,
When my mother and dad are talking,
ḵushtuyáx̱ wáa ḵux̱as.óok' sáwé
even though I'm really playing
tléináx̱,
all my myself,
ax̱ gúk áwé ḵalashátch, áxʼ has sh kalneek yé.
I would cup my ears to where they were talking.
Yagéi at áx̱ haa kawdudligéiḵ tsú wéi
There were a lot of things they forbade us to do the
ḵoo.éexʼ.
memorial parties.
Áx̱ gé kawdudligéiḵ?
Did they forbid that?
Tléik', hél ḵoo.éexʼt wutoo.aat.
No, we didn't go to parties.
Hél yaa yagugóochin ???
We never used to go.
Ax̱ toowóoch hél át wutoo.aat.
I don't believe we went.
Ax̱ léelk'w hás.
My grandparents.
Ách yáa Juneau-xʼ haa shákdéi aag̱áa shaatk'átsk'ux̱ haa sitee.
Because here in Juneau, maybe at that time we were little girls.
Xunaat ḵux̱waateen áwé tsá x̱wsiteen.
When I went to Hoonah I really saw it.
Ḵoo.éexʼ. Oh, my.
Potlatches.
Hoʼ, hoʼ, ch'u tle déi sagóoch x̱at uwajáḵ.
Oh, I was so thrilled.
Has x̱alatín áwé ax̱ léelk'u hás.
I watched my grandparents.
Johnny Fawcett dleit ḵaa x̱ʼéináx̱, hél x̱wasakú ch'a Lingít saayí.
Johnny Fawcett in English, I don't know his Tlingit name.
Tseexwá.
[Name]
Jeexwáa ax̱ sáni áwé ch'a aan áwé.
Jeexwáa was my uncle but even so.
X̱át tsú ax̱ sáni áwé.
He was my uncle too.
J.C Johnson, ha.é!
J. C. Johnson, wow!
Boy, shuxʼwáa has x̱wasateení,
Boy, when I first saw them,
neildéi yaa s na.ádi áwé, hoʼ, hoʼ, hoʼ,
when they came (dancing) in, wow,
ḵúnáx̱ áwé neil has aawal'eix̱.
they really came in.
Yóo áwé, hó hó.
This is the way, ho, ho.
Ch'u tle dé!
I was thrilled!
What you call it? I had electric run down my spine.
Watching them, has x̱alatínni.
When I watch them.
Gee, ḵúnáx̱ áwé sagóoch x̱at uwajáḵ has x̱alatínni.
Gee, I was so thrilled [overcome by happiness] watching them.
Jeexwáa áwé xʼóow t'éik aawal'eix̱ wéi,
Jeexwaa danced behind a blanket,
Oh, my.
Gee whiz!
Really, I just
Shuxʼwáa áwé x̱wsiteen ḵoo.éexʼ áxʼ.
I saw my first potlatch there.
Hél shaatk'átsk'ux̱ x̱at sateeyí,
Not when I was a little girl,
yáa X'aa T'áak aa x̱wsateen.
did I see any in Douglas.
Ch'a neil shákdéi yóo haa dusḵéejin. Hél x̱wasakú.
Maybe they used to leave us at home. I don't know.
Haa ax̱ toowóoch ḵú haa een át iya.át, .é.
I thought you used to go with us, gee.
Wéi school,
The school,
wéixʼ haa ée at dultóowu yé,
there where they taught us,
diyeenaa wáang̱aneens áwé ḵaa náawu áa yan ustáaych.
in the basement sometimes there were dead bodies there. [Kept there before the funeral.]
Church ḵú yóo too.átgin ch'a tlákw Sunday.
We used to go to church every Sunday.
Uhuh.
Sunday school.
Ḵa week days ch'a meeting.
And week days just meeting.
At tooshée nooch, ha.é.
We used to sing, wow.
{ax̱ tuwáa} Haa tuwáa sagóowun.
We really loved it.
Clara ḵa Lucy.
Clara and Lucy.
Ḵa wa.é. Oh, goodness, ḵúnáx̱ áwé haa tuwáa wsigóo.
And you. Oh, goodness, we sure loved it.
Sing the clouds away!
Yeah, Church songs toosheeyí.
When we sing church songs.
We shall gather at the river.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
{Wáang̱anee} ??? -lig̱éi uháan tsu wéi Presbyterian ḵa Salvation Army.
We went to both Presbyterian and Salvation Army.
Wáa sá haa tuwáa wsigóo.
Oh, how we loved it.
{ax̱ éesh} Ax̱ éesh yéi x̱at daayaḵá,
My dad said to me,
«Presbyterian-x̱ áyá x̱at satéeyin, Sík'.»
“I used to be a Presbyterian, Daughter.”
«K'e áa ḵux̱ idagú!
“Go back there, (Dad)!
X̱át tsú i een áa ḵúx̱dei kḵwada.áat.
I'll go back there with you.
Presbyterian-x̱ haa gux̱satée.»
