Tlingit Conversation #69-70

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Speakers are Jinduláa Katherine Hanlon and Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson. Recorded July 13, 2011 at the Hanlonʼs home in Hoonah, Alaska, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.

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

Tlingit transcription by Claire Helgeson. English translation by Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson, Kaséix̱Selina Everson with LjáaḵkʼAlice Taff. Edited by X̱ʼaagi Shaawu Keri 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]

Daax'oon táakw ḵa shoowú x̱at sateeyí áwé,

When I was four and a half years old,

ax̱ tláa ḵa du een.aaax'w hás é

my mother and her relatives,

k'wát' yáx̱ áwé {has}

in a circle (like an egg)

yáx̱ has woosḵéeych.

they would seat them.

K'idéin s at'áchdi nooch wé tuwaakú.

They' slap the tobacco (snuff) real good.

X'oon sáwé,

How much was it,

aa jís áwé woosh tóode s aandatéech.

some for them, they'd put it in (their mouths).

X'oonínáx̱ sá has yatee?

How many people are they?

Wooch x̱oox̱ yaa ndutéech.

They'd pass it around.

Áwé yánde yaa kanx̱altín ltín.

And I was really watching, see.

Hél has awuskú.

They didn't know.

Ch'u tle altíni áwé ax̱ tláa,

When my mother was watching (what was going on?),

wé tuwaakú aax̱ x̱waatáw.

I stole some snuff from there.

Lig̱éi wé ḵóok.

The box was long. [It was a trunk.]

A kináa kéi x̱waagút. {hél hél}

I got up on it.

Á ḵu.aa a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw

I forgot it though

tle a kát x̱a.áayi áwé tsá ax̱ daa aawadaaḵ.

until I was sitting on it, I sobered up.

Got you drunk?

Ch'a has du yáx̱.

Just like them.

Ax̱ tláa yát ux̱altínch.

I looked at my mother.

Hél ax̱ daat has tooshtí.

They didn't pay attention to me.

K'idéin x̱wat'áchidáx̱,

After I patted it real good,

aax̱ kei aa x̱waawax̱ích ax̱ wásh tóode.

I threw some inside my cheek.

Yéi gax̱wdzinéi ???

I did it for myself ???

Wáa sáwé,

Why is it,

ch'a yeisú k'idéin

when I was still

kináade aan x̱atíni áwé

putting the cover back carefully

x̱at yaa ḵunaag̱át.

I was getting dizzy.

Chʼa tle ax̱ een yaa naltúl yú hít.

That house is just spinning with me.

Tle a káx̱ daak x̱at shaawaxíx.

I fell over backwards.

A kináade áwé x̱at satáan wé trunk,

I was laid out on top of the trunk,

wé ḵook tlein.

the big box.

Ax̱ shátx̱ích áwé x̱át wusiteen.

My older sister saw me.

Yisikóo Mary.

You know Mary.

Yeah.

«Ax̱ kéek'!

“My little sister!

Gwál yaa nanáan áyá de.»

Maybe she's dying now!”

Ax̱ x̱ánt wujixíx ax̱ tláa.

My mother ran to me.

Ch'a g̱ég̱aa áwé has du een x̱ach'éix̱, «Ax̱ wásh tóodáx̱ daak ???.»

I was helplessly pointing (to my mouth, saying), “Take it out of my cheek.”

Hél ax̱ daat has tooshtée chʼas

They didn't pay attention to me just

{ax̱ x̱at chʼa} x̱at {ch} kalachóox {hél} ax̱ tláa.

my mother was rubbing me.

Ch'a yóokdei awsiteen wé,

All of a sudden she saw it, the

wé tuwáaku.

the snuff.

Ax̱ x̱'éináx̱ daak akaawajúx

I was dribbling some from my mouth

saliva.

Aag̱áa áwé tsá, «Áa!,

That's when, “Ah!

tuwáaku áwé du wásh tóot teen.»

thereʼs snuff in her cheek.”

Tláakw áwé s luwagúḵ.

They ran quickly.

X'úx' x̱'éináx̱ ax̱ wásh tóodáx̱ daak has akaawajél.

They cleaned my mouth out with paper.

Áwé, wáa sá

How

ch'u tle yeedádi yáx̱ ax̱ daa aawadaaḵ.

I sobered up just like the present.

Náaw s'aatí yáx̱ áwé yaa x̱at nadushát eet kaadé.

They were carrying me into the bedroom like a drunk.

Át áwé x̱at satán.

I was lying there.

«Há likoodzí.

“Amazing.

Tuwaakú áwé aawatáw,»

She stole snuff,”

ax̱ tláa.

(said) my mother.

ax̱ toowúch ḵu {ax̱ tláa} x̱at gax̱dux̱ísht.

I thought sure I will get a spanking.

Ch'as at shóoḵ ??? yéi s awsinei.

Instead they laughed and laughed.

Haaw, yéi áwé i een sh kax̱wdlineek.

Well, that's my story to you.

Ḵa s'eiḵ,

And cigarettes,

wáa sá {x} aag̱áa ḵux̱alt'éet neech.

how I used to go hunting for it.

Yeah we didn't even. Uh, I have a lot of, uh, stories about chewing tobacoo. My mother used to sell it.

Daa sáyá?

What is it?

She uh, tuwaakú.

She uh, tobacco.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Yeeyhoonín.

You guys sold it.

She used to sell it.

I tláach?

Your mother?

Yeah.

Lingít x̱'éináx̱?

In Tlingit.

Uh, hél, I don't know too much

Uh, not,

Lingít. Hél oohoon.

Tlingit. She didn't sell it.

Ahóon neejín.

She used to sell it.

Huh? Ahóon neejín.

Huh? She used to sell it.

Yeah, ahóon noojín.

Yeah, she used to sell it.

Ahah.

And uh,

Uhuh.

I can talk about our history in Tlingit. Yeah.

Yakʼéi.

That's good.

A little bit.

Kei kg̱wak'éi.

That will be good.

Kilisnoo

ḵwáan áyá x̱át.

clan I'm from.

Kilisnoo

kei uwagán.

burned.

Ldakát áa ḵuwligáas'.

Everybody moved there.

Angóonde ḵuwligáas'.

Moved to Angoon.

Ax̱ tláa,

My mother,

jinkaat ḵa keijín yéi

fifteen

du táagu.

were her years.

{ax̱ éesh} ax̱ éeshch uwasháa.

My father married her.

Ách áwé yáax'

That's why here

Xúnaa x̱'ayaa haa wootee.

we lived around Hoonah.

Haa aaní.

Our land.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Haa aaní Aangóon.

Angoon is our land.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Walter Soboleff tsú.

Walter Soboleff also.

Ax̱ éek' áwé.

My brother (close clan relation).

Oh.

Yankáx'.

True (relative).

Weʼre all one family.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Ldakát ḵáach wuskóowun.

Everybody knew him.

Mhm.

Yes.

K'e i een kanḵaneeek.

Let me tell you.

Ax̱ káak áwé áa ḵoowdzitee Kilisnoo.

