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Tlingit Conversation #76
Shall I start?
Speakers are Shak’sháani Margaret Dutson and Kaséix̱ Selina Everson. Recorded November 16, 2011, at the Dutson home in Juneau, AK, by Skip Gray and Kelli Burkinshaw of KTOO.
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 Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. English translation by Shak’sháani Margaret Dutson and Kaséix̱ Selina Everson with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by X̱ʼaagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston with Ḵaachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia.
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]
OK.
Kaséix̱ yóo x̱at duwasáakw, Lingít x̱'éináx̱.
Kaséix̱ I am called in Tlingit.
Deisheetaan shaawát áyá x̱át
I'm a Deisheetaan woman
Aangóondáx̱.
from Angoon.
Ax̱ éesh ḵwá, Kaagwaantaanx̱ wusitee.
My father was Kaagwaantaan (clan).
Ax̱ léelk'w ḵwá, Teiḵweidí.
My grandparent, Teiḵweidí (clan).
Yéil hítdáx̱ áyá x̱át.
I'm from the Raven House.
S'igeidí shaawát.
A Beaver woman.
Haw, wa.é ḵu.aa.
How about you?
Shakʼsháani yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
Shakʼsháani I am called.
G̱aanax̱teidí áyá x̱át.
I am Ghaanax̱teidí (clan).
Ax̱ éesh ḵu.aa,
My father though,
Yanyeidíx̱ sitee.
is Yanyeidí (clan).
Yáa,
Thus,
Aangóondei áyá ksixát ax̱ shagóon.
my clan runs from Angoon.
Wé S'igeidí Hít shux'wáanáx̱.
(We were) the Beaver House at first (I was told).
Áa yéi haa wootee.
We lived there.
Wáa yóo at g̱unéi sáwé aax̱ haa wligáas' T'aaḵúde.
Whatever was happening, we moved from there to Taku.
Áx' áyá ax̱ tláa
There my mother
kéi uwawát.
grew up.
Haa x̱oonx'í aa shayaw-
Our relatives
áa shayadihéin Angoon.
were many in Angoon.
Aadáx̱ áyá wuháan.
That's where we came from. [From Klukwan to Angoon to Taku.]
Haw. Há, yak'éi x̱áawé x̱sakoowú.
It's good that I know that.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yak'éi wooch wuduskoowú.
It's good to know each other.
Aadéi haa wdudziwátx'i yé,
The way we were raised,
Mhm.
Yeah.
haa léelk'u hás,
our grandparents,
aadéi haa {sh has} haa shakoojeis'ín.
the way they taught us.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Angóonx' kei x̱at nawádi,
When I was being raised in Angoon,
ax̱ léelk'u hás,
my grandmothers,
keijínináx̱ {woo} has wootee.
there were 5 of them.
Ḵúnáx̱ yan káx' ax̱ léelk'w woonaa, ch'a keijín táakwx̱ x̱at sateeyí.
My real grandmother died when I was 5 years old.
Ách áwé tle ax̱ léelk'u hásx̱, has wusitee.
That's why they became my grandmothers.
Tle shawdiháa ax̱ léelk'u hás.
There were many of my grandmothers.
Shaawát.
Women.
Ḵúnáx̱ has haa woojéeyin Angoonx' kéi haa nawádi.
They used to really reprimand us when we were growing up in Angoon.
Likoodzí.
Amazing.
Aaá.
Yes.
Mmm.
Yes.
Yéi áwé x̱át tsú.
That's the way it was with me too.
Ax̱ éesh T'aaḵúdáx̱
My father from Taku
áwé X'áat T'aak has wuligás' Yanyeidí.
migrated to Douglas (with) the Yanyeidí.
Áx' áyá
That is where
??? ḵoowtudzitéet.
we lived.
Jinkaat ḵa {tléi} tléix'
11
yéi wootee {du} du yátx'i ax̱ éesh.
is how many children my dad had.
Shúx'aa yéi áa,
The first,
ax̱
my
éek' hás, ḵa ax̱ shátx̱ i hás
brothers and older sisters
ch'a yeisú hél k'idéin has x̱wasakóowu, has woonaa de.
before I really knew them, they died.
Yá
This
yá áa kei x̱at uwawádi yé {hél yáa} hél yáa
where I was raised, it wasn't like
aadé ḵutudziteeyí yé yeedát.
the way we live now.
Héil áyáx̱ ḵoowtoostí.
It wasn't the right way.
Wé héen wutuwayáa.
We had to carry water.
Ḵa
And
wé
the
yagéiyi át tléil, tléil yáat at yáx̱ wutee.
things weren't like they are now.
Hél x̱wasakú gwál yé
I don't know, maybe
wé i {ji} shagóon yéi wootee.
your background is the same way.
Yéi wootee ax̱ shagóon x̱át tsú.
That is the way my background was too.
Héen wutuwayáa.
We carried water too.
Has du éet tudashéeyjin ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ léelk'u hás.
We used to help our mothers and our grandmothers.
Mhm.
Yeah
Fish camp.
Dusxook nooch salmon.
They always dried salmon.
Yá too.ús'gun has du jeeyís has du éet tudashéeych,
We would clean and help them,
ḵa yax̱,
hanging them,
shawduteeyí wé,
after they hang them,
kát wudux'áas'i wé salmon.
when they slice the salmon.
Ḵúnáx̱ haa tuwáa wsigóo
Oh, we sure liked it,
fish camp
áa yéi haa teeyí.
when we were there.
Yéi áwé wootee uháan tsú.
That's the way it was with us too.
Shelter Island.
Aadé haa nalgás'jin.
We went there to camp.
Yéi áwé. Ḵ'asagú!
That's how it was. How fun!
Ldakát yáa, ldakát
Everyone, everyone
haa náḵ daaḵ
would leave us behind
ḵuwusḵúx̱ch,
and go out on the boat,
ax̱ éesh ḵa ax̱ tláa.
my dad and my mother.
Yéi áwé
That is how
dáanaa s ayadláḵx'un.
they made money.
Wáang̱aneens áwé {tlákw yaa sha}
Sometimes
tlákw yaa agadláḵwch ax̱ tláa.
my mother would beat him. [in catching fish]
Ax̱ éesh ḵu.aa,
My dad though,
«Goosú? Daa sáyú?»
“Where? What is it?”
«Kéi aydzit'eix̱ gé Éesh wé x̱áat?»
“Did you catch any salmon, Dad?”
«Tléik'!
“No.
X̱at yaawadláaḵ i tláa.
Your mother beat me.
Likoodzí aadé litseeni yé.»
It's amazing how strong she is.”
Yáax' áwé
That is why
x̱áat tusaxúk nooch.
we would dry fish.
At yátx'i aa .{katu} Hél tle, ch'a g̱óot' aa
The children, we (played). Not (the Salvation Army), a different one,
church-x' haa wdudziwát.
we were raised in church.
Catholic Church.
Áwés l tín Salvation Army,
Oh, the Salvation Army,
wáa sá haa tuwáa wsigóo.
how we loved them.
X̱át tsú, uháan tsú.
Me too, us too.
Áyá yaa kakdushée jintaak dut'ácht.
People sang and clapped their hands.
«Wáan Da Séis Kawáajin yé,» ch'a yéi tooshéeyin.
“When the Saints Go Marching In,” the way we used to sing it.
"When the Saints Go Marching In."
Ch'a aadéi s ashéeyi yáx̱ yaa tooshéejin.
We sang it the way they (the grownups) sang it.
Ax̱ tláa du
My mother her
a kát daa.ús'gi nuch át,
washtub,
áwé drum-x̱ tulayéx̱ noojín.
we made a drum out of it.
"I will make you fishers of men." [song]
Ḵáa isg̱eiwúx̱ ikḵwalayéix̱.
I will make you fishers of men.
Wáa sá haa x̱'éi wook'é.
Oh, we loved it.
X̱át tsú. Áwé yaa ktoo.átch wé léin yát.
Me too. We would march on the beach.
Haw, tooshée nooch; keijínáx̱ haa yatee.
We would sing; there were 5 of us.
Oh, ax̱ tláa
And my mother
ḵa ax̱ éesh hás, ḵa,
and my dad, that is,
yaa has kagatís'ch.
they would observe carefully.
Ax̱ shátx̱,
My older sister,
goodáx̱ sá kwshé yan akawdlitín,
I don't know where she learned this,
«Sargeant Major áyá x̱át.
“I'm the sargeant major.
