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Tlingit Conversation #71
Speakers are Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson, Kaajinaat George Dalton, Jr., and Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. Recorded on July 13, 2011, in Hoonah, AK, 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 Shag̱aaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom. English translation by Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff and by Shaag̱aw 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]
Daa sá aan yeedanáḵwsʼi neech?
What would you bait your hooks with?
Daa sá?
What's that?
Daa sá aan yeedanáḵwsʼi neech?
What would you bait your hooks with?
Aa, tlél x̱wasakú.
Oh, I donʼt know.
Aan yeedanáḵwsʼi át.
What you bait hooks with.
Yaaw gé átx̱ ilayex̱ nich?
Would you use herring?
Ḵúnáx̱,
Really,
Yaaw.
Herring.
Oh. Yaaw.
Oh. Herring.
???
???
Ḵa wé
And the
ḵúnáx̱
really
Shál yáx̱.
Like a spoon. (A fish lure shaped like a spoon is called “spoon” in English.)
Shál yáx̱ {kad}, ahah.
Like a spoon, uhuh.
Shál áx̱ yaa kagagwátlch.
The spoon rolls along through (the water).
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs the way.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
{áy áy} A wáa ḵúnáx̱ {ḵe}
How very
yá du lʼeedí.
his tail.
Yéi áwé.
That's it.
Iʼll introduce myself first.
Ḵaajin.aat x̱áawé, {yéi duwasáa} yéi duwasáakw
Ḵaajin.aat you know, (I am) called
Lingít yáx̱.
in the Tlingit way.
George Dalton Jr., in
in English, or American.
Yéil x̱áawé x̱át, ḵa
I am a Raven, you know, and
Xunaa Ḵaawú x̱áawé x̱át.
I am a Hoonah resident.
Xunaa Ḵaawú.
A Hoonah resident.
Ḵa
And
Yéil Kúdi Hítdáx̱ x̱áawé x̱át.
I'm from Raven Nest House.
Ḵúnáx̱ Lingít x̱áawé x̱át.
I'm truly Tlingit.
Ḵa
And
ax̱ tláa ḵu.aa,
my mother though,
Naa Tláa yéi duwasáakw Lingít yáx̱.
Tribal Mother she was called in Tlingit.
Jessie K. Starr Dalton in American language.
Ḵa
And
ax̱ éesh ḵu.aa
my father though
Tsalxaan G̱uwakaan
Mt. Fairweather Peacemaker (George Dalton, Sr.)
yéi duwasáakw Lingít yáx̱.
he was called in Tlingit.
American, George Dalton, Sr.
Ḵa ḵúnáx̱
And really
yakʼéi yáa yagee
it is nice today
haa jiyís,
for us,
yáa ḵutí.
this weather.
Ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéi.
It's very nice.
Yáat,
To here,
yáat x̱waagút i jiyís.
I came here for you.
Ḵa
And
yáa
this
them little kids
Héen wát.
The mouth of the river.
Héen wát.
The mouth of the river.
At yátxʼi.
Children.
At yátxʼi.
Children.
At yátxʼi jiyís.
For the children.
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
???
Yá haa aaní áyá,
This land of ours,
latín, {i} latín, iyatéen.
look at it, look at it, you can see it.
Ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéi.
It is very nice.
{yáat} Yáat ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéi,
It is very nice here,
yá fish yáat.
the fish here.
What did you call the dog salmon again?
Um,
Um,
Téelʼ.
Dog salmon.
Téelʼ.
Dog salmon.
Ḵúnáx̱ {ya} yakʼéi yá téelʼ wuduwateen.
You can see that the dog salmon is very nice.
{satáan} Kadáan.
Beautiful.
Goosú á wát?
Where is (the riverʼs) mouth?
Ok, Iʼve,
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs the way.
Daat een sáyá yeedanáḵwsʼi nich?
What would you bait your hooks with?
Yaaw.
Herring.
Yaaw ḵa shál, sháli tínxʼ.
Herring and spoons, with spoons.
Du waḵshiyeexʼ yéi nasné.
Do it so he can see.
Shál yáx̱ x̱áayá, yáatʼaa.
This one is like a spoon, you see.
Shál.
Spoon.
Haa waḵshiyeexʼ á yéi adaané wáa sá yadunáḵwsʼi.
He is demonstrating for us to see how they bait the hooks.
And youʼll catch one.
Yéi áwé.
That's the way.
Shál een áwé kwshé yaa yanayxʼóotʼ?
Do you just drag it along with a spoon?
Aaá.
Yes.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Shál.
Spoon.
Shál.
Spoon.
Shál yáx̱.
Like a spoon.
Shál yáx̱ sitee.
Theyʼre like spoons.
Aadáx̱ kwshé ḵuw̃dzitee, wé yoo x̱ʼatánk.
Perhaps it comes from that, that word.
Shál yáx̱ katán.
Itʼs shaped like a spoon.
Ah, xʼoon gaaw sá i toowúch?
Uh, at what time do you think?
Yánde yaa nadéini géwé kʼidéin at táxʼt wé x̱áat?
Is it when the tide is coming all the way in that the fish really bite?
Ḵúnáx̱, ḵúnáx̱, ah,
Really, really, uh
how do you say a low tide?
High tide?
Yan wudaayí.
When the tide has come in all the way.
Léin.
Tide flats.
Low tide.
Léin áwé.
It's low tide.
Ḵúnáx̱ low tide yáx̱
When it is really like low tide,
Yan uwaleiní, gé? [Or: Yan wulaayí, gé?]
When the tide is out?
Aaá, yan uwaláa.
Yes, the tide has gone all the way out.
Aag̱áa ákwshé kʼidéin at táxʼdi nooch?
At that time perhaps they would really bite?
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yáat.
Here.
Haaw.
Oh.
Yá yan wudaayí ḵwá {tlél tlél tlél tle daa sá s oo} hél has at utáxʼdi nich.
