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Tlingit Conversation #63
Speakers are Shak’sháani Margaret Dutson and Kaséix̱ Selina Everson. Recorded May 5, 2011, at the Dutson home in Juneau, AK, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. [This recording is continued on #64.]
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 Keet Yaanaayí Paul Marks II and by Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. English translation by Shak’sháani Margaret Dutson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by Daljíni Mary Folletti, and by Ḵaachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia with X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston, and by Shag̱aaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom.
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]
X̱ʼéi atkʼéich yax̱ haa yagux̱lajáaḵ.
We're going to die (laughing). [X̱ʼéi atkʼé is “good things to oneʼs mouth,” food, songs, stories, laughter.]
We try. Ready. OK. Iʼll, Iʼll start.
Yéi áyá ḵutoostéeyin
This is the way we used to live
kéi haa nawádi.
when we were growing up.
Wooch x̱ánx̱ du.aat
People would regularly get together
pie yís or fresh bread.
for pie or fresh bread.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Coffee, tea.
Yóo x̱'adul.atgi nooch sháa.
The women would talk.
Has du x̱'éit x̱wasa.aax̱jín ax̱ tláa ḵa
I used to listen to my mom and
the other Raven ladies, Deisheetaan ladies, they used to get together,
at.shooḵch yax̱ yaa has yaklajáḵch.
they would all just die laughing.
They called themselves old dollies. But they couldnʼt say old dollies, they said
óont dáanees.
old dollies.
Am, hél shákdé ysakóowun
Um, you probably didnʼt know
Aangóondáx̱ áyá wuháan.
that we are from Angoon.
{hél áwé} Hél yéi x̱wsakú.
I didn't know that.
Oox!
Oh, my!
Yóotʼaa Margaret Martin gé ysikóo?
Do you know that one (lady) Margaret Martin?
Aaá.
Yes.
Haa x̱ooni hás áwé.
They are our relatives.
Oh, my.
Ḵaa Mrs. Espino.
And Mrs. Espino.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Deisheetaans.
[clan]
Deisheetaan shux'áa áx̱ haa wsitee.
Thatʼs who we were originally, Deisheetaan.
Mhm.
Yes.
Aax̱ áwé haa wsidaaḵ
Then we migrated
Yeah.
T'aaḵóode.
to Taku.
Haa x̱oonxʼí ḵú chʼa aa sheyawdihaa
But our relatives just proliferated there
Aangóonx'.
in Angoon.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Hé yá Aangóon Ḵwáanch hél has x̱at wuskú.
The People of Angoon donʼt know who I am.
Hél iwtusakú.
We don't know who you are.
Ahah.
No.
Tle kakḵwanéek x̱á.
Iʼll just tell (them).
{tle ḵaa} Haa x̱oonx'í áa sheyadihéin
We have a large family there.
Lydia George
du káa ḵaa jigax̱duḵéi yáa
theyʼre going to have a payoff party for her this
November 11th.
Oo?
Oh?
Aangóonxʼ.
In Angoon.
Ḵa naa tláa gax̱dusáa.
And theyʼre going to name a clan mother.
Haa naa tláax̱ satéeyin.
She was our clan mother.
Oo. Ahah.
Oh. Yes.
Yee shukaadé hánin? Mmm.
She used to stand at the head of you folks? [She used to represent your people?] Yes.
Ahah.
Yes.
Yáa, Lingít ḵusteeyí hél tlax̱ ax̱ tláach haa een kawuneek.
My mother didnʼt really tell us (about) the Tlingit culture.
Ḵúnáx̱ aag̱áa áyá yá haa jeedáx̱ wuduwatee haa yoox̱ʼatángi.
That was right at the time when our language was taken from us.
Ahah.
Yes.
Am, wáang̱anein sáwé ax̱ toowú asnéekw nich.
Um, sometimes it makes me sad.
Hél k'idéin a daat.át x̱wasakú.
I don't know too much about it.
History ḵu.aa ax̱oo.aa ch'a tlákw át kax̱waatlaakw, {aadé áwé yax̱}
I was always investigating the history, though,
yéi áwé yax̱waadlaaḵ.
thatʼs how I acquired it (that knowledge).
Ahah.
Yes.
Yaa yanx̱adláḵ.
Iʼm in the process of acquiring it.
Yaa yaneedláḵ.
You're in the process of getting it.
Ahah. Mhm.
Yes. Yes.
De ch'áakw ḵwá ax̱ een kawduwaneek yú
They told me a long time ago
basketball áwé yaa yanaxíx tléix'dahéen.
that basketball games were going on one time.
Áwé
So
Hoonah een has ash koolyát Angoon.
Hoonah and Angoon were playing.
Á áwé ḵúnáx̱ x̱adaléich. Ax̱ x̱án.aa x̱á Hoonahdáx̱.
I was really cheering. My husband was from Hoonah, you know.
Aaá.
Yes.
Áwé
That is
ax̱ tláa x̱at x̱oox̱,
my mother called me over,
«K'e coffee yís haa x̱ánt gú, síkʼ.»
“How about you come over for some coffee, daughter.”
Aadé x̱waagoot.
I went over.
Aag̱áa ḵúnáx̱ x̱at x̱'ayaawajee,
Then she really preached to me,
«Hél ushk'e aadé ix̱aateeni yé.
“Itʼs no good what I see you doing.
Wé haa xoonx'í áa sheyadihéin Angoon.
We have a big family in Angoon.
Aadé haa ksixát. I káak tsú áa ḵuwdzitee.»
We have ties to there. Your maternal uncle was also born there.”
Wáa sá duwasaakw?
Whatʼs his name?
Jimmy Fox.
Oh, my.
Ax̱ éesh een asg̱eiwún,
He used to seine with my dad,
Jim Fox.
Mhm.
Yes.
Weihá yóo dusáagun.
Weihá is his name.
Weihá.
Weihá.
Chief Aanyaalahaash number 2.
Á áwé,
So,
Héiyí.
???
Aa, wáa sá duwasáakw
Ah, what is the name of
wéi Angoon x̱ánx' yéi yateeyi aa? Shuxʼáa Aangóonx̱ wusitee.
that place near Angoon? It was the first Angoon. [It was where the Angoon People lived before.]
Killisnoo.
Killisnoo, áwé áa ḵuwdzitee ax̱ káak.
Killisnoo, is where my maternal uncle was born.
Oh, yes.
Dr. Soboleff tsú áa ḵuwdzitee.
Dr. Soboleff was born there too.
Yéi gé?
Is that right?
Killisnoo.
Killisnoo.
Áwé ax̱ tláach ax̱ een kaawaneek,
So my mother told me,
«{hél} Hél ushk'é aadé x̱'ayeeḵa yé.
“What you're saying is no good.
Wéi
That
ḵushtuyáx̱ áwé i x̱án.aa, x̱át tsú aadé x̱at wuduwasháa Hoonah,
even though your husband, I was married into Hoonah too,
hél ḵu.aa wé haa x̱oonx'í á.
but we donʼt have any relatives there.
Haa x̱oonx'í áwé Angoon. Am,
(The) Angoon (People) are our relatives. Um,
Wáang̱anein sáwé i eedé ax̱ toowú néekw nuch.»
Sometimes I feel bad for you.”
Hél x̱wasakú ḵu.aa, you know?
I didn't know though, you know?
Yeah.
Ax̱ tláa aag̱áa áwé tsá ax̱ een yánde yaa akananík.