Aadóo sá Dikée Aanḵáawu asix̱án?
Who loves the Lord?
Yáa daak gú.»
Come out here.”
Daa kíknáx̱ áwé
With that
áa daak oogóotch ax̱ éek'.
my brother would step out.
Áa x̱'akoosháaych
She would force him to say it.
«Wáa sáyá?»
“What is it?”
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú x̱át tsú.
I didn't like it either.
Ch'as áwé at shí ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo.
I just loved the singing.
Yeisú áx̱ x̱at shakooyénch wé
She would just shake me up.
Sargeant major, (said)
«Dikée Aanḵáawu gé isix̱án?»
“Do you love the Lord?”
X̱at shukanayúkch.
She would shake me up.
A ít áwé s,
After that,
á ḵúnáx̱ áwé, hél,
after that, not,
hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú Salvation Army x̱at wusteeyí.
I didn't want to be a Salvation Army at that time.
Ḵúdáx̱ áwé ???
And really ???
Sargeant Major.
Haw, aax̱ áwé {ch'a ḵu} ch'a g̱óot yéide ḵúx̱de, ḵúx̱de yoo ndanéech wé.
Well, from there she would, she would back down.
Ax̱ yís x'áan.
She would be mad at me.
At shóoḵ áwé {ax̱ yáx̱ yan u}
Laughing at me,
yan oowuljáaḵch ax̱ tláa.
my mother would die laughing.
Ch'a átx̱ satí áwé ax̱áa nooch.
It's a wonder she even rowed.
Wé yeisú,
Just then,
«Éesháan, i kéek'. Tlákw áwé tlákw shakeeyayóok, wáa sáwé?
“Your poor sister. You're always shaking her up. Why is that?
Hél du tuwáa ushgú.
She didn't want
áa daak has agútch.»
you to make her come out.”
{wé i} «Wé yéi áwé
(Sister said,) “That's the way
Dikée Aanḵáawu kakg̱eeshéix̱'.»
you're going to praise the Lord.”
Aaá, tléil ax̱ tuwáa wushgú.
Yes, I sure didn't like it.
Ách áwé x̱at shakooyúkch.
That's why she would shake me up.
«Tuli.aaní át áwé Sargeant major, Sík'.
“Sargeant majors are kind, Daughter.
Wáa sáwé tlax̱ yéi hél cháa i x̱'ei tí?»
Why do you speak so mean?”
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé haa tuwáa sagóowun Salvation Army Church.
We really used to love the Salvation Army church.
A ítdáx̱ ḵu.aa,
After that though,
Presbyterian,
Presbyterian,
ḵoon shkalneegíx̱ wusitee, ax̱ káak.
my uncle was a preacher.
Déix̱, ch'a dáx̱náx̱ hás.
Both of them.
Ách áwé ch'a Presbyterian Church natoo.átjin.
That's why we went to the Presbyterian Church.
Ḵúnáx̱ haa tuwáa wsigóo at shí.
Because we loved to sing.
Ax̱ kéek'
My younger sister
wé haa náḵ wugoodí,
the one that left us,
June Peguese,
[Aanyax̱saxéex was her name.]
há, ḵúnáx̱ at tooshéen.
we would really sing.
Haa tuwáa wsigóo at shí.
We loved to sing.
Kei haa nawádi Aangóonx'
When we were growing up in Angoon
ash koolyát; hél tsú TV wtusakú.
we played; didn't know anything about TV.
Hél tsú wé television wutusakú.
We didn't know anything about television.
Ch'a uháanch yéi daatoonéi noojín háw
We just made our own
kus.ook'ú.
games.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ách {á} wáa sá haa toowú yak'éi.
Oh how we were happy.
Át natoo.átch;
We'd walk around;
át natoosheech wáang̱aneens
we'd sing sometimes
{át nat át} át natoosheech.
while walking.
Tle a kaadéi yaa x̱at sagax'áḵwch ax̱ yóo x̱'atángi.
I start forgetting my language.
A x̱oo aa lidzee yéi.
Some of it is hard.
Lidzée.
It's hard.
Mhm. Wé
Yeah. The
wáang̱aneens áwé
sometimes
ḵa shkalneegíx̱ x̱at nasteech.
I become a storyteller.
«Ḵúx̱ g̱eedatán!
“Repent!
X̱'aan ganaltáadei kg̱eegóot.»
You'll go into the fire and burn!”
Ha.é!
Well!
Ax̱ tláach,
My mother,
«Tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ áwé yaa yag̱eeḵéich.»
“You say too much.”
{has x̱'ax̱ has x̱'et} Has du x'éit x̱wasa.áx̱ch tle
I listened to them.
Salvation Army.
Ḵúnáx̱ x̱ayí
A lot
has sh kalneek nooch.
they used to talk.
Há likoodzí aadé
Amazing
{hel a} Ax̱ toowóoch ḵu.aa
I always think
tle ḵút neeshíxch.
you run away and get lost.
Ax̱ yáa ḵút wooné aadé yisikóowu yé wé
I'm amazed at how much you know
aadé has sh kalneek yé.
(about) how they told stories.
Wáang̱aneens áwé Walter Soboleff-x̱ x̱at nasteech.
Sometimes I play the part of Walter Soboleff.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Sagú.
Fun.
Wé ax̱ tláa {du a kát du} du.ús'k át,
My mother's wash tub,
wool tléinx' a káa yéi (ntusaneich).
we made big holes in it.
Ax̱ toowóoch ḵú tle haa gax̱dux̱ísht.
I thought sure we'd get a spanking.
Ax̱ éesh waḵsheeyí kei aawatán.
She brought it up to show my father,
«K'é yá drum
“This drum
yá aan has
with it
{ḵís' x̱á} ḵís' yáa át has na.átji át k'é aadé s awsinéeyi yé!
they walked around in the tide with this thing, look what they did to it!
Daat een sá yéi kḵwada.óos' yeedát?»
What am I going to use to wash now?”»
Áwé haat {haa y}, haa yadusḵúx̱ch yáax'.
They'd bring us here.
Tsú aa na.eich, ax̱ tláa.
She'd buy another one, my mom.
Wáa sá haa tuwáa wsigóo yá Salvation Army-x̱ sitee.
We really liked being Salvation Army.
Ch'a yeedádidé ax̱ tuwáa x̱á sigóo.
To this day I like them.
Taax' aaní shú.
End of land. [Where her grandmother's camp was.]
Yáax' áwé cannery-dé.
Now to the cannery.
Áx' aadé gatooxúnch.
We'd get ready to go.
Ḵaa ji.een tláakw,
Helping quickly,
kax̱dachakínch
I'd pack
daaḵw aa sá ax̱ tuwáa sigóo.
whatever I like.
«Tlax̱ ḵúdáx áwé, tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ áwé yaa yakunagéin.
“That's too much, too much ???
Wa.éich ákwé at gag̱eeyáa?»
Are you going to pack it around?”
«Yee ji.een x̱áa at nax̱ayáaych,» yóo daayax̱aḵá ax̱ tláa.
“I help pack it around,” I said to my mother.
T'aaḵúde áwé Taku Harbor,
To Taku Harbor,
aadé áwé haa yan dusḵúx̱ch.
that's where they'd take us by boat.
Á wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa x'asigóo yá cannery.
I really enjoyed the cannery.
Ax̱ tláa áa daxás' nooch
My mother used to slime fish
ḵa ax̱ shátx̱.
and my older sister.
Wáa sáwé,
However,
[we think she's saying: sagú yaa gaxíxjin] ???
it used to be fun.
Há ḵúnáx̱ áyú ax̱ toowú wsigóo cannery-x' yéi ???
I was really happy going to the cannery.
Tle wooch yáx̱ áwé kéi haa wdiwát.
We grew up similarly.
Aadéi kei haa wdudziwádi yé.
How we were raised.
I x̱'éit x̱wasa.aaxí tlax̱ x̱áach tsú x̱wsikóo
When I listen to you I also know
a yáx̱ kéi haa wdudziwát.
we were raised properly.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Cannery-dé
To the cannery
daxáas' noojín ax̱ tláa hú tsú. Há!
My mother also slimed fish. Oh.
Haa shayawdiháa.
There were a lot of us.
{tleiḵáa} Jinkaat ḵa déix̱.
12.
Oh my.
Yéi {wu} haa yakaawagéi.
That's how many we were (in the family).
Tle, tle
Just, just,
ldakát has woonáat'. [woonáaḵw?]
all of them died.