When the tide is high though, they hardly bite.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ. Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ.
Just a little. Just a little.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ.
Just a little.
Yeah.
Wé a katʼóotde daak wudaayí tsú yakʼéi, yóo kdunéek, chʼa a yáx̱ ???
When it has gone out to half tide itʼs good too, thatʼs what they say, is that right?
Yéi áwé.
That's how it is.
Ax̱ éeshch ax̱ een kanik neejín. Aaá. Aaá.
My father used to tell me. Yes, yes.
Silas.
Hóoch áwé ax̱ een akanik neejín.
He's the one who used to tell me that.
Hóoch wusikóo, Silas, ḵúnáx̱,
He knows it, Silas, really,
Daaduxáasʼ,
[Silasʼs name]
Hóoch wusikóo.
He knows it.
Lingít yáx̱ gé?
In Tlingit?
Aaá.
Yes.
Du {saay} Lingít saayí gé?
Is that his Tlingit name?
Daaduxáasʼ, aaá.
Daaduxáasʼ, yes.
Yéi áwé.
That's it.
Ahah. X̱áach x̱wasikóo.
I know it myself.
Ahah.
Oh.
X̱áach x̱wasikóo, kʼidéin. I éesh,
I know him well, myself. Your father,
i éesh húnx̱ áwé.
thatʼs your fatherʼs older brother.
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs how it is.
Mhm.
Yes.
Am,
Um,
Goo sáyá i toowúch yakʼéi
Where do you think is good
astʼeix̱ yáat x̱án?
to hand troll around here?
Yáat gé?
Right here?
Wéit,
Over there,
Nika Bay.
Nika Bay.
Ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéi yáa
It is really good, the
whole bay yáaxʼ, yáa
whole bay here, this
A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw Icy Strait,
I forgot Icy Strait,
Icy Strait
a saayí Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱. [Sʼixʼ Tlein]
its name in Tlingit.
Yáadáx̱ x̱at yeewooyáatʼ.
I've been away from here a long time.
Yáaxʼ {yéi } ḵúnáx géi neejín yá tʼá.
There used to be a lot of king salmon here.
Aax̱ dustʼex̱ neejín, kʼé
They would catch them on hooks from about
chʼoo March yát, ah, February yaa shunasyíg̱i.
in March, uh, when February is coming to an end.
Ḵúnáx̱ {at du} at táxʼdi neech yáat,
They would really bite here,
Yáat.
Here.
tʼá.
king salmon.
Yáa, yáatʼaa ḵú,
But this one,
I forgot what they call fall time.
A, yeis ák.wé?
Is it Fall?
Ahah. Yeis.
Yes. Autumn.
Aadé yaa ḵunahéini áwé wéi, yáatʼaa ḵú anax̱ yei ḵusteech.
When it is getting to be that time, they come through here. [lit., ʼexist through this one, though,ʼ]
Wé téelʼ. Wé keitl.
The dog salmon. That dog. [Or ʼchum salmonʼ]
Am,
Um,
ldakát yé kéi áx̱ eestʼeix̱ neejín yá,
you used to troll around this whole area,
Yáat.
Here.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yáat ḵa yóot ḵa wéit tsú.
Here and way over there and there too.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yakʼéi wéit tsú.
Itʼs good over there too.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Wéitʼaa áwé, há.
That one over there, wow.
Ha likoodzí.
Thatʼs amazing.
Ldakát yé kʼéi neejín yáat.
Everywhere used to be good around here.
Ax̱ éesch ax̱ een kanik neejín.
My father used to tell me.
Háw, du x̱ʼayáx̱ áyá daak tooḵúx̱jin.
Well, we used to go out (by boat) according to his instructions.
Hóoch wusikóo yá.
Heʼs the one that knows this.
February ḵa March yát á {ḵúnáx̱}
In February and March
ḵúnáx̱ {yaa g} yaa gageich wé tʼá.
they would really become plentiful, the king salmon.
Aag̱áa yáadáx̱, wáang̱aneens wé
At that time from here, sometimes
Juneaudé ách ooduswóoch. [Or, «ách ooduswéich»]
they would send them to Juneau.
Ḵúnáx̱ hand troller
Really hand troller
Ách ák.wé tlél (yawtoodlaaḵ) Juneauxʼ?
Is that why we didnʼt get them in Juneau?
Ḵushtuyáx̱ {kei} jinkaat ḵa keijín
Even if it was fifteen
{one} tléixʼ {dá} at dáli, chʼa aan nax̱a.eich ax̱ x̱ʼéit wáa ya,
(for) one pound, but I still buy it, how (good)}to me it tastes,
aadé yakʼéiyi yé yáadáx̱ tʼá.
thatʼs how good the king salmon from here is.
Ḵúnáx̱ a yát áwé,
Really during those months,
a yáx̱ ák.wé x̱waasáa February ḵa March?
did I name the right ones, February and March?
Yá téelʼ ḵu.aa,
These dog salmon though,
yá yeis, yeisdé yaa ḵunahéin,
in the fall, when itʼs getting to be fall,
Yeah, ḵúnáx̱.
Yeah, really.
ldakát yé, Point Adolphus, ldakát yé.
everywhere, Point Adolphus [Sdakweix̱ Lutú], everywhere.
Yakʼéi yeedát yá áa yéi x̱at yateeyi yé,
It is good right now where I live,
{aadé yaa n a no} aadé yaa s yana.éini de.
the way they are running (up the streams to spawn).
Chʼa yeisú.
Still.
Chʼa yeisú yaa s yana.éin.
Theyʼre still running.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Am, yagéi de aadé kei wdudzitʼex̱i yé.
Um, they have already caught a lot of them trolling.
???
Wé héen wátde yaa nahéen,
They are heading toward the mouth of the river,
hél ḵu.aa tlax̱ yáat yáx̱ ugé yeisú.
but there are still not quite as many (over there) as here.