We'll be Presbyterians.”
«I tláa ḵúnáx̱ tláaxʼw ???.
“Your mother won't like this.???
Hél i tláa een keeneegí
Don't tell your mother
i een sh kax̱alneegí.»
that I'm talking to you about this.”
Áyá ḵoo.éexʼ ḵu.aa wé,
But these potlatches,
yéi áwé kakoogéi,
it's this big (hole that we would peek through),
about one inch,
gwál a ḵín.
maybe smaller.
Áxʼ áwé tulatínch.
Through there we would watch.
Aadé ḵutootéesinch.
We would stare there (through that little hole).
É!
Oh, my!
Daa sá? ??? nooch wéi atx̱á. Oh, ḵoo.éexʼ gé?
What? ??? those foods. Oh, a potlatch?
Há!
Is that so!
Wáa ??? áx̱ haa kdudligéiḵ ??? yak'éiyi át?
Why are they keeping us away from something that's so good?
Tle tle ḵúnáx̱ áyú strict, x̱áawé.
They were really strict, see.
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Hás aan wuduwa.áx̱ uháan.
We didn't pay attention (though).
Ax̱ shátx̱,
My older sister,
tle yéi x̱at daayaḵáa nooch,
she used to tell me,
«Catholic áyá wuháan.
“We're Catholic.
{tlél aadéi} Hél aadé
We cannot
ḵáa yáx̱ ḵunax̱tuwanoogu yé.»
do those things like (other) people.”
Wáa sá ax̱ shik'áan ax̱ shátx̱.
Oh, I sure didn't like my older sister.
Hél yéi haa daayaduḵáayin, ch'a,
They didn't used to say that to us,
ch'a k'át uháan áwé,
at least us, anyway,
{protestant} Protestant-x̱ haa sitee.
we were Protestants.
Ldakát uháan church-dei ldakát uháan natoo.átjin.
All of us to church, we all used to go to church.
Sunday school, weekdays, meeting. Ah geez!
{haa sagóo ya} Sagóoch yax̱ haa yaklajáḵ adátxʼix̱ haa sateeyí.
We used to get so thrilled when we were little.
K'idéin áwé haa een has ḵusteeyín wé
They really treated us good, those
preachers ḵa ch'a wáa sá.
preachers and whoever.
Wéi at shí.
Those songs.
Ḵúnáx̱ sagóo yáx̱ áwé has,
Real happiness,
Mr. Lovelace.
has at shí nooch. Aáa, hú tsú áx̱ too.át nooch, du aayí.
they always sang. Yes, him too, we used to go there, to his (church).
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa has wusigóo Mr. and Mrs.Wagner.
Oh, how I loved that Mr. and Mrs. Wagner.
Oh geez, boys.
Ḵúnáx̱ áyá haa wsix̱án.
They really loved us.
É! Du jín áwé {le}
Wow! Her hands
ch'ás du jín áwé,
just her hands,
wáa sá a kát na.átch wéi, wéi piano.
oh how they'd move on the piano.
É!
Wow!
Ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo.
I used to just love that.
Áwé altín tlél ax̱ tuwáa wushgú
So see I didn't like
yá Catholic-x̱ satí.
being a Catholic.
Há?
Is that so?
Tle yéi x̱at, tle yéi x̱at tuwatee.
This is how I used to feel.
Aadáx̱ x̱at gug̱wa.wáat.
I'm going to come to that age.
A tóodáx̱ yei kḵwagóot.
I'm going to leave (the church).
Héil ax̱ tuwáa wushgú.
I didn't like it.
Ax̱ éesh yéi daayax̱aḵáa nooch,
I used to tell my dad,
«Yá Mrs.Wagner {and mister} ḵa Mrs.Wagner has
“That Mrs. Wagner and Mr. Wagner, their
church-i wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo, Éesh.»
church, how Iove it, Dad.”
Áwé yéi x̱at yanasḵéich,
He'd say to me,
«Hél i yáx̱ iwoowáat yeisú, Sík',
“You're still not old enough yet, Daughter,
yaa a tóodáx̱ yaa yigoodí.
to leave it (the church).
Ḵa yisikóo a tóoxʼ héent iyawduwatée.»
And you know you were baptized in it (the Catholic church).”
Ax̱ toowóoch ḵú yéi x̱ʼayaḵá neejín ḵushtuyáx̱ gooxʼ sá héent x̱at yawduwatée.
I think though he always used to say it doesn't matter where I was baptized.
A tóodáx̱ yei kḵwagóot.
I'm going to leave it.
Ḵúdáx̱, ḵúdáx̱
Too much, too much
haa een tlél has wushk'é.
they were very unkind to us.
Yá Lingít yóo x̱ʼatángi haa jeetx̱ has aawatée.
They took the Tlingit language away from us.
Ch'a tlaagú x̱áawé.
Oh, my goodness.
Wéi yéi has wootee.
That's the way they were.