Ch'as x̱át áwé, x̱at wooneix̱ yeedát, ax̱, X̱át tsú.
Now it's just me I am the last survivor, Me too.
family jeedáx̱.
from the family.
12.
Yéi áwé x̱át tsú.
That's how it is for me too.
Ldakát has woonaa.
They all passed away.
{kéi} Kéi haa nawádi Angóonx',
While growing up in Angoon,
tla ḵúnáx̱ áwé, {tla k'ei}
really,
ḵúnáx̱ haa k'idéin haa dultínch,
they really watched us closely,
ax̱ léelk'u hás.
my grandparents.
Haa ch'a tlákw {tudigí toodu}
Always I did something wrong
du toogéit. {x̱wasa}
that she didn't agree with.
{has du} Has du dagéitx̱
They didn't like
wutoostee.
when we'd do something wrong.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ch'a tlákw haa yadujée noojín.
They used to punish us all the time.
«Ḵútx̱ áwé x̱'ayasátk.»
“You speak too fast!”
«Ḵútx̱ áwé at eeshóoḵ.»
“You laugh too much.”
«Hél iyakoodál.»
“Your head is too light.” [Move too fast to be dignified.]
«Ḵútx̱ áwé át yaydag̱eech.»
“You move your head too fast (looking around).”
Ch'a tlákw áwé.
All the time.
Ḵúnáx̱,
Too,
Át yaa kindanáashch.
You were too flightly.
«Át yaa kindanáashch.»
“Too flighty.”
«Shaawát k'idéin .éi quiet-x̱ sitee shaawát yei.»
“A lady is quiet, lady-like.”
«Yéi á, yéi áwé g̱anúkwch,»
“That's how they sit,”
ax̱ léelk'w. {sh}
my grandmothers (said).
X'oon sá has wootee.
There were a lot of them. [Grandmas, liely all her motherʼs motherʼs sisters.]
Ḵúnáx̱ has wutusix̱án.
We really loved them.
Ax̱, ax̱ léelk'w
My, my grandmother,
«Héeng̱aa kwshé nḵasheex i jeeyís?»
I'd say, “Grandma, can I get some water for you?”
«Aaá,» léelk'w.
“Yes,” grandma (would say).
Áwé tléix'.aa ax̱ léelk'w,
My other grandma,
Dora Klushkan,
[Looshkáan was her last name.]
ax̱ éek', áwé store
my brother, the store,
«Du x̱ánx̱ nagoot i léelk'w,
“Go to your grandmother,
Yítk',» ax̱ tláa yéi daayaḵá
Sonny,” she used to say
yéi ash daayaḵá.
she would tell him.
«Ch'a daa sá
“Whatever
hoondaakaídidéi kg̱wagoodí
(help her) when she goes to the store
ḵach'u héen has du x̱'éis gag̱g̱eeyáa.»
or pack water for them.”
Háa.
Now.
Tle át uwagút, ax̱ éek'.
He went to them, my brother.
«Léelk'w,
“Grandma,
tlél gé daa sá i tuwáa {ush} usgú
do you want anything
store-dáx̱?»
from the store?”
«Aaá, chx̱ánk', aaá.
“Yes, grandson, yes.
Háa.
Now.
Daa sáwé kḵwa.óow?
What am I going to buy?
Káagas x̱á káagas.»
Crackers, yeah, crackers.”
Haw.
Well!
Tle gáant wujixíx, ax̱ éek'.
He ran outdoors, my brother.
«Ó'!
“Oh!.
Crackers or cookies?"
{tle áa y} Ax̱ léelk'u x̱ánt {ḵú- ḵút dujixeex.}
He ran back to Grandma's.
Ḵúx̱ wujixíx ax̱ éek'.
He ran back, my brother.
«Léelk'w
“Grandma,
daa sáwé kḵwa.óow?
what am I going to buy?
crackers ágé ḵach'u cookies?»
Crackers or cookies?”
«Ho.ó‽
“What‽
kaagás, x̱á kaagás, hél gwá yisakú?»
Crackers, crackers, don't you know?”
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Crackers ágé?
Crackers then.
Ch'a, ch'a guess-x̱ awliyéx̱.
He just guessed.
«Háw gwál crackers gíwé?»
“Well, maybe crackers it is.”
Hél yéi at á?
There's none there?
And
Áx̱ haa x̱'akawdudligéiḵ yóo x̱'atánk.
We were forbidden to speak (Tlingit) there.
Ḵáach ḵwá hél tlax̱ x̱wasakú
I didn't really know that
kéi haa nawádi x̱á.
while growing up.
Ax̱ éek' hás ḵwá Sheldon Jackson-dé s ḵoowateen.
My brothers went to Sheldon Jackson.
Gwál dé
Maybe
déix̱ ḵach'u nás'k táakw ax̱ shuká.
2, 3 years ahead of me.
Mmm.
Yeah.
Áwé SJ-x' hél aadé Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo s x̱'ax̱wli.aadi yé.
At SJ they couldn't speak Tlingit.
Áx̱ has x̱'akawdudligéiḵ.
They were forbidden.
Cyril George, Jeff David,
ax̱ éek' Jim Kluskan, ḵa ax̱ éek' Kenny.
my brother Jim Klushkan, and my brother Kenny [James].
Háa.
Well,
«Tlax̱ hél tsú yá campus káx' Lingít x̱'éináx yóo x̱'agax̱yeela.aat.»
“You will not speak Tlingit on this campus.”
É‽
Wow‽
Ḵúnáx̱ át has woogáas'ch has du yóo x̱'atángi x̱áawé daax'oonináx̱ has yatee.
The four of them really used to long to speak their language.
Ch'a tlákw wooch.een has at shée noojín quartet.
They used to sing together in a quartet.
É.
Wow.
{lingít x̱'éináx̱ kagax̱- x̱'agax̱tut} «Lingít x̱'éináx̱ at guḵasaayí kei x̱ashk'énch.»
“When I'm going to say something in Tlingit, I jumped.”
Campus x̱áa ,»
“On campus.”
{yéi haa yóo} yéi has yawdudz(iḵáa,)
they were told,
«Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'agax̱yeela.áat, tléik'!»
“if you're going to speak in Tlingit, no!”
«Ách áwé kéi haa duk'énjin.»
“That's why we used to jump in the air. [So they woouldnʼt be “on” campus.]
Lingít x̱'éináx̱,
Tlingit language,
át haa woogáas'ch haa yóo x̱'atángi.»
we missed our language.”
Tlax̱ yéi yan x̱waashúḵ
I laughed
x̱áa ax̱ een has akaneegí ax̱,
when they told us,
{ax̱ ax̱} ax̱ éek' hás.
my brothers.
Ax̱ shátx,
My elder sister,
ah, ax̱ léelk'úch kaawaḵáa,
uh, my grandmother sent her,
Ḵaajeesák yóo duwasáakw.
Ḵajeesák was her name.
Wéi
The
{ga} «Gag̱eegóot, Chx̱ánk',
“You'll go, Grandchild,
tle yéi áyá kg̱eesáa
and you'll name
káakin gwéins.
káakin gwéins.
K'e sá.»
Name it.”
??? Ax̱ shátx̱ich
(To) my older sister.
«Haw! K'é tsu sá.
“Well! Say it again.
A kát isakg̱wax'áaḵw.»
You might forget it.”
«Káakin gwéins.»
“Káakin gwéins.”
«Haw. Áyáx̱ áwé iyasáa.
“Well. You said it right.
Góok, neeshéex.»
Go ahead, run.”
Áwé, wujixeex ax̱ shátx̱.
So, my older sister ran.
Áwé anax̱ yei wdzigít tle a kát seiwax'áḵw.
She fell down and forgot the word.
Anáx̱ neil kawdig̱áx̱.
She ran home crying.
«Anáx̱ yei x̱at wudzigít,
“I fell down,
Léelk'w,
Grandma,
tle a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw aag̱áa
I forgot
yaa nx̱al.óon át.»
what I'm going after.”
«Há, káakin gwéins.
“Gee, kaakin gwéins.
Yóo áwé kg̱eesáa tle.
That's the way you'll say it.
Kei yéi áyá kg̱eesáa.
Say it this way.
Héil,
No,
hél, tlél ch'a g̱oot yéide.
no, not another way.
{ye} Wéi,
The,
hoondaakahídi ḵáa,
grocer man,
du een yéi kg̱eesá.»
You'll say it to him.”
«Haw, yak'éi.»
“Well, OK.”