Aadé yaa ḵunahéin ḵu.aa.
Itʼs getting to be that time, though.
Ḵúnáx̱ yáat yakʼéi, yáat.
Itʼs really good here, here.
Ó, ax̱ een keenéek gooxʼ sáyá yakʼéi yá áa at dustʼex̱ yé yáat.
Oh, youʼre telling me where the trolling places are good here.
Á haa keenéek Icy Straits, naaléi.
Ah, youʼre telling us Icy Straits, thatʼs far away.
Naaléi {át} ḵushtuyáx̱ goodé sá {ḵu wé},
Itʼs far away no matter where,
kʼe wéit wutooḵoox̱ú chʼa aan aax̱ kei aa gax̱tusatʼéix̱.
like even if we went over there we are still going to catch some trolling.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé yagéi yáat yá x̱áat kwshé?
There are really a lot of fish here, huh?
Yakʼéi.
It's good.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Yakʼéi.
Itʼs good.
Yá ḵutí káaxʼ áwé tsú kʼéi neech ákwshé?
How good it is is also dependent on the weather, right?
Am, x̱wasikóo yá ḵúdáx̱ awdagaaní tlél ukʼé.
Um, I know that when itʼs too sunny itʼs no good.
Tlél ukʼé.
Itʼs no good.
Yínde nahínch. Yínde ???
They go down deep. Down ???
Ahah. Ḵúnáx̱.
Uhuh. Really.
Yáa yéi ḵuteeyí ḵú chʼa yéi gugéinkʼ kei s uheench.
When the weather is like this though, they come up a little higher.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Wáanixʼs yínde yaa {n yínd} wáa sá yéi yee,
Maybe down, how did,
yínde yaa na,
down,
Wáa sá yeeyaḵaa?
How did you say (it)?
Yínde s wuheení.
When they go down.
Wáanixʼs yínde s wuheení.
Maybe when they go down.
{yáanáx̱} Yáanáx̱ ḵuwatʼaa shákdé.
Itʼs probably too warm.
Ḵúdáx̱ ḵuwutʼaayí.
When it has gotten too warm.
Aaá.
Yes.
Yéi ḵuteeyí ḵú chʼa yéi googénkʼ kei has uheench.
When the weather is like this though, they come up a little more.
Ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéi yáa yagiyee, yáa ḵutí.
It is very nice today, this weather.
Yagéiyi át ax̱ éeshch ax̱ een kaawaneek.
My father told me a lot of things.
«Yóo áwé yakʼéi, síkʼ, {yóo} yóo ḵeesteeyí,
“That way is good, daughter, if you live that way,
yóo daa.eeneiyí kei kg̱wakʼéi.»
if you do it that way it will be good.”
{wé} Wáang̱aneens wé yaaw kʼéi neech.
Sometimes the herring is good.
Wáang̱aneen sáwé shál.
Sometimes it's the spoon.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Wé ḵúnáx̱ kawdigani aa áwé yakʼéi yú.á.
They say that the very bright one is good.
Hél ḵwáaḵt iwuní gé chʼa yá
Have you never been in an accident
yá eestʼeix̱í?
when you were fishing?
Tláykʼ.
No.
Ahah. Súg̱aa yéi x̱waajée.
Unhuh. I thought so before (I said it). [lit. ʼahead of timeʼ]
Náakw yáx̱ áwé yatee.
It is like medicine.
Kʼidéin, kʼidéin sh eeltín, ách áwé yéi iyatee.
Well, you take care of yourself well, thatʼs why youʼre like that.
Náakw yáx̱.
Like medicine.
Ahah. Ahah.
Uhuh. Uhuh.
Yá haat káaxʼ áyá tsú ḵudzitee kwshéyá?
They live according to the current, too, right?
Yéi áwé.
That's it.
{aadé} Haat latseení ḵúnáx̱ yatʼéexʼ yáa astʼeix̱,
When the current is strong, itʼs very hard to troll here,
chʼa goo sá.
anywhere.
Yeah.
Ách áwé a káaxʼ áwé át andulg̱ínch. Goo sá haat áa litseen,
Thatʼs why they look around, according to that. Wherever it is strong,
{chʼa g̱óot yéide} chʼa g̱óot yéide nduḵúx̱ch.
they avoid it.
Yéi áwé x̱wsikóo. {chʼa}
Thatʼs the way I know it.
{ax̱ ax̱ ax̱} «I sáni áwé,» yóo x̱at daayaduḵáa neech, x̱áach ḵu.aa,
“Thatʼs your paternal uncle,” they would say to me, but I myself
shuxʼwáanáx̱ áwé hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú ax̱ tláa wdushaayí x̱á.
at first I didnʼt want my mother to be married (to him,) you know.
Áwéi, chʼa yaa shuna{xí}syíg̱i yáx̱ áwé,
Then, as time went by,
chʼa g̱óot yéide du daa yaa x̱at tunatée tle, tle ḵúx̱de éesh,
as I was starting to feel differently about him, then back to father,
Du éesh.
Her father.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ax̱ éeshx̱ wusitee, tle
He became my father, so
ách áwé x̱at shukoojeisʼ nich, ách áyá a daat át x̱wasikóo chʼa yéi googénkʼ.
thatʼs why he used to instruct me, this is why I know a little bit about it.
Ách áyóo s du ée sh x̱wadlix̱éetʼ.
That's why I kept myself with him time and time again.
«Gwál tlél agux̱sakoo tlax̱ Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱.»
“Maybe she wonʼt really know it in Tlingit,” (her father thought).
Ách áyá chʼa yéi tudaséikw shé yáx̱ áyá yaakwt x̱wajixíx.
This is why I just jumped right into the boat just like we are breathing. (It was so natural to her.)
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Yá ḵutí áyá ḵúnáx̱ a káaxʼ adustʼeix̱.