Yéi ḵú {has} x̱aan has akanik noojín,
This is what they used to say to us though,
«Wéi atyátxʼi Catholic school yóo s átgi,
“Those kids that go to Catholic school,
ḵúnáx̱ has dujáaḵ noojín yáa ḵaa,
they really used to beat them up, those people,
wéi Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼatánk.»
for speaking the Tlingit language.”
Ch'u tle déi xʼáant has oonúkch x̱aan has akaneegí.
They were pretty angry when they were telling me about it.
Bessie C. {yo} used to be?
Hú áwé x̱aan sh kalneek noojín.
It was her that used to tell me this.
They were just, they really, beat them for it.
Has dux̱íshdi nooch a káxʼ.
They used to spank them for it.
Hél ḵu.aa tlax̱ Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo hás x̱ʼeil.átk',
They hardly spoke Tlingit,
wéi adátxʼi áa yóo s átgi.
the kids that went there.
A kaaxʼ ách áwé hél has du tuwáa ushguwóoch áwé.
Because they (school) didn't like it, that's why.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé xʼaan ax̱ tóo yéi s awsinee.
They really put anger inside of me.
Yeah.
X̱at ḵ'awligwátl. Wáa sáyá tlax̱ yéi,
I'm flabbergasted. Why was it that,
{ax̱} tlél ax̱ tuwáa,
I didn't,
hél ax̱ tuwáaxʼ wáa sá utí yá Lingítx̱ ḵaa sateeyí.
it didn't bother me to be Tlingit.
Wáa sáyá tlax̱ ??? has haa wshik'aan?
Why did they hate us so much?
Gwál x̱át ḵaa yáanáx̱.
Maybe me more than anyone.
Ax̱ shátx̱ ḵu.aa x̱á ch'a yóok' áwé school-dáx̱ woogoot.
My sister left school early.
X̱át ḵu.aa,
As for me,
tle ḵaa jishaxʼwáni l x̱wagootch.
I used to walk in to an unhappy situation.
Áwé altín ax̱ tláa
So see, my mother
ḵa ax̱ éesh
and my dad
tláakw yóo ayawsiḵáa wéi school teacher.
really told the school teacher off.
Has kawdichák aax̱.
They decided to pack and leave.
Petersburg-déi haa gux̱lagwáas'.
We were leaving for Petersburg.
Wáa sá kwshé wé at woonee dé North Sea.
I don't know what happened to the “North Sea”. [A big steamship]
Yisikóo át naḵúx̱jin.
You know it used to travel around.
Dei a yéidei áwé yan haa uwanée.
We were ready to leave on it.
A wáa yoo at koonée sáwé tle, aax̱ yéi wootee.
I don't know what happened that it was called off.
Gwál ch'a Dikee Aanḵáawuch at kawu.áaḵw áwé.
Maybe it was God's will.
Tle hóoch' aayí dei x̱at woonéekw.
I got really sick.
Ax̱ tláa
My mother
{xunaadáx̱} Xunaadéi ḵunatéen.
went to Hoonah.
Aadéi wduwasháa.
She got married there.
Áyá x̱wasikóo.
I know.
Ax̱ shátx̱
My older sister
James, wáa sá dusáagun?
James, what was his name?
Silas.
Silas.
J aa áwé, aaa.
J thatʼs it, yes.
Áyáx̱ áwé.
That's right.
Áa yéi haa teeyí áwé ax̱ x̱án.aa.
Me and my husband lived there at that time.
Ax̱ x̱án.aa Eddie,
My husband, Eddie,
eesháan, tle ??? sitee yeedát.
poor thing, he's gone now.
Uh, Russian Orthodox-x̱ áwé satéeyin.
He was Russian Orthodox.
Hél ḵa wáa sá ax̱ tóo utéeyin gé, áwé ax̱ tundatáani yéi naneich.
That's all right, I would think in my mind.
Ch'as woo ??? hú, hú awé.
He's just the only one. [Only one God.]
Du jeedéi x̱ʼatudagáxʼ nuch.
We pray to him.
Tléixʼ áwé yatee.
There's only one (God).
Mhm.
Churches ḵú.aa shayadihéin.
There's many churches though.
Kéi x̱at wuwáadi ítdáx̱ áwé yéi ax̱ tundatáani yéi wjix̱ín.
After I grew up I (made up ???) my mind.
{ax̱ x̱a}
Á x̱atóow nuch tsú xʼúxʼ káxʼ.
I always read it in the book.
A tóot kéi x̱at uwawát Church. Mhm.
I grew up in the church. Yes.
Tle ḵúnáx̱
Really
{ax̱ at} ??? k'idéin
??? really well
ḵu.aa I, I loved it. I believed it. du át.
???
A kát x̱at seiwxʼáḵw how to say it Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱.
I forgot how to say it in Tlingit.
Áwé kéi x̱at gawáat áwé, áh,
When I got older, oh,
haaw, ch'a at géide at x̱a.áx̱ji nuch.
well, I used to hear things in the wrong way.
