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Tlingit Conversation #59
Speaker is Achkwéi Lena Farkas. Recorded July 30, 2008, in Yakutat, Alaska, by Ḵaa Saayi Tláa Amanda Bremner.
Tlingit transcription by Aanakwéi Éesh John Buller and by Shaag̱aw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom. English translation by Achkwéi Lena Farkas with Ḵaa Saayi Tláa Amanda Bremner. Edited by X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston.
OK. Ach Kwéi yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
I am called Ach Kwéi.
Yaakwdáatdáx̱ áyáa.
I come from Yakutat.
Yéilx̱ x̱at sitee K'inéix̱ Ḵwáan
I am a raven of the Kʼinéix̱ Ḵwáan.
Ax̱ éesh, ḵu.aa, áwéis Teiḵweidéex̱ wusitee Aan Tleindáx̱.
My father, however, he was Teiḵweidí from Ahrnklin River.
Dís Hítdáx̱ áyáa x̱át.
I am from the Moon House.
OK, when you were little you and your family used to travel with the seasons? Can you start with the spring and tell me where you traveled and what kind of animals you would hunt?
OK.
Yóo {yax̱ yaa ḵugahéin}
yax̱ yaa {ḵugana} ḵunahéini áwé
when it is getting toward spring time,
Aséx̱ʼ Táade yóo naakéede áwé ntooḵúx̱ch.
we would head up the bay to Chicago Harbor.
Wéi
Those
g̱áaxʼw,
herring eggs,
g̱áaxʼw yéi ntusaneich áxʼ
we would put up herring eggs there
Aséx̱ʼ Táadáx̱.
from Chicago Harbor.
Atx̱ áwéi tsoo
From there again
X'aa Tlein Jig̱eidé haa klagás'ch.
we would move camp up to X'aa Tlein Jig̱ei. [Seal camp in Disenchantment Bay]
Tsoo áx' áwéi
There again
tsaa l'óon yéi has adaanéi nooch,
they would hunt seal,
ax̱ éesh
my father
ḵa ax̱ éek' hás.
and my brothers.
Tsaa neil has ayawux̱aayée áwé wéi
When they would bring a seal home
áa yéi haa yateeyí wé camp-íxʼ.
to the place where we were staying at camp.
Áwéi
So
has analxʼíshch
they would skin it
ḵa yáa a dleeyée,
and the meat,
ah, yáa a doogóo kaax̱ has analx'íshch aag̱áa áwéi
uh, they would cut it off of the hide and then
yánde yaa s aksaneich {wéi dáx̱}
they would finish up with
yáa a dleeyée duxaashée. Yax̱ has ayoolxáshch.
getting the meat cut. They would cut it all up.
Aag̱aa áwé wé
And then that
ax̱ tláach áwé wéi tsaa doogóo ḵwá {anatsʼétsʼch} akooltsʼétsʼch chʼa yáa a doogóo kaadáx̱ yáa taay.
mother of mine would flesh the seal hide and get all of the fat off of the hide.
Áa yan wutusaneiyée áwé
When we finished that up there
wé taay áwéi {akax̱} akax̱daxáshch,
she would cut up the fat into little pieces,
tsu ax̱ tláach.
again this is my mother that would do that.
{ḵʼwátl} Láḵdi g̱eix' áwé yéi ana.eich.
She would keep it in a bentwood box. [A bentwood box or a 5 gallon lard can.]
Atx̱ áwéi tsoo wéi, wé dleey
After that, the meat
yóo atxʼaan daakahídeexʼ áwéi
in the smokehouse
yax̱ shayoodustéeych.
it would be hung up.
Aatx̱ áwé tsu
After that
dus.éeych.
it would be cooked.
Chʼa wdus.eeyéedáx̱ áwéi tsu wéi, atxʼaan daakahídeexʼ áwéi yax̱ ashayoostéeych tsoo.
After it had been cooked then, she would hang it up in the smokehouse again.
Yáa ch'a yéi {sʼeiḵ} akoolsʼéḵch áwé áxʼ, wéi atxʼaan daakahídeexʼ.
Then she would just smoke it like anything else in there, inside of that smokehouse.
Yáa taay ḵu áwéi, yáa a taayée {a}
As for the fat, its fat,
káx̱ {aga} aksagánch
she would crisp it up (literally: burn it)
aag̱áa áwé eix̱ áwéi yéi adaanéi nooch,
and then she would make the oil,
tsaa eix̱í.
seal oil. (grease)
Yá tsaa, tsaa dleeyée
The seal, seal meat
kʼidéin áx̱ akawulsʼeig̱ée áwé,
when she had smoked it well,
yáa láḵdi g̱eix' áwé
inside of the bentwood box
eix̱ x̱ooxʼ yéi ana.eich {wé} wé dleey.
she would store the meat with the oil.