My uncle was born in Kilisnoo.

Mhm.

Yes.

Át áwé haa wligás' shux'áanáx̱. {haa yá um}

That's where we moved to in the first place.

I always forget the beaver tribe.

Ah, {aantx̱ʼaakík}

Uh,

Aantx̱'aakhíttaan.

Middle of the Town House.

Mhm.

Yes.

Haa naakaahídi ḵús, ah,

Our clan house though was, uh,

I was just saying it when Sam was having a hard time.

Aantx̱'aakhít.

Middle of the Town House.

Angoon ch'a yeisú át la.áa.

It's still there in Angoon.

Haa naakaahídi áwé.

That is our clan house.

Mmm.

Oh.

Ah, ax̱ tláa ḵu.aas,

Uh, my mother though,

Ḵux'einshí yéi dusáagun.

Ḵux'einshí she was called.

Oh, wáa sá duwasáakw?

Oh. What's her name?

Ḵux'einshí.

[Her motherʼs name]

Ḵux'einshí.

[Repeating the name]

Ax̱ tláach wuskóowun.

My mother knew her.

Du daat x̱á kawdulsheeyín, i tláa.

Someone composed a song about her, your mother.

Mhm.

Yes.

Wé ḵukaawashoowú ax̱ tláach shée neejín.

When people were drunk, my mother always used to sing it.

Ax̱ éeshch- yeah. Ḵúnáx̱ ash awsix̱án.

My father- yeah. She really loved her.

Ax̱ éeshch tsú uh, ch'a yeisú

My father too still

Uh, how do you say the numbers?

Tléix'. Numbers?

One, Numbers?

Déix̱.

Two.

Nás'k.

Three.

Daax'oon.

Four.

Keijín. Daax'oon.

Five. Four.

Aaá.

Yes.

And then six.

Tleidooshú.

Six.

Tleidooshú.

Yeah, six.

Dax̱adooshú.

Seven.

Dax̱adooshú.

Seven.

Nás'gadooshú.

Eight.

Eight. Nás'gadooshú.

Eight, eight.

Mhm.

Gooshúḵ.

Nine.

How do you say 40? Hm? 40?

Daax'oon jinkaat.

Ch'a yeisú áwé

Still

daax'oon jinkaat

du katáagu ax̱ éesh.

was his age, my father.

Haa náḵ woonaa.

He died, leaving us behind.

Tláa {tsu} ch'a yeisú

My mother was still

one- tléix'aa dís,

one month

ax̱

married. Hm? When you say married? How do you say married?

Wuduwasháa.

She/he was married.

Wuduwasháa.

She/he was married.

My, Sam and I got married. I was 19.

Wooch yeeydisháa.

You married each other.

Hah?

Huh?

Wooch yeeydisháa

You married each other.

Aaá.

Yes.

61 years.

Tleidooshú jinkaat ḵa tléix'.

61.

Yeah.

Yéi kwshéi yee,

Is that right you,

Mhm.

And so, {our anniv-} do you say anniversary in Tlingit?

Uhm, ch'as yéi áwé duwasáakw.

That's the only way you say it.

[At shooḵ]

[Laughter]

{Aa- tléix' jin} tleiḵáa ḵa tléix'

21 (years) [She may have meant to say 61, showing JKH how to say this in Tlingit]

Yéi yakaawakéi aag̱áa wooch wutudisháyi yé.

thatʼs how long we were married to each other.

And um, Sam and I went to

Church-x' wutuwa.át

we went to church

{tleix'} Tléix' aa táakw.

one year.

Levi uh, Sophie awusháaÿi

When Levi married Sophie

Mhm.

du éesh wunaawú.

when his father died.

Has du x̱ánt kéi x̱waagút,

I came to visit them,

has du een

with them

sh káa x̱ʼax̱dagáaxʼ.

I pray.

Hmh.

Sh káa x̱'aydigáx'.

You prayed.

Ahah, and

while I was praying the Lord filled me with the holy ghost. I wasn't even in church that night I got baptized. Below, Martha? Tlingit name.

Um, Ḵaachkaník.

Um, Ḵaachkaník. [Marthaʼs Tlingit name]

Ḵaachnkaník.

[Marthaʼs Tlingit name]

Ahah.

Itʼs, uh, below their place, that's where I got baptized.

{aadé yoo} Aadé yoo too.átgin.

We used to go there.

So it's 61 years that I've been saved and we've been married about, over 65.

Oh my.

Tleidooshú jinnkaat ḵa keijín. I was only,

65.

Yeah.

Yei yakaawagéi kwshé? Mhm. Mhm.

Thatʼs how many, right?

Wé, aag̱áa iwusháyi yé i xán.aa

When your husband married you

ḵa yáa átk'aheen tóode aadé

and when you walked into your (Christian) belief

leidooshú jinkaat ḵa tléix'.

61 (years).

Mhm.

Áyáx̱ ákwshé? Yeah, I,

That's right, isn't it?

And tléix', déix̱, nás'k

And, one, two, three,

daax'oon, keijín, dax̱adooshú, tleidooshú.

four, five, six, seven.

Mhm.

That's how long we've been married.

Tleidooshú jinkaat ḵa tléix'.

61 (years).

Tleidooshú.

Six.

60, 64 years. Oh.

Tleidooshú jinkaat ḵa daax'oon. Mhm.

64.

Yéi yakaawagéi

That's how many

aag̱áa iwusháyi yé.

(years) he married you.

Sam was um, 21. I was 19.

Lingít x̱'éináx̱ sá.

Say it in Tlingit.

Sam ḵu.aa,

Sam though,

tleiḵáa ḵa tléix'

Mhm.

du katáagu.

his age.

Wa.é ḵu.aa jinkaat,

You though

táakw ḵa gooshúḵ.

19 years.

I was trying to think of his Tlingit name. He didn't even say it to you? He didn't give you his Tlingit name huh? Um, so, after

[Shtuwaax’eelge, Samʼs name]

x̱at wushaayídáx̱,

after he married me,

ch'a yeisú {tléixʼ} tléix' dís shuwaxeex,

it was one month (later),

ax̱ shátx̱

my older sister,

Oh my.

woonaa.

she died.

Mhm. Woonaa i shátx̱.

Mhm. She died, your sister.

Yeah. {I} I had, uh, I don't even know if I'm supposed to tell this but uh, she was

nás'k jinkaat

ḵa keijín.

and 5 (35).

Her age, her age was 35 when she died.

Nás'k jinkaat ḵa keijín

du katáagu

her age

ax' áwé yan shoowjix̱ín du gaawú.

thatʼs where her time ended.

Yéi ákwé?

Is that right?

Yá Alice.

That Alice.

Mhm.

X̱wasikóo. Jeix̱tsóo.

I know. [Her sister Aliceʼs Tlingit name.]

Mhm.

Yes.

Jeix̱tsóo yóo dusáagun.

Jeix̱tsóo was her name.

And uh, after we were married I had eight children. I lost only one.

{du sh} Du yahaayí wéidu.

Her picture is right there.

Mhm.