Ch'u tle déi ax̱ toowú
Then I was
diyéexʼ yéi nateech has x̱ʼax̱awóos' nuch ax̱
downhearted so I would ask my
káak hás ḵa ax̱ shátx̱.
uncles and my older sister too.
«Ch'a yéi áwé at yatee.
“That's just the way it is.
Ch'a yéi áwé at ditee.
That's just the way it is.
Yá xʼúxʼ eetóowu tsú,
When you read this book (Bible) too,
a káa gag̱eetóow.
you'll read it in there.
Ch'a hél a daa, tlákw a daa yóo teetángich.
Don't always, because you always think about it.
Just accept it," yéi s x̱at yawsiḵaa. ???
Just accept it,” that's what they told me.
Mmm. Mhm.
Yeah. Yes.
Yéi áwé x̱at tootí, x̱át tsú. Me x̱at tsú, yeah.
That is the way I feel too. Me too,
Ách áwé ch'a hél wáa sá utí ax̱ x̱án.aa tsú wéi Russian Orthodox-x̱ satí.
That's why it's all right with me that my husband was Russian Orthodox.
Ḵúnáx̱ asx̱ánin du Church-i.
He really loved his church.
Áwé ax̱ yáa lak'éiyin.
It used to please me.
Ax̱ toowú k'éi nuch du jeeyís.
I was happy for him.
Hél wáa sá utí.
It's all right.
Ch'a tléixʼ
There's only one
Dikée Aanḵáawú haa jee yéi yatee.
God we have.
Hú áwé.
It's Him.
Yeisú,
Still,
jinkaat ḵa keijín x̱at nastée áwé, altín,
when I became 15 years old, see,
a tóodáx̱ yax̱wjixíx wéi Catholic Church.
I ran out of the Catholic church. [In her heart]
Áwé
So
ch'as tléixʼ dís shuwuxeex áwé.
just one month went by.
Jinkaat táakw ḵa tleidooshú x̱at wusteen.
I turned 16.
A tóodáx̱ x̱waagoot, hél ax̱ tláa een kax̱waaneek.
I left the church and didn't tell my mother.
Wéi Hydaburg-dáx̱ shaawát áwé ax̱ jeet kawjixít.
A young lady from Hydaburg wrote me (a little note).
«I tuwáa gé sigóo
“Would you like to
Dikée Aanḵáawu [a ítde???] yigoodí?
follow the Lord?
I tuwáa sagoowú
If you want
Dikée Aanḵáawu
God's
du yéet i téix̱ʼ tóo neil wugoodí gé i tuwaa sigoo?»
son to come into your heart, do you want it?”
Aháh.
Uhuh.
Tle góok tle
Right away
"Yes," kax̱wshixít du jeet wuduwatée.
I wrote “Yes,” and someone gave it to her.
Áwé ax̱ een sh káa x̱ʼawdigáxʼ.
That is when she prayed for me.
Ch'a yeedát ax̱ yáa liḵ'éi, Kík'.
Up to this day I treasure it, Sis.
Tle ch'a góot yéidei shux̱wdinóok.
I felt so different.
Yáaxʼ áwé daa yoo tux̱waatánk tle ḵúnáx̱ áyá has awshik'aan yá Catholic church ḵa Mrs. Davis
I start thinking of how much the Catholic church and Mrs. Davis hated
yá Lingítx̱ haa sateeyí.
that we were Tlingit.
Háaw, yeedát áwé hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú tle,
Well, now I don't like it,
ḵushtuyáx̱; hél ax̱ tuwaa ushgú {ḵ} tsú; ax̱ tláa tsú x̱at woojáaḵw.
I just don't care; I don't like it; my mother gave me a licking.
Ax̱ tláa jeet kax̱wjixít Xunaaxʼ.
I wrote my mother a letter in Hoonah.
Yéi daayax̱aḵá,
I told her,
«A tóodáx̱ yax̱waagút wé Catholic church.
“I left the Catholic church.
Dikée Aanḵáawu ax̱ téix̱ʼ tóo neil uwagút.
The Lord came into my heart.
Hél x̱wasakú gootx̱ sáyá.
I don't know where from.
Dikée Aanḵáawu hídixʼ kḵwagóot.
I will be going to the house of God.
Ḵushtuyáx̱ tsú Presbyterian, Salvation Army.
I don't really mind which one, the Presbyterian or Salvation Army.
Daaḵw.aasá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo, tóodei kḵwagóot.»
Whichever one I want, I'm going to.”
Áwé altín ax̱ tláa ḵúnáx̱ xʼáant uwanúk.
So see my mother was really mad at me.
Yéi x̱at daayaḵá,
She said to me,
«Tle has du jig̱ei ??? kei ikaawa.áa, Sík', wéi Catholic sisters.
“They raised you in their arms, Daughter, the Catholic sisters.
Ákyá? Tle yóot has iyalít.»
And you just threw them aside.”
Tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ has x̱at woojáaḵw.
They really beat me too much.