Yáa {ay ay} a naasí áwéi tsú
The intestines also
tsu á tsú k'idéin anasneich, ana.us'ch.
then she would clean that well too, she would wash it.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsu yóo áa yax̱ akooyeiḵch wéi
After that she would pull it inside out, the
wéi a naasée.
the intestines.
Tsoo kʼidéin ana.úsʼch.
Then sheʼd wash it out well again.
Á ḵu.aa áwéi tsu akax̱laxáshch
Then she would take that also and cut it up into little pieces
aag̱áa áwéi káx̱ aksagánch
and she would crisp it up (literally: burn it)
atx̱á yís.
for food.
Sitgawsáanx' áwéi toox̱áaych.
We would eat it for lunch.
Ḵaa yáa a tlʼóog̱u,
And the liver,
the kidney, [may have meant to say liver]
á áwé tsú has ax̱sanéx̱ch yáa
they would save that too, the
káx̱ kadusgánch tsoo á tsú.
that too would also be crisped up (literally: they would burn it).
Wáang̱aneins xáanaa atx̱aayéex̱ tulayéx̱ch.
Sometimes we'd make this our evening meal.
Kʼidéin nadu.úsʼch
It would be washed thoroughly
aag̱áa áwé kax̱dulxáshch.
and then they would slice it up.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ sakwnéin een ḵaa tuwáa sagoowóo áwéi káx̱ kadusgánch.
They would crisp it with a little bit of flour if they wanted.
Ḵa kóox een dux̱áaych.
And it would be eaten with rice.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsu wéi taay,
From there, back to the fat,
tsu chʼa g̱óotʼaa {láḵtch} láḵdi g̱eix' yéi ana.eich.
she would keep it in another type of bentwood box.
Wéi a doogóo ḵu.aa áwé,
Its hide, however,
{tsaa} tsaa doogóo a káx̱ duyeḵ át áwéi
the thing that you pull the seal hide onto
t'éesh yóo dusáakw nuch.
it is called a drying frame.
Á áwé k'idéin wéi tsaa doogú awu.óos'eedáx̱ áwé wéi
So then, once she had thoroughly cleaned the seal hide,
Fels Naptha Soap yóo dusáagun,
it was called Fels Naptha soap,
a kát áwéi ana.úsʼch.
she would wash the surface of it.
Aag̱áa áwé {wéi} wé tʼéesht ootéeych,
And then she would put it on the drying frame,
yáa tsaa doogóo.
the seal hide.
Wuxoogóodáx̱ áwéi
After it dried
yáa a taayée a kaax̱ dulxasʼ nuch.
the fat would be scraped off of it.
Kʼidéin a kaax̱ wudulxáasʼi áwéi tsu
Once they had scraped it off well, then
chʼa yáa sakwnéin {a} a káa yéi kdullítch
they would sprinkle flour on it
aag̱áa áwéi tsoo duxás' nuch k'idéin.
and then they would scrape it well again.
Tle k'idéin yan wuneiyée áwé,
Once it was really ready,
duchúks'i nuch tsoo chʼa yéi kdulk'wát'ch.
they would massage it to make it soft and then it would be rolled up into a bundle.
Táakwxʼ áwé, {yá} daa sá,
In the winter, anything,
tsu chʼa yáa boots,
like those boots,
sʼélʼx'wán yax̱ yateeyi aa,
the ones that are like rubber boots,
áwéi duḵéis' nuch
they would sew those
ḵa chʼa yéi téel yáx̱,
and just like regular shoes,
keish téelt.
moccasins.
Ḵa tsu kinaa.átx̱ tsú dulyéx̱ch, coat.
And they would also make it into coats.
Ḵaa yáa l.uljínee vest-íx̱ dulyéx̱ yis duḵáaych.
And it would be sewn so that they could use it for vests.
Yáa a yígi ḵu.aa áwéi k'idéin áwé s ana.óos'eedáx̱ áwé dusxúkch.
As for its stomach, once it had been cleaned out very well it would be dried.
Aax̱ áwéi wóoshde duḵéis' nuch. Ch'u yéi áa yéi ndu.eich, wóoshde duḵéis' nuch á tsú.
Then they would stitch it together. Just the same way, they would keep it there and they would sew those together too.
Yáa kinaak.át ḵa tuḵ'atáal yáx̱ áwé duḵáaych yáa daak wustaaní yís.
They would sew them like jackets and pants for when it is precipitating.
They used it for raincoats when they saved enough, uh, uh, the seal stomach to sew together for rain gear.
Aax̱ ḵeiwu.aayée áwé tsu,
From there, when the sun would come up,
daak has uḵoox̱ch,
they would go out on the boat again,
ax̱ éesh ḵa {ax̱} ax̱ éek' hás,
my father and my brothers,
wéi {t'á} t'ág̱aa shukalx̱aach ḵa cháatl.
heʼd go trolling for king salmon and halibut.
They go out hunting after uh, trolling after uh, king salmon and, and halibut.