Oh.

Alice Joyce.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

{nás'k} Nás'gadooshú am,

Eight um,

nás'gadooshú

eight

wootee i yátx'i.

children you had.

Yéi ákwshé? Ahah.

Is that right? Uhuh.

Tléix' ḵut aa yeeg̱éex'.

You lost one.

Yeah.

Alice Joyce.

Lingít x̱'éináx̱ gé iyasáa?

Did you say her Tlingit name?

Yeah, Jeix̱tsóo.

Yeah [Alice Joyceʼs Tlingit name].

Huh? Jeix̱tsóo.

I named her after Alice. Jeix̱tsóo.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

In Tlingit. She had uh,

yátx'i.

children.

Emma Olsen du yéet áwé.

Emma Olsen's son

ash wusháayin kwshé? Ahah.

he married her, right? Uhuh.

Mhm.

Yes.

X̱wasikóo.

I know her.

Yeah.

Shaatk'átsk'u kadáan.

Nice little girl.

Yeah you can see her picture

right there.

X̱wasikóo.

I know her.

Neil x̱wagóot áwé du yát ax̱wdlig̱én tle.

I saw her face as soon as I came in the house.

X'oonínáx̱ sá wootee i dachx̱ánx'iyán i toowúch?

How many grandchildren do you think you have?

I lost track. [At shooḵ]

[Laughter]

Hél yax̱ awdustóow.

Nobody counted them all.

Yeah, I have grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

Oh my goodness.

I lost count. I don't know how many I have.

Um, yeah.

I dachx̱ánx'iyán,

Your grandchildren,

du dachx̱ánx'iyán ḵa du dachx̱ánx'iyán. Yeah.

her grandchildren and their grandchildren.

Great-great.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

A x̱oo aa tlél k'idéin has x̱wasakú.

Some of them I don't know very well.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

{wé} Wé

{the} The,

Sophie yátx'i ḵu.aa s x̱wasikóo,

but I know Sophie's children,

ldakát hás. Mhm.

all of them. Oh.

Tle has du x̱oo yéi x̱at yatee.

I'm living among them.

Ah yeah.

Tle yankáx' ax̱ kéek' yáx̱

Like my true younger sister

yee daa haa tuwatee.

is how we feel about all of you.

Ax̱ tláach áwé ??? síkʼ

My mother brought them close [took them under her wing]

tle du yátx'i sákw.

to be (like) her (own) children. [Katie and her sister Sophie].

Mhm.

Yes.

Ḵúnáx̱ áyá yee wsix̱án.

She really loved you all.

«Hóoch' i daat ḵushuwaxíx sík'.»

“Everybody around you died, daughter.”

I know.

«Ách áwé

“That's why

i kéek' hás, {ax̱} ax̱ tuwáa sigóo i kéek' hás,

your younger sisters, I want your younger sisters,

yankáx' i kéek' yáx̱ has du daa itootéeyi.»

(I want) you to think of them as your true younger sisters.” [ShMDʼs mother said to ShMD.]

Mhm.

Yes.

Ách áwé ḵúnáx̱ ganéekw Sophie, du,

Thatʼs why when Sophie got really sick, her,

du éet x̱wadishée.

I helped her.

Ch'a yeisú yanéekw.

She's still sick.

Ax̱ tláa,

My mother,

ax̱ tláa aadé yóo shukaawajayi yé.

how my mother instructed.

Mhm.

Yes.

Uh, I started to tell that after Sam and I got married, only one month, I was taking care of Aliceʼs,

Lingít x̱'éináx̱.

Tlingit language.

du yátx'i.

her children.

Alice du yátx'i. I had Joyce

Alice's children.

Mmm.

Yes.

ḵa Ryan.

and Ryan.

And I had um, Sergis; he was six years old.

Mhm.

Yeah.

And I had my sister and my brother. I was a mother to them. I was only 19 years old.

I kéek' ḵa i éek'

Your younger sister and brother

has {il}

them

yaa s nisawát i yátx'i een. {x'oon}

you were raising them along with your children.

X'oonínáx̱ sá has yatee aag̱áa?

How many were there at that time?

Only three of us.

Weʼre the last three. Tléik', wé i yátx'i een.

No, along with your children.

I kéek' ḵa i éesh ḵa

Your little sister and your father and

x'oon sá {na} has yatee i yátx'i?

how many are your children?

Eight.

Déix̱.

Two.

Tle daax'oonínáx̱ hé

Then four people

yaa s nisawát.

you were raising.

Yeah.

Yeisú jinkaat ḵa gooshúḵx̱ isitee aag̱áa.

You were just 19 at the time.

Yéi gé?

Is that right?

Yeah.

Ahah. Haaw.

Uhuh. Well.

Ḵúnáx̱ lat'éex' yá haa {yee}

How difficult it made

haa

our

ḵusteeyí aag̱áa.

lives at the time.

Wa.é tsú eeshandéin yoo kaawashóo x̱át tsú.

You went through hard times, me too.

But Sam took care of me really good. He was kind-hearted.

Hél tsu kagéilʼ awuskú.

He didn't know any problems.

Straightened me out a lot.

Oh.

Not to have a temper like, you know.

Mhm.

Yes.

Not to even speak before you, you think of, uh, hard things to say to anybody.

Mhm.

Yeah.

Hél ch'a yóok' yoo x̱'eidataaníḵ.

Don't speak too soon.

Ax̱ tláa tsú yéi x̱at yaawajée.

My mother also preached that to me.

Wáang̱aneens áwé kínde nas.áx̱ji

Sometimes it goes up in the air

i yoo x̱'atángi.

your spoken words.

Hél t'á káat yóo ulgíḵ.

Don't let it (your words) fall down on the floor.

Hél aax̱ kei kg̱eetée tsu i wásh tóot yéi ng̱atee.

You can't pick it up and put it back into your cheeks.

Ách áwé yéi

That's why

aan x̱at yawduwajéech.

they disciplined me about it.

Hél ch'a koogéiyi yoo x̱'eedataaníḵ.

Don't speak out carelessly.

Sam-ch yéi kwshé iwlitóow wa.é?

It was Sam that taught you?

Mhm.

Yes.

Mhm.

Yes.

He taught me patience when I didn't have it. Yeah. But uh, when I think of it I think at that time when I was raising all those kids and my own, besides,

I didn't even think nothing of it. I was the only oldest one, it was my duty to do it, and I did it.

Wa.éich yax̱ has yaysiwát.

It was you who raised them.

Yeah.

Sophie-ch kaník neech.

Sophie always tells about it.

Ḵa i éek' tsú daa yoo x̱'atángi neech.

Your brother talks about it also.

Ax̱ éek' een ḵúnáx̱ wooch has wudzix̱án.

My brother and he really loved each other.

That's good.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Tle ldakát áwé ax̱ tláach yeewsix̱án.

All of you were loved by my mother.

Yá i tláa een,

With your mother,

i tláa ḵúnáx̱ awsix̱án ch'a tle du een ayáx̱.

she loved your mother like a sibling.