Wáang̱aneens hél een kax̱waneek neejín aadé s x̱at jáaḵw yé,
Sometimes I never used to tell how much they would beat me,
yáa Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼatánk a x̱ʼáaxʼ.
because of the Tlingit language.
Ách áwé l ax̱ tuwáa has ushgú, tléik', hél tuwáa ushgú.
That is why I didn't like them, no, didn't like them.
Tle Walter Soboleff {x̱} ax̱ tuwáa sigóo x̱wasateen.
I wanted to see Walter Soboleff.
Du jeedéi yan koowdiyáa ???
???
{x̱at yawsi has du} Haat g̱agóot,
Let him come here,
wéi nakwnéit.
the minister.
Áwé altín haat uwagút hél ák' [ooheen???] áwé at uwagút wé
So see he came, he didn't [believe???] he came to the
TB sanatorium.
TB sanatorium.
Áxʼ áwé altín ax̱ een yóo x̱ʼawli.át.
So see, he talked to me there.
Yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa, «Ḵushtuyáx̱ daat
He said to me, “It doesn't matter what
Church tóo tsá eeháni.
church you're standing in.
Dikée Aanḵáawu i téix̱ʼ tóo neil wugoodí ch'ás áyá a káa yan ??? kg̱eeháan.»
The Lord coming into your heart is all you're going to stand upon.”
Haaw, tsu ax̱ téix̱ʼ akawliwál'.
So, he broke my heart again.
Haaw, hél hás tsú áwé du tuwáa x̱at ushgú.
So, they too don't want me.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yagéiyi yéidei
A lot of ways
yá church,
the church,
Of course it does.
When I was, ḵúnáx̱
When I was, really
{ax̱ tóow} shuxʼwáa x̱atóowu shuxʼwáa yaa nx̱asakwéini,
when I first read it and I was beginning to learn,
hél yéi utí.
that isn't the way it is.
Yá dleit ḵaa hás áwé
The white people
áa s g̱aḵeech, é!
they'd sit there, hmh!
Hél Lingít has du tuwáa ushgú.
They didn't like Tlingits.
Shuxʼáa áwé k'idéin,
At the very beginning,
x̱wasakoowú áwé ch'u tle déi wáa sá ,ax̱ toowú wooneekw.
when I really knew it, how sorry I was.
Atk'átsk'u x̱at sateeyí áyá.
When I was a little kid.
Kéi ikg̱wawáat too ???
You will grow up too ???
I shantóoxʼ yéi yakg̱watée. ???
It's going to be in your mind.
Aaá. OK.
Yes.
Yéi ásíwégé at yatee.
So that's the way it is.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yéi ásíwégé at yatee yáa yagiyee.
So that's the way it is today.
{hél haa kdush}
Hél haa kdushtán Lingítx̱ haa sitee.
They weren't used to us Tlingits.
Hél ḵaa tuwáa haa ushgú a x̱oo aa.
Some of them didn't like us.
K'e yá
This
x̱at wooshaayí dleit ḵáa
white man who is married to me
tle tsú
also
ḵúnáx̱ áyá ax̱ een yan uwa.át.
he really is good to me.
Daaḵw.aasá ax̱ x̱ooníx̱ sitee tle
Whoever is my relative
tle [a séináx̱???] ooshéeych.
he puts his arm around them.
Yéi daayax̱aḵáa nooch ax̱ x̱oonxʼí.
I always tell him my relatives.
«Wéi Helen tsú ax̱ kéek' áwé du,
“Helen is my little sister, her,
hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú {s}
I don't want
has kayshik'áan.»
you to dislike them.”
«Haaw, wáa sáwé hél
“Well, why not
yei eex̱oox̱ch een
call them over for
Lingít atx̱aayí?
Native food?
I [ch'ei yáx̱???] áwé Lingít atx̱aayí x̱ax̱á.»
I eat the Native food you eat too.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Tléixʼdahéen tliyaatgé
One time a few days ago
áwé,
so,
x̱ʼéidáx̱ kei x̱waatán
I opened
{uh s}
kawdudlis'eg̱i sockeye.
smoked sockeye.
Áwé
So
eex̱ een x̱ach'éet.
I was eating it with (seal) oil.
Há wáa yoo ḵalg̱éin sáwé tle hú tsú a kaadéi woojeil.
I wasn't aware of it but he too started dipping it (in the oil).
«Hél tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ eex̱áaḵ.»
“Don't eat too much of it.”
???
Hél yisakú a daat át.»
You don't know anything about it.”
He said ḵúnáx̱ áyá yak'éi du x̱ʼé.
He said it tasted really good.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
«Kéi ikg̱wanéekw áwé,
“You'll be sick
hél i x̱ʼóol'ch wuskú yeisú.»
if your stomach isn't acquainted with it yet.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yáaxʼ áwé yá xáanaa yéi daayax̱aḵá,
This is what I told him this evening,
«Yóot'át áwé kḵwasa.ée laaḵ'ásk.
“I'm going to cook that seaweed.