Uháan ḵu.aa wé haa tláa een natoo.átch sáaxw kahaa ḵa gáal' ḵa laaḵ'ásk. [«sáaxw» from Eyak «sahxw» 'cockle']
Us (girls) though, we would go out digging butter clams and cockles with our mother and (picking) black seaweed.
{wéi laaḵʼ} Neilt wutooḵoox̱óo áwé wé laaḵ'ásk yee.atkag̱áaji káx̱ áwéi ayakoos.háaych ax̱ tláach, wéi laaḵ'ásk áxʼ asxuk nuch.
When we would get home, my mother would spread out the black seaweed on a sheet, she would dry that black seaweed there.
Ḵaa {wéi} wéi gáal' ḵaa sáaxw k'idéin natusaneich.
And we would clean up the clams and cockles well.
{na} Wutoo.óosʼeedáx̱ áwéi
Once we had washed them,
yáa chʼáalʼ {daay} daayée,
that willow bark,
chʼáalʼg̱aa ntoo.átch, aag̱áa áwéi,
we would go out to get willows, and then,
{a a daa} kʼidéin a daatx̱ yáa leaves {has} has awusʼóowoo áwé wé ax̱ éekʼch,
when my brothers had chopped all of the leaves off of them,
aag̱áa áwéi yáa
at that time
{chʼáalʼ} chʼáalʼ ah, ḵáasʼee káx̱ áwé {has has ay ya ya} yatusaháa {x̱} nuch áwé,
we would hang them up on the willow sticks,
wéi sáaxw ḵa gáalʼ.
the cockles and the butter clams.
Yóo atxʼaan daakahídeexʼ áwéi {ya yan tusatéeych yax̱} yax̱ yan tusatéeych áxʼ.
We would put them all in the smokehouse there.
Aag̱áa áwéi tsoo áx̱ akanalsʼéḵch ax̱ tláach.
And then my mother would smoke them.
Wudus.eeyéedáx̱ áwéi,
Once they were cooked,
áx̱ {ya} ashayoodatéeych yáa
she would hang them up there
atxʼaan hídee.
in the smokehouse.
After we cleaned the clams and the cockles, then, a, she steams them open and, and a, then she steams them open and, and, uh, puts it on the alders that we did after all the leaves and stuff are chopped off and, uh, sheʼll put the, weʼll help her put the cockles on that alder sticks to hang in the smokehouse. And we smoked and itʼs dry.
Aag̱áa áwéi tsoo
And then
kʼidéin wuxoogóo áwéi wé gáalʼ ḵa sáaxw,
when the butter clams and cockles had dried well,
wé láḵdi g̱eixʼ tsu yéi aa na.eich eix̱ x̱ooxʼ haa atx̱aayée sákw.
she would keep some of it inside of bentwood boxes with (seal) oil for our food.
She puts it in a, one of those boxes {with} with, in seal oil so theyʼll last.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsoo wéi,
And then after that,
wéi tʼá ḵa cháatl yan s ayawux̱aayée áwé tsoo,
when they would bring in the king salmon and halibut,
ax̱ tláach axásh nuch kʼidéin atyuwaax̱ʼéishi ḵa atx̱ʼéishi.
my mother would carefully cut the belly strips and the regular style of dry fish.
Wé (at) xʼaan daakahídeexʼ
In that smokehouse
áwé áx̱ akanalsʼéḵch tsoo
she would smoke it
wéi x̱áat.
that fish.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsoo wé gáan x̱aanásʼ áa yéi ndusneich
After that, they would set up large drying racks outside
they build a frame outside and put sticks across.
Aag̱áa áwéi
At that time
áx̱ shayootootéeych
we would hang them up there
yáa áx̱ akawdulsʼeig̱ídáx̱ kʼidéin g̱axúkt.
after it had been smoked so that it could dry out all the way.
We hang them up on a, um, frame built outside with sticks across, so that theyʼll dry in the wind and the sun. And then she puts it away again. {sheʼll} The dryfish part, the skin part, sheʼll fold it and, um, just tie a rope around it and the inside dryfish though, sheʼll just pack that away in a box also.
Aax̱ áwéi tsoo,
From there,
yáa sʼeek has awusteenée áwéi yóo shaayadaadé,
when they would see a black bear on the side of the mountain,
tsoo áxʼ sʼeek has awu.óonee áwéi neil has ayoox̱áaych.
and when they would shoot a black bear they would bring it home in the boat.
Yáa {a} a doogú káx̱ áwé á ḵwá xʼóowx̱ dulyéx̱ nuch ḵa chʼa yéi tʼáakáxʼ a káa yéi aḵéech.
This is for the fur, they would make that one into blankets and people would just sit on it on the floor.
Á tsú tsu kʼidéin a daa yéi s jinéi nuch
This one also they would work very hard on
ḵa yáa a doogú kʼidéin nadu.úsʼch.
and the hide would be washed well.
Wáang̱aneins tsú yáa a dleeyí tsú dux̱á.
Sometimes they would eat the meat, too.
Chʼáakw ḵwá dus.ée nuch.
It gets cooked for a long time, though.