They really troll according to the weather.
A káaxʼ.
According to it.
X̱áach tsú a káaxʼ.
Myself as well, according to it.
A káaxʼ. Ahah.
According to it. Uhuh.
Haat latseení, {ḵúnáx̱} ḵúdáx̱ wudaayí yá héen, {naaléi at wu-} yé léin káaxʼ ḵududzitee
When the current is strong, when the water is flowing too much, people live by the tide.
Wáang̱aneen sáwé ḵúdáx̱ kunageich.
Sometimes itʼs too big.
Aag̱áa áwé tlél ushkʼé,
That's when it's no good,
astʼeix̱.
trolling.
Yeedádi yáx̱ ḵuteeyí ḵú, ʼéi, chʼa ḵúx̱de yéi yaa ndaneenín,
When itʼs like right now, though, oh my, just when it starts to go back,
tle, «Góok. Góok, góok, góok, góok.»
then, “Go ahead. Go, go, go, go ahead.”
Yéi yatee. [at.shooḵ]
Thatʼs the way it is. [laughter]
«Tláakw! Tláakw! Tláakw!»
“Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!”
Shkʼe, tle, «Góok! Góok!»
Huh, “Go ahead! Go ahead!”
Gotta be fast.
"Hully up!"
“Hurry up!”
Has shaklag̱éiyin chʼáagu ḵáawu.
Those old people were so cute.
Chʼáakw.
Long ago.
Ahah.
Ayáx̱ sinéexʼ. [Or: ayáx̱ dzinéexʼ]
It smells right.
Yei ayandatéen áyá kwshé?
It's beginning to blow, right?
A jiyeet tsú yá haat áyá tsú litseen.
Because of it, too, the current is strong too.
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs how it is.
Yánde yaa nadéini,
When (the tide) is coming in,
haat áa latseen nich.
the current is always strong there.
{ḵaa} Ḵa yéi ayagux̱dateeyí tsú ḵúnáx̱ latseen nich.
And when it is gowing to be stormy, too, it would get strong.
{ḵaa een áyá d nas}
Yakʼéi gé?
Is it good?
Gwátk sáyá aydzitʼeix̱? {yá yee yee}
When did you fish?
Last week?
Chʼa kʼát gé {kei aa ylitʼéx̱} kéi aa ydzitʼéx̱?
Did you catch any at least?
{daa sá kéi} Daa sá yeesháat?
What did you catch?
Lʼook, gee, what they call coho? Uh.
Coho, [Silver salmon]
Lʼook.
Coho.
Lʼook.
Coho.
Lʼook. Óo.
Coho. Ooh.
Goodness, yaa nahín de.
Goodness, theyʼre already running.
Xʼoon sá yeesháat?
How many did you catch?
Tleidooshú.
Six.
Tleidooshú.
Six.
Tléixʼ, déix̱, násʼk, daaxʼoon, keijín, tleidooshú.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Tleidooshú.
Six.
Ḵúnáx̱ áyá yagéi yeeyhoon gé chʼa kʼát?
Are you at least selling them (for) a lot?
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yáat yís.
For this here.
Yáat yís.
For this here.
Ux̱ganhéeni. Likoodzée.
Gasoline. Amazing.
Guxkʼuhéeni.
???
Ux̱ganhéeni.
Gasoline.
It goes fast, yeah.
Ax̱ yáa ḵut woonee aadé kaawageyi yé yeesháadi aa, wé
It amazed me how big the one(s) you caught were, that
lʼook.
coho.
Yóo áa yéi haa yateeyi yé ḵú chʼa,
Where we live, though, just,
Yakʼéi, {ya} ḵúnáx̱ yakʼéiyi aa áwé.
Itʼs good, that was a very good one.
Ooh my.
Yú áa yéi haa yateeyi yé ḵú yeisú yaa nahín, hél tlax̱, Yakʼéi yeisú.
Where we live, though, they are just now starting to run, (theyʼre) not really, Theyʼre good still.
Ahah. Hél tlax̱ ugé yeisú.
Uhuh. There arenʼt too many yet.
Yáat ḵu.aa ḵús áhé
But here, though, it seems
{chʼa} ḵaa shukát áyá yáadáx̱ yaa gahínch.
they start to run up the rivers from here before anybody else(ʼs area).
Áwé, aax̱ áwé tsá
Then only after that
{yá} yáa Juneau kaadé
onto Juneau
yóot uheench, chʼa kʼát.
they start to run (lit. would take off swimming), at least (some).
{wé}
Wáa sá duwasáakw wé
How do they call that
xʼáatʼ, {áa} a káa yéi x̱at yateeyi, áxʼ x̱at ḵuwdzitiyi yé.
island, the one that I live on, the one I was born on. [X'áat' T'áakx', Douglas Island, across from Juneau.
Anax̱ áwé daaḵ wuhínch, Taku.
Through there they travel up into the interior, Taku.
Tʼaaḵúde.
To Taku.
Tʼaaḵú gé?
Taku?
Aaá. A x̱oo.aa áwé Juneaut uheench.
Yes. Some of (the fish) would swim to Juneau.
Yá Tʼaaḵú Wát ḵú ḵúnáx̱ géi nich áxʼ, wé
At the mouth of the Taku River, though, there are always lots, those
ḵa tʼá tsú áa kʼéi nich.
and king salmon is good there too.
{yáa y yáa} Yá keitl yóo eeyasáagu aa ḵu.aa
The one they call dogs (dog salmon) though,
chʼa tlákw áwé ḵúnáx̱ géi neech.
there are always real lots of them.
A héenwádi ḵudzitee, ldakát wé {haa}
There is a river mouth for each of them,
wé x̱áat.
the salmon.
Wéi, hél x̱wasakú wáa sáyá yaa shunasyíḵ gí wé, wé tʼá.
I donʼt know (why) they are starting to disappear, the king salmon.