??? kakḵwaxáash.
I'm going to cut up ???
Seaweed chop suey yéi kḵwasa.ée yá xáanaa.»
I'm going to cook seaweed chop suey this evening.”
He said, «Ax̱ x̱ʼé gé aa kg̱eetée?»
He said, “Are you going to give me some?”
«Hél x̱wasakú kg̱eex̱aayí.»
“I don't know if you'll eat it.”
«Haaw,
“Well,
ldakát át daa sá eex̱á áyá x̱ax̱á.»
whatever you eat, I eat.”
He said,
{ax̱}
«Ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo Lingít shaawát.
“I fell in love with a Tlingit woman.
Tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú ch'a yóo tleeyaat x̱at kaylatéeni.»
I don't want you to look at me as though I were far away.”
Áwé,
So,
yagéiyi Lingítch kawshik'áan.
a lot of Tlingit people don't like him.
Tle ḵúnáx̱ ḵú áyá Lingít awsix̱án ch'á hóoch.
He himself loves the Tlingit people.
K'é iyatéen wé
You can see where
wéixʼ haa ée at dultóow yé
we're being taught there
June
yá atx̱á wé
the food
Tlingit and Haida.
Aaá
Yes.
X̱át tsú, x̱át tsú, ḵaa ée at x̱alatóow.
Me too, me too, I'm teaching people.
???
Ch'áakw áwé jinkaat táakw ḵa jinkaat táakw ḵa keijin táakw shákdé, yéi
A long time ago, 10 or 15 years maybe,
yá sgóondei x̱at nadux̱úx̱ch.
they'd call me to the school.
Tléixʼ táakw áa yéi jix̱waanei has du een yóo adátxʼi.
I worked one year with the children.
Has du ée ḵalatóow {ooda} aadoox̱ sá
Let me teach them who
has satéeyi.
they are.
Ḵa ách áwé, é,
That is why, wow,
be proud!
Lingítx̱ sateeyí i tóoxʼ yak'éi at ???
Be proud of who you are, a Tlingit person.
{hél aadoo s} Ḵushtuyáx̱ aadoo sá wáa sá idaayaḵaayí.
It doesn't matter what people say to you.
Ch'a aan áwé yándei kg̱eeháan.
You will still stand (tall).
Lingít áwé wa.é.
You're a Tlingit.
You have to be proud of it.
Lingít means a person.
Dleit Ḵaa x̱ʼéináx̱, a person.
In English, a person.
Ah, ḵúnáx̱ áyá
Uh, really
Lingítx̱ haa wsitee.
we are Tlingit people.
Áwé ax̱ yátxʼi has daayax̱aḵá neech,
I always tell my children,
«Hél iyasháanch eesheexíḵ.»
“Don't run around with your head down.”
Áwé altín daaxʼoonnáx̱ has x̱wasiwát wéi shaaxʼsáani.
You see I raised four girls.
Baby-x̱ sateeyí kei x̱wsiwát. Wé
One I raised from a baby. The
du x̱úx̱ áwé du een kawdujixít.
She has a picture taken with her husband.
Ax̱ yátxʼi. Xunaa hú ḵu.aa.
My children She's in Hoonah though.
{ax̱} Aáa, yak'éi x̱áawé.
Yes, that's very good.
Dléit ḵáa ch'a has yawlisháa ax̱ dachx̱ánxʼiyán.
White people [have married ???] my grandchildren.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Dléit ḵáa shoowúx̱ has sitee ax̱ dachx̱ánk'.
My grandchildren are half white.
Ḵúnáx̱ has yak'éi áwé ???
They're really good.
Shátx̱i aa ax̱ dachx̱ánk' wé du x̱án.aa áa yéi jiné wé áa yéi haa yateeyí.
My oldest grandaughter's husband works where we live.
"Grandma" ch'a tlákw yóo x̱at sáakw nuch.
He always calls me “Grandma”.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé yan uwagút wéi yadák'w.
He's really a good boy.
{hél tsu} Tlél tsú ax̱ ée [unéek'???], altín.
It doesn't bother me, see.
Ixkée aa hás tsú dleit ḵáa ??? yáx̱ has shasitee,
My grandchildren who live down south too are blond,
{has has du} has du shax̱aawú.
their hair.
"Gramma, Gramma, Greatgramma!"
Ax̱ aayí tsú wé {du} du ée k'átsk'u
Mine too, her little boy
dleit yáx̱ shasitee,
is a blond,
ax̱ dachx̱ánk'.
my little grandson.
Heʼs six feet four.
Yeah.
Am,
Um,
Áwé altín,
So see,
«Hél dleit ḵáa áwé wa.é, Chx̱ánk'.
“You're not a white boy, Grandson.
Lingít áwé wá.e.»
You're Tlingit.”
«X̱wasikóo, Léelk'w.
“I know, Grandma.
X̱wasikóo,» dleit ḵáa x̱ʼéináx̱ ax̱ een yóo x̱ʼala.átgi nooch.