My mother was finally explaining it to me.
Yóo, a,
That, ah,
wáa sá duwasáakw, that?
whatʼs it called, that?
Yeisú iyasáa tle a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw.
You just said it and then I forgot it.
Killisnoo.
Beaver (clan).
Deisheetaan.
Deisheetaan,
Deisheetaan,
áx̱ áyá haa wsitee shux'áanáx̱.
that's what we were originally.
Ch'u yeedádidé has haa yahéin.
They still claim us to this day.
Wáa sá iyasáa Jim Fox Lingít x̱'éináx̱?
What did you call Jim Fox in Tlingit?
Weihá.
(name)
Weihá.
(name)
Ch'a tlákw x̱aa.áx̱ch all the time; ax̱ éesh een asg̱eiwú.
I always heard that (name); he fished with my father all the time.
Mhm.
Yes
Yóot'aa een ḵúnáx̱ {aan yóo sh kadlin} tlákw wooch {has} een has sh kalneegín.
They really used to tell each other stories all the time.
Am, Willis George?
Um,
Willis George.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Hél x̱wasakú Lingít x̱'éináx̱ du saayí.
I don't know his name in Tlingit.
Ḵúnáx̱ haa x̱oonx'í áwé; {yóo ax̱ éesh}
They are really our family;
ax̱ káakch yéi kanéek.
so my maternal uncle says.
Tle yéi áwé tsá yaa nax̱sakwéin, ltín, {haa daat}
I'm finally learning it, you see,
haa shagóon. Yeah.
our history.
Ch'a aax̱ áwé ax̱ tláach yéi x̱at daayaḵá, {hél}
After that, my mother said to me,
«Hél aadé chʼa wáa sá i tuwatee a yáx̱ yaa yakg̱eeyaḵaayi yé.
“You canʼt just run your mouth anyway you feel.
Has haa wsikóo, has du x̱oonx'íx̱ haa sateeyí.
They know who we are, that we are their relatives.
Haa saayí tsú has du jeewú, Ḵaayikḵéen.»
The have our names too, Ḵaayikḵéen.”
Ahah.
Yes.
Mrs. Esmino.
Esmino.
{ax̱ ax̱} Ax̱ shátx̱ du séek' tsú yéi duwasáakw.
My sister's daughter has that name too.
Oh, my.
Ḵa, Frank James, Nahóowu,
And Frank James, Nahóowu,
ax̱ káak áwé Aangóondáx̱.
that is my maternal uncle from Angoon.
Nahóowu.
Ahah.
Yes.
Aa,
Uh,
Kaagwaantaan shaawát awusháayin.
He was married to a Kaagwaantaan woman.
{na} Nahóowu.
Frank James, chʼáakw woonaa. Billy Jones x̱á,
Frank James, he died a long time ago. You know Billy Jones,
yéi duwasáakw Lingít x̱'éináx̱
he has that Tlingit name too.
Há.
Oh.
Yáax' ḵúwé yéi wootee du shaawádi; yáade aawasháa.
His wife lived here though; he married into here. [He moved here to marry her.]
Oh, my.
Tlei ḵúdáx̱ awsix̱án, ltín.
He just loved her too much, you see.
Ḵa yóot'aa Frank Nelson.
And that other one, Frank Nelson.
Frank Nelson.
Ahah.
Yes.
Yéi áwé {l daa} yagéiyi ḵáa, ax̱ tláach yéi x̱at daayaḵáa neejín,
Thatʼs how a lot of people, my mother used to say to me,
«Hél ch'a koogéiyi ḵaa éex̱ x̱ʼeetaaníḵ síkʼ.
“Don't speak any old way to anyone, my daughter.
Haa ḵwáaḵx̱ ḵuyag̱isiḵaa.»
You could accidentally insult somebody.” [You might say something wrong to somebody.]
Wáa sá
How
a káx̱ at tée nich ḵwáaḵt ḵuyax̱wsaḵaayí.
it was always guarded, what I said. [«a káx̱ at tée nich» Maybe “would make a fuss over it”]
Yeah.
X̱át tsú.
Me too.
X̱at x̱'ayawduwajee kuháal'i.
I was strongly reprimanded. (?)
X̱át, óo x̱át tsú!
Me, oh me too!
«Ḵaa yáa awoonéi {da} yaa gatí ax̱ séek'.» {tla}
“Proceed with respect, my dear daughter.”
Tsu haa léelk'w.
Even our grandparents.
Yóotʼaa,
That person,
Elsie du tláa,
Elsie's mother,
Kʼax̱tsóow.
[name]
Ḵóonáx̱ aan wooch wudzix̱án.
They sure loved each other.
Ax̱ tláak'w,
My maternal auntie,
Du, du shátx̱ yóo gíwé a yáx̱ x̱ʼalyóowun?
Did she refer to her as her older sister?
Mhm.
Yes.
Tlákw telephone tóonáx̱ yoo s x̱'ala.atgi nich.
They used to talk on the phone a lot.
Wáang̱aneen sáwé tá has du kaanáx̱ nateech.
Sometimes they'd get really sleepy.
Táach yax̱ has wooljaaḵch.
They would both fall asleep.
Wáa sá dusáagun i tláa Lingít x̱'éináx̱?
What was your mother's Tlingit name?
Am, k'e,
Um, letʼs see,
Háʼ! Wáa sáwé a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw du saayí.
Oh, my! Somehow I forgot her name.
Yéididultín.
Am,
Um,
{Yeidulch Yeidul}
Yéididultín.
Yéididultín.
Ḵúnáx̱ a káx̱ at wootee, iltín, ax̱ tláa,
She really cared for it, see, my mother
haa x̱oonx'i áx̱ ḵuyawdi.uwu yé.
where our family has settled.
Yak'éi wduskoowú ḵaa x̱ooní yóo haa daayaduḵáa noojín.
It's good to know your family, we were told.
Mhm.
Yes.
Ách áwé Lingít x̱'éináx̱ has x̱wasikóo has du saaxʼú.
That's why I know them all by their Tlingit names.
Willis George ḵwá a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw x̱áach tsú.
But Willis George, I forgot his name too.
Oo.
Oh.
Du Lingít x̱'éináx̱.
His Tlingit (name).
A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw du saayí; ax̱ een kaduneegín.
I forgot his name; they used to tell it to me.
Mhm.
Yes.
Um, Elsie, Elsie, um,
Háʼ, wáa sáwé ax̱, ax̱ {tun}
My, whatʼs going on with my
Yáatʼát tóonáx̱ yoo x̱'ax̱atángi áwé tle {a kát} ldakát át a kát x̱at seix'aaḵwch.
When I speak into this thing (camera) I always forget everything.
X̱át tsú.
Me too.
Elsie John.
Aaá.
Yes.
Ax̱ shátx̱ áwé.
She is my older sister.
Wáang̱aneen sáwé,
Sometimes,
«Wé i x̱án.aa wé du x̱áni g̱anú wé i boyfriendí.»
“Your sweetheart over there, your boyfriend, go sit by him.”
De yá ch'a yeisú 5 minutes sh katoolneek áwé haa eedé jikg̱idagóot.
After weʼve just talked for only 5 minutes, you're going to come at us to fight.
Ḵúnáx̱ a káx̱ at wootee du x̱úx̱.
She really jealously guarded her husband.
«Édlee!» yéi haa daayaḵáa noojin,
“Édlee!” ??? she used to say to us,
«Du x̱'éit yees.á!