Chʼa yéi googéinkʼ ax̱ toowúch.
They are very few, I think.
Ha {yéi} áa yéi haa yateeyi yé ḵúwé wáang̱aneens tléixʼ, wáang̱aneens déix̱ yéi kei dustʼéx̱ch.
Well where we live, though, sometimes one, sometimes two somebody would catch trolling.
É, hél yéi at utí ax̱ toowúch yáaxʼ.
Eh, itʼs not like that I think here.
Yeah, I, tláykʼ.
Yeah, I, no.
Chʼa kʼát kéi aa yeestʼéx̱ch.
You folks at least catch some.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yakʼéi, aan yee kawdudlix̱étl.
Itʼs you, you folks have been blessed with them.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
We have come to the end of that.
Xóots i kát wugoodí,
When a brown bear came upon you,
hél unalí iwujaag̱í.
when it almost killed you.
Newspaper káa yéi wootee.
It was on the newspaper.
A daat át.
The story. (lit. ʼsomething about itʼ)
What saved me is I prayed and when the bear got on top of me, when I fell down, my rifle went this way and the {barr-} barrel jammed under the bear, thatʼs why he didnʼt squish me. Otherwise,
Ok.
Has du een kakḵwalaneek.
I am going to tell it to them.
Yáa át, xóots du kát góot,
This animal, a brown bear, when it came up on him,
yá du óonayi áwé du éenyeenáx̱ yáat x̱ʼasatán ḵa yáat.
his rifle was tucked under his arm here and here.
Áwé ash kát góot áwé wé xóots,
So when it came up on him, that brown bear,
{hél aadé} hél ash kawuldáalʼ.
it didn't squash him.
Tle ḵúnáx̱ áyóo du daséigu tsú {yis},
Then his breath really
{yee een} Kʼe {kan} ax̱ een kanalneek dleit ḵáa x̱ʼéináx̱.
How about you tell it to me in English.
Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ kakḵwanéek.
I will tell it in Lingít.
Uh, when it first, uh, first happened, uh, I had shot a, I had gut-shotted a, a deer, a buck, this was by my dadʼs place. We did find the uh, we did find where the bear buried the deer. Bears bury them for um, they ferment ʼem before they eat ʼem I think. But uh, we did find the horns and uh, when uh, when I was trailing the deer, trying to find it, I didnʼt know the bear was behind me. When I finally caught up with the bear, the,
Yaa natʼách.
Itʼs swimming.
He avoided me. He wanted the deer before he wanted me. But when he got the ??? when I seen him get on top of the, he already claimed the deer that I had shot so I just backed off. I didnʼt think he would come after me because he already had the deer, he already claimed it.
Shúxʼaanáx̱, {tlex̱ tlax̱ tloo} shúxʼaanáx̱,
From the beginning, from the beginning, [Most Northern Coast speakers pronounce this word «shuxʼáanáx̱», ShMDʼs pronunciation here resembles the Carcross/Tagish pronunciation.]
áwéi, anax̱ áwé yei s aksahéich kwshéwé.
so, I suppose they bury them in the ground.
Wé ,deer.
Those, deer.
G̱uwakaan.
Deer.
Wé g̱uwakaan anax̱ yei s aksahéich.
They bury those deer in the ground.
Gwál has oolsʼíxch áyá, {hél tlax̱}
Maybe they would ferment them,
hél x̱wasakú.
I don't know.
I toowúch gé áwé (yéi) s ḵunuk nich?
Is that what you think they do?
Ax̱ toowúch.
I think so.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Áwé eeya.uni aa áwé kwshé a kát {uw} uwagút?
So it was that one that you shot that it came upon, right?
Ha wáa sáyú du kát eeyagút?
Well how did you come up on it?
Wé, wé xóots?
That brown bear?
Aax̱ ák.wé yóox̱ yeeysanaaḵ?
Did you try to scare it away?
Du tuwáa sigóo, wé xóots, ách ax̱ toowúch.
He wanted it, that bear, I think thatʼs why.
Aaá. Ahah.
Yes. Uhuh.
Wé xóotsch du tuwáa wsigóo.
That brown bear wanted it (that deer).
Wé eeya.uni aa.
The one you shot.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
X̱waa.ún.
I shot it.
Wé é!
Hasdu x̱ʼéi yakʼéi g̱uwakaan.
Deer tastes really good to them.
G̱uwakaan.
Deer.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Haaw, um,
OK, um,
shúxʼwaanáx̱ ḵú ḵúnáx̱
right at the beginning though,
du náḵ ák.wé yaa neegút?
did you flee from it?
Yaakw yít yóot yaa neegút.
You fled in the boat.
After, yeah.
After I, I avoided him but uh, after I start crawling out, I left my gun there. I crawled out into the open. It was in a blueberry bush, this was in December. The bears (are) supposed to be hibernating. But I crawled out in the open. When I figured I was a long ways from him, I was safe, I got up and I start going to my truck. Here,
A náḵ yaa nagúdi, du toowúch ḵú naaléi a náḵ át uwagudi yé,
When he fled from it, he thought it was far enough away,
ash kaanáx̱ woogoot, yéi kwshé?
it came up on him, is that right?
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs right.
Haaw.
Well.
I start going fast to my truck, back,
Tláakw yaa nagút.
He is going fast.
Here
Yá du car-i kaadé.
Toward his car.
Here the bear trailed me. I hear the ravens, theyʼre squawking. I, I figured theyʼre trying to tell me which way to go and help me. Here theyʼre telling me, "The bearʼs following you."
Ash ítx̱ tláakw yaa nagút wé xóots.
The brown bear was chasing him.
{ash kaanáx̱ woo}
Ash kaanáx̱ yaa nagúdi áwé wé
When it was catching up with him
a, tsʼaxweil, tléikʼ, tsʼaxweil,
uh, the crows, no, the crows,
Yéil.