Tle gáant wujixíx tsu.
She ran out again.
Át wusheexí áwé,
When she arrived there,
Tony Simon yóo duwasáakw wéi,
Tony Simon is his name,
wéi daakahít s'aatí.
the grocer man,
«I want káakin gwéins.»
"Um.
I think you're saying it wrong."
"No, Grandma said it's
káakin gwéins.»
You look." Am.
Um.
Du toowóoch ḵu.aa áyáx̱ áwé ayasáakw.
She thought she was saying it right.
Áwé,
So,
ch'a, ch'a
just, just,
de x'aan déin {yaa n}
she was
yaa yanaḵéi nuch áwé de.
getting angry.
«Ch'a wa.éich aag̱áa ḵushí.
“You look for it yourself (the grocer said).
Át ḵushí wéide.
Look for it there.
Gwál áwu á.»
it might be there.”
Áwé awsiteen aax̱ awlisháat.
So she saw it and grabbed it off (the shelf).
«Yáadu á.
“Here it is.
This is káakin gwéins.»
Pork and beans.
Wéi ash yát awdlig̱én.
So, he looked at her
At shuḵch yaa najáḵ wé hoondaakahídi s'aatí.
The grocer died laughing.
A jeet yéi awsinée wé dáanaa.
She gave him the money.
«Now it's not hard. That's káakin gwéins,»
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áwé yéi ayawsiḵáa,
He said to her,
"It's pork and beans."
"No you're saying it wrong," (she said).
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áwé neil wujixíx
She ran in
ax̱ léelk'w jeet awsi.ín.
and gave it to my grandma.
«Likoodzí aadé x̱at yanasḵáni wé,
“It's amazing, the way he said it to me,
hoondaakahídi s'aatí.
that grocer owner.
ʼPork and beans,ʼ yóo ayasáakw.
ʼPork and beansʼ he calls it.
Tláakw yax̱wsiḵáa,
I quickly stated
‹Káakin gwéins› yóo duwasáakw.»
They call it ʼkaakin gweinsʼ.”
«Haw,
(Grandma) “Well,
next time aadé you go dei áwé ch'a, chʼa,
the next time you go,
ch'a yéi kg̱eesáa tsu.»
you'll say it that way again.”
Tle du toowóoch ḵú áyáx̱ áwé ayasáakw, ax̱ léelk'u.
Grandma thought she was saying it right.
Yéi áyá,
That's the way,
hél k'idéin wutusakóowun {haa yóo}
we didn't know it too well,
dleit ḵáa yóo x̱'atángi.
the white man language.
Gwál haa x̱'akduník noojín
Maybe they used to interpret for us
school-t wutoo.aadí.
when we went to school.
X'oondahéen sá x̱at shakduyúkch wé Lingít x̱'éináx yóo x̱'atánk.
I was always shaken up for speaking Tlingit.
Dei ch'a yéi
That is
eeshandéin
sadness
ax̱ toowú nateech.
I was feeling for myself.
Tlél
Not
hél tlax̱
not much
hél tlax̱ ax̱ tóox' yéi utí,
I didn't feel that way,
wé áx̱ haa x̱'akawdudligéiḵ.
that they stopped us from speaking.
Ch'as dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'awtuli.át ax,
We just spoke the white man language,
ax̱ shátx̱i hás een, ḵa ax̱ kéek', June.
with my older sisters, and my younger sister, June.
Sheldon Jackson ḵutootéen
When we got to Sheldon Jackson
ḵu.aa, tlax̱ hél x̱wasakú, ách áwé x̱at ḵwá
however, I didn't know, that's why,
a x̱oo aa tle a kát seiwax'áḵw has du yóo x̱'atángi.
some forgot their language.
Áx̱ has x̱'akawdulgéig̱ich,
Because they stopped them from using it,
ách áwé tle a kát has seiwax'áḵw.
that's why they forgot it.
X̱át ḵwá, tle
As for me,
héil a kát x̱at seiwax'áaḵw,
I didn't forget it,
ax̱ yóo x̱'atángi.
my language.
Hél áx̱ at x̱'akawdulgéiḵ ách áwé.
They didn't stop me, that's why.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Ḵúnáx̱
Really
tle, tle g̱áax̱ nooch, wé
he used to cry, the
húnx̱wu.aa wé Deisheetaanx̱ sitee yáax' yéi yatee.
older brother, he was Deisheetaan and lived here.
Yá Juneau-x' yéi yatee.
He lived in Juneau.
Aadéi
That is
{yoo kawdudlishóo} has kawdudlishóo wé yá haa yoo x̱'atángi áx̱ has x̱'akawdudligéig̱i.
they went through a lot when they were told not to speak our language.
Yeedát ḵu.aa,
Now however,
x̱úx̱de yóo.
they're bringing it back.
School-x'
At school
yaa ḵóo dultóow tsu
they're teaching it again,
haa yóo x̱'atángi.
our language.
Wáa sá ax̱ toowú yak'éi a kaadáx̱.
I'm really happy about it.
Wa.é tsú,
And you too,
i yóo x̱'atángi
because of your language.
Mhm. ḵóot idishée aan.
Yes. you help people with it.
Mhm.
Yes.
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú ḵút wooxeexí.
I don't want it to be lost.
De hél haa shawudahéin
There aren't too many of us now
ḵúnáx̱ áyá a tóo aa ḵoowtudziteeyí,
who were really born in it,
Lingít yóo x̱'atángi.
the Tlingit language.
Eeshandéin yaa x̱at kaawashóo, aaá.
I went through a lot of heartache.
Skagway
In Skagway
Catholic mission-déi ḵoowtootéen, [ḵoowdzwootéen?]
when we went to the Catholic mission,
tle ḵúnáx̱ áyú
really over there
hél, tlél has tuwáa wushgú,
they didn't like it,
haa yóo x̱'atángi.
our (Tlingit) language.
Aaá,
Yes,
ch'a hásch yeedát has aklaník nooch.
they talk(ed) about it now.
Am, «L ushik'éiyi yóo x̱'atánk áwé yee jeewú.
Um, “The language you speak is bad.
Héexw a tóowu.»
Witchcraft is in it.”
Há, hél tsú x̱wsakú daa sáyá yéi duwasáakw, «héexw».
I didn't know what that meant, ʼwitchcraftʼ.
Áwé, ch'a aan áwé,
Even so,
ḵushtuyáx̱ héexw {yóo s}
it doesn't matter (if) witchcraft
yóo s x̱'ayaḵáayi.
is what they call it.
"I'm going to learn it."
Tle
Just
tle ch'a aan kíknáx̱ áyá
just in spite of it
ax̱ tóo yéi wootee.
I felt that way.
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú ax̱ jeedáx̱ wuduteeyí.
I didn't want them to take it away from me.
Yeisú áwé ax̱
Still my
tláa ḵa ax̱ éesh
mother and my father
has sh kalník neech.
would talk about (our ways).
«Ch'a yóo tleeyaadé nagú.
“Go over there.
Hél ḵaa tuwáa ushgú yéi yee
They don't want you
yóo x̱'atánk yisakoowú.»
to know your language.”
Hél has du tóo- hél ḵu.aa,
They didn't, didnʼt however,
has awuskú
they didnʼt know
ch'a yóo tliyáatx̱ áwé ḵúnáx̱ k'idéin at x̱wasa.áx̱ch.
I would really listen carefully from way over there.
Haw, ch'a aan áwé ch'a koogéiyi x̱aasáakw haa yóo x̱'atángi.
Even then, I would say the words differently.
Yáax' áwé
When finally
Xunaadáx̱ x̱at wuduwasháa.
I married someone from Hoonah.
Áx' áwé,
That is where,
James Grant ḵa du shát daat yax̱ sá s x̱at wusix̱án.
James Grant and his wife really loved me.
Has du yádi yáx̱ ax̱ daa has toowatee.
They loved me like their own child.
Ax̱ eeg̱áa át ugootch Saturday morning.
He would come after me Saturday morning.
«Haakw déi.
“Come on now.
Yan at wusi.ée de i káani.»
Your sister-in-law cooked for you now.”
Aadéi nx̱agútch.
I would go over there.
Wáang̱aneens áwé ax̱ tóowu néekw noojin
Sometimes I would feel sad
tlax̱ yéi s wudisháni yéix'.
when they were so old
Oh.
???
{ax̱ daa yóo s x̱'ak} ax̱ daa yóo s x̱'akool.átgi nooch.
when they would serve me.