“Kiss him!
{de i i}
I x̱úx̱ x̱aawé.»
He's your husband.”
Ronald John.
Yéi yeesgeedí ḵúwé ḵúnáx̱,
But if you did that, really,
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Júk! Yóode nagú!
Go on! Get out of here!
Ax̱ shátx̱ du yátx'i áwé tsú yan ash yaawadláḵ.
My sister's children really won him over too.
A daatx̱ has at shée neejín wé s du shatx̱ix̱úx̱.
They used to sing love songs to their brother-in-law (Ronald John).
Has du éesh áwé
Their fathers
Kaagwaantaanx̱ has wusitee.
were Kaagwaantaan.
Áwé ḵúnáx̱ has awsix̱án has du shátx̱.
They really loved their older sister.
Áwé Ronald John daatx̱ has at shée neejín.
They used to sing about Ronald John.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Goodáx̱ sákwshíyú has awshigóogu shí.
I don't know where they learned that song.
Ḵúnáx̱ áyá a yát has, a yát has nanáḵch al'eix̱ een.
They would really dance in front of him.
Yeisú gáant has du lkéilʼch.
They would just chase them out.
Tle tsu áa ḵux̱ has loodagooḵch.
Then they would just run back again.
Áyú wooch x̱'éix̱ awdanéekw áwé ḵúnáx̱ has ashgóogun.
They really knew how to tease each other. [«Wooch x̱ʼéix̱ awdanéekw» is a verbal noun for 'teasing each other'.]
Ḵúnáx̱ has awshigóok
They really knew
Ahah.
Yeah.
wooch x̱'éix̱ awdanéekw.
teasing each other.
Ahah.
Yes.
Wéi
The
Aangóonde ḵuwtuwateen ax̱ x̱án.aa een, shux'áa aayí,
When we went to Angoon with my husband, the first one,
áwé ltin ax̱ jeetx̱ has ajeewataan tle.
they took him away from me, you see.
Tlél has du tuwáa ushgú ax̱ x̱ánxʼ yei núkji.
They didn't want him to keep sitting by me.
Tle áxʼ sh x̱'áat has as.áa.
They had him sit there in between them.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Eesháankʼ, yeedát hél wéit hás.
Poor things, they aren't there anymore.
Yéi x̱'ayaḵáa noojin ax̱ tláa
My mother would always say
has du eetí liteeshí ḵúnáx̱.
that their absence is very lonely.
Ahah.
Yes
Ayáx̱ áwé sh kalneek. Tléináx̱ sh dateen.
You're telling it right. ???
Mhm.
Has du ít liteeshí.
It's very lonely without them.
Mhm.
Yes.
Yeedát áwé
Right now
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ax̱ yátx'ich wuskoowú. Has du een kax̱anik nich,
I want my children to know. I always tell them.
«Angoondé ksixát {haa}
It is connected to Angoon,
ldakát haa shagóon.
all of our history.
Yéi áwé gax̱yisakóo.
That's how you all will come to know it.
Tle has awsikóo wé ḵáa,» has du een kax̱anik nich.
Now they know the people,” I always tell them.
Wáa sá {sd}
How
has du toowú sagóo nich.
happy it makes them.
Wéi ax̱ dachx̱ánk' tsú yáa kei ḵoowatín.
My little granddaughter came up here too.
Tle dleit shaawátk' áwé, ch'a aan áwé
Sheʼs just a little white girl, but even so,
ḵúnáx̱ aadé ḵusix̱an yé,
how she truly loves those people,
haa x̱oonx'í.
our family.
Ḵaa yahaayée yóo s asáakw noojín.
They used to call it a personʼs reincarnation.
Ahah.
Yes.
Yeiḵ uwagút.
Theyʼve come back to the shore. [to the land of the living] [ShÉDA: This is an idiom referring to the localization in Lingít cosmology of the spirit world in the interior and the living world near the ocean. It probably reflects the history of our ancestors descending from our homeland in the mountains of the interior to the coast.]
Tle ḵuwsikoowúyáx̱ yoo x̱'atangi nooch.
They would talk just like they know everybody. [as they did in a past life]
{yáaxʼ has, du éesh nanáa} Du léelk'w nanáa yáat ḵoowatín.
When her grandmother died, she came here. [As a young person who was named after her. That was Sherry Bretton, Ḵagéesaak]
Wáa sá sagú ḵaa x̱oot wujixeex.
The people experienced so much joy. [How joy ran among the people.]
Ḵaa sháade yan wududzihán wé
She was placed at the head of the people
casket yaa andusx̱út' yáx̱ yatee wé a léelk'w a kát yaa ndusx̱út' át.
[she was head of the pallbearers of her grandpa's casket]
A shukaadé yan wududzihán.
She was the head pallbearer.
Éh, ax̱ toowú wáang̱aneens néekw nich a daat
Oh, sometimes I feel sad about it,
a káa daak tux̱wdataaní.
every time I think back on it.
Ḵóonáx̱ áyú ḵuwsix̱án.
She really loved everyone. [Sherry]
Tlákw yáade tootéen nich.
We used to see her here all the time.
Seattlexʼ kéi uwawát.
She grew up in Seattle.
Oh.
Am, high school tóot wusgeedí ḵwá,
Um, when she ended up in high school though,
ldakát át akshaxit nich.
she would write everything down.
Tle yáa haa shagóon tsú a daat kéi x̱ʼawditán.
She would speak out about our history, too.
Aag̱áa du een kax̱anéek
At that time I was telling her
haa x̱oonx'í áwé áa shayawdihaa Angoon.
we have a lot of relatives in Angoon.
Hél ch'as G̱aanax̱teidí á wuháan.
We are not only G̱aanax̱teidí.
Yáadáx̱ áwé yéi,
From here,
yéi áwé shayawdihaa Angoonxʼ.
they became as numerous as they are in Angoon.
G̱aanax̱teidí ḵaa
G̱aanaxteidí and
Deisheetaan.
Deisheetaan.
Ahah.
Yes.
Deisheetaanx̱ haa wsitee, G̱aanax̱teidí uháan.
We became Deisheetaan; we are G̱aanax̱teidí.
{Wóoch}
Wóochdáx̱ has wududlil'éexʼéyáx̱ wootee.
It was like they were broken apart from each other.
David Katzeek x̱'éide x̱waa.áx̱.
I heard that from David Katzeek.
Wéi daḵkaadéi ḵuwtuwateen August last summer.
We traveled to the interior (Southwest Yukon Territory and Northwest British Columbia in Canada) in August last summer.
Áx' áwé ḵúnáx̱ awsikóo Deisheetaan shaawát.
He knew a Deisheetaan lady there very well.
G̱aanax̱teidée ḵaa
G̱aanax̱teidí and
Ḵaach.ádee.
Ḵaach.ádee.
A káx̱ x̱at saxʼaaḵw tléixʼaa,.
I always forget the other one.
Násʼk téeyin:
There were three of them:
G̱aanax̱teidée, Deisheetaan{x̱},
G̱aanax̱teidée, Deisheetaan,
wooch eenx̱ istéeyin.
they were one together.
Tléix' has téeyin.
They were one.
Ahah.
Ha yéi gé x̱wsikóo?
How did I know?
Yóot'aa Margaret Martinch áwé ax̱ een kawlineek wáa sá yoo haa kawdiyáa.
That (lady) Margaret Martin told me about our history.
K'idéin awsikóo a shagóon.