I know,” he always talks to me in English.
{áwé} Áwé altín dleit ḵáa tlein hél naalei awujáaḵw.
So see, he nearly beat up a big white man.
Wéi
The
likoodzí wéi Lingít yóot'át áwé.
it's amazing those Tlingit people.
{uh x̱wáli} Wéi
That
x̱áat áx̱ kei xʼákji áwé áxʼ héen has adaná adáx̱.
where salmon swim up, that's where they drink water from.
Áwé altín aawa.aax̱.
So see, that's what he heard.
Aadéi woogoot.
He went there.
Tle aa kdaháan áwé du éesh, «Ilí,» du éesh áwé,
When he stood up there, his dad told him, “Don't do that.
Hél aasá s daayiḵáaḵ.»
Don't say anything to anyone.
«Hél wa.é áwé Lingítx̱ eestí, Éesh.
“You're not the one who's a Tlingit, Dad.
X̱át áwé Lingítx̱ x̱at sitee.»
I'm the one who's a Tlingit.”
Áwé aadéi wjixeex, altín.
He ran over there, see.
Wéi dleit ḵáa,
That white man,
«Gidaháan,» yóo adaayaḵá.
“Get up,” he told him.
Wé dleit ḵáa uwayáa tle.
He looks like a white man himself.
Yéi áwé ax̱ dachx̱ánxʼiyán tsú.
That's how my grandchildren are too.
«Hél ḵushtuyáx̱ hél,
“It doesn't make any difference,
tle áx̱ kei x̱at uwawát, altín, Juneau.
I grew up in Juneau, see.
Hél Lingít áxʼ
The Tlingit don't
x̱áat héeni oodaná.
drink fish water there.
[Has???] yanéek' wáa sá,»
They're very clean, how,”
yéi x̱ʼayaḵá, «Yee x̱ʼakḵwagwált.»
he said, “I'm going to punch your faces out.”
Ha.é!
See how it is!
Áwé altín ash ée akawdlix̱éel' tle, tle woonóok.
So see, he was afraid of him, he felt.
Hél áyáx̱ awusteen, ḵúdáx̱
He didn't see through him (grandson Danny would do what he said).
ḵúdáx̱ shákdé ligéi yóo,
maybe he's just too big,
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ách áwé aax̱ áwé ch'a yeedádidéi wáang̱anees haa
That's why even up to now, sometimes
haa dushúḵ nuch.
they laugh at us.
Daaxʼoonnáx̱ has x̱wasiwát ch'a g̱óot ḵáa
I raised 4 of them, someone else's
yatxʼi.
children.
Nás'gináx̱ college tóonáx̱ has yaawa.át.
Three of them went to college.
Wé tléixʼ aa ḵu.aa ḵut woogoot tle.
The other one just lost her way.
Uh, yáat'aa ax̱ toowóoch ḵú tle ax̱ ée kei kḵwanéekw.
This one I thought though [will bring me pain ???
Ax̱ aayí ḵu.aa ax̱ dachx̱ánxʼiyán, Vietnam,
My own grandchildren though, Vietnam,
Vietnam, tlél Vietnam but
Vietnam, not Vietnam but
Korea-déi du éech awdudziwóo ḵa Iraq.
they sent him to Korea and Iraq.
Dáx̱náx̱ has wootee ax̱ dachx̱ánxʼiyán g̱aa,
2 of my grandchildren,
déix̱ táakw áa yéi wootee, tléixʼ.
one of them was there for two years.
??? hú yeedát California-xʼ yéi yatee.
Right now he lives in California.
Tlákw ax̱ eex̱ x̱ʼadataan.
He calls me all the time.
Ḵúnáx̱ dleit ḵáa yáx̱ áwé yaka-
He really looks like a white boy.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yá Lingít át {tu} du tuwáa sigóo awuskoowú.
He wants to know about Tlingit things.
Lingít yóo x̱ʼatánk.
Tlingit language.
Áwé du jeedéi ách kḵwasawóo wéi Sealaska-dáx̱.
I'm going to send him something from Sealaska.
Tléixʼ yateeyi át áwé,
There's one thing,
{hél} ch'a wa.éich tsú yisikóo, yá Lingít
you know yourself, this Tlingit
yinaanáx̱.
side of it.
"Culture," yóo duwasáakw dleit ḵáa x̱ʼéináx̱.
“Culture” they call it in English.
Culture?
Aaá. Aaá.
Yes. Yes.
Tléixʼ yateeyi át áwé ax̱ tláa áyá x̱at daayaḵáa nooch.
There's one thing my mother always told me.
Am,
Um,
yéi x̱at daayaḵáa neejín,
she used to always tell me,
«Hél ch'a koogéi yóox̱ eeg̱éexʼiḵ, Sík', i yoo x̱ʼatángi.
“Don't just throw your words around, Daughter.
Hél {tla} kaadéi yóo ooxíxgiḵ.
Don't let it fall on the ground.