Áwé,
That is when,
has du een,
with them,
«K'é Bible kwshé i een naḵatóow
“Shall I read the Bible to you
Lingít x̱'éináx̱?»
in Tlingit?”
«Aaá.
“Yes.
Góok!
Go ahead.
Góok!» {as}
Go ahead.”
A daak ootéech.
He would bring it out.
Áwé has du een kaḵlaník nooch
I would tell them
yáax' áwé, sáwé at géide yaa kx̱asáaych a x̱oo aa.
some of the words I was saying wrong.
Áwé yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
He said to me,
«K'idéin sh tóo eeltóow,
“Really try to learn it right,
i yóo x̱'atángi.
your language.
A x̱oo aa ch'a koogéiyi,
Some of (the words), any old way
áyá eeyasáakw.»
you're saying them.”
Há dei ch'a aadé
That is the way
sh tóo x̱wdlitóow yéi áyá.
I learned by myself. [Because, for her own protection, her parents had prevented her from speaking Tlingit.]
K'idéin áwé,
It's good
ax̱ neil x̱agóot áwé
when I got home
wé a shúx'waa aa ax̱ x̱án.aa.
my first husband was there.
S'íx' a{x̱oo}.ús'k.
He was washing dishes.
Haw,
Well,
ḵúnáx̱ {x'aan} x̱'ax'aant x̱waanúk.
I was really angry.
«Wáa sáyá tlél ax̱ een ???
“Why didn't you tell me
kayineek, ch'a at géidei yaa at nax̱asáay?»
I was saying some things wrong?”
Kéi at uwashúḵ.
He laughed.
He said, «X̱áach ḵú x̱áa {ax̱ da}
He said, “As for me,
ax̱ daa yaa ḵushusigéi aadé yaa yaneeḵéini yé.»
I understood what you were saying.”
«Áwé, hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.
“I don't like it.
Aan x̱at dushooḵ yeedát ḵu.aa.» ???
People are laughing at me.”
Ách áyá k'idéin sh tóo x̱dlitóow.
That's why I learned it well.
Selina, {ax̱} haa yóo x̱'atángi.
Selina, our language.
ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo k'idéin
I wanted to correctly
yóot wus.aax̱í,
hear/understand it,
yá haa yóo x̱'atángi.
our language.
K'idéin,
Very well,
Haa jeeyí ḵa haa l'eix̱í.
Our possessions and our dancing.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ḵa wé,
And the,
Hél tlax̱ x̱wasakú haa at sheeyí, x̱a
I don't really know our songs, and
yaa nax̱sakwéin yeedát.
I'm learning now.
É. Hél wáa sá {toos} tooshée noojín.
We used to really sing it.
Ḵaa isg̱eiwúx̱ ikḵwalayéix̱,
I will make you fishers of men,
ikḵwalayéix̱,
I will make you
ikḵwalayéix̱.
I will make you.
Wáa sá ax̱ x̱'éi k'éi neejín.
[How I loved it. [How tasteful it was in my mouth.]
Oh, x̱át tsú.
Me too.
Yeisú, yeisú, áwé,
Still, still,
«Wé Father een ikakḵwanéek.
“I'm going to tell Father (the priest) on you.
Tlax̱ ḵúdáx̱ áwé {Salvati} Saanbeishan Army-x̱ yaa inastéen.
You're becoming too Salvation Army.
Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushg̱ú wéit.» {wé}
I don't like that.”
«Ḵustuyáx̱ x̱at keeneegí.»
“It doesn't matter if you tell on me.”
??? Hél ḵaa toogéit yax̱waaḵá.
I said something offensive.
X̱at wuduwax̱ísht.
I was spanked.
«Hél ushk'é,
“It isn't good,
Dikée Aanḵáawu
our heavenly Father
hídi daa {ya}
in His house
at géide yaa yaneeḵéini.»
that you are saying things that are offensive.”
Áwé, x̱át ḵu.aa ax̱ tóox' yéi wootee.
I had it in my mind,
«Tle xat nalgéini,
“When I grow up,
Saanbeishan Army-x̱ x̱at gux̱satée.»
I'll be Salvation Army.”
Wáa sáwé, áwé,
That's why,
tuwáa wsigóo.
we loved it too.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Ch'a tlákw has du toowú sagóo noojín ax̱ tuwáa
I liked that they were always happy
jintáak dat'ácht.
clapping their hands.
Wáang̱aneens áwé át has anal'éx̱jin.
Sometimes they used to dance around.
Yeah.
Áwé ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo. X̱át tsú.
That's what I liked. Me too.
X̱át tsú {s du x̱'éi}
Me too,
Has du ji.éen át naxalsʼas.
Me too, I danced with them.
Át neels'ás'jin.
You used to dance around.
{ax̱} haa léelk'wu hás
Our grandparents
Church,
Sunday school,
áx' kéi haa wdudziwát.
We were raised there.
{du} du yát g̱atooḵéech, ax̱ léelk'w.
We used to sit in front of her, my grandma.
Dora Klushkan
.É!
Oh!
Hél ḵaa x̱'éix tusa.aax.
We never listened to anyone.
At shooḵ een,
With laughter,
ch'a yá k'udáx̱ áwé,
all of a sudden,
tle diyéedei yaa {ktoo-???}
we'd start (sliding down). [Grandma would tap them on the head to stop.]
Wáa sá
How
haa ée at lishoog̱ú Church-x'.
everything was funny to us in church.
Wa.é tsú shákdé yéi iwootee,
You were probably the same way,
ldakát át lashoog̱ú noojín.
everything was amusing.
June, ḵa Helen, ax̱ shátx̱,
June and Helen, my older sister,
Marie, ixkéex' yéi yatee yeedát, ax̱ káalk'w.
Marie, she lives down south now, my cousin.
Daaḵw aa sí?
Which one?
Marie Beasley yóo duwasáakw.
Marie Beasley is her name.
Ó, ahah.
Hú tsú gé?
Her too?
Ahah. Du éesh áwé
Uhuh. Her father
ḵoon shkalneegíx̱ wusitee.
he was the minister.
Ó. Ax̱ káak, ḵa
Oh. My uncle, and
tléix'.aa ax̱ káak, Andrew Gamble
my other uncle, Andrew Gamble,
tsú ḵoon sh kawdlineek Church-x'.
he too, also preached in church.
Church-x' tóox' kéi haa wdudziwát.
We grew up in church.
Presbyterian Church.
Salvation Army Sunday school.
A x̱óo at natoo.átjin.
We used to go from one to the other.
É, haa s'áaxwx'u
Oh, Our hats
haa jeeyís, {wudz}
for us,
off-the-face-hat yóo tuwasáakw.
off-the-face-hat we called it.
.É.
Oh!
Tle ldadát ch'a wooch yáx̱.
All of us the same.
Helen, ḵa, Marie, ḵa June, ḵa x̱át.
Helen and Marie and June and I.
Ch'a wooch yáx̱ haa s'áaxwx'u.
Our hats were alike.
Church-de, ḵa Sunday school-de.
To church and to Sunday school.
Yáa tléix'.aa wé
This other one
Walter Soboleff,
wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo nooch aadé át nahaanch yé sh kalneek een.
how I liked his stance while he preached.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Du yáx̱ áwé
Like him,
át guḵwaháan, x̱át tsú,
I too, I will stand there
sh kalneek een.
while preaching.
.É, a géit kei x̱wdzigít.
Oh, here I did something unacceptable.
Yéi haa yáx̱
Like us
atyátx'i, a tóox̱ kéi s uwawát hás
the children they grew up in
héil
not
k'éi wuháan yá Dikée Aanḵáawu
us, our heavenly Father's
hídi tóox̱ kéi haa uwawát.
house we grew up in it.
[Recording break] They were like night and day. Oh, they used to argue and laugh! Háaw. (Weʼre going. - Skip Gray) OK!
Yagéi
They are many
ḵut wutuwag̱éex'i haa atx̱aayí.
the foods we have lost.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Wáa sá ax̱
How I
ax̱ éet uháaych at x̱'éeshi
hungry I get for my dried fish
yeedát.
now.
Kaháakw kas'eex k'únts'i een.
Fermented salmon eggs with potato.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Uh, k'ínk'.
Fermented salmon heads. [Especially dog salmon heads, the noses and the cheeks.]
Yeedát ḵú hél toox̱á.
Nowadays we don't eat it.
{ḵút} Ḵút kei ntoog̱íx' haa atx̱aayí ḵúnáx̱.