Raven.
Yéil. Yéil,
The ravens. The ravens,
ha du kináa wduwa.áx̱.
they sounded off above his head.
Yéi, yéi gíwé s ash daayaḵá,
Maybe they were saying to him,
«Wé xóots i kaadé yaa nagút.»
“That brown bear is coming to get you.”
Áwé, du toowúch ḵú {has chʼa}
But he just thought that
Yéi ax̱ toowúch, x̱áach,
I thought, myself, that
ax̱ toowúch wé yéil
I thought the ravens
Ahah.
Uhuh.
I thought he was trying to {s}, he was trying to
Yaa s ishunagút i toowúch.
You thought they were leading you.
Tléikʼ.
Nope.
I een áwé s at kanéek.
They were telling you something.
Yeah.
Yéi nateech.
Thatʼs how it is.
Yaaay, Raven! [ShMD is Raven moiety.]
Yeah, he was telling me, they were telling me the bearʼs following me.
«I ítx̱ yaa nagút wé xóots!»
“The brown bear is following you!”
«I káa nagút.»
“Coming for you.”
«Góok! Góok!»
“Go on! Go on!”
«I káa nagút.»
“Coming for you.”
«Wéidu! Wéidu!»
“Itʼs right there! Itʼs right there!”
So uh, «Góok!» (yéi) x̱áawé {x̱wa-} x̱waagoot.
So uh, “Go ahead!” so I went.
Tláakw yóot eeyagút.
You took off fast.
Tláakw.
Fast.
Tláakw (yóot) x̱waagút.
I took off fast. [Or took off faster, sped up suddenly.]
Ravens say that too,
«Tláakw! Tláakw!»
“Hurry! Hurry!”
Héh.
Hah.
Lingít yáx̱.
In Tlingit.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Likoodzée, gwá?
Amazing, isnʼt it?
Yéi áwé. Yéi x̱áawé.
That's right. That sure is right.
???
???
Áwé {x̱waa} x̱waa.áx̱.
I heard it.
Ahah.
Unhuh.
X̱waa.áx̱ áwé.
I heard it.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Tle {a x̱ánde yaa} wé i car-i x̱ánde yaa neegúdi ák.wé i kaanáx̱ woogoot tle?
When you were going to your car, is that when it came up on you?
Wé i óonayi ḵú i éenyeex̱,
But your rifle (through your) armpit,
Yeah.
{kei} kei ysitán.
you held it up.
Yeah.
Áwé iwsineex̱.
So it saved you.
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
That rifle jammed underneath his,
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Otherwise he wouldʼve squished me.
Oh my.
I didnʼt see the bear following me. The only way I knew was, uh, my friends went back, they went back to look for where the accident happened and they seen it in the snow, the trail. The bear tracks behind me. They can see it was, it was crawling on the snow. But I didnʼt see the, I didnʼt see the bear when it was following me because I was listening to the ravens.
Hasdu x̱ʼéit yisi.áx̱.
You listened to them.
Likoodzí aadé s ishukoojeisʼ yé.
It's amazing the way they instruct you.
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Chʼa aan áwé i kaanáx̱ woogoot wé xóots ,kwshé?
But even so, that brown bear came up on you, huh?
I kaanáx̱ nagóot áwé, ah,
When it had caught up to you, uh,
du toowúch ḵu.aa tle ikagux̱latʼáalʼ.
he thought he was going to smash you flat.
Yéi áwé.
That's right.
Áw wé i óonayich ásíwé iwsineex̱.
So it seems it was your rifle that saved you.
Aa.
Yes.
Hél gé aadóo sá i déin?
Was there nobody around you?
Tláykʼ.
No.
Chʼas wa.é.
Just you alone.
Chʼas x̱áach.
Just me.
Oh my.
Oh my.
Likoodzí, gwá?
Amazing, isnʼt it?
{a káa} Wé newspaper káa yéi natée
When it was in the newspaper
yéi has sh kalneek i yaadé wdisaa, {aadé}
they say that he breathed in your face,
ḵúnáx̱ át akaawaganéyáx̱ yatee du daséigu.
his breath was so hot it was like it was burning.
Ḵúnáx̱. Ayáx̱ ák.wé?
Really. Is that right?
Yeah.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
It never used to bother me. Now, they, when I see the bears, I get, just like, I get nervous. Hél gé yi.oon?
Didnʼt you shoot it?
Tláykʼ.
No.
{I didnʼt sh} I didnʼt shoot the bear.
Ha chʼa wáa sáwé i kaadáx̱ yóot uwagút?
How did it come to get off you and leave?
He just, I think he just listened to me, ʼcause I told him, uh,
{chʼas ax̱} «Chʼas ax̱ atx̱aayí,
“Just my food,
x̱áach tsú, yáat,»
me too, to here,”
«Ax̱ atx̱aayí káx̱ áyá át x̱waagoot.»
“I have gone out for my food.”
«Ách x̱áayá yáat x̱waagút.»
«Thatʼs why I have come here.”
Hasdu een yóo x̱ʼayli.átk.
You speak to them.
Aaá.
Yes.
Du een yóo x̱ʼayli.átk.
You spoke to it.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Kʼadéin x̱waatóow.
I read it closely.
Kʼidéin sh káx̱ x̱waditóow xʼoondahéen sá.
I read it over thoroughly many times.
A kaax̱ tsú kéi x̱waatʼíḵʼ, ḵut x̱waag̱éexʼ.
I cut (the article) off of (the newspaper) too, (but) I lost it.
Chʼa hú ák.wé tle tsu {i kaax̱} i x̱ándáx̱ yóot uwagút?
Did it just get off of you on itʼs own and leave of itʼs own accord?
It went back to the deer, yeah.
Ó, wé g̱uwakaang̱áa ḵoowashee tsu.
Oh, he went looking for the deer again.
