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Tlingit Conversation #73
[This conversation is continued from #72.]Speakers are Ḵintóo Adeline St. Clair, (Raven, Deisheeitaan, Yeil Sʼaagí Hít), Ḵaakwéitʼ Deborah Dalton, and Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson. Recorded July 14, 2011, in Hoonah, Alaska, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.
This material is based on work supported by National Science Foundation grant 0853788 to the University of Alaska Southeast with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff as Principal Investigator, and by National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship 266286-19 to Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or National Endowment for the Humanities.
Tlingit transcription by X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Edwards. English translation by Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by Shag̱aaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom.
SYMBOLS: {false start}.[translator/transcriber's note]. (added for clarity). ??? = canʼt understand. «quotation marks for Tlingit text» 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
«Ldakát ḵáach áwé {du tuw} has du tuwáa sigóo wé atx̱ʼéishi. Hóochʼ.
“Everybody wants dryfish. It all disappears. [ḴASC taught her son how to make dryfish. Now sheʼs reporting what he said to her.]
Hél tsu x̱ʼéi aa x̱danúkch dé! [At shooḵ]
I donʼt even get to taste any anymore! [Laughter]
Yéi áwé nateech yóo idaayax̱aḵá, {yéi} yéi daax̱aneiyí wé,
That's the way it is, thatʼs what Iʼm telling you, when I work on it,
Hél yéi x̱wají yéi koogeyi yéijiné a daa yéi teeyí.
I didn't realize there was so much work to it.
A daa yéijiné.
Working on it.
Áwé inx̱a.éexʼch,
So, Iʼd call out to you,
‹Atx̱ʼéishi ax̱ tuwáa sigoo, ax̱ jeedé aach (a)sawú.›
I want dryfish, send me some.
Tle haadé ách eesawóowch.
Then you would send it.
Lidzéeyi át ásíwégé a daa yéijiné.
It turns out itʼs a hard thing to work on it.
Yeedát áwé x̱wsikóo.»
Now I know.”
Áwé yéi yax̱wsiḵaa,
So I said to him,
«Ax̱ jeedé ách aa sawú.
“Send me some.
X̱áach áwé déiskʼ.» {yéi x̱}
It's my turn now.”
{yéi x̱at ya}
yéi kḵwaḵáa.
is what I'm going to say.
«Ax̱ jeedé aach (a)sawú.»
“Send some to me.”
«Ok, ok, yakʼéi, yakʼéi wéide ách akḵwasawóo.»
“Ok, ok, good, good, I'll send it there.”
King salmon yuwax̱ʼéishi,éitskʼ,
King salmon dried belly strips, delicious.
yakʼéi.
itʼs good.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóowu aa áwé.
Thatʼs the one I want.
X̱axash noojín.
I used to cut it.
Yeedát ḵwá tléikʼ.
Not anymore though.
Tléixʼ áwé yéi yanx̱adláḵch, tléixʼ atx̱ʼéishi.
I usually get hold of one like that, one dryfish.
Tléixʼ wuduxaashíyáx̱.
Like one was cut.
Xʼoon, xʼoon táakw sáwé yéi wtusinei,
How many, how many years we did that,
atx̱ʼéishi daa yéijiné
working on dryfish
ax̱ x̱án.aa een.
with my husband.
A x̱oo.aa ḵu.aa chʼáakw,
Some of them long ago,
has at shée nuch
they would sing
a kíknáx̱ has axaashí
while they're cutting it
alʼeix̱.
and dance.
Yeedát ḵu.aa, ugh. {hél}
But right now, ugh.
A daa yéijiné
Working on it
yatʼéexʼ ásíwégé.
it seems to be hard.
Exercise ásíwé yéi s adaanéi noojín.
They must have done exercises long ago.
Yeedát ḵwáawé,
Now,
CDs áwé
CDs
tóode yóo x̱aatéek.
I put them in (the CD player).
{áa ash} Áa at shée nooch x̱waxaashí.
It sings there while I cut.
Tláakw yaa kanajúxu áwé,
When it's going fast,
tláakw yaa kanajúxu áwé tláakw x̱axash nooch x̱áach tsú.
when itʼs going fast, I cut fast too.
Áwé ḵʼasigóo. Wé at.shooḵ ách x̱at uwajáḵ.
It's really fun. I am dying of laughter.
Haa x̱oot sh eesg̱íxʼ.
Throw yourself in among us.
Lisʼé.
Just a moment.
Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ ḵu.aa.
In Tlingit though.
Hél awuskú.
She didn't know.
A tóode yóo x̱ʼeiwatánk.
She talked into it.
{wududzi.áḵ}
Át wududzi.áx̱ yóonax̱.aanáx̱ ḵu.a.
They're listening to it on the other side.
A tóode ásíwégé yóo x̱ʼax̱aatánk gé?
It turns out I was talking into it?
Tléikʼ yaa. [At shooḵ]
Not this. [Laughter]
What weʼre going to speak about?
Tle de
Just now
at.shooḵch x̱at uwajáḵ wéixʼ
I died laughing over there
yee x̱ʼadaat at.shooḵ.
laughing at what you were saying.
Aadé haa ḵʼasigóowu yé áwé.
That's how fun we are.
Sagú yaa yanaysaxíx.
You're having so much fun.
Yeah.
Goosú eeshandéin sh daa tudatí.
No time to feel sorry for yourself.
Shuxʼáa
At first
ax̱ náḵ wunaawú ax̱ x̱án.aa,
when my husband died,
hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgóo aadóo sá x̱áax̱ x̱ʼataaní.
I didn't want anyone to talk to me.
Ax̱wdlisín.
I hid away.
Yéi x̱at wootee x̱át tsú.
I felt that way too.
Chʼa át x̱a.aayí áwé,
While I was sitting there,
ax̱ dachánkʼ,
my grandchild,
Nahóowu, ax̱ x̱ánt uwagút. Yéi yaawaḵaa,
Nahóowu, came by me and said,
«Léelkʼw,
“Grandma,
wáa sá kei kg̱wakʼéi chʼa haa x̱ánt ee.aayí.
it would be wonderful if you would sit by us.
Itusix̱án.
We love you.
Aydlisín haa náḵ.
Youʼre hiding away from us.
Haa ylitlʼeet ák.wé de?»
Did you abandon us?”
Yóo áwé x̱at x̱ʼeiwawóosʼ.
Thatʼs what he asked me.
Áwé du éet ax̱wdlig̱ín.
I looked at him.
Hél yéi x̱wajéeyin has du náḵ
I didn't realize
ax̱wdlisín.
I hid from them.
Chʼa aadé ax̱ toowú woonéegúyáx̱ áwé,
That was just how sorrowful I was,
át x̱a.áa eetká.
I would sit in the bedroom.
A ítdáx̱ ḵwá hél wáa sá x̱at wutee.
After that though, I was all right.
Ax̱ x̱ánt wugoodídáx̱.
After he came to me.
A daa yóo tux̱aatánk,
I thought,
«Háʼ, wáa sáwé ḵux̱aanóok?
“My, what am I doing?
{hél tl} Hél tléináx̱ x̱át áwé
I'm not the only one
ax̱ x̱án.aa ḵut x̱wag̱éexʼ;
who lost my husband;
has du léelkʼw áwé hás tsú.
he was their grandpa too.
Has du éesh áwé hás tsú.»
He was their dad too.”
Mhm.
Yéi áwé nateech.
That's the way it is.
Wulidzée
It got hard
yáa ax̱ sée ḵut x̱wag̱éexʼi.
when I lost my daughter.
Ahah..
Uhuh.
Ldakát á wóosh teen yéi daatoonéiyin.
We used to do everything together.
X̱at x̱ʼanawóosʼch tsʼootaat,
She would ask me in the morning,
«Wáa sá i toowóoch
“What do you think
wutoo.aadí hoon daakahídidé?
if we go to the store?