We are losing our foods, really.
Ách áwé ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ toowú k'éi nooch haat yawdux̱aayí wé
That's why I'm always so happy when they bring
at x̱'éeshi
dried fish
ḵa
and
g̱áax'w.
herring eggs.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Herring eggs.
Wáa sá ḵúnáx̱
How really
ḵúnáx̱ áyá yeedéi.
I really look forward to its arrival.
Excitement yaa yagaxíxch.
Excitement would prevail.
«Sheet'káx' agux̱dal'óox̱'!»
“It's going to spawn in Sitka!”
G̱áax'w.
Herring eggs.
Ḵúnáx̱ haat wudusx̱áaych.
They would bring it.
Oh, tlax ḵúnáx̱ áwé ḵaa toowú sagóo nooch
Oh, everyone would be so happy
haa atx̱aayí. Chʼa ḵoowdaháaych.
about our food. A crowd of people would gather.
Yeah.
Ax̱ tláach saxook noojín,
My mother used to dry it,
wé herring eggs.
the herring eggs.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Ch'a aan, ch'a xoogú, tle
Anyway, even if it's dried, just
eex̱
(seal) oil
eex̱ een ax̱áa noojín, Oh my.
she used to eat it with (seal) oil,
wáang̱aneens akoolkélch tsú.
sometimes she would soak it too. [reconstitute it]
Ahah.
Uhuh.
At x̱'éeshi. {???} ḵustéeyin.
Dry fish. ???}used to be.
Tléiḵwg̱aa át woo.aat, oh gee!
Walking around for berries, oh, gee.
Tléiḵw.
Berries.
Salmon berries.
Tlénx', oh, yéi kagundageijín.
Big, they were very big.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Tenekéex' kéi haa nawádi.
When we were growing up in Tenakee.
Yeedát ḵu.aa, hóoch'!
Now, all gone!
Hél daa sá á.
Nothing there.
Blueberries tsú, yéi kakwdigéi tlákw.
Big blueberries all the time. [But those growing under a tree branch taste woody.]
Wutuwaḵúx̱, yáax'
We came here(to Juneau) by boat.
Yéi kakwdzigé ḵu.aa. Yyeah, yeedát ḵu.aa yéi kakwdzigéi.
They were small. Now they're small.
Wéi
The
wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa sagóo neejín.
how well I liked it.
Ch'u dax̱adooshú, gaawú a daa,
We would, 7:00,
kei ktoo.átjin
we'd walk up
X'áat T'aak,
Douglas.
Tle yóo ditch a tóode haa shuna.átch ax̱ tláa.
My mother would take us into the ditch. [Treadwell Ditch, gold mine]
Áx' áwé tsá ḵúnáx̱
That's where really
{wáa s} haa káa kéi u.éex'ch wé
the whistle would blow
mine yaa yanaxíxi.
when the mine was operating.
Wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo.
How I enjoyed it.
Aan x̱a.íx'in ch'a x̱át tsú.
I used to yell with it.
Yáax' áwé yaa
And then,
tléiḵw too.ín nooch.
we would pick the berries.
Ax̱ eek', ḵúnáx̱ áyá,
My brother really,
«É, tlax̱ a yáanáx̱ áwé iyátléḵwk,»
“Gee, you're too greedy,”
Eddie yóo daayax̱aḵáa nooch.
I used to say that to Eddie.
Eeshandéin sh daa tudatée nooch.
He'd feel sorry for himself.
«Ch'a yeisú, {l}
“It's not even
12 o'clock-t koodaxéetji áwé yax̱ yaa at yanisax̱éin.
12 o'clock and you're eating everything up.
Ḵuk'ít!»
Pick berries!”
??? G̱áax̱ kíknáx̱ áwé ḵuk'ít' nooch.
He'd be picking berries while crying.
??? «Ḵúnáx̱ hél x̱'eishk'é ax̱ dlaak'ík',»
“My sister has a bad mouth,”
ax̱ tláa, ch'a ax̱ tláa x̱ándei nagútch.
he used to go to my mother.
Áwé ax̱ tláach yéi yawsiḵáa,
And my mother said to him,
«Wa.é áwé héil
“You never
héil seig̱án kát itootée nooch.
think of tomorrow.
Ch'a tle ldakát, ldakát tle yax̱ yaysix̱aayí dé a daat eegootch.
You go at it until you've eaten everything.
Áwé, sh daatx̱ g̱idzikóo i dlaak'.»
Your sister is thoughtful of herself.”
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo ax̱,
I like my,
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo
I like
ḵúnáx̱ ax̱
my true
{ax̱ da} ax̱
my
ax̱ éek', ch'a haa yáx̱ ḵusteeyí.
my younger brother, how he lives like us.
Ah,
Uh,
Tléix' yateeyí át, [Recording break]
One thing,
OK, ready? One, two, three. Uh,
{a káa} aa káa daak tux̱wditáni aa,
One thing I remembered,
ḵuk'éet' gax̱too.aadí,
is when we were going to go berry picking,
yéi haa kwdzigéi, é!
gee, we were still small, oh!
Ax̱ tláach yéi daanéi nooch haa ḵákwx'u.
Our mother used to prepare our berry baskets [cans with holes for a strip of flour sack to hang around their neck.]
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Yeah.
At gutóot wutoo.aadí,
When we are in the woods,
{yóo x̱'a} yóo has x̱'ala.átgi noojín,
they used to talk,
haa tláa hás ḵa léelk'u hás,
our mothers and our grandmothers,
wé
to the
xóots.
bears.
«Haa x̱'anaadáx̱ ḵúx̱ kaydanáḵ.
“Move out of our way.
Haa x̱'anaadáx̱ ḵúx̱ kaydanáḵ.
Move out of our way.
Has du atx̱aayí x̱'éis,
For their food,
haa yátx'u sáani,
our children,
has du x̱'éis,
for their food,
áyá át wutuwa.aat.
that's why we are walking around here.
Yee tuladléikw tsá.»
Hope we don't startle you.”
Hél tsu tléix' xóots
Not one bear
hél sawtoo.aax̱
did we hear
ḵach'u tlél tsú wtusateen.
nor did we see any.
Héen yík tuwán ch'a aan ḵúnáx̱ has du tuwáa sigóo x̱á x̱áat héen yíkdáx̱ á,
Even though they like to be near the river for the fish from the river,
hél tsú tsá aa wtusateen xóots,
we never did see a bear,
ḵach'u hél sawtoo.aax̱.
nor hear one.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé has ashgóogun
They really knew how
ldakát át een yóo x̱'ala.átk.
to speak to everything.
Ax̱ tláa tsú
My mother too
a ká tooshóoḵjeen.
we used to laugh.
«Ḵúx̱ yidanaaḵ x'wán,
“Stand back,
uháan tsú haa atx̱aayí x̱á yáat wutuwa.áat.
us too, we are walking around here for our food.
Haa x'anaadáx̱ ḵúḵ kaydanáḵ.»
Move out of our way.”
Áwé, ax̱ tláa,
Then, my mother,
wáa sá du ji.een, du jín een,
with her hands, with her hands,
yóo x̱'atángi nooch.
she would speak.
«Héil wáa sá yee gax̱tusanée,
“We won't do anything to you,
uháan tsú,
us too,
atx̱á áa yéi át wutuwa.aat.
we are walking around here for our food.
Eesháan uháani x'wán.»
Poor us.”
Yóo kei áx' áwé x̱at yan x̱at taalgás'ch at shooḵ een.
I would collapse there with laughter.
«Há!
“Oh!
Aadóo een sá yóo x̱'eeli.átk, Atléi?»
Who are you talking to, Mom?”
«Há wéi,
“So,
xóots has du een x̱á yóo x̱'ax̱li.átk.
I'm talking to the bears.
Haa saax̱'aya.áx̱ch.»
They can hear us.”
«Dóooo!
“Too much!
Goodáx̱ sáwé Lingít yóo x̱'atángi s awsikóo?»
Where did they learn to understand Tlingit?”
Ldakát át
Everything
a tuḵwáani ḵudzitee,
has a living spirit,
yéi haa daayaduḵáayin.
they used to tell us.
At géit tsá yaa ysaḵáa.
Don't offend it.
Tléil sh x̱'adusht'íx'x̱.
You don't question it.
Ldakát át
Everything
ayag̱wahéiyagu ḵudzitee.»
has a spirit.
Ḵúnáx̱ áyá
Really
ax̱ toowú yak'éi yeedát.