Wé eeya.uni aa.
That one that you shot.
Tastes better than me I guess. [At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Hél hasdu x̱ʼéi x̱at ukʼé, x̱át.
I donʼt taste very good to them, myself.
«Gunalchéesh, gunalchéesh,» yéi {yax̱waaḵ }
“Thank you, thank you,” I said.
Yéi (ya)x̱waaḵaa.
Thatʼs what I said.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Gunalchéesh
Thank you
ax̱ Aanḵáawu.
my Lord.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ḵúnáx̱ litseen Dikaanḵáawu.
The Lord Above is very powerful.
Yáa x̱ʼagáaxʼ tsú litseen.
Prayer is also powerful.
X̱ʼagáaxʼ.
Prayer.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
He answered my prayer.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
X̱ʼagáaxʼ, ax̱ (x̱ʼagáaxʼi.)
Prayer, my prayer.
Haaw.
Wow.
X̱ʼagáaxʼ.
Prayer.
I náḵ ayadagóot áwé, ḵúnáx̱, aag̱áa gíwé tsá ḵúnáx̱ kʼidéin i tóox̱ ḵoowatee.
When it ran away from you, really, it was probably only then that you really felt the terror.
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
Thereʼs more parts to that. When, after I got to my truck, itʼs already late in the evening. Took me that long to get to it. I didnʼt even know, itʼs just like daylight now. Itʼs the same. Itʼs quite a ways, about fifteen-sixteen miles out. I didnʼt even know I got home itʼs dark already. I didnʼt even turn my
Yeedádi yáx̱ ḵuteeyí {áwé} áwé i car-i x̱ánt eeyagút.
When the weather was like it is now you made it to your car.
It was just like daylight.
{chʼu tle tl tle}
Wáang̱aneens yéi {du-} a káx̱ yeiḵ at wuneeyí ḵaa yáx̱ at yawashiyíyáx̱ áwé nateech.
Sometimes when an animal comes after a person, [lit. ʼwhen something comes down for a person,ʼ] itʼs just like the something passed itʼs hand in front of their face. [Idiomatic expression for, ʼit was all a blurʼ]
A káx̱ ḵaa saxʼaaḵw.
They just forget. [Difficult to hear clearly and account for. Sounds like, «a káx̱t ḵaa seixʼéḵw»]
Yéi kwshéwé eewanee.
Maybe that's what happened to you.
Hél yisakú neilt yigoodí kḵukawjig̱ít.
You didnʼt even notice that it was dark when you got home.
Ḵukawjig̱ít ḵúnáx̱.
It was very dark.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Haaw.
Well.
Kawlix̱éitlʼshán á, wé a tóo yéi eewatiyi át.
Thatʼs a terrifying thing, what you went through. [lit. ʼthe thing you were inside ofʼ]
I thank the Lord for,
Ahah.
Uhuh.
for helping me. I think he, I think he heard me.
Gunalchéesh yóo daayax̱aḵá Dikaanḵáawu, hél wáa sá x̱at wusnee wé xóotsch.
I thank the Lord Above that the brown bear did not harm me. [Pronounced «xóotch,» instead of xóotsch because /ts/ followed by /ch/ delets the /s/, a regular phenomenon in older Tlingit]
Haaw.
Well.
{a káa x̱ʼawdi} A káa x̱ʼawdigáxʼ
Thatʼs what he prayed.
A yáa x̱ʼawdigáxʼ,
He prayed to (the Lord),
«Atx̱ág̱aa áyá {áx̱- át} yáat x̱waagoot.»
“I have come here for food.”
Am.
Um.
???
???
Wáang̱aneens áwé ḵaa yoox̱ʼatángi ḵut gaxíxch yáatʼát ḵaa kát,
Sometimes people are at a loss for words [canʼt speak or forget what they were going to say] when this thing (camera) is (put) on them,
Ḵúnáx̱ x̱át.
Thatʼs me for sure.
Ḵúnáx̱ x̱át.
Thatʼs me for sure.
Ahah, ḵaa kát x̱ʼadustánni.
Unhuh, when they point (camera and microphone) at them.
Óonaa yáx̱ haa ée yatee.
It just seems like a gun to us.
Haaw.
Well.
I get,
De déi ák.yá i toowúch?
Do you think thatʼs enough for now?
Yeah.
I get nervous.
Yéi áwé yaa s agux̱sakóo.
Thatʼs how they will continue to learn it better. [Or: How they will carry on knowing it.
Haaw.
Well.
How would I say, uh, "I think of you as my, like my auntie?"
I tláakʼw yáx̱.
Like your maternal aunt.
«Ax̱ tláakʼw yáx̱ i daa (yoo tux̱aatánk.)»
“I think of you like my maternal aunt.”
Wáang̱aneens áwé
Sometimes
George Dalton ḵa Silas Dalton {wooch}
George Dalton and Silas Dalton
ax̱ éekʼx̱ áyá isitee.
you are my brother(s).
Kaw.
???
Yakʼéi!
It's good!
Yakʼéi i éet x̱wadasheeyí.
It's good that I helped you.
Gunalchéesh á!
Thank you very much!
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Might be something for our young kids to learn.
Yeah.
They had gaff hooks. Now all they use is rods.
Yáa yeis yaa ḵunahéini áyá,
When autumn was on the way,
dukʼíx̱ʼdeen áyá chʼáakw yáa kʼíx̱ʼaa een,
they would gaff (salmon) a long time ago with these (long-handled) gaff hooks,
yóo áwé akanéek.
that's what he's saying.
Thatʼs what you get your sticks from.
Hél yéi daaduné yeedát kwshé? Tláykʼ.
They don't do that anymore, do they? No.
Dáx̱náx̱ hás yéi jiné.
The two of them are working.
A daa yéi jiné yáa yées ḵáa.
These young people are working on it.
Yées ḵáa.
Young people.