Naa.át x̱oot gax̱toolg̱éen,
We'll go browse through the clothes,
hél daa sá gax̱too.oo chʼa
we won't buy any,
gax̱toolg̱éen áwé.»
we'll just look.”
«Ha, góok.
“Go ahead.
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo yéi wtusaneeyí.
Iʼd like it if we did that.
Yisikóo hél x̱washagóok yaa nagút ḵu.aa x̱át.»
You know I don't know how to walk though.”
«Oh, a káa yéi kg̱eenóok chʼa wa.éich, át gag̱isaḵóox̱ wé,
“Oh, you'll just be sitting, when youʼll be driving around,
wé át, át wooḵoox̱u át.»
that thing, in the car.” [Motorized shopping cart]
«Ha, góok.»
“Go ahead.”
Hél unalé ax̱ téix̱ʼ wukʼoots, yá a {káa yéi x̱waanúk}
I almost had a heart attack, that
káa x̱wanoogú,
when I sat on it,
yaa naḵúx̱u x̱áa.
the car was moving, see.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Hél x̱washagóok, ách áwé
I didn't know how (to drive), thatʼs why
ax̱ tóox̱ ḵuwatee. [At shooḵ]
I was terrified. [Laughter]
Ldakát át x̱oot áwé {ḵux} yaa nx̱aḵúx̱ wé,
I was just cruising around through all of the stuff,
Yéi wootee.
Thatʼs how it was.
X̱at wusiteen Adam Greenwall.
Adam Greenwall saw me.
«Wáa sáwé ḵeeyanóok?»
“What are you doing?”
«Háʼ, chʼa ax̱ tuwáa sigóo át x̱waḵoox̱ú, ách áyá át x̱waaḵoox̱!»
“Hey, I just want to cruise around, so Iʼm cruising around!”
At.shooḵch yaa najáḵ.
He died laughing.
«Haáʼ! Hél tsú ishagóok chʼa aan áwé keeya.aaḵw.»
“You don't even know how and yet youʼre trying.”
«Haa, katoo.aag̱ú áwé yakʼéi x̱á,» yóo daayax̱aḵá, «aag̱áa áwé tusakóowch
“Well, it's good to try,” I tell him, “then we know
daa sá yéi daatooné.»
what weʼre doing.”
X̱áat awdlig̱ín, «Eesháan ax̱ kéekʼ.» [At shooḵ]
He looked at me, “My poor little brother.” [Laughter] [This is a common joke between a man and a younger “sister,” where the man will say he “sees her just like a brother.”]
Yéi wootee, x̱át tsú shuxʼáa wé du éekʼch ax̱ ée latóowu.
That's the way it was with me too, when her (ḴDDʼs) brother was first teaching me (to drive).
«Wáa sáyá kḵwasanée? Ax̱ een áyá yaa naḵúx̱!»
“What do I do? Itʼs just driving with me!”
«Ha, yaa yageel.á!»
“Well start steering!”
«Tléikʼ, hél x̱washagóok!»
“No, I don't know how!”
Ha héende haa een yaa naḵúx̱ aag̱áa áwé tsá tláakw kei yax̱wli.át.
It started to drive toward the water with us, thatʼs when I finally turned it real quick.
Tlax̱ ḵúnáx̱ áyóo ax̱ tóox̱ ḵuwatee shuxʼáanáx̱ {yaa k} yaa gax̱saḵóox̱ wé car.
I was terrified when I first started driving a car.
Wé haa séekʼ tsú a ítde kei kawdig̱áx̱,
Our little daughter cried out after us too,
"Don't, Mama, don't."
Chʼa kagéináx̱ áwé tsá ax̱ éex̱ yaa nadéin.
Very slowly, I began to get used to it.
X̱át ḵu.aa wé car
As for me, that car,
cart, wé,
cart, that,
Fred Meyer,
[Store in Juneau]
{káa yadu da} áwé át x̱waaḵoox̱.
I was riding around in it.
Hél x̱washagóokch.
I didn't know how.
Ldakát át x̱oot x̱waaḵoox̱.
I was riding all around through everything.
Chʼa átx̱ satí wé hél daak a káa yeex̱eech.
You barely managed to not knock it over.
Chʼa at satí áwé hél {ḵ}
(I) barely (managed to) not
ḵaa x̱oot.
(drive) into people.
Chʼas wé shelf,
Just the shelves,
naa.át, ldakát át x̱oot áwé.
clothes, (I was riding) into everything.
X̱at kawdixéelʼ.
I was in real trouble.
Chʼa át x̱a.aayí áwé yéi yax̱waaḵaa,
While I was just sitting there, I said,
{yéi x̱a} yéi yax̱waaḵaa,
I said this,
«Kei kḵwashagóok.
“I'm going to learn how.
Hél áa akḵwalx̱éetlʼ.
I won't be afraid.
Lingít áyá x̱át.
I am Tlingit.
Kaagwaantaan yádi áyá x̱át!» [At shooḵ]
I am a child of the Kaagwaantaan!” [Laughter]
Áwéi yax̱waadlaaḵ.
So, I did it.
«Ax̱ toowú litseen!»
“I have inner strength!”
Yax̱waadlaaḵ.
I succeeded.
Yóo x̱wsaneeyí áwés.
I did this.
Héide yoo yaḵúx̱k. Yóo x̱wsaneiyí, héide yoo yaḵ. Yóo x̱wsaneiyík,
It goes over there. When I do this, it goes over there. When I do this,
kʼidéin yóo yaḵúx̱k, haahá.
it drives well, uhuh.
Yax̱waadlaaḵ.
I made it.
X̱at yalatín ax̱ sée.
My daughter was watching me.
"You made it."
«Yeeyadlaaḵ.»
“You made it.”
«Aaá.»
“Yes.”
«Yisikóo,
“You know,
kéi kg̱ishagóok x̱á car át wusḵoox̱ tsú haa een.»
you will learn how to drive a car with us too.”
«Tláykʼ,
“No,
hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú á ḵu.aa!
I don't want to do that though!
Ldakát ḵáa áwé kg̱wanáa a káxʼ
Everybody on board will die with
át x̱wasaḵoox̱ú.»
me driving around.”
Ḵaa kaadé kḵwasaḵóox̱.
Iʼll run someone over.
Chʼa aan áwé yáaxʼ
Even so, right here
truck tlein {wé chʼ} wé blue yáx̱ yateeyi aa yáanáx̱ koogéi,
a big truck, bigger than that blue one,
dleit daak wustaaní gáng̱aa áwé wtuwaḵoox̱.
when it was snowing, we went after wood.
Shoowú jeeyís.
For Shoowú. [Name]
Áwé kei awlig̱ích tle du káxʼ,
He felled it (tree) and right on him,
ax̱ x̱án.aa tayeedé wdzigeet.
my husband fell under it.
Oh, my.
«Wáa sá kḵwasanée?»
“What am I going to do?”
Du x̱ánt x̱waagút.
I went by him.
Chʼa yeisú diséikw.
He was still breathing.
Tle kát {x̱waa} x̱wajixíx wé car.
Then I jumped in the car.
Tle all the way
Then all the way
tle wé school-de {x̱ ḵ ḵ}
to the school
x̱waaḵoox̱ wé car kát.
I drove in the car.
Áxʼ áwé x̱wsiteen Jim Ericson.
That's where I saw Jim Ericson.
«X̱át idashí.»
“Help me.”
«X̱át idashí.»
“Help me.”
{wáa sá woon} «Wáa sá iwoonei?»
“What happened to you?”
«Ax̱ x̱án.aa áwé
“Itʼs my husband,
tayeedé wdzigeet wé
he fell under
aas.
a tree.
Yaa anaxash aas.»