Hél áwé aax̱ kei kg̱eetee tsu {i x̱ʼéi neel}
You wouldn't pick it up and
i x̱ʼéi neildé kg̱eetee.
put it back in your mouth.
Yéi áwé kg̱isakóo.
This is how you'll know it.
Haa yoo x̱ʼatángi áyá haa káx̱ at nateech.»
It's our words that watch out for us.”
Áwé altín wé
So see,
{xʼaa} Xunaadé {kantoo ḵux̱} ḵux̱waatéeni,
when I went to Hoonah,
wa.é i yáx̱ áwé x̱at wootee, hél tsu
I was like you, I didn't
x̱wasakú a daat át.
know anything about it (the Tlingit culture).
Ḵúnáx̱ áyá x̱at kaawatís'.
I was just amazed.
Yáa aadéi has al'eix̱ yé.
The way they were dancing.
Hél awuskú Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo x̱ʼax̱aatángi,
She didn't know I speak Tlingit,
ax̱ chaan.
my mother-in-law.
X̱át tsú ax̱ yat'éi yoo x̱ʼadul.átgin.
Me too, they used to talk about me.
??? ch'a s du ée [x̱ʼax̱li.átk???]
I would just start talking to them (in Tlingit).
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Wéi Mrs.Greenwald,
That Mrs. Greenwald,
tle ḵúnáx̱ áwé tlél du tuwáa ushgú yaa
she really didn't want
Rusty x̱at wushaayí.
me to marry Rusty.
Há.
Oh.
Yá {ax̱ ée} ax̱ chaan een yoo s x̱ʼali.átk.
She spoke with my mother-in-law.
«Tle ḵúnáx̱ áwé ḵwáaḵx̱ daaḵ uwagút wé i káalk'w.»
“Your nephew really stepped off the wrong place.”
Ax̱ chaan áwé yéi x̱ʼayaḵá,
My mother-in-law said,
{áwé ax̱} «Wéi ax̱ káalk'w
“My nephew
ax̱ tugéidei áwé aawasháa, altín.
married against my approval, see.
Du aat hás shayadihéin wáa ḵú sákwshéwé yoo kawdzigít?
He has a lot of paternal aunts (opposite moiety), why in the world did he do this?
Ch'a g̱óot aandáx̱ shaawát aawasháa.»
He married a woman from a different community.”
Kagéi [kalk'át'gi???] ??? x̱waagoot.
I walked out on the other side (so they wouldn't know she was there.)
??? x̱waagút
??? I went.
K'idéin ax̱ toowú natée áwé tsá
When I felt better,
ax̱ chaan x̱ánnáx̱ neil x̱waagút.
I walked in on my mother-in-law.
«Yee x̱ʼax̱waa.áx̱.»
“I heard you folks.”
«Oh! Tle ḵúnáx̱ áwé,»
“Oh! Really,”
du x̱ʼé aawasháat.
she caught her mouth.
«Yee x̱ʼax̱waa.áx̱.
“I heard you folks.
Lingít x̱ʼax̱aa.áx̱ch k'idéin.»
I understand Tlingit real well.”
«Haaw, hél x̱á yéi wtusakú.»
“Well, we didn't know that.”
Has du toowóoch ḵú.aa hél Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼeix̱atánk.
They thought though that I didn't speak Tlingit.
Has du jigéidei sáwé
It was against their wishes
x̱at uwasháa Rusty.
that I marry Rusty.
{Yei}
Yéi áwé yan haa kawdiyáa.
That's how it happened for us.
Yá Lingít tóodáx̱ ḵúnáx̱ hél ḵaa tuwáa wushgóo.
The Tlingits [from inside ???], people really didn't like it.
A {tóoxʼ toon} tóo toonág̱i.
What we stood for.
Áwé yeedát
And now
??? tsá ḵaa ée dultóow.
they're frantically teaching it.
{xʼoon} Ch'a xʼoonk'ináx̱ sáyá haa yatee dé,
How many of us are there now,
yá Lingít, k'idéin Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼatuli.át gé?
people who speak Tlingit well?
A x̱oo aa ch'a l k'idéin
There are some who don't really
k'é wé {x̱}
???
Yéi áwé yatee.
That's the way it is.
Á áyá yées aa yáat,
And now this young generation here,
yées ḵáa hás,
the young people,
college yóo s uwa.át {a} a yís yá teacher-x̱ has nax̱satee.
they went to college to become teachers.
Áwé shuxʼáa has du een yóo x̱ʼawtula.aadí yá
At first when we spoke to them,
a tóo kéi s nawát.
they were growing up in it.
Ch'a yeisú shaatk'átsk'ux̱ has sitee, yáa yeedát áwé
They're still little girls and now,
high school, college.
Ḵa ch'a teachers-x̱ has sitee ch'a yeisú yaa s anaskwéin.
They are teachers and they're still learning.
Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼatánk.
Speaking in Tlingit.
Áwé shuxʼaa tléixʼaa,
At first the other one,
???