Tléináx̱ yáa yéi teeyích.

Because she was here alone.

Tléináx̱ yáa has wootee.

They were here alone (the two mothers).

Ldakát ḵáach wusix̱án.

Everybody loved her.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

That's why we never moved back to Angoon after my dad died.

Mmm.

Oh.

Uh, I still remember the date, 1936, when my dad, no 35, when he died. And my mother was 1950, I think it was 1950. My sister, the one who got married, 1947.

Mmm.

Oh.

My sister, School-de yee jeewahaa kwshé?

Did they send you all to school?

Yeah we were in Wrangell Institute.

Mhm.

Yeah.

For two years.

Nás'k táakw x̱'aanáx̱.

For three years.

And I, I didn't finish so I got my GED and I got my diploma through GED.

Mhm.

Yes.

But, when I think of that, all the children that I was taking care of and didn't even mind it, and now when I think of it I always get tired.

Yeah.

X̱át tsú yéi x̱at {wudi}

Me too I

daax'oonínáx̱ has x̱wasiwát wé adátx'í.

I raised four children.

Mhm.

Hél

Not

á ḵu.aa has náaw

that though, they, liquor

tláakw ḵuwa.oo aag̱áa.

people were living fast [drinking uncontrollably ???] at that time.

Aag̱áa áwé nás'gináx̱ {túl}

That's when three people

yéi s x̱wasinei.

I did.

Wé tléix'aa ḵú adopt-ix̱ x̱waliyéx̱,

The other one though I adopted,

yá ixkéex' yéi yateeyi yé

the one that lives down south (lower 48 states)

séek'.

daughter.

Uh, ax̱ toowú yak'éi.

Uh, I'm feeling happy

I een shkax̱walneegí.

when I'm telling you a story.

Um, my mind went blank. Oh,

ax̱ kéek'

my younger sister

Shteetóo yóo duwasáakw.

Shteetóo she was called.

Ax̱ éek'

My brother

ḵu.aas

however,

Kaw.áat'án.

(was called) Kaw.áatʼán

Wáa sá? Jimmy, Kaw.áat'án.

How?

Kaw.áat'án.

And all three of us,

nás'gináx̱ uháan,

all three of us,

Mhm.

Yes.

were living for the Lord.

Every one of us, three of us.

Dikée Aanḵáawu jeeyís ḵuyeedzitee.

You lived for our heavenly Father.

Yeah, so I depend upon the Lord a lot of times when I go through,

K'e Lingít x̱'éináx̱

In Tlingit language please

aa kananéek

tell some of it

yá adátx'ich g̱asakóot

so the children can know

Dikée Aanḵáawu jeeyís.

for the Lord.

Ax̱ kéek',

My younger sister,

Shteetóo,

Shteetóo,

ḵa ax̱ éek',

and my brother,

Lakáak'w,

[her brotherʼs name]

not Lakáak'w,

yeah, it was Lakáak'w.

Jimmy.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Ḵa

And

Alice's Lingít name was uh, Jeix̱tsóo.

Oh, how beautiful.

Daax'oon wootee du yátx'i.

She had four children.

X'oonínáx̱ sá s yisiwát du aayí?

How many of hers did you raise?

Joyce then.

Oh.

And Ryan. Ryan was just a baby.

Oh.

He was only 6 months old when his mother wasn't taking care of him, so I took care of them.

Huh.

And my brother Jimmy, I was 19, and two years, Sophie was two years younger than I am.

Mhm.

Oh.

Jimmy was two years younger than her.

Yeah.

Ldakát yax̱ has yaysiwát.

You guys raised them all.

Mhm.

Yes.

I took care of uh, what's the name, Joyce, til she was uh, in her teens.

You haven't talked Tlingit a long time? Me too.

Dleit ḵáach áwé x̱at uwasháa yeedát.

A white man married me now.

Oh.

Chʼa aan hél a káx̱ x̱at seix'aaḵw.

Even then I never forget.

Wéit'aa áwé yei koogeik'i át áwé ax̱ jeet aawashát.

That person gave me a small thing. [Tlingit alphabet picture cards]

Ah, college-x' áyú

Uh, at college

ḵaa ée át wulitóow.

he taught people.

Áwé {du} du x̱ánt x̱waagút.

So I went to him.

{x̱wasik} «Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo Lingít x̱'éináx̱ kashxeet.»

“I want to write in Tlingit.”

A káx̱ wé college ḵux̱ x̱waagút.

That's why I went back to college.

Wé {ax̱} ax̱ jeet yéi awsineiyi át áwé,

What he gave me,

ch'a tlákw yakyee,

every day,

yaa shukx̱ag̱ích.

I turn the pages.

Ldakát át áwé x̱asáakw neech:

I always name everything:

cháatl,

halibut,

jánwu,

goat,

jig̱wéinaa.

towel.

Yagéiyi át a káa yéi yatee.

It has a lot of things on it.

Yéi áyá tsu ḵúx̱de yaa ndagút ax̱ yoo x̱'atángi.

This is how my speaking ability came back.

Yeah.

I need something like that.

Mhm.

{my ta} My husband talks perfect Lingít.

Ch'a tlákw kana.aaḵw du ee Lingít x̱'éináx̱ du eex̱ x̱'eetaaní.

Try all the time when you speak to him, in Tlingit.

Mhm.

Yeah.

Yáa k'idéin ḵúx̱de gux̱dagóot tsú.

And it will come back very well too.

He never forgot anything I think he was tired when he was sitting here.

Mhm.

Yes.

All he's been doing is just sleeping now.

Mhm.

Oh.

Every day.

K'e Lingít {een ax̱ een} ax̱ een kananeek.

Tell it to me in Tlingit.

Am,

Um,

wudixwétl.

heʼs tired.

Ḵúnáx̱ wudixwétl.

He's very tired.

Ch'as

Just

táach uwasháa. [At shooḵ]

sleep married him. [Laughter]

Ch'a yéit áwé.

Just bed.

Wé áa g̱eenúkch.

You just sit there.

He understands, heʼs not laughing (indicating Naakil.aan). Táach uwasháa.

Sleep married him.

X̱ʼaan yáx̱ áa yan ???

[Turning red ??? ]

Yeah, thatʼs all he, Ḵúnáx̱ k'idéin haa x̱'aya.áx̱ch.

He (NMHC) understands us really well.

Ḵúnáx̱ k'idéin ḵaa ée at latóow, ch'a aan áwé,

He teaches people very well, even so,

chʼa hóoch ijeewanáḵ tsú. Gunalchéesh.

he let you go too. Thank you.

Yeah.

Ḵúdáx̱ shákdé áwé yanéekw wé xán.aa ách áwé,

He probably hurts too much, your husband, that's why,

hél du tóoch ulchéesh k'idéin,

he doesn't feel up to it,

sh kalnéegi.

telling stories.

Mhm.

Yes.

Yagéiyi át awsikóo x̱wsikóo. I know.

I know he knows a lot.

X̱áach x̱wasikóo. He knows the history, he knows how to talk Lingít real good.

Me, I know it (that heʼs knowledgable).