The tree that he was cutting (down).”
Áwé school-xʼ car kát hú tsú wujixíx.
So at the school, he too ran to the car.
X̱át ḵu.aa wé tléixʼaa chʼu shoogu.
I (got into) the other one, the same one (I came in).
Aadé x̱wsiḵoox̱.
I drove there.
Hél tsú x̱wsakú,
I didn't know,
tle át wutooḵoox̱ú áwé
when we got there
át awtudlig̱ín.
we looked at it.
Sheey áwé
It was a big limb
ḵúnáx̱ a tayeet.
(he was) right under it.
Aax̱ kawtuwahaa wé dleit.
We dug the snow out of there.
Daak, daak wutusixátʼ. Hél wáa sá utí.
We drug him out of there. He was all right.
Hél wáa sá wunee gé?
Nothing happened to him?
Hél wáa sá wuní.
Nothing happened to him.
Haaw, likoodzí.
Wow, thatʼs amazing.
Wulikoodzée wé car tlein át x̱waaḵoox̱! [At shooḵ]
It was amazing I drove that big car around! [Laughter]
Hél x̱washagóok.
I didn't know how.
Hél x̱washagóok chʼa aan áwé át x̱wasiḵoox̱.
I drove it around even though I didnʼt know how.
Yeah?
Yéi x̱at woonee, x̱át tsú.
That happened to me too.
Aadé yanaḵéiji yé ax̱ léelkʼw,
My grandmother used to say,
«Kee.aag̱ú daa sá yakg̱eedláaḵ.»
“Whatever you try, you can succeed.”
Ahah. Ayáx̱ áwé.
Yep. Thatʼs right.
Áa akeelx̱éitlʼi ḵwá hél yakg̱eedlaaḵ.
If youʼre afraid though, you wonʼt succeed.
Mhm.
Yes.
Yéi áwé.
That's it.
Wulishoog̱ú ḵu.aa áwé.
It was really funny, though.
Shuxʼáaxʼ át nax̱asḵóox̱,
When I first started to drive,
chʼa tlákw {hóochʼi} hóochʼ aayíde kdag̱áax̱ ax̱ séekʼ Ḵaajees.aak, yeisú babe, eh, toddler-x̱ sitee.
my daughter, Ḵaajees.aak, would cry the whole time right until the end, she was still a babe, eh, a toddler.
Du éesh daak uwaḵúx̱
Her dad went out
astʼeix̱.
trolling.
Auke Bay-dáx̱ áwé du een yaa nx̱aḵúx̱
I was leaving Auke Bay with her
ḵa wáa yoo kwx̱asgéet sáwé,
and after I had been going around for a while,
am,
um,
wé shift,
that gear shifter,
tlél x̱washagóok.
I didn't know how.
{ax̱ een áwé} Haa een áwé yaa nashkʼén.
It was hopping along with us.
Wáa akoolx̱éitlʼi sáwé Ḵaajees.aak,
Ḵaajees.aak was so frightened (that she shouted),
"Daddy, come back!"
Oh my, tle tlél x̱at ulcheen at.shooḵ.
Oh my, I was just weak from laughing.
Haa een áwé tsú yaa naskʼút wé car.
The car was just bouncing along with us.
{yá} Wé shift áwé hél x̱washagóok.
I didnʼt know how to shift.
Haa, {wáa yoo kus} wáa yoo tukwdatáan sáwé wé ax̱ x̱án.aa, tle,
Well, after thinking for some time, my husband, then,
«Nasḵoox̱!» yóo x̱at yawsiḵaa.
“Drive it!” he said.
Áwé hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú shuxʼáanáx̱. He said,
At first I didn't want to. He said,
«Daa sá kee.aag̱ú yakg̱eedláaḵ.» Héʼ, yéi áwé x̱at yawdudziḵaa, x̱át tsú.
“Whatever you try to do, you can do it.” Look at that, somebody said that to me too.
Ax̱ tóon wootee, tle {aax̱ yóot x̱wasi} aax̱ yóot x̱walishíx.
I was upset, I just ???
Aax̱ áwé tsá kéi kawdig̱áx̱ wé shaatkʼátskʼu.
After that, the little girl cried out.
Du tóox̱ ḵux̱siteex̱.
I really scared her.
Shuxʼáa áyú x̱at nadusḵáa,
At first when they said to me,
{church-xʼ} ANB hall shaawahík.
the ANB Hall was full.
Hél x̱wasakú daa sáwé yaa yanaxíx.
I didn't know what was going on.
Ldakát aandáx̱ áwé haat ḵuwduwatín.
They came from everywhere.
Prayer groups, ldakát,
Prayer groups from everywhere,
Angoon, Ḵéex̱ʼ,
Angoon, Kake,
Sitka, Tlákw Aan, Haines, Juneau-dáx̱ haat ḵoowat(ín).
Sitka, Klukwan, Haines, Juneau, they came from.
Tle shaawahík ANB hall.
The ANB Hall was just full.
Yéi x̱at yawdudziḵaa,
They said to me,
«Shuxʼáanáx̱ {wa.é ye} wa.é yóo x̱ʼakg̱eetáan.»
“You're going to be the first one to speak.”
«Ha, wáa sáwé x̱át, {hél}
“Well, why me,
hél nakwnéit áyáa x̱át, nakwnéit daat.át áyá yáatʼaa.»
Iʼm not a pastor, thatʼs pastor stuff.”
«Tláykʼ, wa.é áwé.
“No, it's you.
I yáa duwanéi.»
They respect you.”
Du éet ax̱wdlig̱ín.
I looked at him.
«Okay, chʼa ḵáakwt yax̱waḵaayí chʼa i aayí fault-i áwé.» [At shooḵ]
“Okay, but if I say something wrong it will be your fault.” [Laughter]
Du jeet shux̱waatée.
I put the blame on him.
Roy Bean áwé yéi ḵoowanook.
Roy Bean did that.
Aadé x̱waagoot.
I went there.
Chʼa náanáx̱
Just calmly
yóo x̱ʼax̱aatánk.
I spoke.
{ax̱ t} Ax̱ keey ḵwá TX-TX-TX-TX-TX-TX-TX-TX. [At shooḵ]
My knees began to knock. Tch-tch-tch-tch-tch-tch-tch-tch. [Laughter]
Aadé akux̱dlix̱eetlʼi yé.
That's how scared I was.
Ḵaankik.éetxʼ yoox̱ʼatánk áyá.
Thatʼs public speaking (for you).
Chʼa aan áwé,
Even so,
yóo x̱ʼax̱waatánk.
I spoke.
Ax̱ éesh yéi áwé x̱at yawsiḵaa,
My dad said to me,
«Ḵaa een yóo x̱ʼikg̱ila.aadí,
“When you're going to speak to people,
ḵaa shakéenáx̱ áwé gag̱ilatéen.
you should look over peopleʼs heads.
Hél ḵaa yaadé akg̱eelg̱een, ḵaa shakéenáx̱.
You won't look into their faces, just over their heads.
{yé} Yéi gax̱dujée {has} has yilatíni.
They'll think you're watching them.
Chʼa aan yakg̱eedláaḵ.»
Nonetheless, you'll succeed.”
Hoóʼ!
(Expression of disbelief)
Áwé yéi, {sh}
So,
sh kadulneegí, hóoch áwé Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yóo x̱ʼatángin x̱á.
when somebody was telling stories like that, heʼs the one that used to speak in Tlingit, you see.
Mh.
Yeah.
Akalanik nuch daat daa sá yóo x̱ʼadul.átgi.
He would tell what they were talking about. (He would translate the English sermon into Tlingit.)
Á x̱atee nuch
I would see him
koodalʼúxch.
close his eyes.
«Haahá.
“Uhuh.