Wáang̱aneins chʼa {two weeks déex̱} two weeks natooḵúx̱ch
Sometimes we would go for two weeks
{áxʼ yéi} áxʼ yéi haa teeyée yá Xʼaa Tlein Jig̱ei.
when we were over there at Disenchantment Bay.
Tle chʼa wéi diyáanax̱.á áwéi Kʼwátʼ Xʼáatʼee yóo duwasáakw.
Just right on the other side of (seal camp) they call Egg Island. [Also called Haenke Is.]
Áxʼ áwéi wé kéidladee áxʼ {has has} aag̱áa has naḵúx̱ch. Answer it, I canʼt.
That's where they go for seagull (eggs).
And
Aag̱áa áwéi déex̱ sándee x̱ʼáaknáx̱ wáaneexʼs násʼk sándee x̱ʼáaknáx̱ shákdé áa yéi haa nateech.
At that time we would stay there for maybe two or probably three weeks.
{aax̱} Aax̱ áwéi tsoo yáa Yaakwdáatxʼ ḵux̱ ḵutudateench.
From there we would return here to Yakutat again.
Ḵa tle {ju} May yát áwéi
And then in the month of May
Sʼitáḵde haa klagásʼch.
we would move to Situk.
Sʼitáḵxʼ áwéi yáa commercial fish yóo duwasáakw yáa cannery-dé duhún nuch.
At Situk, what they would call commercial fishing, they would sell to the cannery.
Áxʼ áwéi atoosg̱eiwóo nuch wé ax̱ éekʼ hás ḵa ax̱ tláa,
Thatʼs where we would all setnet, my brothers and my mother,
ax̱ éesh hás asg̱eiwóo nuch.
my fatherʼs people would setnet.
Tle
Then
{w} yáa fishing x̱ʼéit wudutaanée áyáa, ah,
when the fishing was closed, uh,
atoosg̱eiwóo nuch chʼa uháan haa jiyís atx̱ʼéishee sákw.
we would setnet just for ourselves so we could make dry fish (to eat in) furure.
Aag̱áa áwéi tsoo héen tooyáa nuch.
At that time we would pack water.
Du éet tudashéeych haa tláa.
We would always help our mother.
Ḵa yáa
And the
yáa x̱áat tsú du jiyís
the fish, also, for her
kʼidéin too.úsʼgi nuch.
we would wash them off well.
Hóoch ḵu.aa áwéi,
As for her,
wutoo.óosʼeedáx̱ áwéi,
once we had washed them,
yáa a déx̱ʼi áwé a kaax̱ kéi akoolxaashch.
she would cut the backbone out of them.
Aag̱áa áwéi yáa
At that time,
atxʼaan daakahídeedéi áwéi
toward the smokehouse
yax̱ shayootootéeych
we would hang them up
du een.
with her.
Kadúklee yóo dusáakw nuch.
They would call it “fish cleaned and hung to dry”.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ áwé
Just a little bit of
sʼeiḵ
smoke
akoolsʼéḵch.
she would smoke it.
Aag̱áa áwéi
At that time
atx̱ ḵeing̱a.éinín áwéi tsu,
when another day would dawn again,
du éet tudashéeych tsu {aax̱ yéi}
we would help her again
aadáx̱ yéi daatoonéi nich du jeedé.
we would take it out of there and give it to her.
Aag̱áa áwé wéi x̱áat áwéi aklatsʼétʼ nuch yáa atyuwaax̱ʼéishee a kaadáx̱.
At that time she would slice the dried belly strips off of the fish.
Yéi chʼa ldakát á yan wuneiyée yá
So when all of these things were ready
atxʼaan daakahídee shawuheegée áwéi tsu
when the smokehouse was full then
ah, x̱ʼaan
uh, fire
{a t} a yeexʼ yéi ntusaneich {yá} akoolsʼéḵch kʼidéin.
we make inside of it and she would smoke it thoroughly.
Atx̱ ḵeiwu.aayée áwé
When the sun would come up again the next day
yáa
this
kʼidéin yaa naxúgi achúksʼi nuch
when itʼs drying out all the way she would work it to make it soft
chʼa yéi googéinkʼ chʼa aadé yaa naxúk yáx̱.
just a little bit as it was drying.
Aag̱áa áwéi
At that time
aatx̱ áwéi
from there
chʼa yéi gáanxʼ yú x̱aanásʼ káx̱ shayatusatéeych.
we would usually hang them outside on those drying frames.
Yáa g̱agaan ḵa yáa chʼa yéi googéinkʼ
The sun and a little bit of
yáa ayawdateeyée yáx̱ teeyée,
when it is kind of windy,
aag̱áa áwéi
and then
uxúkch kʼidéin.
it would dry out all the way.
Atx̱ áwéi akoochákch.
After that she would store it.
Haaw, wéi atx̱ʼéishee yan yéi wtusaneiyéedáx̱,
Well, once we had finished putting up dry fish,
aatx̱ ḵeiwu.aayée áwéi {tsu n} tsu ntooḵúx̱ch.
when the sun came up the next day we would take off again in the boat.