Mhm.

Yes.

Um, and it's the only language we had was Lingít, Lingít. When my mother was home she would talk to us in Tlingit.

Mhm.

Oh.

So we used to answer in Tlingit but when we went to school they used to wash out our mouth if we talked Lingít, even if we asked a question, "What page are we on?"

Mhm.

Yeah.

So uh, we lost most of our language because it was taken away from us.

K'e Lingít,

Tlingit,

een kananeek wéit'ách áwé {kéi gux̱}

tell it to that, it's going to,

{kéi na} kéi anashát,

it's catching it,

aadé yóo x̱'eeyatángi yé.

what you're saying (the video camera).

Yá haa yátx'i jeeyís á yéi daatoonéi

We're doing it for our children

ḵa haa dachx̱ánx'iyán.

and our grandchildren.

Yá x'úx' kaadé shákdé kagax̱dushxéet,

They may write it on paper,

hél x̱wasakú.

I don't know.

Ḵachʼu yáat'át a een

Or with this one (the camera)

has du ée gax̱dultóow.

they'll be taught.

Yá haa yoo x̱'atángi,

This language of ours,

ḵúdáx̱ yaa ḵut kei ntoog̱íx'.

we are losing too much of it.

Really.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Even me.

I tláach

Your mother

{a i yee yee} i een yoo x̱'ala.átgin.

used to speak with you.

{iya} Iyaawajee i tláa,

She disciplined you, your mother

x̱wasikóo.

I know.

Lingít x̱'éináx̱, hél ch'as

In Tlingit, not just

yá school-t x̱wagoodí.

when I went to school.

Hél tsu dleit ḵáaxʼw wáa sá {x̱w} x̱wasakú.

And not any white people (language) how I didn't know.

Maybe a little bit.

Ch'a koogéiyi ḵu at x̱asáakw {na} ax̱ tláa wáa sá at yasáakw ayáx̱.

I used to pronounce words carelessly though, just how my mother said it.

K'é,

For instance,

dléit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ yoo x̱'atángi, chʼas

in English, just

at géide at gasáayjín.

she used to make mistakes (in pronunciation).

Ax̱ toowúch ḵu.aa yéi áwé duwasáakw.

I thought though that was how it was called.

Dikée Aanḵáawu «Lard» yóo s ayasáakw. Lard.

The Heavenly Father they call “Lard”.

Gishoo eex̱.

Pig fat.

Ch'as gishoo eex̱ ???

Just pig fat ???

Ḵa «Halleluia Sambation Army.»

And “Halleluia Salvation Army.”

«Haananooya.»

“Halleluia.”

Wáag̱aneens áwé át has anal'éx̱ch.

Sometimes they'd dance around.

Wáanáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo Salvation Army

How I liked the Salvation Army

yéi x̱at gusagéink'.

when I was little.

Me too, we used to go to the church, Frank

St. Clair. Áa yoo yi.átgin.

You used to go there.

Yeah, áa yoo too.átgin.

Yeah, we used to go there.

{lit x̱'ein} Lingít x̱'éináx̱ tsú at tooshée nooch.

We used to sing in Tlingit also.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

They used to give us special seats.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

The kids. Oh, we just loved going to the church and singing in Tlingit.

"I will make you fishing of man, fishing of man."

Ḵaa isg̱eiwúx̱ ikḵwalayéix̱, ikḵwalayéix̱

I will make you fishers of men, I will make you,

ikḵwalayéix̱,

I will make you,

ḵaa isg̱eiwúx̱ ikḵwalayéix̱,

I will make you fishers of men,

ax̱ ítx̱ yaa gagú.

If you follow me.

Ax̱ ítx̱ yaa gagú,

If you follow me,

ax̱ ítx̱ yaa gagú, Glory halle-

if you follow me,

ḵaa isg̱eiwúx̱ ikḵwalayéix̱,

I will make you fishers of men,

ax̱ ítx̱ yaa gagú.

If you follow me.

Aax̱ áwé kei astán,

After that, they raise them up,

«Haananooya!»

“Halleluia!”

We used to march with them on the street.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Ax̱ tuwáa sagóowun x̱át tsú wé, she used to call it ???

I used to like it too, that,

wé drum yaa kdugwálch wáa sá ayáx̱ yaa kx̱agútjin.

that drum, theyʼd beat it and how I'd follow them.

Wáa sá dugwáal.

How they drum.

You can turn that, I guess he turned it off now.

I'm just gonna, this is rubbing on the cloth I'm gonna move it a little but, you guys sound good. Good.

{wé tléi} Wé tléix'aa tsu ḵúnáx̱ has ashée neejín wé

The other one they used to really sing, that

Daaḵw.aa sá?

Which one?

Ḵaa isg̱eiwúx̱ ikḵwalayéix̱, oh!

I will make you fishers of men, oh!

Ch'a yeedádi aa yéi áwé x̱wsikóo tsu yeedát.

The one I know is present time.

Yee toowú ksagóo,

You all be happy,

yee toowú ksagóo,

you all be happy,

kei gax̱tooshée yá yées shí,

we'll sing this new song,

yee toowú ksagóo.

you all be happy.

Amen.

Wáag̱aneens áwé ḵúnáx̱ wé

Sometimes really

ch'a yeisú yeedát x̱áng̱aa áwé {daa} aa woonáaxʼw.

it was closer to this time when some passed away.

Wáag̱aneens áwé Joe Pratt

Sometimes Joe Pratt

wáa sá át anal'éx̱jin

how he used to dance around

wé a shá een. Yeah, I never forgot.

with his head.

Frank St. Clair. Ch'a, {kʼidéi tu}

Just,

hóoch' k'idéin aawasáa.

he said it well.

Yáa tlax̱ yáa wdisháni aa ḵu.aa,

The older one, however,

«Haananooya!»

“Halleluia!”

Sh káa s x̱'awdagáaxʼ ??? ax̱ toowúch ḵu tle ayáx̱ áwé s at yasáakw.

When they pray, I really thought they were saying the words right.

Ax̱ tláa ḵúnáx̱ x'áant unúkch.

My mother would get very angry.

That's when we used to hear that Salvation army drum.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

And they were going through the street, we, no matter what we were doing we used to run out there and march with them, and then they take us back to the church and give us, uh

treats.

Uh, they used to make us sit at a certain place and so when they sang we even sang the English ones like they did.

I know it.

Yá uháan ḵu.aa,

Us though,

{fishing cam} fish camp-dé haa yandusḵúx̱jin.

they (parents) used to take us to fish camp.

Áx' áwé {salvat} Salvation Army-x̱ haa nasteech.

And that's where we would be Salvation Army.

Áwé ax̱ tláach {haa wu}

So, my mother

{haaw} haa yáanáx̱ yaa shukanalx̱ách.

was trolling past us,

Uh they called it, {yoo}

X̱áawé, a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw a saayí, Shelter Island. [Kichx̱aakʼ]

see I forgot the name, Shelter Island.

Yeah.

Áx' áwé yaa gaḵúx̱ch.