Táach uwajáḵ; Dáa sá agux̱sakóo daa sá a daa yóo x̱ʼadul.átgi?»
He fell asleep; how is he going to know what theyʼre talking about?”
Hél du tuwáa ushgú
He didn't want
daa sá awusteení.
to see anything.
Aadóo sáyá?
Who?
Ax̱ éesh.
My dad.
Óo. Mhm.
Oh. Yeah.
Chʼas aadé yóo x̱ʼaduwatangíyáx̱ aya.áx̱ch.
He just hears what they are saying.
Hél ḵwá du tuwáa ushgú
But he doesn't want
ḵaa éet awulg̱eení.
to look at people.
Ách áwéi
That's why
koodalʼúxch.
heʼd close his eyes.
Chʼa aan áwé akawuneegí,
However, when he told it,
dleit ḵáa x̱ʼéináx̱
in English
ldakát kawduwaneek áwé {tle}tle akaawaneek.
everything they talked about, he would tell it.
Hél tsu tléixʼ áa yan aa wusháat.
He didn't leave a single thing out.
Há.
[Expression of amazement.]
Aag̱áa áwé x̱wsikóo hél utaayí.
That's how I knew he wasn't sleeping.
Yéi áwé x̱wajée nuch {taayí} táach uwajáḵ.
I always thought that he fell asleep.
Congress ká
At Congress
Roy Bean x̱ʼawduwaḵaa,
Roy Bean was asked to speak,
{at} «Haa atx̱aayí xʼwán kalax̱ítl.»
“Bless our food.”
Chʼu yóo x̱ʼatángi, chʼu yóo x̱ʼatángi,
As he kept speaking, kept speaking,
chʼu yóo x̱ʼatángi, half hour yaa shunaxíx.
kept speaking, a half hour was passing.
Ḵaa x̱oot woogoot du shát.
His wife was walking around among everyone.
«G̱an dé! At gax̱toox̱áa.»
“Sit down now! Weʼre going to eat.”
Everybody áwé woonook at toox̱á ḵwá haa éet yaan uwaháach.
Everybody sat down, weʼre eating because weʼre hungry.
Yeisú áxʼ yaa x̱ʼandagáxʼ.
Meanwhile, heʼs just there praying along.
Chʼa yeisú amen yéi yakg̱waḵaayí{a} du x̱ánt hán {du},
When he was still going to say amen, she was standing by him,
du x̱án.aa,
his wife (said),
«United States president hél kaylax̱éitl ḵa wé senator
“You didn't bless the United States president and the senator,
ḵa representative.»
and representative.”
Áx̱ʼw!
Goodness!
Yóo x̱ʼayatánk tsú.
He said that too.
"US Army, US Navy."
A gukyíkde yóo x̱ʼayatánk. [At shooḵ]
She was speaking into his ear. [Laughter]
Yan x̱ʼadatáan áwé {át wu}
When he finally stopped talking,
{át} haa éet awdlig̱ín.
he looked at us.
Náanáx̱ at toox̱á áwé uháan ḵu.aa. [At shooḵ]
We were all calmly eating. [Laughter]
Hél tsú a x̱ʼadaat ḵaa tooshtí.
Nobody even cared about what he was saying.
Aaá.
Yes.
«Dáa!
“Sheesh!
Chʼas wé atx̱á áwé kg̱ilax̱éitl tlél ldakát yóo aantḵeení.»
Just bless the food, not everybody in the world!”
Lingítaaní tlein káa x̱ʼaydigáxʼ.
You prayed for the whole world.
Yeah.
Chʼa yeisu yéi x̱at kusagéinkʼi,
When I was still little,
{ANB uh}
Salvation Army Hall át tooḵéen.
we were sitting at the Salvation Army Hall.
Ldakát áwé
Everybody
cross kʼéet aawa.át.
went to the base of the cross.
Chʼas shuxʼáa áwé {ax̱ x̱}
Just at first
át x̱ahán tsú ḵaa een; yéi x̱at kushagéinkʼ.
I stood there with people too; I was still little.
Wáa sáyá, át ax̱wdlig̱ín Tom Jackson
Whatʼs this about, I looked at Tom Jackson
ḵaa yadaa
(rubbing it) on peopleʼs faces
sdooxdé tʼóochʼ yéi {ḵaa} ḵaa yadaa yéi adaané.
he was putting charcoal from the stove on peopleʼs faces.
Hél tsú,
No(body) even,
chʼas yóo áwé ndusneech du jín.
they just did this to his hand.
«Amen,» {yóo} yóo ḵuyanaḵáa áwé {ever}
When he said amen,
ldakát ḵáa ḵaa éet awdlig̱ín.
he looked at everyone.
Tle kéi at wuduwashúḵ. [At shooḵ]
Everybody just burst with laughter. [Laughter]
Tʼóochʼ ḵaa yáx̱ awlig̱oo.
He rubbed charcoal on peopleʼs faces.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé lashoog̱ún Tom Jackson.
He used to be so funny, Tom Jackson.
Haa yawdudziḵoox̱ Angoon-de.
They took us (by boat) to Angoon.
Yéi chʼu shóogu wé ANB, áwéi
It was the same situation, the ANB (Hall),
tléikʼ,
no,
Salvation Army.
Át haa yadusḵóox̱ áwé,
When they took us there,
{ldakát áwé} ldakát ḵáa áwé Dikée Áanḵáawu akashéix̱ʼ.
everybody was praising the Lord.
Áwé, wáa nanée sáwé,
Then, at some point,
du kát shuwjix̱ín wé ldakát.
it ended on him.
Chʼas wé,
Just that,
wáa sá dusáagun Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱,
what was his name in Tlingit,
Tom Jackson?
Kudeiláax̱?
(Tom Jacksonʼs name)
Yeah.
Am, chʼas hú áwé kdulneek.
Um, people are just talking about him.
Áwéi,
So,
du tóon gíwé yaa natéen.
I guess he was starting to get upset.
{á}Áa wdihaan.
He got up.
«Jesus Christ kadulneek.
“People (should be) talking about Jesus Christ.
Chʼas x̱át ḵú x̱at kaylaneek.
You're just talking about me instead.
Praise the Lord áwé kadulneek.
People are praising the Lord.
Chʼas x̱át ḵú x̱at kaylaneek.»
You're just talking about me instead.”
Wáa sá ḵʼasagóowun,
It used to be so fun,
Congress yaa yanaxíxi.
when Congress is happening.
Aan x̱ʼayeex̱ yaa ana.ádi.
When they would be walking along the streets of town.
Angoon-xʼ chʼu shóogu Angoon-xʼ,
In Angoon, in the same place, Angoon,
Ḵéex̱ʼdáx̱ ḵáa,
a man from Kake,
wé drum, tle yáatʼát yáx̱ koogéi
that drum, just as big as this thing here (pointing),
agwáal. Hél yéi {k}koolgéikʼ, chʼa aan áwé,
heʼs drumming. He's not very tall, but even so,
tle du yáx̱ kuligéi {wé du}
it was just as big,
agwáal.
his drumming.
Wé gwáal?
The drumming?
Kawshix̱ʼílʼ wé boardwalk.
The boardwalk was slippery.
Hah.
Oh.
Has wu.aadí, yaa ntoo.ádi wéixʼ,
When they went, as we were walking there,
wushix̱ʼéelʼ, tle
he slipped, he just
íḵde wushix̱ʼéelʼ, tle wé héen x̱ánde wushikʼéetʼ.
he slipped down onto the beach, he fell right by the water.
Chʼa aan {hél}
Even so,
hél ḵúx̱de yóo awusnee du gaawú.
he didn't miss a beat on his drum. [Lit., “He didnʼt even slow his drum down.”]
Áyá chʼa at tooshée chʼa aan áwé hú tsú.
We were just singing nevertheless and he too.