Aa, Thomas ḵa Lydia Mills.
Yes, Thomas and Lydia Mills.
Hásch áwé áxʼ
They are the ones that over there,
Excursion Inlet, [Ḵuyeiḵʼ Lʼe.aan]
Excursion Inlet,
kʼíx̱ʼaa ágé?
is it (called) ʼkʼíx̱ʼaaʼ?
Kʼíx̱ʼaa tin.
With a gaff hook.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Chʼa yeisú. Chʼa hásch áwé ḵu.aa.
(They) still (do it.) Theyʼre the only ones, though.
X̱át ḵu.aa store-de x̱wagoodí x̱wa.oowú.
But me, I just go to the store and buy it.
Wáang̱aneins áwé táaw yáx̱ daadunéi nich.
Sometimes people just take it (harvest it illegally). [ShMD usually says «wáang̱aneens,» but both pronunciations are fairly common in Northern Tlingit]
A kát x̱at seixʼaaḵwch wé law.
I keep forgetting about the law.
A x̱oo.aa ḵúnáx̱ áa akwdlix̱éetlʼ.
Some people are very afraid of it (the law).
Ax̱ cháli áwé hóon daakahídi.
The store is my food cache.
Yéi óosh x̱wadzigeet, x̱át,
If I did that myself,
tláakw áwé-é-é ax̱ yaadé x̱ʼegax̱dusgóoḵ wé óonaa.
they would shove a rifle in my face immediately. [note: x̱ʼe- rather than x̱ʼa-]
I think he
yellow cedar. [Recording break. Coversation continues while walking on the shore.]
Am.
Um.
Ḵachʼu laax̱.
Or red cedar.
Gwál x̱áay.
Maybe yellow cedar.
Huh?
X̱áay ák.yá yellow cedar?
Is yellow cedar (called) x̱áay?
X̱áay. Ahah.
Yellow cedar. Uhuh.
X̱áay yáx̱ dzinéexʼ.
It smells like yellow cedar.
Litsʼáa.
It smells good.
Yalitsʼáa.
It smells good.
Ách áyá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo,
That's why I want,
Aa.
Yes.
ḵux̱washeeyí.
to search (for it).
...ḵunx̱asheeyí...
[thinking about how to say what he just said]
Gwál wéit.
Maybe there.
ʼÚ. Wéide, Alice.
Hey. That way, Alice.
Chookán gé kei kana.éin wéit?
Is that grass growing over there?
Aaá, chookán áyá.
Yeah, that's grass.
Ḵúnáx̱ a x̱oo áwé nageich yáa xóots.
There are lots of brown bears around (that grass).
A tóo has oolsínch.
They hide inside of it.
Aaá.
Yes.
Yéi á ax̱ een akanik neejín ax̱ éesh.
Thatʼs what my father would tell me.
Oh.
«Dliwkát sh eeltín.»
“Take care of yourself.”
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Hél tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ dikée yoo eegútguḵ.
Don't go too far up (the mountain).
{hél tlax̱}
Á ágé?
Is that it?
{yá} Tlákw {uháan}
There are always
áa yagéi xóots, yáat.
a lot of brown bears here.
Aa.
Yes.
Xóots aaní áyá.
This is brown bear country.
Yeah.
This is bear country, we shouldnʼt go in by the woods.
Ok.
Hóochʼ áwé de.
That's all now.
Yáat áwé, yáatʼát áwé a káx̱ át has na.átch, xóots.
Here, they walk on top of this stuff, the brown bears.
A tóo has oolsínch.
They hide in it.
I think he knows more than he bothered to, {hél}
Hél óonaa du jee, ách áwé.
He doesnʼt have a gun, thatʼs why.
If he catches one, I hope he makes útlx̱i for us.
If he catches one, I hope he makes boiled fish for us.
I, I donʼt have nothing for it.
I have onions and potatoes.
Kʼúntsʼ ḵa inyán {ax̱ jeewú} haa jeewú.
We have potatoes and onions.
No, with seal oil. Just plain útlx̱i.
No, with seal oil. Just plain boiled fish.
Wáa sá duwasáakw?
Whatʼs it called?
Kei anasyíḵ.
Heʼs pulling it up.
{yé} Ahah. A naatx̱ áwé yei g̱íkʼch.
Unhuh. It jerks itself down away from him.
Iʼll ask him a favor Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱. Hans.
Iʼll ask him a favor in Tlingit. Hans.
Yéi yakḵwasaḵáa, «Útlx̱i sha.útl.
Iʼll say to him, “Boil some boiled fish.
A káx̱ áwé yaax̱ x̱waagoot i een.
Thatʼs the reason I got in the boat with you.
I éet x̱wadishée
I helped you
útlx̱i x̱á {yí} yís.»
so I could eat some boiled fish.”
ʼÓo, a dix̱ʼx̱án.
Ohh, by the back of (the boat).
Ḵúnáx̱ litseen yú téelʼ. Téelʼ gé?
Those dog salmon are pretty strong. Dog salmon?
Téelʼ gé aawasháat?
Did he catch a chum?
Tatgé wé téelʼ aawasháat, yeedát ḵwá yáatʼaa ḵú áwéi,
Yesterday he caught that dog salmon, right now though, this one is,
keitl yóo ayasáagu aa áwé yáa yagee, gwál,
today, maybe itʼs the one thatʼs called dog,
Téelʼ áwé tle tle yeisú aawasháat.
He caught a dog salmon just now.
G̱eiwú gé (du) jeewú?
Does he have a net?
Hél du jee.
He doesnʼt have one.
Ha héen kaadáx̱ kéi awsiyíḵ.
He pulled it up off of the surface of the water.
Chʼas jín tín. Yaakwt aawax̱ích!
Just by hand. He threw it in the boat!
Yayyyy! Woowoowoo!
Woah!
Woah!
ʼÉi, chum!
Hey, chum!