She used to row there.

Áwé Salvation Army yan kawtudlitín.

So we really practiced Salvation Army.

Dleit yáx̱ yateeyi át áwé

There was a white thing

American flag-x̱ wutuliyéx̱ ḵa Salvation Army ldakát.

we pretend it was an American flag and Salvation Army everything.

Wé ax̱ shátx̱ích

My older sister

um, ḵúnáx̱

um, really

awshigóogin akawdlitín.

she used to know how to do it, she observed it and practiced it.

«Haaw.

“Well.

Aadóoch sá Dikée Aanḵáawu six̱án?

Who loves the Lord?

Áa daak gu.á.

Go out there.

Dikée Aanḵáawu kanayshéex̱'.»

Praise the Heavenly Father.”

Du x̱'é koolx̱éitlʼ áwé áa daak x̱wagootch.

I was afraid of her words so I'd go out there.

«I Sambation Army.

“I Salvation Army

Gunalchéesh Dikée Aanḵáawu.»

Thanks Heavenly Father.”

Áa daak x̱wagootch.

I'd go out there.

Ax̱ éek' áa daak kaduḵáaych.

My brother, they would send him out there.

Chʼas g̱áax̱ áwé yan uljaaḵwch.

All he did was cry.

Aax̱ áwé yaa ktoo.átch wé éeḵ áx̱ yaa któo átch uháan.

Then we'd march, down to the beach weʼd march.

Ax̱ tláa du

My mother, her

wé a káx̱ du.úsʼk át,

washboard,

haaw, ch'al kawtuwagwáal.

well, we'd beat on it.

"I will make you fishers of men."

Yáaxʼ áwé Lingít x̱'éináx̱ kei ktooshéeych.

Here we'd sing in Tlingit.

Tle ch'as áwé yan wutusinéi Lingít yoo x̱'atángi.

And that's all we did in Tlingit.

Wé

That

wé gaaw een.

with that drum.

Ax̱ tláa ,{ax̱}

My mother,

yá camp adáx̱ ḵux̱ haa wulgáas'i áwé ax̱ tláach {haa}

when we returned from camp, my mother

haa utí.

would imitate us.

Ch'u tle déi kadéix'ch haa wulijáḵ.

We were so ashamed [lit: Shame killed us.]

{yéi áwé has awus}

Yéi áwé {has} has du jeedáx̱ áyá {yan tooshi}

That's how from them

wutushigóok ch'a yéi googéink' wé Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yoo x̱'atánk.

we knew how (to speak) just a little bit of the Tlingit (English?)language.

That's all I talked until my mother died. Lingít.

Lingít yoo x̱'atángi. Yeah.

Tlingit speaking.

Talked with her in Tlingit.

Mhm.

Yes.

I lost it after

Mhm.

Oh.

we got married. When the children came along I only talked English to them. That's how come I lost it.

Ch'a kx̱waa.aaḵw {wáang} wé daax'oonínáx̱ yateeyi has x̱wasiwádi. aa.

I tried with the four I raised.

Hél has du tuwáa wushgú.

They didn't like it.

Tléix'aa tsú,

The other one too,

uh, ax̱ x̱án.aa du ée x̱wlitóow,

I taught my (current) husband,

yee toowú ksagóo,

be happy,

yee toowú ksagóo.

be happy.

Kei gax̱tooshée yáa yées shí,

We'll sing this new song,

yee toowú ksagóo.

be happy.

{du} wáa sá shux'áa du een daak x̱waḵúx̱ ax̱ x̱án.aa,

When I first went out on a boat with my husband,

hél yeisú x̱at oosháaych.

he hadn't married me yet.

Áwé Dikée Aanḵáawu x̱ashéix̱' yáa

I was praising the Lord

deck kát áwé

on deck

géekt x̱a.áa.

I was sitting at the stern.

Aag̱áa áwé kei kx̱waashée,

That's when I started singing,

yee toowú ksagóo.

be happy.

Ch'a yóok' de du yát ax̱wdlig̱én;

Suddenly I looked at him;

hóoch tsú ashí,

he was singing also,

yee toowú ksagóo.

be happy.

Tláx̱ wáa sá ??? shakaawax̱'áaxʼ ???

How proudly he was singing.

{yagéiyi} Yagéiyi át {tu}

A lot of things

a káa daak toox̱dasháatch, Katie, yá

I keep remembering, Katie, this

yeisú yáax' yéi haa teeyí.

while weʼre here (on the current visit to Hoonah).

Dóo.

[Expression, usually jokingly pointing out what someone did]

Halloween.

That um, one night they, uh, can you turn it off now?

x̱ tooḵéech

we'd sit

daax'oon gaaw áwé.

four oʼclock it was.

Sam brought um, a bunk bed. "Since you folks don't leave you can just go sleep on the bunk bed."

Yóo x̱'atánk áwé {yéi} yéi daatoonéi noojín. Yeah.

We always used to make speeches.

Yá Halloween

This Halloween

daat yáx̱ sá yan sh wutudzinéi?

what were we dressed up like?

{yee} Yee x̱'awóolt wutuwa.át.

We came to your door.

Kawtuwagwál.

We knocked.

Asíwégé

I think

wé stóox,

the stove,

yinaanáx̱ aadé shaylix̱óot' Sam.

you pushed Sam to the other side of it.

Hél i tuwáa ushgú aadóoch sá wusteen.

You didn't want anyone to see.

Yeisú sháa ká

Still on the head

shaa akda.aag̱ú daa sákwshíwé yéi akg̱wa.oo.

trying it on his head (deciding) what he was going to wear.

Someone knocked on our door? Uh huh.

Stóox tʼéit wudzigeeet.

He fell behind the stove.

Ch'as {shoo} at shoog̱u yéi wtusinei.

All we did was laugh.

Náa yéi tuwdi.oo uháan haa aayí.

We had our costumes on.

Yáax' áwé adátx'i

And here children

has du toowúch ḵu {has du yát adátx'i}

they thought though

has du yáx̱ adátx'ix̱ haa sitee.

we were children like them.

Ch'a yeisú haa eedé s jigux̱da.aadí.

They were just going to come and attack us.

«Tléik', tléik', tléik', ilí!»

“No, no, no, stop!”

Sophie x̱ánt wutuwa.át.

We went to Sophie's place.

She really got fooled, huh?

Yeah, ḵúnáx̱ fool-x̱ wutuliyéx̱.

Yeah we really fooled her.

Levi ḵu.aa s,

Levi though,

awsikóo who we were.

he knew who we were.

Rusty-ch, «Daa sáyá?

Rusty, “What is this?

Útlx̱i gé isa.ée?»

Are you cooking boiled fish?”

«Aaá, útlx̱i áyá.»

“Yes, it's boiled fish.”

A tóox' {yá l} hél yaa haa yootínx̱ Sophie.

She couldn't recognize us in it (costumes) at all, Sophie.

Du tugéide yaa ntoosgít.

We were offending her.

{hél} Ch'a xʼoonk'ínáx̱ sá yéi wutusinéi.