Ḵúnáx̱ agwáal.
He was really drumming (while down).
{lijuḵ} Lashuḵdéin yáant.
(We were walking) giddily.
Wáannée sáwé Tom áa wdihaan,
At some point, Tom stood up where he was,
«Ḵúnáx̱ áyá Dikée Áanḵáawu jeet shx̱waditée.
“I have really given myself to the Lord.
Ha wáa yóo at koonée sáyá,
After so many different things happening,
ah, átkʼ aheení yáx̱ x̱at woonei.
I became a believer.
X̱at wushix̱ʼéelʼ.
I really slipped.
Náaw {x̱ʼéit ka ax̱ a} ax̱ x̱ʼét kawduwax̱ích tle kʼóoʼ,
Somebody gave me some liquor to drink, and ???, [Lit., “Liquor was thrown at my mouth,” a common idiom for giving a person a drink of any kind.]
tle x̱wdináa.
and I drank it.
Áwé Dikáanḵáawu tóon shákdé wootee yáa át áhé,
God was probably upset (with) this,
aadé yaa nx̱asgit yé.»
what I was doing.”
Héixʼ Dikáanḵáawu kdushéix̱ʼi áwé chʼas at géide yaa yanaḵéin.
Here everybodyʼs praising the Lord and heʼs just speaking inappropriately.
Ah, wáa sá haa tuwáa sagóowun.
Ah, how we used to enjoy it.
Chʼáakw
Long ago
Salvation Army
am, has at shée neejín.
they always used to sing.
Áwé hél x̱at ulgé.
I wasn't very big.
Áwé áa daak has u.aatch.
They would come out there.
"I glad Sambation Free."
Ḵúnáx̱ aan át has analʼéx̱jin.
They used to really dance around with it.
You, do you think you remember that?
Yeah.
Hél kʼidéin has at usáakw.
They never pronounced things very well.
Háʼ, ax̱ tóoch ḵú ayáx̱ áwé s at yasáakw.
Gee, I used to think they were saying everything right.
Tle x̱át tsu has du x̱ʼéitx̱.
So I just (said it that way) too, from how they said it.
Has du x̱ʼéx̱ {has} át x̱wasa.aax̱ch.
I would listen to what they were saying.
Tle wáa sá s at shí, ayáx̱ áwé {yaa k yaa} x̱át tsú yaa kakx̱asheech.
However they were singing, I would start to sing it that way too.
"I glad Sambation free."
Aadóoch sáwé x̱at tʼéeyt?
Who was it that would nudge me with their elbow?
«Chʼa at géide áwé eeshí.»
“You're singing it wrong.”
«Ayáx x̱áahé has at shí, ách áyá has du x̱ʼéidáx̱ at x̱ashí.»
“Well see thatʼs how they're singing it, that's why I'm singing it like them.”
Áwé {has} has wudanaag̱í,
So when they stood up,
{oh, I} wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo Salvation Army shaatkʼátskʼux̱ x̱at sateeyí.
oh, how I loved the Salvation Army when I was a little girl.
«A tóode kḵwagóot
“I'm going to join it
x̱at nalgéini,» yóo tux̱wdisháat.
when I get big,” I thought.
«De déi áyá yá Catholic church.
“Now that's enough of that Catholic church.
Áwéi hél ḵʼeisgú.
It's not fun.
Hás ḵú áwé has ḵʼasigóo.»
These guys (Salvation Army) are fun though.”
Áwéi
So
has wudanaag̱í,
When they stood up,
«Haananóoya!»
“Halleluja!”
Halleluja, áwé s asáakw nich.
Thatʼs what they always called ʼHallelujaʼ.
Tle x̱át tsú chʼa wáa sá s x̱ʼayaḵá, ayáx̱ {yaa x̱ʼayax̱}, {x̱ʼayá} a x̱ʼayáx̱.
So me too, however they say it, (I say it) just like that, just like how they say it.
I wasnʼt making fun of them.
Hél has x̱washooḵ áyú.
I didn't laugh at them.
Chʼa s du x̱ʼayáx̱ áwé ax̱ toowúch ḵwá,
I just thought that how they said it,
tle ḵúnáx̱ ayáx̱ áyú s ayasáakw.
they were saying it exactly the right way.
Ách áwé s du x̱ʼayéx̱ x̱asáakw neejín.
That's why I always said it like they did.
De chʼáagu ḵáawu, eesháan, yax̱ has yawsináa.
The old people now, poor things, they've all died.
Hóochʼ.
Theyʼre all gone.
Yax̱ has yawsináa.
They're all dead.
Áwé aadé Dikée Áanḵáawu s asx̱áni yé.
How they loved the Lord.
Wáa sá ḵʼasagóowun,
It used to be so fun,
James
James Johnny
"Squeeze Box"
ḵúnáx̱, ḵúnáx̱ {a}
really, really
at dusheeyí át woolʼeix̱, Roy Bean tsú.
when people were singing, he danced around, Roy Bean too.
Át analʼéx̱jin.
He would dance around.
And, Richard Moses, has alʼex̱ nooch.
Richard Moses, they always danced.
Chʼa yeisú alʼeix̱í a kaax̱ wudzigeet wé stage.
While he was still dancing, he fell off that stage.
Chʼa aan áwé hél ajiwunaaḵ wé át.
Even so, he didn't let go.
Duwa.áx̱ch du.
He was (still) playing his (squeeze box). [Lit., His (squeeze box) is making noise.]
Aadóo sáwé?
Who was that?
James Johnny. Óooo.
Oooh.
Daak wudzigít.
He fell down.
Áa kei uwagút.
He got up there.
"Praise God.
Aadé ax̱ tuwáa sigóowu yé at shí.
How I love to sing,
Wé devil áwé
The devil
yóot x̱at kawligwál.
he knocked me over there.
Áwé aadé x̱at wudzigeet.
I fell down there.
Chʼa aan hél jix̱wanaaḵ.
Nevertheless, I didn't let it go.
X̱waa.áx̱ch
I listened
wé x̱ʼashí.
to the singing.
Hél ayawudlaaḵ.
He (devil) didnʼt succeed.
Chʼu shóogu Salvation Army áyá x̱át.»
I'm still a Salvation Army.”
Ax̱ toowúch ḵwáwé chʼa ax̱ tláa aadé at sáakw nijí yé x̱á.
I really thought that the way my mother said things, you know.
Akaawa.aaḵw ḵúnáx̱ dleit ḵáa x̱ʼéináx̱ yoox̱ʼatánk.
She really tried to speak English.
{áx̱ haa x̱ʼakdu}
Áx̱ haa x̱ʼakdudligéiḵ ḵwá Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ yoox̱ʼatánk.
We were forbidden from speaking Tlingit.
Ásíwé ax̱ shátx̱ích ax̱ ée wlitúw.
My sister must have been the one to teach me.
«Yóo kʼidéin nasáakw!»
“Say it like this the right way!”
Ha ax̱ léelkʼu x̱ʼéidáx̱ ḵú ásíwé awshigóok.
She must have learned it from my grandmother.
Kʼe «Káakingweins
Like “Káakingweins,
yóo sá!
say it.”
Káakingweins.»
Káakingweins.”
«Daa sáwé?»
“What is that?”
«{ha} Ha yéi kg̱eesáakw yeedádidéx̱.»
“That's what you'll call it from now on.”
My translator.
Haaw, wáa sáwé,
Well, what do you know,
kawduwaḵaa town kaadé.
she was sent to town (for it).
«Wé káakingweins yóo kg̱eesáa; aadé kg̱eegóot tle.
“Youʼll call it káakingweins; youʼre going to go there.
Ha góok.»
Well go.”
Aadé wjixeex anax̱ yei wdzigít a kát seiwaxʼáḵw.
She ran out but fell down and forgot it.