Yáa tléiḵw kawutʼaayée,
When the berries had ripened,
neigóong̱aa áwéi natooḵúx̱ch ḵa shákw ḵa kanatʼá.
we would go out in the boat for nagoon and strawberries and blueberries.
Kanéegwálʼ áwé yéi anasneich ax̱ tláach, wé káasdi g̱eixʼ áwé kanéegwálʼ yáx̱ oos.éeych wé tléiḵw.
My mother would make indian pudding, she would cook those berries up like indian pudding inside of a barrel.
Tle ldakát yáa ḵutaan kaanáx̱ áwé atx̱ʼéishi {too}
All summer long that dry fish
tooxʼán nuch ḵa wéi
we would smoke and dry and
ḵukʼéetʼ.
(we would go) berry picking.
A shoowóo yáx̱ áwéi
About half of it
yáa asg̱eiwóo yánde yaa shanahígee áwéi yóo Aan Tleindé áwéi
when setnet fishing was coming to a close then toward Ahrnklin River
a shoowú yéi ntusaneich.
we would do half of (the season).
Aadé ntooḵúx̱ch yáa
We would go by boat to
ax̱ éesh áxʼ g̱aatáa yéi adaanéi nuch yéide.
the place where my father would set his traps.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsu ḵux̱ tudaḵoox̱ch
From there we would return by boat
tsu asg̱eiwóo
to setnet again [lit. ʼwe would return setnettingʼ]
yáa Aan Tleinxʼ.
at the Ahrnklin River.
Aatx̱ áwéi {yis yi}
After that
asg̱eiwóo yan shawuheegée áwéi
when setnet fishing was completed
yá aankáxʼ chʼa yéi yeegoowáatlʼ
here in town for just a short while
yéi haa nateech, wáaneexʼs,
we would stay, sometimes
déex̱ dís x̱ʼáanáx̱.
for two months.
Atx̱ áwéi
From then
tsu haa klagásʼch.
we would move again.
Yáa táakw,
The wintertime,
táakwde yaa ḵunahéini dleit daak wustaanée áwé,
when it was getting to be winter and the snow was falling down,
Sʼitáḵdei ntoo.átch.
we would walk to Situk River.
Atx̱ áwéi tsoo Aan Tleindé ntooḵúx̱ch
From there we would head out again to Ahrnklin River by boat
yóo haa hídi áa yéi yateeyi yéidei.
toward where our house is.
Áxʼ áwé tsu
At that place again
anasg̱eiwóoch haa éesh ḵa haa éekʼ hás wéi,
our father and our brothers would setnet again,
wé x̱ʼáakw áwé {has has} has anasg̱eiwóoch.
they would setnet for those freshwater-marked cohoes.
Tsoo haa tláa ée tudashéeych wé atx̱ʼéishi yéi daané.
Again we would help our mother to make the dry fish.
Chʼu yáa áa yéi haa teeyée,
While we were living up there
a káa ḵutoostée nuch.
we would live off of that.
Aatx̱ áwéi
From there
wéi haa éesh ḵa haa éekʼ hás áwéi
our father and our brothers
kʼidéin yáa gán haa jiyís yéi s awusneiyéedáx̱ áwéi
once they had gathered enough firewood for us
yáa {aan tlein yík} Aan Tlein Sháakde has naḵúx̱ch.
they would take a boat up to the headwaters of the Ahrnklin River (in the mountains behind the forelands).
Wéi, ah,
Those, uh,
jénwoog̱áa.
for mountain goats.
Aag̱áa áwéi jénwoog̱áa áwé wéi
At that time for those mountain goats
wéi shaayadaat {has} has analʼúnch.
they would go hunt around the sides of those mountains.
Has du jeet aa kawdahaayí has ux̱éich áwé.
When they had gotten one [lit. ʼwhen one had appeared in their possessionʼ] they would spend the night.
Has wux̱eiyéedáx̱ áwéi,
When they had stayed the night there,
tsu haat has uḵoox̱ch.
they would boat back (to camp), to us.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsoo wé jénwoo kʼidéin yaa kdulaxʼíshch
From there, the mountain goat would be skinned very carefully
ḵa yax̱ yadustéeych yáa atxʼaan daakahídeexʼ.
and (the meat) would be hung up inside of the smokehouse. [s classifier implies what the object is (in this case, ʼmeatʼ)]
Aag̱áa á tsú a káa ḵtoostéeyin.
At that time, we would live off of that as well. [this kind of vowel-dropping, as here in ḵtoosteeyin instead of ḵutoosteeyin, is rare in Northern Tlingit, like Achkwéiʼs, but more common in southern dialects.]
Chʼa áxʼ toox̱áa nujéen wéi {aa} g̱aatáa {yéi} áa yéi daadune yéixʼ yú Aan Tleinxʼ.