She knows the history of it well.
Aa sá? Wáa sá duwasáakw?
Who? Whatʼs her name?
Margaret Martin.
Margaret Martin.
Angoondéx̱.
From Angoon.
Oh, yeah.
Matthew Fred du een.aa áwé.
Thatʼs Matthew Fredʼs relative.
Mhm.
Yes.
Ḵúnáx̱ haa wsix̱án hú tsú, Matthew Fred.
He really loved us too, Matthew Fred.
Ḵúnáx̱ awsikóo.
He really knew it.
Ahah.
Yes.
Ḵúnáx̱ sh kalneegín.
He was a real historian.
A x̱'éidáx̱ áwé ax̱ een akaawaneek,
She told it to me as she learned it from him,
wáa sá yoo haa kawdiyáa.
how we migrated.
Ách áyá
That's why
G̱aanax̱teidíx̱ haa sitee.
we became G̱aanax̱teidí.
Am,
Um,
Ishkahít Taan ḵu.áyá wuháan, haa hídi. Yeah.
We are really the Ishkahít Taan, our house.
Yeah, i hídi ḵa,
Yeah, your house and,
ax̱, ax̱ sée
my, my daughter
Katrina, G̱aanax̱sháa yóo duwasáakw.
Katrina, G̱aanax̱sháa is her name.
Há! G̱aanax̱tei(dí) G̱aanax̱sháa.
Hey! G̱aanax̱teidí, G̱aanax̱sháa. [The name G̱aanax̱sháa comes from the clan name G̱aanax̱teidí. This was actually the way to refer to women of many different clans in older times. Women were called Kwaashkʼisháa from Kwaashkʼiḵwáan. However, some clans, such as Wooshkeetaan, would use terms such as Wooshkeetaan Sháawu.]
Há.
Oh.
Likoodzí gíwé.
Isnʼt that amazing?
Ch'a k'ikát wutusikóo ásí history.
At least it appears we know a little history.
Ch'a kʼikát wutusikóo ch'a yéi gugéink'.
We know about it just a little bit.
Ahah.
Yes.
{hé ltlél} Tlél {aadé} aadóo een sá kx̱waneek ḵúnáx̱ wáa sá yoo haa kawdayaayí.
I donʼt tell anybody about our (clanʼs) real migration history.
Yéi x̱at gusagéinkʼi áwé,
When I was little,
há, ḵúnáx̱ tlél ḵaa tuwáa wushgú yá Lingít yoo x̱'atángi.
my, they really didn't like our Tlingit language.
Mm.
Yes.
Hé!
[Exclamation of surprise].
Haa yahíxwk;
We are witches;
{chʼa daa wáa sá
yóo haa x̱ʼayakaw}
yóo haa yawdudziḵaa.
thatʼs what they would say to us.
Mhm.
Yes.
«Tlél i x̱ʼéináx̱ yoo x̱ʼeetángiḵ.»
“Don't speak your language.”
Yeah.
A kaadé áyá haa x̱oonx'i hél x̱wasakú tle.
Thatʼs why I simply didnʼt know our relatives.
Ax̱ tláach áyá tsáa k'idéin {yaa} wóoshdáx̱ yaa kanajél haa een.
My mother finally tried to break it down carefully for us.
Tle aadéx̱ áyá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo tlákw Angoonde yoo ḵux̱atíngi.
Then because of that, I like to travel to Angoon all the time.
Wéi Angoondáx̱ ḵúnáx̱ gáande yaa andulʼéx̱,
So the people from Angoon were dancing out,
June-ch ḵú wsikóo.
June knew about it.
Yeah.
Ḵúnáx̱ awsikóo.
She really knew.
Áwé ax̱ x̱ánt wujixíx. Aax̱ x̱at wusigoot át x̱a.aa yé.
She ran over by me. She walked me away from where I was sitting.
She said,
«Juneau Ḵwáanx̱ ágé ḵeeyajée?
“Do you think they're Juneau people?
Haagú!
Come on!
Haa een analʼeix̱.»
Dance with us.”
Eesháan, {goosú yá d} goo sá kwshé át yawdzi.aa.
Poor thing, I wonder where she's at. [«goo sákwshé át yawdzi.aa» means something like “I wonder where sheʼs poking her head around.” It brings to mind a seal swimming around and popping its head out of the water.]
Du een áa daak x̱waagút.
I came out there with her.
Has du een ax̱al'eix̱, hél ḵwáwé yéi k'idéin x̱washagóok,
I danced with them but I'm not good at it,
yáa al'eix̱.
the dance.
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo. X̱áach, x̱áach tsú hél k'idéin.
How I like it (though). Myself, myself, (Iʼm) not good (at it) either.
Dei ch'a akaawa.aaḵw ax̱ tláach haa ée altóow.
My mother really tried to teach us.
Ḵu.éex' yís ax̱ léelk'w, tléix' yateeyi aa,
For parties, my grandparent, one of them,
June kéi awsiwát ḵa ax̱ éek',
she raised June and my brother,
Jim Klushkan.
Jim Klushkan.
Hél du tóog̱aa yoo kwx̱ahánk.
I couldnʼt dance well enough for her.
«Ḵútx̱ áwé ch'a tlákw át yeendag̱ínch.
“You are always moving your head around (looking around) too fast.
Shaawát át yanatáx̱ʼwch.»
A lady moves slowly.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Sheldon Jackson choir tóox' at toosheeyí áyú,
When we sang in the Sheldon Jackson choir,
congregation yáx̱ x̱á at tooshee nooch ḵa áx' tsú g̱atooḵeech.
we would sing as a congregation and we would sit there.
Éh, ax̱ tlaa,
Gosh, my mother,
«I shátx̱ ḵwá kʼidéin shaawát yáx̱ át yanas.éich.
“Your older sister really moves her head like a lady.
Wa.é ḵu.aa!»
As for you!”
Hél du tóog̱aa yóo x̱wasgítk.
I never did anything well enough for her.
Yeisú ax̱ x̱ʼáaxʼ tláakw x̱at yandusḵéich,
I was always getting scolded for it,
ḵa, «Ḵúdáx̱ áwé isaligaaw.»
and, “You're too loud.”
Aaá.
Yeah.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
«Há {T'aaḵú Ḵw}
“Well {Taku}
T'aaḵú Ḵwáan x̱áayá x̱at!»
I'm of the people of the Taku!”
Héen aanáx̱ naadaa, ha yá ḵúnáx̱ tláakw yóo s x̱'ala.átgi nich a kín.
The river flows through there, they would talk loudly to talk over it.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ḵúnáx̱ k'idéin áwé át x̱wasa.aax̱ch yeedát David Katzeek sh kalneegí tsú.
I listen very closely nowadays when David Katzeek is telling stories.
I yáx̱. {hél aadé}
Like you,
hél aadé {ḵux̱} ḵux̱wsa.aax̱.
I didn't listen to it.
Yóo has x̱'ala.átgin,
They used to talk,
sh kalneek wáa sá {ḵóox̱ ḵukaw}
they would tell how
wooch ée {kawḵ} ḵukawdiháa.
people are related to each other.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ch'a yéi gugéink' {x̱wasikóo} x̱waasháat.
I only caught a little bit of it.
Du éesh áwé haa x̱ooníx̱ satéeyin.
His father was our relative.
George Katzeek.
Oo.
Oh.
Ax̱ éek'
My brother
David du éesh
is David's dad.