Aadé kdag̱áax̱ tsu ḵux̱ wujixíx.
She cried out and ran back.
«A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw, Léelkʼw.»
“Grandma, I forgot the word.”
«Háʼ! Kwáakingweins yóo áwé kg̱eesáa.»
“Oh! Kwáakingweins is what you'll call it.”
Wé Tony Simon, {wé dá}
Tony Simon,
wé xʼáatʼ ká áa yéi haa yatee.
we lived there on that island. [Xʼáatʼ Tʼáak,Douglas Island by Juneau.]
Aadé wjixeex yú ax̱ shátx̱.
My sister ran there.
"I want káakingweins.»
Hél áyú oo.áx̱ch wé adaakahúnsʼ wé ash ée dahun ḵáa.
He didnʼt understand, the man that was selling things to her.
"I think you're wrong."
"No, no.
It's káakingweins.
You give it to me."
«Tléikʼ, tléikʼ.
“No, no.
Hél ayáx̱ áwé eesáakw.»
You're not saying it right.”
Aag̱áa dé aag̱áa awdlig̱een, a waḵshiyeet awsi.
Then she went looking for it and she showed him.
«Yáadu á, káakingweins.»
“Here it is, káakingweins.”
Pork and beans. [Laughter]
Haa toowúch ḵu.aa ayáx̱ has at yasáakw old timers.
We thought the old timers were saying things the right way.
Ax̱ tláa,
My mother,
am, du x̱ʼayáx̱ x̱ashée neejín wé, am,
um, I used to sing it like her, that, um,
Aadé has ax̱ʼaya.ax̱jéyáx̱ áwé has aséix̱.
They would say it how they understood it.
Uhuh.
{tle ḵaa e} Tle ḵaa x̱ʼayáx̱ yaa kx̱aséijin.
I used to start saying it however they said it.
Ax̱ toowúch ḵwá ayáx̱ áwé tuwasáakw.
I thought we were pronouncing it right.
"I glad sambation free."
Tlax̱ wáa sá at tooshée nich.
Oh, how we would sing.
Chʼa g̱óot ḵáa áwé correct-íx̱ haa dulyex̱ nich.
Other people would correct us.
Tléikʼ, has du x̱ʼayáx̱ kei ntoo.át.
No, we argued our point.
Dei chʼáagu ḵu.oo eeshandéin has du daa ax̱ tootée neech.
I feel really bad for all of the old people these days.
Yeah.
Atyátxʼi x̱walitín
I took care of children
x̱at wudusháayi ítdáx̱.
after I got married.
Foster children, yóo has duwasáakw.
Foster children they call it.
Natalia St. Clair,
du yátxʼi Archie White x̱ánxʼ yéi téeyi.
her children that used to stay with Archie White.
Áwé yéi yax̱wsiḵaa du yéet,
So I told her son,
«Store-de neesheex.
“Go to the store.
Hél ayáx̱ koogei yá lettuce
We donʼt have enough lettuce
yá haa atx̱aayí {sh}.»
for our food.”
Tle wjixeex.
So he ran.
Store-t góot áwé,
When he got to the store,
át awdlig̱een, hél awuskú
he looked around not knowing
daatg̱áa sáwé.
what for.
Aag̱áa áwé wé shaawát x̱ánt uwagút,
Then he went up to this woman,
"My mom wants some letters.
She's going to make a salad."
"Oh, she wants lettuce."
"Oh, dat's it, dat's it, dat's it."
Neil góot áwé, he said,
When he got home, he said,
"I forgot what you sent me for so I told the lady, 'I want some letters.'"
Has x̱ʼalishoog̱ú atyátxʼi.
Children say the darndest things.
Xʼoondahéen sá
How many times
awdlisín
he hid away
wé atkʼátskʼu
that child
du tláa awusteení.
when he would see his mother.
Has du tláa jeedáx̱ áwé yéi wdudzinee x̱á,
They took them away from their mother, you see,
wé at danaayích.
because she was drinking.
Ax̱ jeet yéi wdudzinée.
They gave them to me.
Yáadu hás chʼa yeisú, Arlene Jackson,
They're still here, Arlene Jackson,
used to be ḵa Francine.
used to be and Francine.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Jennifer Fawcett,
Marlene St. Claire,
Luke St. Claire,
Darryl St. Claire,
Leroy,
haa jeet yéi wdudzinée.
they gave them to us.
«Tléixʼ dís xʼáanáx̱ áwé i x̱ánxʼ yéi s gug̱atée,» yóo x̱at yawdudziḵaa.
“They're going to stay with you for 1 month,” they told me.
«Góok. Tléixʼ dís {hél tl} hél yee.uyátʼkʼ.»
“Go ahead. 1 month isnʼt long.”
Násʼk táakw shoowaxeex, has du «tléixʼ dísi.»
Three years passed, their “one month”.
Wé shaawát {yáx̱}
The girl,
á áwé ḵunáx̱ wulidzée.
she was really difficult.
14 years du katáagu {tle} tle kei ishíxch haa jináḵ.
she was 14 years old and she would run away from us.
Du eeg̱áa ḵux̱a{sh}téesʼi dé atdanáat yawdzi.áa wé shaatkʼáskʼu.
By the time I was out looking for her, she had already turned to drinking. [Lit., poking her face into drinking]
{neilx̱} Neil jix̱atáan áwé, next tsóotaat,
After I brought her home, the next morning,
shatudaḵée áwé,
when we got up,
x̱ʼax̱waawóosʼ, «Dáanaa tlein gé yeeyadlaaḵ
I asked her, “Did you make a lot of money
wé at yidanaayí?
for you to be drinking?
Yóotʼát áwé hél ḵoostí á wéit, {at} haa atx̱aayí.
We donʼt have any food in that thing over there (in the pantry).
Dáanaa tlein yadudláḵxʼu áwé tsá náaw du.oo,» yóo daayax̱aḵá.
People only buy alcohol when they are making big money,” I say to her.
«Haa atx̱aayí ḵwá hél gag̱eehoon i náawu yís.»
“You are not going to sell our food for your liquor.”
Yéi áwé wdzigeet.
That's what she did.
Awlihoon
She went and sold
haa atx̱aayí.
our food.
«I gúk áwu.
“Your ears are there.
Yáat gúk áwu.
Here, you have ears.
X̱at x̱ʼeeya.áx̱ch yóo x̱ʼax̱atángi.
You can hear me when I speak.
Iya.áx̱ch gé?»
Do you hear?”
«X̱aa.áx̱ch.»
“I hear.”
«Haahá, tlél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú yéi eesgeedí.
“Uhuh, I don't want you to do that.
Yéi gax̱dujée
People will think
uháanch too.óowu i x̱ʼeis, hél too.óo.
we are buying it, we are buying it for you.
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú yéi ḵeenoogú.»
I don't want you to do that.”
«Hél ax̱ tláa áwé wa.é.
“You arenʼt my mother.
Ax̱ tuwáa sagoowú yéi kḵwasgéet.»
Iʼll do that if I want to.”
Áwé x̱ʼax̱wditaan Juneau-dé.
So I called Juneau (office).
«Yakʼéi shakdé g̱óot yéit yayeeydlaag̱í yá shaatkʼátskʼu jiyís.
“It would probably be (better) if you folks could find another place for this young girl.
{hél ḵaa} Hél haa x̱ʼéit wus.aax̱.
She doesn't listen to us.
Ux̱ kéi ushíxch.»
She keeps running out of control.”
Hél ḵwá has du een kax̱waneek wé at daná, chʼas ux̱ kéi wjixíx haa náḵ.
I didn't tell them though about the drinking, just that she ran away from us.
«Wáachwaan haa éet wudishée du eeg̱áa ḵushee,» yóo daayax̱aḵá.
“The policeman helped us look for her,” I tell her.