We just picked up a few (candies).

We just twirled the candy around. "Sergis bring that tissue over." She thought they were

Haa jeedáx̱ yóot wuduwas'él'.

They tore it out of our hands.

Gracious. Halloween kids.

Mhm.

Yep.

We were already married when we used to go out.

Trick or treating.

Trick or treat. We used to dress up like the kids, knock on the doors, just our relatives. We didn't go all over. We fooled Levi. Levi was my brother-in-law. He was married to my sister Sophie. Sophie couldn't even catch on that we weren't kids, but Levi did. And whenever they brought the dish of candy by us we just twirled it around, acting like we were taking a lot of candy.

Du tóon yaa natéen. And my sister Sophie didn't like it.

She was concerned about it.

"Sergis, bring that candy back!"

Haa jeedáx̱ yóot wuduwas'él.

They tore it our of our hands.

And finally we told her who we were. "You folks want some coffee?"

«Tléik', tléik'.

“No, no.

Hél haa tuwáa ushgú.»

We don't want any.”

Sh tóon haa wditee.

Our feelings were hurt.

Yáax' áwé {i kéi gax̱} du x̱úx̱ wé

And here, her husband,

útlx̱i {haa} haa ée awlitsáay.

he invited us for boiled fish.

Mhm.

Yeah.

"Go ahead."

Áyá

That is

á ḵu.aa,

after that, though,

haa toowú wook'éi.

we felt good.

Mhm.

Yes.

Nadáakw x̱ánt tooḵéen.

They were sitting by the table.

X̱á haa daa yoo jikdudli.átk.

We were being waited on.

We went to Martha's and Deborah's, huh?

Ahah.

Uhuh.

{hél haa yax̱} Hél has haa yawuteen, ltín.

They didn't recognize us, see.

They gave us candy. We used to do crazy things when we first got married.

Hít shantóode wtuwa.át ax̱ x̱án.aa een.

We went upstairs with my husband.

Áx' áwé {wut}

It was there

ch'áagu a tóot dudlixʼádi át ??? áwé.

things people left behind.

Náa kawtudligaa.

We distributed (clothes they found) among our bodies (dressed up).

Áx̱ x̱át tsú yee x̱ánt wutuwa.át.

That's when me too, we came to your house.

Aag̱áa áwé Sam wé stóox t'éide shaylix̱óot'.

That's when you shoved Sam behind the stove.

«Ha wáa sá tsú x̱át daa.eené?»

“Well what are you doing to me?”

Aax̱ áwé iyalatín.

He was looking at you from there.

Sure crazy.

Yeisú yées ḵáax̱ haa sitee aag̱áa.

We were still young people then.

{hél daa} Hél daa sá, ldakát át áwé haa tóoch wulichéesh.

Nothing, we thought we could do anything.

Am, yá has du een ch'as,

With them, just

sagóo yaa yaktusaxíxch.

we would be having a good time.

Wáa sá haa tuwáa wsigóo wé coffee.

How we liked coffee.

«Káaxee» yoo gíwé duwasáakw?

“Coffee” is that how they said it?

Wé g̱áatl een, é!

With crackers, mmm!

Ldakát át áwé {daa} a káa ktoochákch

We used to put everything on it

coffee een {katul}

with coffee

{lu} coffee toolúk neech áa.

we always drank coffee there.

Wáa sá haa x̱'éi yak'éi wé g̱áatl.

How we liked crackers. (Pilot bread)

Ch'a yeisú áwé {l}

It was still

tléix' dís shuwuxeexí wé

when one month passed

yax̱ yatusax̱áaych.

we'd eat it all up (a case of crackers).

I don't think you want it recorded that silly things we did. Itʼs ok? Aaá!

Yes!

Hél wáa sá du, {hél wáa}

Itʼs ok, they,

Has du tuwáa sigóo ch'as Lingít x̱'éináx̱ katulaneegí.

They want us to tell stories in Tlingit only.

Okay.

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Lingít x̱áawé wa.é.

You're Tlingit.

X̱át tsú.

Me too.

That,

Wé,

Number one Tlingit.

{y} Yisikóo gíwé,

Do you know,

shí een yaa ktoo.átch yá church x̱'asheeyí.

we would march with church songs.

Wáa sá duwasáakw wé,

What do they call that,

{hél yéi} hél ulgéik'.

he wasn't very tall.

A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw

I forgot

du saa, My,

his name. [His name was Ḵaadashank.]

Du saayí.

His name.

Hél ulgé.

Not very big.

Hít k'átsk'u yee yéi yatee.

He lived in a small house.

Um, short guy?

Ahah.

Uhuh.

Du x̱ánt wutuwa.át uh, at tooshí.

We went by him, we were singing.

Yeisú x̱ʼawool yéi tooshí áwé gáande ???.

While were were still singing on his porch, he ran out.

Oh, let's see I'm trying to think of his Lingít name.

A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw, x̱át tsú.

I forgot it, me too.

Yeisú x̱asáagin.

I was just saying his name.

Ldakát ḵáach wuskóowun.

Everybody used to know him.

I know.

Yáax' áwé wé tléix'aa x̱ánt wutuwa.át.

Here, we went by the other one.

Ḵúnáx̱ wudinétl.

He was real fat.

Frank Hill.

I forget.

A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw du saayí.

I forgot his name.

Frank Hill.

Oh, Frank Hill.

Wutuwagwál.

We knocked.

{haa xʼán} Haa toowúch ḵú ch'a g̱óot ḵáa áwé x̱á.

We thought it was another person though, see.

{haa x̱'éit oo áa}

Neildé haa gux̱sa.áat.

Heʼll bring us into the house.

Haa een kawduwaneek woonaa.

We were told he had passed away.

X̱'éide has shuwutáan áwé hél neil áa haa kawusóosi. ???

When he closed the door we almost fell down inside there.

Haa!

Oh!

Ḵaachkaníkch áwé

Ḵaachkaníkch is the one

át x̱'awsigóo,

who spoke up,

«Haa toowúch ḵú iwoonaa.»

“But we thought you were dead.”

«Haa yeisú x̱á yáa at x̱aax̱án.»

“Well, see, I'm still standing here.”

[At shooḵ]

[Laughter]

Oh.

«Haa ée yéi kduknéek iwoonaa.»

“Weʼre told that you are dead.”

«Tléik', tléik'.

“No, no.

Yeisú ḵux̱dzitee eeltín.»

I am still alive, you see.”

Ḵ'aaleiḵ Éesh

[Name]

Ḵ'aaleiḵ Éesh, ahah.

[Name] uhuh.

Ax̱ éek' {yaw} yawduwatée du saayí.

They gave that name to my brother.

Really?

Ahah, Edward. Edward?

Uhuh, Edward.

Edward.

Haa éesh hél awuskú, Edward.

He didn't know our father, Edward.

Ch'as Silas Dalton,

Just Silas Dalton,

du éeshx̱ awliyéx̱.

he made him his father.

Ách áwé hú ch'u aawasáa Ḵ'aaleiḵ Éesh

That's why him, he named him Ḵ'aaleiḵ Éesh.