Aax̱ has x̱at wusix̱án ḵúnáx̱.
They really loved me because of that.
Auntie Margaret tlákw yóo s x̱at sáakw nich.
They called me Auntie Margaret.
Wéi ḵwáaḵde áwé daak nagút ax̱ séekʼ, wéi.
My daughter was getting into trouble.
Áa yóo shukx̱waajaa, {du yoo du x̱ʼa}
I instructed her,
Du yookahaayí.
Her behavior.
Wéi
That
dleit ḵáa ḵúnáx̱
white man really (her fiancé)
blondy yáx̱ shasitee ḵa kawdlikúch' du shax̱aawú.
heʼs blonde and his hair is curly.
Héʼ! Sháa tlákw du ítt loowagooḵ.
Good grief! Women are always running after him.
Yeisú collegedáx̱ kei s ḵoowatín. Ash gug̱asháa.
They came up right from college. He was going to marry her.
Áwé altéen ch'a g̱óot yéidei awsiteen ax̱ éek'ch.
When my brother saw him, he didnʼt like what he saw.
George Katzeek.
Áwé akaawat'éix̱ʼ.
So he pounded ??? on him.
«Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú wé ax̱ kéilk' aadé adaane yé wé ḵáa,» yóo.
“I don't like what he's doing to my niece,” he said.
«Wéi shaax'sáani áwé tle a yít ayawus.háaych wéi i caryi, áwé tle ḵuyanasḵúx̱ch.»
“He brings young girls into your car and he drives off with them.”
Áwé ḵwáaḵt daak wudzigít.
Then he got into trouble.
Áwé áx̱ kawtuwax̱'eil.
We spied on him.
Ch'u yeedádidéi ḵwáaḵx̱ daak nagút ltín wé yadákʼw.
Up to this day that boy is still getting into trouble.
Á áwé x̱at wusineex̱ ax̱ éek'áts'k'u.
So my little brother saved me.
Yéi x̱at dayaḵáa nich, «Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ax̱ kéilk' kʼidéin yóot wugoodí.
He would always say to me, “I want my niece to start going in a good direction.
Wé i kaalk'u hás áwé hél x̱wasakú wáa sáwé has naneen.
As for your paternal nephews, I don't know whatʼs happening with them.
Tle, tle ch'as wé náaw ḵa wé {daa sá} daa sákwshéwé átx̱ has alyéix̱.
They just drink a lot and whatever it is that theyʼre using.
Yéi áyá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ch'a ax̱oo.aa haa x̱oonx'í k'idéin yóot wu.aadí.»
I want for some of our relatives to start walking in a good way.”
Ásíwé wéit'aa ḵú i léel'kw saayíx̱ wutuliyéx̱.
It turns out we named that one after your grandmother.
Ḵaajees.aak.
[name]
Hú a saayí áyá.
She is her namesake.
{Angoond í xʼ}
«Aangóonx' kéi uwawát i léelkʼw.»
“Your grandmother grew up in Angoon.”
Yagéiyi yéide x̱wsikóo.
I know a lot.
Ch'a ḵaa x̱'éit x̱wasa.aax̱ch.
I would always listen to what people said.
De ch'áakw x̱wasikóo haa x̱oonxʼíx̱ dax̱sateeyí Aangóondéx̱ ḵu.oo.
I already knew a long time ago that the people from Angoon are our relatives.
Yagéiyi aa hél has x̱at wuskú.
A lot of them don't know me.
Chʼu tle át has x̱at koolteench wéi,
They just kind of look at me,
Matthew Kookesh yátx'i x̱á.
Matthew Kookesh's children, you know.
Mhm.
Yes.
Hél has x̱at wuskú.
They don't know who I am.
«Juneau Ḵwáan áwé, Juneau Ḵwáan.»
(They always say,) “She's Juneau Ḵwáan. Juneau Ḵwáan.”
Ax̱ tláach ???
My mother
«Hél áwé s iwuskú sík'.»
“They don't know who you are, daughter.”
Ch'a gwál
Maybe
yax̱ has ayakakg̱waneegán.
they will try to retell it the right way.
X̱at kawduwasáy.
I am sweating.
[REcording break] dolls in
Tlingit, Lingít?
Tlingit?
Um,
Wáa sáwé duwasáakw Lingít x̱'éináx̱?
What do you call that in Tlingit?
Ch'as, ha,
Just, hm,
Ch'as ḵus.ook' áwé yóo tuwasáagu aa.
Those are what we just called playthings.
Ḵus.ook'.
Play things.
Mhm.
Yes.
«Kunax̱toos.ookʼ,» thatʼs an invitation to cut paper dolls.
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo neejín wéi,
How I used to love those,
Há, kʼe yáatʼaa.
Oh, like this one.
Aaá.
Yes.
Yóot'aa, wáa sá kwshé {du shá} duwasáakw Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱, Helen?
That one, what is Helenʼs Tlingit name?
Haa x̱ooní áwé.
She's our relative.
Helen
Sarabia. [Ḵaachkoo.aaḵw]
Du een áyá kéi x̱at uwawát.
I grew up with her.
Oh.
Kaagwaantaan ax̱ éesh een.aa, Willis Peters- kei wsiwát.
My fatherʼs Kaagwaantaan relative Willis Peters raised her.
Ahah. Mhm.
Yes. Yes.
Éh! Yáat'át tsú.
Look! This one too.
{mont} Montgomery Ward Catalog.
Entertain.
(Then we had) No, no toys to play with. I mean, you know the compter stuff. We used to go through page by page and see
daaḵw aa sá sʼé?
which one should it be?
Made in the West.
Wéidu, wéidu x̱át.
There, there, that's me.
Ḵúnáx̱ shaklig̱éik'i aa.
The really cute one.
Made in the West!
Then turn the page to see who would spot "little brown maid in the West."
Áwé yéi aan, aan ḵutoos.ookʼ noojín.
So that's how we used to play with it.
Kínde xaash, éh, wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo wéi paper doll.
How I really liked cutting the paper dolls out.
Kínde xaash.
Cutting them out.
Oo.
Oh.
Sháa ḵa ḵáax'w aayí, Aaá.
Women and men's Yes.
shax'wsáani.
and girls.
Yáat'aa x̱at gug̱ashaa aa ḵúnáx̱ tuwáat sagóowu át.
This one thatʼs going to marry me is the most coveted.
É, wé dleit sháa aadé has shakdlig̱éiyi yé.
Gee, how beautiful all of the white women are.
Ch'as shaklig̱éiyi aa áwé {ḵaa ḵux̱} aag̱áa ḵux̱ashée neejín.
I just used to look for the pretty ones.
Ax̱ léelk'w yéi haa daayaḵáa noojín,
My grandmother used to say to us,
«Tle x'oon sá wootee ax̱ léelk'w hás.»
“How many grandmothers I had.”
Áyá yéi x̱at tsú yéi x̱at wootee. Ax̱ tláa,
I was that way as well. My mother,
ax̱ tláa hás,
my motherʼs people,
Has shayawdihein.
I had a lot of them. [grandmas]
Ch'as aadé yakaaxadi yé káax' ḵaa tuwáa sagóo nooch.
People base what they want off of the way the she looks.
Ahah.
É.
Gee.
Yak'éiyi ḵáa, ikg̱washaa aa ḵáa, k'idéin i een yei ḵukgwastee aa ḵáa ḵwá, hél ash tuwáa ushgóo nuch yakaaxadi yé.