I'm happy now.
Haa yóo x̱'atángi, ḵa haa at sheeyí, ḵa haa,
Our language and our songs and our,
haa l'eix̱í ḵúx̱de yaa ndagúdi.
our dances are returning.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Wéi, yéi kwdzigéiyi aach yaa s anaskwéin.
The children are learning.
Tlax̱ ḵúnáḵ
Just really
ax̱ tuwáa sigóo
I'm happy
wé áa yéi jix̱aneiyí, has du éet x̱wadasheeyí wé atyátx'i
where I am working to be of help to the children
yóo x̱'atánk.
(with) language.
Wé yées shaawátch ḵóo latóow.
That young woman is teaching them.
Jessica yóo duwasáakw.
Jessica, she is called. [Jessica Chester]
Hah.
Huh.
Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa sigóo,
I really love it,
{haa} haa yóo x̱'atángi,
our language,
tsú yaa has anaskwéin haa yátx'ich,
our children are beginning to learn it,
haa dachx̱ánx'iyán.
our grandchildren.
Hél shákdé ḵút kei kg̱waxeex haa yóo x̱'atángi.
Maybe we will never lose our languge.
Tléik'.
No.
Ḵa haa ḵusteeyí.
And our way of life.
Haa atx̱aayí ḵút kei wtuwag̱íx', {ax̱w}
We lost our (Tlingit) food,
a shoowú.
some of it.
Ḵút wutuwag̱éex' de.
We already lost it.
Ách áwé ax̱ tuwóo yak'éi.
And that's why I feel good.
Mhm.
Yes.
Yéi shákdé i tuwatee wa.é tsú.
Maybe you feel the same way.
Aaá.
Yes.
Wáang̱aneens áwé ntoo.átch yalooleit.
And sometimes we go along for cockles.
Aag̱áa,
That's when,
ḵúnáx̱ katudaháa nich ax̱ tláa een.
we used to dig for them with my mother.
Naaléi át too.átjin.
We used to walk a long ways.
Naaléi!
A long ways! [South out of Douglas to get to a very clean beach, no human or dog waste.]
Gwal keijín
Maybe 5,
5 miles
wáang̱aneens áx'
there, sometimes
áx' áwé haa
that's where we
katudaháa nooch.
would dig around.
Ḵa yaak.
And mussels.
{???} wáa sá ax̱ x̱'é k'éi noojín ax̱ tláach sa.eeyí.
Oh, I used to love the way it tasted when my mother would cook it.
Dleit ḵaa x̱'éináx̱ saa a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw.
I forgot the name of it in English.
A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱.
I forgot in English.
Hél áwé
Not
tlákw
no,
hél a kát x̱at seiwux'áaḵw ḵu.aa Lingít x̱'éináx̱. Yaak?
I never forgot in the Tlingit language though. Mussels?
Mussels.
Oh, yeah.
Mussel.
Daa,
What's,
wé tléix'.aa ḵu.aa s
the other one, though,
wé cockles,
the cockles,
Yalooleit.
Cockles.
Wáa sá ax̱ x̱'é k'éi noojín.
Oh, I love the taste of it.
Shaaw.
Gumboots.
Wéi
The
yagéiyi át ḵu.aa, hél, hél haa jee yéi wutí.
really big ones, though, we never had them here.
Wéi
That
a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵ ḵu.aa 'seal.'
I forget 'seal',
Tsaa.
Seal.
Tsaa,
Seal,
ḵa
and
wéi,
that
'Deer' a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw.
I forgot 'deer'.
G̱uwakaan.
Deer.
G̱uwakaan.
Deer.
Hél tlax̱ haa jee yéi wutí.
We didn't have much of it.
Ax̱ éesh cancer-ch yaawadlaaḵ.
My dad died of cancer.
Éʼ! Hél tsu, ch'as ax̱ tláa een áwé át natoo.átjin,
Oh! So my mother and I used to walk around together,
ḵa ax̱ éek'.
and my brother.
Daat yáx̱ sá haa tuwáa sigóo wé dáanaa yoo yaadláḵwk.
Oh, how we loved to earn money.
Hél tsu ch'a, ch'a, ch'a wáa sá haa tuwáa sigóo a yáx̱ hél wutoohoon.
We didn't just, just, just spend it (frivilously) the way we wanted to.
Ax̱ tláa jeet yéi tusanéech,
We would give it to our mother
atx̱á ang̱a.óowt.
for groceries.
Yisikóowu
You know
ḵáa, ḵáa,
(when) a man, a man,
néekwch yaa yanadlág̱i.
illness is getting the better of him.
Ách áwé du éet tudashéejin ax̱ tláa.
That's why we helped my mother.
Tléix' dáanaa ákwé yóo yax̱waadláḵwjin
I think it was it $1.00 I used to make
tléix' dís.
in 1 month.
Ḵúnáx̱ haa yáa laḵ'éiyin.
We really prized it.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Haa jiḵéi.
Our pay.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ax̱ éesh, wáa sá haa tuwáa sagóowun.
My dad, how we loved him.
Hél shákdé yisakú.
Maybe you don't know him.
Téeyi yóo duwasáagu aa.
He was the one they called Téeyi.
Oh, my.
??? k'éi noojín. ??? ḵúnáx̱.
??? used to be good.
Ḵúnáx̱ agóogun ax̱ éeshch
My dad really knew how
kadulkílx̱ x̱á.
to soak it (smoked dried fish).
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Oh, tlax̱ x̱'éix dinóok x̱á.
Oh, it was so tasty.
Wáa sá ax̱ x̱'éi neejín.
It was so tasty in my mouth.
Wé steak yaanáx̱ áwé yak'éi.
It was better than steak.
Tsaa eex̱í een wáa sá ax̱ tuwáa wusigóo.
With seal oil I loved it.
Ḵa k'únts'.
And potatoes.
G̱uwakaan dleeyí tsú has dusxúkx̱un.
And also deer meat they used to dry.
Ax̱ tláach ḵu.aa áwé,
My mother though,
jar tóodei yéi adaanéi noojín.
she would jar it. [Preserve it in jars.]
Steak yáx̱.
Like steak.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Deer steak.
Oh gosh wintertime
anáx̱ daak yéi dusnéich.
She would bring it out.
blueberries.
A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw a saayí.
I forget the name of it.
Kanat'á.
Blueberries.
Kanat'á.
Blueberries.
Ch'a aanáx̱ tléiḵw een.
With salmon berries.
A ítde dux̱áaych wé at x̱'éeshi ítde.
They would eat it after the dried fish.
É'! Éis'k'!
Wow! Delicious!
Tle x̱áat yaan uwaháa.
I'm hungry for it.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
A eedé yáan yaa na.éin.
Already Iʼm getting hungry.
Tlax̱ ax̱ tuwáa wsigoowún wé
I really loved it, that
eex̱.
(with) grease.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Wé g̱áatl. Tsaa eex̱í.
That pilot bread. Seal oil.
G̱áatl een tsú kadulkéljin.
They used to soak crackers with seal oil.
Tsaa eex̱í a x̱óodei s
Seal oil, in it. [and sugar]
Wáa sá s du tuwáa wsigóo ax̱ tláa tsú.
How my mother loved that too.
É'!
Wow!
Sailor Boy crackers een.
With Sailor Boy crackers.
Wáa sá haa tuwáa sagóo nooch uháan tsú.
Oh how we loved that too.
Wé cananee yóo ayasáakw
The cannery she called it,
ax̱ tláach. Cananee.
my mother did. Cannery.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Cook-x̱ x̱at wusitee.
I was a cook. [She pretended at age 9.]
Wéi, mmmm
That
ash koolyádi
when I would be playing,
{ch'ák dé du x̱át chú ???}
all of a sudden I look at
wé gaaw.
the time.
Ch'a koogéi áwé a tóot x̱aa.ák nooch.
I would try to build the fire.
X'oondahéen sá ax̱ yát wujitóok tle.
I don't know how many times it blew up in my face.
Kereosene oil a tóot koox̱ax̱íchch.
I would pour kerosene in.
Ách áwé ax̱ sei hél tlax̱ shawudahéin.
That's why my eyebrows aren't very thick.
???
Tléix'dahéen ??? ax̱ shax̱aawú áx̱ yawsigán.
One time ??? most of my hair was burned off.
Ax̱ tláa neil goot áwé
When my mother came home
x̱'aan yáx̱ x̱at yayatee.
my face was burned red.