We would just eat that there at the place where they would set traps on the Ahrnklin River.
Áxʼ ḵu.aa wéi
At that place though,
yáa lukshiyáan áwéi has alʼóonin,
they used to hunt (trap) those mink,
ḵa naag̱asʼéi,
and foxes,
ḵa g̱ooch,
and wolves,
ḵa hél Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ {s} x̱wasakú "marten," yóo duwasáagu át tsú has alʼóon nuch.
and I donʼt know in Tlingit, the thing they call “marten” that too, they would set traps for.
Ḵa kóoshdaa.
And land otter.
Aag̱áa áwé áa yéi haa nateech
At that time we would stay there
tlei wáang̱aneins tléixʼ dís ḵa chʼoo a yáanáx̱.
sometimes for a month or even longer than that.
Chʼoo Christmas kaadéi áwéi
Then leading up to Christmas time
aax̱ {sʼe} Sʼitáḵt tooḵoox̱ch.
we would leave there by boat to Situk.
Sʼitáḵdáx̱ áwéi
From Situk
tsoo yáa Yaakwdáatde ntoo.átch
we would walk back here to Yakutat
yáa Christmas kaadé.
for Christmas.
Yáa Christmas kaadéi,
For Christmas time,
Yaakwdáatt wutoo.aadéedáx̱ áwéi
after we had arrived in Yakutat,
chʼa wáang̱aneins
sometimes
tle yáa táakw déex̱ dís yáx̱ tsu yáaxʼ yéi haa nateech.
for the winter, about two months, we would stay here.
Atx̱ áwéi tsu
From that time
de yax̱ yaa ḵukg̱wahaayée áwéi tsu
when spring was on the way again
February yát áwéi
in the month of February
tsu natoo.átch
we would leave again
haa klagásʼch tsu Sʼitáḵde.
and we would move camp to Situk again.
Aax̱ áwéi yáa saak áwéi {kéi u } kéi yoo.áaych Sʼitáḵxʼ.
From there the hooligan (eulachon) would be running out at Situk.
Saak áwéi {has} dusdík nuch áxʼ
They would dipnet for hooligans there
ḵa tle tsu
and they would also
tsaa tsú has alʼóon nuch yóo Sʼitáḵxʼ,
be hunting seals, too, on the Situk River,
teet tú.
in the breakers.
Aax̱ áwéi
And then
tsu a daa yéi jitoonéi nuch,
we would work on them,
wé saak, kʼidéin natoo.úsʼch.
those hooligan, we would wash them well.
{a} Tsoo wéi ḵáasʼ káx̱ áwé has ashayoostéeych yá saak.
They would hang the hooligan up on sticks.
A tóonáx̱ has ayooltsáḵch.
They would poke (the sticks) through (the hooligan).
Aag̱áa áwé tsu yáa
At that time
atxʼaan daakahídeexʼ áwé tsu {yéi n} yéi ndu.eich.
they would keep them inside of the smokehouse.
Áx̱ ỹakadulsʼéḵch tle wuxoogóo yáx̱,
They would be smoke-cured and when they were pretty dry,
{áw} aag̱áa áwé tsoo kduchák nuch á tsú.
at that time they would be stored (in boxes) as well.
Ah, ḵa wéi tsaa tsú {chʼa} chʼa áxʼ áwéi a káa ḵutoostée nuch wéi,
Uh, and the seal, too, we would live off of it when we lived there,
wéi Sʼitáḵxʼ, yáa saak daa yéi jitooneiyí.
out at Situk, while we were putting up hooligan.
Aax̱ áwéi tsu
From there again
tléixʼ dís {yóo} yáx̱ kawuhaayée áwé tsu ḵux̱ tuda.aatch.
when about a month had gone by, we would return.
Ḵa yáa aashát tsú áa yéi daatoonéiyin, "steelhead," «aashát.»
And we used to put up those steelhead there too, “steelhead,” “steelhead.”
Tsu áxʼ has asg̱eiwóo nujéen.
And they used to setnet there, too.
Á tsú tsu chʼa yáa atx̱ʼéishee yáx̱ kʼidéin yéi daatoonéiyin,
That one too, we would put it up nicely just like regular dry fish,
ḵaa áx̱ ỹakadulsʼéḵx̱i nuch, á tsú tle chʼa yáa atx̱ʼéishee yáx̱.
and it would be smoke-cured, too, just like regular dry fish.
Á tsú chʼa a káa ḵutoostéeyeen ḵa yáa
We used to live off of that as well and these
Yaakwdáat Ḵwáanch tsú haa éedáx̱ has a.óo nuch, wáang̱aneins chʼa yéi ḵaa jeedé yéi daatoonéi nuch.
people of Yakutat would also buy it from us, sometimes we would just give it out to people.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsu ḵux̱ tuda.aatch Yaakwdáatxʼ.
After that would would return again to Yakutat.
Aatx̱ áwéi tsu,
From there,
yáa school-de ntoo.átch
we would go to school here
chʼa déex̱ dís x̱ʼáanáx̱ shákdéi.
for probably just two months.