A good man, the man that will marry you, the man that is going to treat you well, they never like the way that they look.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Wáang̱aneens yéi x̱at daayaduḵáa nich,
Sometimes they would tell me,
«Ch'a yá a yawus.aayí tóode hél gooháa.»
“You could tell by the way he looks around.” [Or: ʼitʼs obvious in the way he looks around.ʼ]
Yeah.
Ch'a koogéiyi yóode kg̱eeshéex.
You are going to run off carelessly.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé ax̱ toowú néekw nich yéi x̱at daayaduḵaayí.
I would feel really bad when they said that to me.
Yeah, x̱át tsú x̱á yéi x̱at daayawduḵaayí!
Yeah, I would when they would say that to me too!
É, shkʼe yáat'aa.
Oh my, check this one out.
Ooo.
Ooh.
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo. Kínde xaash.
I like that very much. Cut it out.
Ooo.
Ooh.
Kʼe yáatʼaa aadé shaklig̱éikʼi yé.
Like this one, how cute it is.
Wáang̱anein sáwé ax̱ kéek', Helen,
Sometimes my little sister, Helen,
haat yéi oosneech du aayí áwé.
brings hers over.
A kaax̱ kínde gax̱tudatʼáxʼ áwé,
Whenever we cut them out,
ax̱ toowú néekw neech ḵúnáx̱
I would be really sad
shaklig̱éiyi aa du jeex' yéi tí.
(because) she has the cute ones.
Wáang̱aneen sáwé
Sometimes
hél unalé kei kx̱ag̱áx̱ch.
I would almost cry.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Aan áwé, {x̱ʼ}
At that time,
aax̱ kei wtooxaashídáx̱ ldakát,
after we cut it out,
has du ée yoo x̱'atula.atgi noojín.
we'd make them all talk.
Aahá.
Yeah.
Wáang̱neen sáwé, goodáx̱ sákwshéwé ktoot'éetx'i nuch,
Sometimes, Iʼm not sure where weʼd get them from,
wóosht katoojeilch káayag̱ajeit ḵa nadáakw.
we would gather chairs and a table.
É, tlax̱ wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo neejín.
Oh, how I loved that.
«Yáadu, yáax' áwé at gax̱toox̱áa, yáax'.
“Here it is, this is where we'll eat, right here.”
«Áa,
“Ah,
ax̱ naa.ádi {ch'a g̱óot aayí ḵʼóot} chʼa g̱óot aa káx̱ yei kḵwadatée.»
I am going to put on different clothes.”
Aag̱áa áwé kx̱ajel neech wé
Then I would grab
daaḵw.aa sá shaklig̱éik'i aa.
which ever one is the cutest.
«Yáadu á.
“Here it is.
Yáa a tóot at ḵuḵax̱aa aa áyá yáat'aa.»
This is the one I'm going to eat in.”
Wáang̱aneens áyú de du géide yaa yakx̱aḵéich Helen.
Sometimes I would say bad things about Helen.
Oo.
Oh.
Kʼe yeedát yéi at kag̱axát paper dolls kínde s akg̱wa.
Like right now, whenever they looked like this (they would cut them out).
Jinkaat táakw ḵa nás'kx̱ wusitee ltín haa katáagu,
We were thirteen years old, you see,
aag̱áa ḵutoos.ukʼ nich yé.
at the time when we would be playing.
Goosú wá.é?
Where are (were) you?
Yeisú áwé kei ktudat'áx'ch, é.
We would still be cutting, gee!
Aaá.
Yes.
Tlax̱ wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo nich k'idéin kei x̱waxaashí. {x̱á} X̱át tsú.
Oh, how I always wanted to cut it out perfectly. Me too.
K'idéin a daa yaa kx̱axáshch, éhh.
I cut around it well.
Óo, ḵwáaḵ daak yax̱washáadi áwé ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ toowú néekw nich.
Oh, when I make a mistake in cutting it makes me sad.
{chʼa} Ch'a wa.éich yisikóo {aadé}
You know
aadé haa kaaxádi yé,
how we look,
wé naa.át. É!
the clothes. Gosh!
É!
Gosh!
Aax̱ áwés
From there on
yóo x̱'atula.atgi nooch.
we would talk.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ha daaḵw.aa sá kei gax̱tooxáash?
Which ones are we going to cut out?
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Oo.
Ooh.
Hél gé wáa sá utí kei x̱waxaashí?
Is it all right if I cut it up?
Tléik', tléik', tle. Ilí!
No, no. Stop!
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Éi! Kʼe yáat'aa aadé shaklig̱éik'i yé.
Hey! How about this one, itʼs so pretty.
K'e yáat'aa kei xaash.
How about you cut this one out.
Yáatʼaa kei xaash.
Cut this one out.
Yáat'aa kei kḵwaxáash.
Iʼm going to cut this one out.
Oo. Ahah.
Oh. Uhuh.
Oh! Yáat'aa aadé shaklig̱éik'i yé.
Oh! This one is super cute.
Oh, my.
Ax̱ x̱án.aa ádi, ách hél ax̱
These belong to my spouse, thatʼs why I donʼt
Du ádi áyá.
These are his.
Áx̱ yawtulixásh!
We cut it up!
Yáat'aa áwé kei kḵwaxáash.
Iʼm going to cut this one out.
Tle, tle «Tlél tsu yáade yéi kei ee.íx'jiḵ!»
(Heʼll say,) “Donʼt invite anybody over like this anymore!”
Hél du téeli ḵoo[stí]. Kaltéelḵ áwé át hán.
He doesnʼt have shoes. Heʼs standing there with no shoes on.
K'e yáat'aa aadé sh di.oowu yé.
Look at how this one is dressed.
Íh!
Gee!
Táakw niyís.
For winter.
Kei kḵwaxáash.
I'm going to cut it.
Yáa hél du téeli yéi awda.oow(úch) {hél aax̱ kei kḵwada} du x̱ʼoos aax̱ guḵaxáash.
Since he doesnʼt have any shoes on, Iʼm going to cut off his feet.
Kei kḵwaxáash yáat'aa.
I'm going to cut this one.
Ḵwáaḵ daak yax̱waashát.
I made a mistake.
Tle hél x̱washagóok dei kínde d ???
I don't know how to ??? anymore
Aa.
Yeah.
{hél k'e dax̱}
Hél k'idéin x̱washagóok x̱áach tsú.
Iʼm not very good at it either myself.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóowun,
How I used to love this,
ch'a aan áyá ḵwáaḵx̱ daak yax̱washáadi hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgóo nich.
but I hated to mess it up.
Tle déix̱ kei x̱waaxásh.
Iʼve only cut up two.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Étsk'.
Really nice.
Gaaw x̱'áak yaa shugaxíxch.
The hours would pass by.
Kínde tudaxaash.
We would just cut out paper dolls.
É.
Gee!
Tléix'dahéen, ḵúnáx̱ ḵwáaḵ daak x̱wadzigít ltín.
Once, I made a bad mistake, see.
X'oondahéen sá ax̱ éek'ch yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
I don't know how many times my brother told me,
«Kʼe, wa.éich, wa.éich x̱oonida.óosʼ yá xáanaa.
“How about you, you do the dishes tonight.
Ḵúnáx̱ x̱at wudixwétl. Gán á yéi daax̱anéiyin.»
Iʼm really tired. Iʼve been gathering firewood.”
«Oh, yak'éi.
“Oh, thatʼs fine.