Haat ḵoowatín.
She traveled here.
Harriet Bertilla yóo duwasáakw aag̱áa wé shaawát.
Harriet Bertilla was the name of that woman at that time.
X̱wasikóo.
I know her.
Ax̱ yís xʼáant uwanúk.
She was mad at me.
«Shuxʼáanáx̱ married-x̱ {x̱at} x̱at wusteeyí áwé {ax̱} ax̱ jeexʼ jeeyanáḵ yá atyátxʼi tléixʼ dís x̱ʼáanáx̱; násʼk táakw áyá de.
“When I first got married, you left these children with me for one month; itʼs been three years now.
Aakʼé shákde g̱óot yéide {s} has du een yi.aadí,
It might be a good (idea) for you to go somewhere else with them,
g̱óot aa neil.»
(to) a different home.”
Áwé
So
Richard Moses x̱ánde has jiwduwataan, ldakát.
they took them to Richard Moses, all of them.
Hah.
Huh.
Chʼa yeisú déix̱ taat áa yéi s wuteeyí áwé ḵux̱ has wudi.át ax̱ x̱ánxʼ.
When they had just been there for two nights, they came back to me.
"I don't want to stay there."
Hél has du tóoch wulchéesh yá tléixʼaa?
They didnʼt think they could do it, the other (family)?
No, has du tuwáa sigóo {d s} has awultéeni.
No, they wanted to watch them.
Hél ḵwá has du tuwáa ushgú, hél.
But they (the kids) didn't like it.
Lingít atx̱aayí has du x̱ʼéix̱ x̱wateex̱.
I didn't feed them Native food.
{has aw} Chʼas wé dleit ḵáa atx̱á áwé s awsikóo wé atyátxʼi.
They only knew the white man food, those children.
Yisikóo Goldie ḵa Richard,
You know Goldie and Richard,
chʼas Lingít atx̱aayí s a {t}xá.
they only eat Native food.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Hél áwé has du tuwáa wushgú.
They didn't like it.
Ha shuxʼáanáx̱ áwé,
Well at first,
{has du éex̱} has du x̱ʼéix̱ at x̱wateeyí,
when I fed them,
a ítnáx̱ áwé wé
it was after the
lingít tlénxʼ.
elders.
Chʼa aan áwé yéi x̱at kawduwaneek,
However, they told me,
«Chʼa wé {at x̱ʼéel} x̱ʼax̱eil gíwé ḵaa x̱'éix̱ tooteech, wé atyátxʼi.»
“It seems like weʼre just making them drool, the children.”
Oh, no.
Haa x̱ánt góot áwé wé shaawát,
When she came to us, that woman (social worker),
awsiteen hás, shuxʼáanáx̱ has at uwax̱áa.
she saw that they ate first.
A ítdáx̱ áwé
After that
hít shantóode s kax̱waanáa {x̱}
I sent them upstairs
homework.
(to do) homework.
«A daa yakḵwas.áa.
“I'm going to examine
daa sá yéi yisaneeyí yá sgóon yís.»
what you are doing for school work.”
Hít shantóode aawa.aat.
They went upstairs.
Aag̱áa áwé yá yanwáatxʼ has du x̱ʼéix̱ at x̱waatee.
That's when I fed the elders
«Chʼa tlákw yagiyee áwé yéi at toox̱á,» yóo daayax̱aḵá. «Hás shuxʼáanáx̱, hás.»
“Every day that's the way we eat,” I tell her. “They are first.”
Áwé ax̱ x̱án.aa yéi yaawaḵaa, «Has jináḵ.
My husband told me, “Let them go.
Ḵushtuyáx̱ dé, has jináḵ.
It doesnʼt matter now, let them go.
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú {yéi yéi i d} yéi i daayaduḵaayí.»
I don't want people to say that about you.”
Áwé has jix̱waanáḵ.
So I let them go.
Lateesh neech has du eetí.
It gets lonely without them.
Yeedát áwé,
Now,
Marlene ax̱ x̱ánt uwagut,
Marlene came to me,
«Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo gunalchéesh yóo iyax̱wsaḵaayí.»
“I want to say thank you to you.”
«Daat yís sáwé?» yóo daayax̱aḵá.
“What for?” I say to her.
«X̱áa at yilitúw
“You taught me
{yéi x̱atx̱} 14 years-x̱ x̱at sateeyí
when I was 14,
chʼa x̱át áwé hél x̱washagóok.
I'm the one who didn't do it right.
A géide yan x̱waahán.
I stood against it.
Yeedát áwé x̱wsikóo aadé x̱at daayeeḵa yé.
Now I know what you were saying to me.
Ldakát
Everything
daa sá x̱áa ylitúw
that you taught me
x̱áat wudishée yeedát.
is helping me now.
Aag̱áa ḵu.aa yéi x̱wajéeyin
At that time though, I thought
xʼáan een áwé,
it was with anger,
x̱at kaylixʼán ách áwé yóo x̱at daayeeḵá.»
that you were saying those things to me because you were angry with me.”
Óo, woonéekw.
Ooh, it hurt.
Chʼa yákʼudé áyá
All of a sudden
a káa daak x̱at seiwaháa.
it came back to me.
«Háʼ!
“Sheesh!
Wáa sá ḵux̱waanook?
What was I doing?
Hél ax̱ daat áwé yéi wusgeet; chʼa hú du tuwáa sigóowu át áwé; ách áwé yéi woonee.»
It isnʼt about me, what she did; it's what she wanted; thatʼs why it happened.” (ḴASC thought to herself).
Mhmm.
Hél ax̱ daat áwé.
It's not about me.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé at x̱ax̱á.
I'm really eating.
Tlél x̱wasakú yaa kanajúxu.
I didn't realize it (camera) was running.
Frank White áwé wé tléixʼ aa wé kawushóowu aa.
Frank White was the other one that was drunk.
Tle {du jeet yóo}
As soon as
dáanaa du jeet yawuhaayí wé,
money gets into his hands,
du tuwáa sagóo nuch chʼas áwé at daná.
all he wanted was to drink.
Ḵa du shát,
And his wife,
anajáaḵwch ḵúnáx̱.
he would really beat her up.
Áwé {hél ax̱ ya} hél a yát x̱wahánch.
I couldn't stand it.
Hél ax̱ daat wushí Kelly gwáal een ḵa
Kelly never touched me with punching and
yawdutʼáach, hél, hél ax̱ daat wushí.
slapping, he didn't touch me.
Hmh.
Oh.
«A yáanáx̱ ḵwá (ix̱)six̱án,»
“I love you too much,”
yóo x̱at daayaḵá, ax̱ x̱án.aa.
he says to me, my husband.
«{ax̱ yátxʼ} Ax̱ yátxʼi i jee yéi wootee.
“You had my children.
Hél i daadé kḵwashee
I will never touch you
nikwdéin.»
to hurt you.”
Wáang̱aneens áwé yéi tin x̱adashátch yeedát,
Sometimes, when I change my mind about it now,
gwál yáat eex̱ ??? áa yéi iyakḵwagwáal ax̱ náḵ kei kaydliyásʼk.
I would sock you for leaving me (dying).
Chʼa aadé yaa {ksh} x̱at dushátch yéi áwé {d ah}
They grab (my attention?) the way
ldakát ḵáa x̱aatéen áwé
I see everyone
atx̱á daa yéi jiduneiyí yeedát x̱á.
working on food now, see.
Ax̱ toowú ayáx̱ litseen,
My mind is strong enough,
ax̱ jintú ḵu.aa ḵa ax̱ x̱ʼustú hél ayáx̱ ultseen
my hands, though, and my feet arenʼt strong enough
a daa yéijiné atx̱á de.
to work on food now.
Lidzée.
It's hard.
Ḵustí lidzée.
Life is hard.