«Hee wuldeiyí ??? ḵu.aa,

“When you grow up,

du yáx̱ áwé kei igux̱lagéi.»

you'll be just as tall as him.”

«Tléik', tléik', hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.»

“No, no, I don't want it.”

I don't want him, he's too fat for me, eh?

[Lyrics from the song, “Too Fat Polka”]

Wulishóog̱u, iltín

It was funny, see

du x̱'óol't too.áat.

when we walked into his belly.

«Neil yee.á, neil yee.á.»

“Come in, come in.”

Ch'a du x̱'ayáx̱ áwé kuwtuwanook.

We were just doing as we were told.

Nadáakw ??? wutuwanáḵ.

We were leaning against the table.

Ḵúnáx̱ áwé dli.áx̱ch Deborah.

Deborah was really playing music.

Accordian daak {aws} kawsiyéet.

She was playing (stretching) the accordian.

At tooshí.

We were singing.

Kagéináx̱ áwé du tuwáa kei nasgwéin,

Slowly he began to like it,

wé haa ashéex'í.

those songs of ours.

Áwé du een ??? ktoo.áat áwé, Ḵaachkaníkch yéi yawsiḵaa,

As we were leaving him, Ḵaachkaníkch said to him,

Ag̱áa,

«Ax̱ toowú x̱á sigóo

“I am, of course, happy

yeisú ḵeesteeyí.»

you're still alive.”

«Likoodzí aadé kei x̱at kayeenigi yé.»

“Itʼs amazing, what you folks said about me.”

Ḵúnáx̱ áwé sagóo yaa ktusaxíxjin.

We used to have such fun times.

{a}A x̱oo aa lishoog̱ú.

Some of them funny.

Mhm.

Yeah.

Ḵúnáx̱.

Really.

Mhm.

Yeah.

One thing though I never forgot our language. But I just don't talk it anymore.

Oh.

Even with Sam, heʼll, we'll both talk English. They really did the damage on us when they used to wash our mouth out with soap.

Yeah.

And now theyʼre trying to teach it. Wáang̱aneens áwé ax̱ shá dugwáldi neejín.

Sometimes they used to knock me on the head.

And it's hard for the kids nowadays that talk, try to talk Tlingit. It's hard for them to even pronounce the right words in Lingít language.

Mmm.

Yes.

Yóot'aa áwé ax̱ éet wudishee ḵúnáx̱,

That one really helped me,

James Grant ḵa du shát.

James Grant and his wife.

Stéikwan?

[Name]

Stéikwan.

[Name]

{waa} Wáa sá x̱at toosx̱án yeisú.

They really love me still.

«Yéilx̱ isateeyí ch'a hél, tóot ijiwtootaan haa yádi sákw.»

“Because you're a Raven, we could not adopt you.”

Ḵúnáx̱ has x̱at wusix̱án.

They really loved me.

Yeah.

Ax̱ x̱'éis yan has at oos.éeych.

They used to cook for me.

Áwé neildé x̱wagoodí áwé,

When I'd go home,

ax̱ x̱án.aayi,

my husband,

yéi yax̱wsiḵaa,

I said to him,

«Wáanáx̱ sáwé hél k'idéin ax̱ een eesaagú Lingít?

“Why is it you don't pronounce Tlingit very well to me?

Géide yaa yan x̱aḵéin {yoo s}

I'm saying wrong things,

yóo s x̱at daayaḵá wé

they tell me,

Stéikwan du x̱úx̱ een.

Stéikwan and her husband.

Kei x̱at uwashúḵ.»

They laughed at me.”

X'aan.

Anger.

Yisikóo yées ḵáax̱ ḵusateeyí ch'a k'é,

You know when people are young,

ldakát át áwé ḵaa tóon tée neech.

everything affects them more.

{hél} Ax̱ tóon teeyích áwé x̱waagwál.

Because I was affected (upset), I hit him.

«Wáa sáwé tsú?»

“What was that?” (he asked.)

«Wa.éich áwé ax̱ toowúch k'idéin yoo x̱'eeyatánk wa.é. {x̱at}

“You, I thought, spoke well, you. (she responded)

X̱át ḵu.aa tle ch'a koogéiyi yóo at x̱aasáakw.»

Me though, I say things carelessly.”

Haaw.

Well.

Yéi áwé yee wootee yeewháan tsú.

That's the way you folks were too.

Mhm. Ch'a g̱óot ḵáach áwé {ḵaa} ḵaa x̱'éidáx̱ áwé.

Yeah. Diferent people speak differently.

Hél tsu tléix' a kát x̱at seiwux'áaḵw.

I never once forgot.

Tle a káaxʼ x̱at wuduwajáaḵw.

She (teacher) hit me because of it. [For speaking Tlingit, the teacher pulled Margaret's hair and shook her up and hit her hand with a ruler so it swelled up when she was 6 years old.]

Ḵúnáx̱.

Really.

Ch'a yeisú x̱at shadugwáldi neech aag̱áa chʼa,

I was always hit (slapped) on the head for it just,

áwé ch'a x̱át yéi x̱at tuwatee,

I thought to myself,

«Hél ax̱ jeedáx̱ gax̱yeetée tle.

“You're not going to take it (the Tlingit language) away from me.

Ḵushtuyáx̱ wáa sá x̱at eejáag̱u; hél a kaadé x̱at seikḵwa.xʼáaḵw.»

I don't care how much you hit me; I'm not going to forget.”

Áwé neilt yóo too.áat áwé ax̱ tláach yéi x̱at yanasḵéich,

When we got home, my mother would say to me,

«Ilí sík',

“Don't daughter,

dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱ʼatánk sh tóo kḵwaltóow.»

I'm going to learn how to speak English.”

Haaw, hél k'idéin at usáakw ax̱ tláa.

Well, my mother didn't pronounce words correctly.

Dleit ḵaa x̱'éináx̱ ch'a aan akaawa.aaḵw aa. Mhm.

Even so, she tried (to speak) in English. [For the children's sake.] Yes.

Tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ x̱aa x̱at dujáaḵw aag̱áa.

I was beat up pretty bad at the time. [By the teacher]

Ch'a yeedát yá k'idéin yoo x̱'ax̱aatánk. {hél ḵwa} Hél jix̱wanaaḵ.

And even now I speak very well. I didn't give it up.

You folks want some coffee?

{a yan} Yan wutusaneeyí,

When we finish,

k'idéin yan wutusaneeyí yáat'aa.

when we finish this one well.

X'oon gaaw ḵu.aa ksáyá de yoo x̱ʼatula.átgi; ax̱ wásh ḵú kei nanéekw de.

How long have we been talking though; my cheeks are beginning to hurt now.

Gwál déix̱ gaawdé {yaa} yaa kanajúx̱.

Maybe going on two hours it's been running.

Oh, ahah. Yánde gé yaa kanajúx?

Is it almost running out?

{jinkaa} keijín? How many minutes left?

Five?

35.

I need to go bathroom. I need to go bathroom. After a while.

[ ! ]