Yéi kg̱watée.»
It will be.” [She didn't want to do it though.]
Á áwé du shóotx̱ a shóo x̱wanookch.
So I would just sit there away from him at the end of it.
Yax̱ woox̱anoogánch.
I would keep repositioning myself.
S'íx' x̱oo.ús'k.
Washing the dishes.
Áyá,
So,
xʼoondahéen yéi x̱at yanasḵáa sáwé tsá
after telling me so many times (to do the dishes),
ax̱ jeedáx̱ kéi akaawajél wé ax̱ sée yátxʼi.
he took all of my little dolls from me.
Ganaltáat aawa.ák ax̱ jináḵ. Oooo.
He took them from me and set them on fire. Ooooh.
Oh, my goodness!
G̱aax̱ch x̱at uwajáḵ.
I died crying. [Crying killed me.]
«Hél i jiyís x̱ookḵwada.óos'!
“I'm not going to wasx̱h them for you!
Ch'a yáa yei kḵwanóok.»
I'm just going to sit here.”
Ax̱ tláach aax̱ x̱at wusigoot.
My mom picked me up. (in anger)
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo neejín,
How I always liked that,
sagú. Marbles een ash koolyát tsú haa tuwáa sagóowun.
joy. We used to really like playing with marbles too.
Ax̱ éek' wéix̱ yaa nagút,
There comes my brother,
{ḵáa} «Ḵáak'w ash koolyádi áwé.
“That's a boys' game.
Hél sháach yéi daa.uné.»
Girls don't do that.”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Marble.
Marbles.
Koot'áax'aa.
Marbles.
Kootʼáax'aa.
Marbles.
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo nich, x̱áach tsú.
I used to love that too, myself.
Hopscotch ash koolyát tsú. Oh, my!
Playing hopscotch too.
Ch'u ax̱ yátx'i kei nawádi tsú sdu een sh kax̱alneek neejin
While my children were still growing up I used to tell them stories about
hopscotch.
Aaá.
Yes.
Hél TV haa jeex' yéi wutee.
We didn't have a TV.
Ch'as radio át tusa.aax̱jín.
We just listened to the radio.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
News. Yéi áwé
That's the way
haa wutee uháan tsú.
we were too.
Oh, paper dolls kínde t'áx' wáa sá haa tuwáa sigóo Helen een.
Oh, how much Helen and I loved cutting out paper dolls.
Haa hél x̱washagóok ltín ch'a x̱áach, ch'a koogéiyi áyá yaa nx̱atʼáxʼ.
Oh I donʼt know how to do it myself, see, Iʼm just cutting it up any old way.
Ch'u áwu du x̱'oos.
His feet are still there.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áx̱ yagax̱tulaxáash.
Weʼre going to cut them all up.
Wudashee Tláa x'úx'u.
Aliceʼs catalogs. [papers/books]
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Á, shkʼe yáat'aa shaawát.
Ah, how about this lady.
Oh, shaklig̱éik' ḵúnáx̱.
Oh, she's real cute.
Oh, shoot.
Ax̱ yáa ḵut woonee ltín ax̱ yátx'i, {hél}
My children shocked me, you see,
tlél has du tóo(g̱aa) wutee yáat'át.
they didnʼt enjoy this.
Yeah. X̱áach áwé
daat yáx̱ sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo neejín kínde dat'áax'.
I used to love cutting out paper dolls so very much, myself.
Ch'a g̱ég̱aa áwé áa daak koox̱ajeilch wé catalog.
I would bring out all of the catalogs for nothing.
«Kʼe kínde aa x̱tudatʼáxʼ?»
“How about we cut some up?” (sheʼd ask)
«Tláyk'!»
“No!” (said the kids.)
Wáa sá ch'as wé gáan; wáa sá sdu tuwáa wsigóo gáant luwugooḵ.
For some reason (they) only (liked going) outside; they really liked running around outside.
Tle yaa x̱at waḵkanastʼíx̱ʼ.
I'm getting cross-eyed.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Oh, dear.
Tléix'dahéen áwé ax̱ tláa
One time my mother
yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
said to me,
«Hél ák.wé gáande gax̱yee.aat?»
“Aren't you girls going out?”
«Tléik', kínde tudat'áax'. {haa}
“No, we're cutting out paper dolls.
K'idéin {yánde gax̱tu} yánde gax̱tusanée.»
We're going to finish this well.”
«Aa, yee déinde ḵú x̱á gáant ḵaa loowagooḵ.»
“Ah, the rest of your peers are running around outside.”
Tóoxʼ áyá haa shiḵeet.
She was tired of us.
«Wáa sáwé, iyanéekw ágé?
“What's the matter with you, are you sick?
Gáant nagú, gáant.»
Go walk around outside, outside.”
Áh.
Hadláa, kʼe ax̱ tláa,
Criminy, so my mother,
ch'a yéi x̱at daayaduḵaayí ,hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú gáant x̱wagoodí.
when they would say that to me, I wouldnʼt want to go outside.
Tle tláakw yax̱waaḵaa.
Iʼm just stating the facts.
Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa ksagú ḵwá wé gáant wusheex.
I used to love running around outside.
Yeisú neil x̱at dux̱óot'ch.
I would shortly be dragged back home.
X̱át ḵu.aa,
As for me,
«Gáant nagú, gáant Kaséix̱!
“Go outside, outside, Kaséix̱!
Neilt ágé ix̱ax̱oox̱?»
Am I calling you in?”
Tle yan ax̱waatséx̱.
I would stomp my feet.
Wáa sá ash tuwáa sagóowun a daa yóox̱'ala.átk, ax̱ tláa.
Oh, how she used to like to talk about it, my mother.
Tle {l.u} l.ushk'idéin yax̱waaḵaa.
I said a bad thing.
Wé
The
Ch'as aawashúḵ.
She just laughed at it.
Wáang̱aneens,
Sometimes,
«Daat yís sáwé tlákw gáande x̱at kadunáa nich,» yóo ax̱ tuwatee.
I would wonder, “Why do they keep sending me outside?”
Tóoxʼ gíyá s haa shiḵeet?
Did they think we're a nuisance?
Yeah.
Ách x̱áawé gáande has haa koonáayin.
That's why they used to send us outside.
Aahá, {hél kéetáan} hél tsú ch'a yei, ch'a kagéináx̱ yoo x̱'atool.átk.
Yes, we donʼt even talk quietly.
Tle ḵúnáx̱ áwé haa saligaaw.
We are very loud.
«Yáadu ax̱ aayí.»
“Here's mine.”
«Wéit'aa, wéit'aa ax̱ tuwáa sigóo.»
“That one, I want that one.”
«Wéit'aa, há, aax̱ kei tʼáaxʼ, wéitʼaa.»
“That one, oh, cut that one out.”
Ha goosú wé
Hey, where is the
A kaadé gíwé gáande haa kdunáa nich.
Maybe thatʼs why they would always send us outside.
Hél ḵáax'w a x̱oo yáatʼaa.
There's no boys among these ones here.
É!
Gosh!
Tláykʼ.
No.
Ḵúnáx̱ yak'éiyi aa ḵáa ḵutooshée noojín.
We would always search for the real good looking guys.
Oh, yáadu á, yáadu á.
Oh, here's one, hereʼs one.
Oh, wéit'aa ḵáa, jée.
Oh, that man there, gee.
Haa, wáa sá dusáakw? {wé}
Well, how do they say that?