Aatx̱ áwéi tle tsu
From there
yax̱ yaa ḵugahéich
spring would be coming [the cycle of the seasons would begin]
tle tsoo naakéede haa klagásʼjeen.
and we would move camp back up the bay again.
Yéi áwé yee een sh kax̱wdlineek.
That's the way the story I told you all goes.
Hmmm. Gunalchéesh.
Hmmm. Thank you.
Yeah, itʼs, itʼs, itʼs really something. Just that going seasonal. We never really stayed in town all that much. But we used to be just excited. It would seem like going to Juneau for us cause we werenʼt exposed to other, other places. When I was a child I didnʼt even know there was another place, you know. I, I always thought this was the whole world; this was it. And, a, we used to just be happy to go to these places. We didnʼt know any better. We were just kids. I didnʼt include a lot of things but we can redo it again if you want.
We can shoot more. Yeah we can go over and translate this and see.
Yeah, because, like, {I never put}, I never said that, uh, like when we went up the bay we were just real young yet, Roy, Nellie, and I. And we were just little kids probably like Gabriel, seven and eight and, and, uh, uh Roy was probably about three years older than us. And, uh, uh it was up to us always. It, it was just, an understanding after they once taught us that we had to get, um driftwood for a fire. And thatʼs the first thing we did. Weʼd jump off the boat and, and uh carry maybe a bag each up to where we were going to stay. And then we would uh, run and get driftwood because if we didnʼt then we knew we wouldnʼt eat right away. And uh,uh then weʼd run. Thereʼd be a little creek that was by {tha} our camp there and weʼd pack water so that our mother could cook whatever she had in mind to cook for dinner. But thatʼs the one thing we always had to do was pack water to wash dishes later. And pack more wood. So we always did that. And {itʼs} I havenʼt told this in detail. But I think that if we never get another chance, at least this will be down. But I can go into detail. I need Nellieʼs help, you know. Um, into detail about those kind of things, you know. What, what we, uh, what we did in everyday life. It takes, I have to have somebody asking me that, you know, to be able to. I could have recorded this a long time ago. I, I just need help. I canʼt do it by myself, you know. But anyway, another one that I forgot which is also in the springtime, is going to Áankaw. And I can do that now. Is the tape still on?
Tsoo {chʼul naakée} chʼu naakéedei gax̱tooḵoox̱óo shukátxʼ áwéi Ḵaagukkʼuyíkde áwé ntooḵúx̱ch
Before we headed up the bay we'd head over to (a place called) “the inner part of the ear” [by Aanḵáawu, Ankau Creek]
yáa táakw laaḵʼásgi
(for) winter black seaweed [Pronounced as two distinct words, evident by tone]
ḵa wéi tsaa.
and harbor seal.
Yáa yax̱ yaa ḵunahéini, wáaneexʼs April or March,
When it was starting to become spring time, maybe in April or March,
March yát áwéi yáa táakw laaḵʼásgi,
in March, the winter black seaweed,
kʼidéin yaa ḵugateech.
the weather starts to get nicer.
Aag̱áa áwéi chʼa yéi tléixʼ xáanaa yáx̱ áwé aadé ntooḵúx̱ch, wéi Ḵaagukkʼuyík.
at that time we would usually take a boat over there for one night, in the Ankau Saltchucks.
Áa haa ux̱éich. Chʼa wéi sʼísaa hít áwéi yáa chʼáalʼ kaadé dug̱íchch. Áwé a tayeexʼ áwé ntoox̱éxʼwjeen.
Thatʼs where we would camp. We would take just a canvas tent and throw it over a willow frame. Thatʼs what we would sleep inside of.
Yáa ḵeix̱ʼéixʼ yan wulaayée áwé,
In the early morning when the tide was all the way out,
yáa laaḵʼásk kaxʼóolʼ aadé ntoo.átch.
we would go over there picking black seaweed.
Haa éesh ḵu.aa áwé wé {daa} daaḵ nadéini áwéi tsaa lʼóon áa g̱anúkch wé té tlein káxʼ.
Our father, though, as the tide was coming in he would sit there on a big rock to hunt seals.
Aa wu.óoneedáx̱ áwéi, yéi naléinee, yáa yan ulhaashch wéi tsaa.
When he shot one, as the tide was going out, that seal would wash up there on the beach.
Aax̱ áwéi {ax̱ ée} ax̱ éekʼ {ḵa} hás ḵa ax̱ éeshch yá áa yéi haa yateeyi yéit has {ayoo} ayoox̱áaych.
After that, my brothers and my father would take it in the boat to the place where we were staying.
Wáang̱aneins chʼa yéi yaa s aksaxátʼch.
Sometimes they would just drag it back to camp.
Aax̱ áwéi tsuyáa Yaakwdáatxʼ ḵux̱ ḵuwtudateenée áwéi tsoo wé tsaa daa yéi has jinéi nuch tsu.