{ax̱ too}
{hél tle hél} Hél yéi x̱at yawdusḵaa {du} yéi i x̱án.aa.
Nobody said that to me, what your husband (said).
Du x̱oonxʼí ag̱asháat, wéi, ʼÉh!
So he could marry a relative. Oh!
Áwé tléixʼdahéen áwé {yéi x̱at} wéi
One time,
Chookaneidí shaawát yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
a Chookaneidi lady said to me,
«Idusháa déi i tuwáa sagoowú,
“If you want to get married now,
de chʼáakw áwé i náḵ woonaa i x̱án.aa.»
itʼs been a long time now since your husband died.”
Eeshandéin gíwé ax̱ daa tuwatee.
Maybe she felt sorry for me.
X̱at yawsiḵaa.
Thatʼs what she said to me.
Áwéi,
So,
ixkéedáx̱ aa dleit ḵáach x̱at woosháaxʼw.
a white man from down south asked me to marry him.
Áwé tle wáa sá yakoogéi yá school a tóonáx̱ yaawagút, everything.
However much school there was, he went through it, everything.
Chʼa aan áwé, ʼéh!
Even so, gosh!
Wáa sá du tuwáa sagóo nich machine daa yéijiné.
How he loved working on machines.
Áwé ltín, ah,
So, see, uh,
yóotʼát ḵúwé du tuwáa wsigóo wéi
that one though, he loved that
chʼa yáadáx̱ tsá aadé yóo s ḵuyatínk from
they regularly travel there from here, from
Las Vegas.
Las Vegas.
Yaakw yíknáx̱ gé gax̱yeeḵóox̱?
Are you folks going on the boat?
Juneau-dé tsu?
To Juneau again?
Yaakw yíknáx̱?
On the boat?
Yeah.
Ferry boat.
Ahah. A yíx̱ yéi gax̱too.áat.
Uhuh. We'll board it.
{du}
Du jeeyís a,
For him uh,
chainsaw haa jeewú Earl.
we have a chainsaw for Earl.
Oh.
{i, i }
I jeet wutooteeyí du jeedé kg̱isa.éen Juneau-xʼ.
If we give it to you, you can give it to him in Juneau.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Wéitʼaa een kakg̱eenéek.
You can tell that person.
Lidzée wé
Itʼs hard
gáng̱aa tutí áwé {hél}
thinking about getting firewood,
Oh.
Chʼa yéi koogeyi xáshaa áwé du jeewú áwé lidzée du éexʼ.
He only has a saw thatʼs this big (shown with hands), itʼs hard for him.
Ách áwé
That's why
yéi át yawtuwadlaaḵ {kawtoo}.
we got such a thing.
Haa x̱ooní
Our relative
l ayáx̱ ultseen dé.
is not strong enough anymore.
Daa sá yéi adaanéi néekw x̱ʼawtuwawóosʼ, «Hél gé wáa sá utí?
Whenever he does anything, we ask him, “Is it all right?
Haa tuwáa sigóo yáatʼát ax̱ yéet jeeyís,» yóo daayax̱aḵá.
We want this for my son,” I tell him.
«Háʼ, i jiyís.
“Well, itʼs for you.
Chʼa wéit áwé satéen hél daa sá yéi adaa.uné wé át.
It's just lying there doing nothing.
Hél ayáx̱ x̱at ultseen
I'm not strong enough
gáng̱aa yóo gútk yeedát.»
for going after wood.”
Áwé dáanaa du x̱ʼéix̱ wutuwatee.
So we gave him money to eat.
Atx̱á aawa.óo aan.
He bought groceries with it.
Tle déix̱ wootee.
There were two.
Tléixʼ áwé {hé}
One
Larry jeeyís.
for Larry.
Chʼa tlákw
All the time
yéi kwdzigeyi átg̱aa,
for small things,
{ax̱} ldakát ax̱ daa,
all around me,
ax̱ x̱oonxʼí
my relatives
atx̱á haadé yéi daadunéi nich yéi gusgeig̱áa ax̱ jiyís.
always bring food a little at a time for me.
Hmh.
Oh.
Yéi áwé {an} yanx̱adláḵch
That's how I get
ax̱ atx̱aayí.
my food.
Yéi gusgeig̱áa.
A little at a time.
Yatʼéexʼ,
It's hard,
wé Lingít atx̱aayí
the Native food,
ḵaa jeet kawdahá.
to get it.
Ax̱ tuwáa lidzée
It seems hard to me
wé áa yéi haa yateeyi.
(the place) where we live.
Wéitʼaa ḵú am,
That one though um,
yóotʼát áwé asxuk neech.
what he always dries.
What kind of fish were you drying and smoking?
Áwé ah,
That is uh,
Super Bear, áxʼ áwé {di}
Super Bear (grocery store) is where
áa ahun neejín.
he always used to sell it.
Áwé du tóoch lichéesh yeedát,
Now he thinks that he can do it,
wéi {x̱áat tl} x̱áat saxúk.
that drying fish.
Ḵʼasigóo ḵu.aa.
It's fun though.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Hél yeewuyá(tʼ).
It wasnʼt a long time.
Tle Lingítx̱ yaa nax̱layéx̱.
Iʼm just starting to turn him into a Tlingit.
Áwé yóotʼaa,
So that one,
Shuxʼáa kippered salmon {ye} yéi nx̱asanée,
When I first made kippered salmon,
x̱alatín
I watched
aadé yéi daadunéiyi yé wéi,
the way the were making it,
Ella, ax̱ sée du x̱án.aach áwé yéi daanéi nooch.
my daughter Ellaʼs husband would make it.
«Kakḵwa.aaḵw.»
“I'm going to try it.” [She thinks to herself.]
Yánde yaa kaneeltín.
Youʼre really observing.
Shuxʼáa aa yéi nx̱asanée áwé
When I made the first one
du jeet x̱wasitée.
I gave it to him.
A daa yóo yadzi.éik.
He's looking it over.
X̱ʼéi awdinúk.
He tasted it.
«Ax̱ aayí yáanáx̱ yakʼéi! Wáa sá ysinee?»
“It's better than mine. How did you make it?”
«Ha ijix̱wlitín áwé {chʼa chʼa} á áwé yax̱waadlaaḵ,» yóo daayax̱aḵá.
“Well, I just watched you, that's how I made it,” I tell him.
«Hél uldzée
“It's not hard
i aayí yéidaané,» yóo daayax̱aḵá.
to make it your way,” I tell him.
Tléixʼ yán duxáshch.
You just cut it once.
Yéi daax̱ané
That's how I make it.
{yéi koo} Yáatʼát yáx̱ koogéi.
Itʼs as big as this thing here.
Juneau-xʼ x̱waa.óo,
I bought it in Juneau,
Jerryʼs locker-dáx̱ x̱á.
from Jerry's Locker, see.
$58, yéi koogéikʼ wé fish.
$58 for a little bit of fish this size. [About 8”]
Wududlisʼeg̱i fsh.
Smoked fish.
Kippered salmon.
X̱ʼalitseen!
Expensive!
Hél ḵwá ḵaa x̱ʼéix̱ x̱wateex̱.
I didn't give any away though.
Yéi x̱wsaneeyí
When I make it,
ldakát wé yanwáatxʼ
all the elders,
yéi kwdagéi x̱axash nuch has du jiyís.
I always cut this much for them.
Hah.
Huh.
Has du tuwáa sigóo.
They sure like it.
G̱áatl een has ax̱áa nuch.
They alwlays eat it with crackers.
Wáanaganeens wé eex̱ a káa yéi s ana.eich.
Sometimes they put oil on it.
Hél daa sá oowóosʼ ax̱ x̱án.aa wéi, [This conversation is continued on #74.]
My husband doesn't ask any questions, [He eats whatever they give him].