Kʼe-e-e,
How about,
Shaklig̱éi?
Heʼs cute?
Áwé shaklig̱éi ḵúnáx̱.
He's really cute.
Ax̱ aayí ḵwá hél ḵáaxʼw a x̱oo.
Mine doesnʼt have any men.
Ch'ée {tlél} hél shákdé wa.é yéi ḵeenoogún:
Gee, maybe you never used to do this:
wáang̱aneen sáwé
sometimes
yéi x̱'ayatooḵáa nich,
we would say,
«K'e gáande {na} haa lung̱agooḵ.»
“How about we run outside.”
Á áwé tootʼitxʼi nich wé stubs, cigarette stubs.
So weʼd find cigarette stubs.
Wáa sá sh
(We were being fancy.)
Haa toowúch ḵwáwé kʼe wutusikóo a daat át.
We thought we knew all about it.
Ch'a koogéiyi áwé toos'eḵ neech.
We just smoked any old way.
Tléix'dahéen áwé yéi x̱at yawsiḵáa wé ax̱ shátx̱,
One day my older sister [or female cousin of the same clan] said to me,
«K'e, aan neildé nidasá.»
“Letʼs see you breathe it in.”
Áwé kx̱waa.aaḵw ltín.
So I tried it, you know.
Tle ax̱ toowúch ḵwá x̱at gug̱anáa, jée.
Gee, I just thought I was going to die.
Oo!
Oh!
Aydzikúḵkw. {kéi is}
You were coughing.
Tliyéix' yéi wootee ax̱ daséigu.
My breath stopped.
Oh, yáadu á ḵwá.
Oh, hereʼs one.
Wéidu á.
There he is.
Wéidu á.
There he is.
Du shá ḵu.aa hél
But his head is not
Du shá, há!
His head, ha!
Yáadu á. Yáadu á.
Right here. Right here.
Éis'k' wéit hán ḵáa.
That man standing there looks good.
Góok! Sh kaneelneek.
Go ahead. Tell a story.
Aa,
Uh,
am,
um,
Lingít x̱'asheeyí wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo {x̱ash} x̱ashagóogu.
I'd really like to learn Tlingit songs.
Um, hél ḵaa tuwáa ushgú.
Um, nobody likes them.
Lingít x̱'asheeyí?
Tlingit songs?
Aaá, Lingít x̱'asheeyí.
Yes. Tlingit songs.
Hél aa x̱wsakú.
I don't know any.
Just one.
Tle yéi át áyá ax̱ tuwáxʼ tlákw has du x̱ʼéit x̱wasa.aax̱jín wé
I used to hear those kinds of things all the time when I would listen to
yaa s kanashéini ax̱ x̱oonx'í.
my relatives when they were getting drunk.
É!
Gosh!
«Wáa sá i toowú, [singing]
“How are your feelings,
Chookaneidí yátx'i?
children of Chookaneidí?
Yáa haa aanḵáawu tlél yawtoodlaaḵ.
We have not attained our lord.
Haa l.ushk'éiyi
Our sins
haa yakg̱wadláaḵ áyá yáa ḵuhéinee-ee.
will beat us during the change of time.
Ee yaaw aa.»
[vocables]”
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo has at sheeyí.
It seemed so fun to me when they would sing.
Ax̱oo.aa ḵ'asigóo ḵúnáx̱ ḵa at.yátxʼi, has du yátxʼi daat has at sheeyí.
Some of them are very fun, and the children, whe n they sing about their children.
Oh my, ḵúnáx̱.
Oh my, really.
Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa sagóo neejín
I really liked
{has}
Sorry.
Ch'a g̱éḵxʼ ḵaa ée sh gax̱dahúnch.
I offer my singing to people in vain.
«K'e yee een gaḵashee. Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo.»
“Let me sing with you folks. I like to.”
Hél x̱at koodushtán.
They don't want me.
Dóo.
See how they are.
Wáa sá kwshé; {hél gí} hél gíwé has du tóoch x̱at ulchéesh?
Whatʼs the matter; do they not think that I can do it?
Hél awuskú á yóo kwshé?
They don't know, do they?
Hél awuskú wé at.shí.
She doesn't know how to sing.
Hél ooshgóok.
She doesn't know how.
{tlél oosh}
Nora Dauenhauer tlákw du ée sh gax̱dahun neejín.
Nora Dauenhauer, I used to ask to (sing with) her all the time.
Héi-éi-éil x̱at kooshtán.
She never wanted me.
{ax̱} Wé ax̱ léelk'úch wusiwadi aa,
The one my grandmother raised,
hél dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ guḵasaa,
I'm not going to say her name in English,
kwás kaadé at.shée noojín.
she used to always sing on the toilet.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ḵúnáx̱ ash tuwáa wsigóo at.shí.
She really loved to sing.
Aadóo sé?
Who is that?
Wéi ḵut x̱waag̱éex'i shux'áa.
The first one that I lost.
Oo.
Oh.
I x̱án.aa gé?
Your husband?
Heʼs, shuxʼáa aayíx̱
Heʼs, the first one
June.
Oh.
Wáa sá duwasáakw?
What's her name?
June.
Oo. Ahah.
Oh. Uhuh.
Ḵúnáx̱ ḵ'asagóo neejín du x̱ánt.
It used to be a lot of fun to be by her.
Yeah.
Éh! Al'eix̱ tsú.
Oh! Dance too.
Ch'as at.shooḵ áwé yaa yaktusaxíxjin.
We used to just laugh.
{ale} Al'eix̱.
Dancing.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Tle {aadé} aadé yaa haa lugagúḵch.
We would just run to it.
Haa tláach ḵwá hél has awuskú
Our mothers didnʼt know
l'eix̱ kaadé kei haa lagúḵji
that we would run off to dance
cannery-x'.
at the cannery.
Filipino bunkhouse adul'eix̱.
People would dance at the Filipino bunkhouse.
Éh, wáa sá haa tuwåa sigóo: daa ta, da ta, daa ta, daa ta, jitterbug
We used to love: dah ta, dah ta, dah ta, dah ta, jitterbug!
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
And, tle,
And so
«No later! Taat.sitgawsáanix'
“No later! At midnight
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo neil yiy.aadí.»
I want you (both) to come home.”
We were late one time.
A kát haa seiwax'áḵw.
We forgot.
É, héix̱ yaa nagút ax̱ tláa. "Oh, God!"
Gosh, her comes my mother.
Ḵúnáx̱, oh gosh, tláakw haa yagux̱saḵáa.
Oh gosh, she was really going to lay into us.
Éh, {before, chu} chʼool tláakw woonaḵéiji, Helen, ax̱ shátx̱,
Before she started her rant, Helen, my older sister,
«De wéi gax̱too.áat!»
“We're going to leave right now!”
É.
Let me see.
Oh.
Héʼ tle 12:30 kawdaxéedi ch'a yeisú atool'eix̱.
Well by the time it was 12:30 we were still dancing.
Wáa sá haa tuwáa sagóowun wé l'eix̱.
Oh, how we loved to dance.
X̱át du,
As for me,
tle áa áyá tsáa {aax̱ x̱at, x̱at},
it was there that finally,
ax̱ jeedéx̱,
from me,
am,
um,
tlél aadé ḵwaasaayi yé.
I can't say it.
Tle á áyá tsá a kaax̱ jix̱waanáḵ
So that's the only reason why I gave up
yá l'eix̱ áwé.
dancing.