«Wáa sáwé, wáa sáwé iwané?»
“What happened? What happened to you?”
«Aa, wé eix̱ áwé tóot kax̱waax̱ích tle ax̱ yát wujitóok.»
“Oh, I poured oil in there and it blew up in my face.”
Wé tóox' wé ax̱ {t} aadé nx̱agútch wé x̱áat,
I'd go inside to get the salmon,
yax̱ woox̱laxáashch ch'a kát.
and I would cut it up.
Kax̱wsagaaní áwé tle gáant x̱waag̱éex'ch.
Each piece that I burned, I would throw it out.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Tléix'dahéen {yeis-}
One time
yeisú yéi ḵux̱aanoogú, áwé ax̱ éesh át uwagút.
when I was still doing this, my father walked by.
???
[She gestures throwing something.]
{cook áwé ees cook} «Cook-x̱ isitee!»
You are a cook!”
Jé. Ḵaa sháadeiháni cook-x̱ x̱áawé isitee.
Gee. You are a master chef.
Hél yaa ḵúnáx̱ gé áwé tlél yaa ḵudushgéin.
I think I was really crazy.
Wáang̱aneens áwé sh daa anx̱asdáḵjin.
Once in a while I would come to my senses.
Wáa sá tlax̱ ax̱ tuwáa sigóo wé
Oh, how I loved the
Yeisú áwé ax̱ jináḵ dulseench wé ax̱áa.
Still they used to hide the oars from me.
Tlákw át nax̱aḵúx̱ch.
I would row around.
É'! Wáang̱aneens áwé Seattle-déi yaa kx̱aḵúx̱ch.
Sometimes I would (pretend to) go down to Seattle.
California,
here I come.
Wáang̱aneens tsú ḵúdáx̱ yaa nx̱asgídi, áwé,
Sometimes when I'd go too far
ax̱ jeedáx̱ yéi ndusneech wé ax̱áa.
they would take my oars away from me.
G̱aax̱ch yaa x̱at gajáḵch.
I would cry my eyes out.
Ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo wé héen táat wooḵoox̱.
Oh, how I loved going around on the water.
Mhm.
Yes.
Ax̱ jeetx̱ yéi wdusneeyí áwé,
When they would take my oars away,
té tlein át áwé,
a big rock,
a kaadéi yaa nadéin áwé,
when the tide is coming up to it,
a kát x̱washk'éinch.
I would jump on it.
A káa áwé ḵanúkch.
I would sit on it.
Ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo {wé k'}
Oh, how I loved it
haa kaadéi yaa nadéini wé héen.
when the tide was coming in.
Yeisú ax̱ daak x̱at shakduyookch.
They just shook their heads at me.
Wáa sáyá ax̱ tuwáa wsigóo wé héeni.
Oh how I loved the water.
Ách gíwé yéi x̱at uwasháa héit.aa.
Maybe that's why he married me.
Hó'!
[surprise]
Héen káx̱ ák.wé iwasháa?
Did he marry you because of the water?
{ha du} ax̱ tuwáa ḵ'asigóo wé yaakw.
I loved being on the boat. [She paid no attention to this man before they married until he invited her to take a ride on his boat.]
Yaakw yík.
Oh, on the boat.
X̱át tsú.
Me too.
Át x̱á ntooḵúx̱jin uháan tsú.
We too, used to row around.
Ó.
Oh.
Tle tléix'dahéen tléiḵwg̱aa wtuwaḵoox̱,
We went for berries, this one time
Mud Bay, Xunaa x̱án.
in Mud Bay, near Hoonah.
Ax̱ éesh
My father
du yaagú yík.
in his boat.
É'! Át wutuwaḵúx̱ ts'ootaat keijín gaaw.
Wow! We got there at 5:00 in the morning.
Ax̱ shátx̱
My older sister
ḵa
and
Marie,
tléix'.aa
the other one,
ax̱ éen.aa.
my relative.
Nás'gináx̱, é haa toox̱á.
Three of us would row.
Ch'a yéi ḵúdáx̱ áwé wtuwa.áx̱ héen.
All of a sudden we heard water.
«Ch'éi daa sáwé áx'
“Gee, what is that there,
ḵulagáaw?»
fighting?”
Tle ḵúnáx̱ akawtudlix̱éetl'.
We were very frightened.
«Tláakw át yeex̱á, ax̱á!
“Hurry and row, row!
Tláakw ayx̱á, tláakw ayx̱á,» ax̱ shátx̱.
Row fast, row fast,” my older sister (said).
Tle, tlél ooltín aadéi yaa ntooḵúx̱ yé.
She wasn't watching where we were going.
Tle kat'óot wutuwaḵúx̱,
We ran smack into it,
ax̱ éesh yaakw.
my father's boat.
??? yíkde haa kaawasóos.
??? in we all fell.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
«Wáa sáwé, Sík'?» ax̱ éesh.
“What's the matter, Daughter?” (said) my father.
{tla ga kun} «Daa sáwé wtusiteen héen tle áa ḵudulgáaw yáx̱ yéi yatee wé héen?»
“What did we see, like something fighting there in the water?”
Tsaa áwé.
It was a seal.
Kéi haa wdikél'.
We ran off scared.
[At shooḵ] Oh.
[Laughter]
Ch'a, ch'a uháanch yéi wtusinei haa...
We invented our own...
{sh t} Wáa sáwé too- gax̱toosáa?
What will we call it?
Haa ḵ'asagoowú.
Our amusement.
Aaá, yéi áwé.
Yes, that's it.
Yéi áwé duwasáakw.
That's what they call it.
Yeah, haa ḵ'asagoowú ch'a wuháanch yéi wtusanéi x̱áawé paper doll.
Yeah, our own amusement. We made our own paper dolls.
É', haa yóo x̱'atusatángin.
We'd make them talk.
Ch'as Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo has x̱'ala.átgin.
They would only speak Tlingit.
Wé sée, dleit ḵaa yátx'i,
The dolls, white children,
dleit ḵáa, dleit ḵáa aa,
white man, white ones,
séex' sáani áwé Lingít x̱'éináx̱ has du een yóo x̱'atula.átk.
dolls, we'd speak Tlingit to them.
Haa toowóoch ḵú has awsikóo.
We thought they knew.
Ḵúnáx̱ shákdé áwé l yáa ḵutooshgéiyin.
I think we were very thoughtless.
Ax̱ tláa daat {sáx̱}
My mother, like anything,
at shúḵch yaa gajáḵjin wáang̱aneens.
would laugh herself to death.
«Yáadu wa.é ḵú áa yéi ikg̱watée yé,»
“This is where you'll live,”
yóo daayax̱aḵáa noojín Helen Sarabia.
I used to tell Helen Sarabia.
«Yáa yéi ikg̱watée,
“You'll live here,
x̱át ḵú yáa yéi x̱at gug̱watée.
and I'll live here.
Gax̱too.áat
We will go
hóon daakahídidé.
to the store.
Gax̱too.áat.» .É'!
We will go.” Wow!
Ḵúnáx̱ yan
Really
yan sh wutudzinée.
we were dressed up.
Wáang̱aneens áwé
Sometimes
boyfriend haa jee yéi kg̱watée.
we'd have a boyfriend.
Ax̱ tláach yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa,
My mother said to me,
«Yisikóowu át ákwé daa yóo x̱'eeyatánk?»
“Do you know what you're talking about?”
«Tléik', ldakát ḵáa x̱áwé boyfriend a daa yóo x̱'atánginch.»
“No, but everybody talks about boyfriend.”
Uháanch tsú haa tuwáa wsigóo tle
We also liked
aadé duwasáagu yé.
what they called it.
Boyfriend.
Hél wutusakú ch'a...
We didn't know...
{yadaa} Yadák'u.
Boyfriend.
Aahá.
Yes.
Yadák'u.
Boyfriend.
Yadá...
Yadák'u.
Boyfriend.
Aahá.
Yes.
Ax̱ x̱'éi kei naldzeen tle.
I'm getting better at pronouncing it.
Yaa x̱at x̱'andaxwétl x̱aawé.
My voice is getting tired.
X̱át tsú dei x̱at x̱'awdixwétl.
Me too, my voice is tired.
She said weʼre tired.
Mhmh.
Yeah.
Dei ch'áagu yóo x̱'atuli.átk. Tle
We've been talking a long time.
Tle, tle uwaxúk x̱á ax̱ leitóox̱.
My throat is dry.
[At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Hóoch áwé.
Thatʼs all.