After that when we had returned to Yakutat again, then they would start to work on that seal again.
Aa haa atx̱aayí sákw ḵa chʼa yáa Lingít has du x̱ʼéix̱ aa ntooteech.
That would be our food and we would also give it to other people in town.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
Yeah.
We used to share it with people, you know. The seal that we got from over there would be just for the moment. To, to cook some to take up the bay while weʼre traveling. And, and uh, also the black seaweed. And thatʼs what, my mom always had dryfish. Sheʼd give, it would go on, like weʼd leave Yakutat early in the morning. And go up the bay. Probably sometimes my brothers had to row all the way, you know. There was no outboard motor. And theyʼd just be tired. Sometimes they just got into fights because theyʼd be so tired from rowing and, and Dick will tell Charles, "Itʼs your turn to row." And Charles wouldnʼt want to. Or, you know, theyʼd just argue, just fight like normal kids. And um, weʼd come ashore there. And, and I forgot the name of um, Redfield Bay. In Tlingit I forgot the name of it. [Aatlʼat? Thornton, Haa Leelkw... p 21, #158?] And that map, I donʼt know where I put it. I couldnʼt place it. Um, Sally might know but her memoryʼs so bad right now, you know. I donʼt know whether she could remember it. I used to I, I just forgot it for some reason. Anyway weʼd come ashore there and have a, Iʼm just talking, telling you in English, cause thatʼll help me remember it in Tlingit, too. Weʼd have lunch there and, and of course my dad would build a fire. And, and they had an old coffee, you know, coffee pot and theyʼd {get} have fresh water. And so heʼd make coffee. And my mother would give us pieces of dryfish and maybe some, some uh, black seaweed for our lunch. And, uh, just take a rest there for a while. And, and then weʼd probably have seal meat that we got from Ankau, you know to, to be able to have lunch with that at Redfield Bay. And then from there, weʼd travel on up to, to Chicago Harbor and the other place, Xʼaa Tlein Jig̱ei (Disenchantment Bay). And so, we did, you know. That, thatʼs what we did. But we knew our place. We knew we had to, our stomachs told us we had to pack water and pack wood. But thatʼs the whole seasonal travel and food. Like I say, I didnʼt go into real detail except for the seal. And, and uh, the dryfish. Well I did with the cockles and clams too and the seaweed. I went through it in about almost just about a half hour. And, a, actually thatʼs talking 12 months out of the year. And, a, but itʼs like I say, I didnʼt go into real detail. I mean, the parts where you take, take a rest and have coffee and lunch and all the washing we had to do and all the water we had to pack, you know. And, a
And thatʼs OK, cause for this one itʼs the animals that are really important. And you covered them all.
Yeah, and, also the animals that probably disappeared, uh, yáxwchʼ, they call it I think, the sea otter.
sea otter
Wéi yáxwchʼ áwéi
Those sea otters
yáa Anóoshi ḵa
the Russians and
yáa Ana.óot áwéi
the Aleuts
Kodiak-dáx̱ áwéi yáade {has a}
from Kodiak to here
has alʼóoneen, wé yáxwchʼ.
they used to hunt them, those sea otters.
Á áwé yáat has ashuwlixíx.
So then they over-hunted the sea otter here. [lit. They caused the sea otters to run out.]
Yeisú yáa
So more recently
wáaneexʼs tleiḵáa táakw shákdéi áwéi
maybe, it was probably twenty years ago,
Fish and Game-ch áwé {yáat} tsu yáat has aa yaawax̱áa.
it was Fish and Game that transported some here again.
Yeedát áwéi yagéi.
Today there are plenty of sea otter.
Tle ldakát yáa gáalʼ ḵa sáaxw
Now all of the clams and cockles
ḵa, ḵa néesʼ áwéi yax̱ yaa s ayanasx̱éin.
and, and the sea urchins, theyʼre eating them all up.
Tlél de yáaxʼ ugé, á ḵu.aa.
Now there isn't too much of that around here, as for that stuff.
The sea otters was replanted.
Ḵa wéi xíxchʼ tsú tlél wutusakú de shákdéi
And those frogs, too, we donʼt know (what happened), itʼs been probably
jinkaat táakw ḵa {tláa} déex̱ shákdéi shunaaxéex
twelve years have probably passed now
yáa xíxchʼ tlél yáaxʼ yéi tusatínjee.
that we havenʼt been seeing any frogs here.
Ḵa wéi "swan" yóo duwasáagu aa,
And the ones that are called ʼswans,ʼ [There has been a major decline in migratory birds seen across Alaska. (This in 2008.)]
g̱wáḵlʼ, á tsú,
swans, those too,
tlél déi tlax̱ chʼáagu yáx̱ yáaxʼ haax̱ has koolyeech.
they donʼt really migrate up through here the way that they did a long time ago.
Chʼa déex̱ ḵa násʼk áwé yéi dustínch yáaxʼ yeedát. The swans.
Just two or three you might see here now. The swans.