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Tlingit Conversation #7
Speakers are Ḵaakal.aat Florence Sheakley and G̱oochtlein Ron Grant. Recorded August 11, 2009, at LjáaḵkʼAlice Taff’s House in Auke Bay, Alaska, by Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester.
This material is based on work supported by National Science Foundation grant BCS-0853788 to the University of Alaska Southeast with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff as Principal Investigator and by National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship 266286-19 to Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or National Endowment for the Humanities.
Tlingit transcription by Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester, Jooteen Jessica Isturis, and Satóokʼ Linda Belarde. English translation by Ḵaakal.aat Florence Sheakley with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Edited by Ḵeixwnéi Nora Dauenhauer with Jooteen Jessica Isturis. Also by Shag̱aaw Éesh Devlin Anderstrom.
SYMBOLS: Brackets = {false start}, [translator/transcriber's note], (added for clarity). ??? = canʼt understand. «quotation marks for Tlingit text (so as not to be confused with Tlingit ʼ)» 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
Wéináx̱ naashóo.
Itʼs standing up over there.
Wéit'aa ḵu.aa
That one
{dleit ḵáa}
dleit ḵáa aayí áwé wé.
that one is a white manʼs (tree).
Wéináx̱ naashóo.
Itʼs standing right there.
Mountain ash yóo duwasáakw.
Itʼs called mountain ash.
Haaw.
Oh.
Dleit ḵáa aayí áwé.
It belongs to white man.
Wéi,
Those,
wé éeḵx' yéi yateeyi aas, yisikóo gé aadé duwasáagu yé? {wéixʼ}
those trees on the beach, do you know what theyʼre called?
Wéix' yéi yateeyi aas.
Those trees right there.
Tléik'.
Nope.
Wé, am,
The, um,
ḵúnáx̱ áwé yak'éi wé héenx̱uká, yaa yagiyee.
today, the surface of the water is very nice (and flat). [Theyʼre looking to the west, across Auke Bay.]
Yaakw wéix̱ yaa naḵúx̱.
Thereʼs a boat cruising along over there.
Iyatéen gé?
Can you see it?
Aaá. X̱wasiteen.
Yes. I see it.
{wé} Wé shaa shakée tsú aadé daadune yé.
What theyʼre doing to the top of that mountain, too.
Ldakát wé aas aatx̱ wuduwak'útsʼ.
They clear-cut all the trees.
Daat eetée sáwé yéi daaduné?
What are they doing that for? [A gravel quarry]
Gwál áa at gax̱dulyéix̱.
Maybe they are going to build something there.
De wéidu.
(The clear-cut land) is already there.
Dei tsú aadé wooshoo wé a yáanáx̱ yaa ntooḵúx̱u tatgé.
There is a road going up there, as we were going by yesterday.
Dei aadé wooshoo wé, wé dikée.
A road goes there, to the top (of the mountain).
Haaw wé at woo
???
Just say it.
Yaa kanajúx.
It is rolling, [camera is on].
Lingít x̱'éináx̱, Ḵaakal.aat yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
My Tlingit name is Ḵaakal.aat.
Dleit Ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ ḵu.aa, Florence Marks Sheakley yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
In English though, my name is Florence Marks Sheakley.
Yéil naax̱ x̱at sitee.
I belong to the Raven moiety.
Lukaax̱ Sháa áyá x̱át,
I am a woman of the Lukaax̱.ádi, [Sockeye clan]
Chookaneidí yádi.
and a child of the Chookaneidí. [Grass People of Glacier Bay/Porpoise clan]
Ax̱ éesh, am, Xunaadáx̱ Chookaneidíx̱ sitee.
My father, um, is Chookaneidí from Hoonah.
Yáa ax̱ léelk'u hás áyáa,
These are all of my grandparents (maternal),
Shangukeidéex̱ sitee,
Shangukeidí [the Thunderbirds],
ḵaa Teiḵweidée,
the Teiḵweidée, [Brown Bears]
ḵaa Kaagwaantaan.
and Kaagwaantaan. [the People of the Burnt House]
Ax̱ éesh yinaanáx̱ T'aḵdeintaan ax̱ léelk'u hásx̱ has sitee.
On my fatherʼs side, my grandparents are the T'aḵdeintaan. [Black-legged kittiwake clan]
Yáa Deishóodax̱ áyá Jilḵáat Ḵwáanx̱ haa sitee.
From Haines, we are Chilkat People.
Yáa,
This,
I wanna say Haines.
I already said Deishú, so that stops there.
Ok. Yéi áwé, gunalchéesh.
Ok. That's it, thank you.
Ron, wáa sá iduwasáakw dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱?
Ron, what is your English name?
Ronald L. Grant.
G̱oochtlein á yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
My name is Big Wolf.
Ḵéex̱'dáx̱ áwé ḵux̱wdzitee.
I was born in Kake.
Ax̱ léelk'wch áwé ax̱ ée wlitíw ax̱ yoo x̱'atángi.
My language was taught to me by my grandparents.
Ch'áak'x̱ áwé x̱at sitee. Yéi áwé.
I am an Eagle. Thatʼs it.
Gunalchéesh!
Thank you!
Ch'a yeisú gé yaa kanajúx?
Is it (camera) still rolling?
Aaa.
Yes.
Aa, wé
Yes, the
wé yaakw áwé wéit shatsís wé,
the boat is at rest there on the water,
am, wé haa yaagú tlein.
um, our big boat (Alaska State Ferry).
Iyatéen gé?
Can you see it?
Aaá.
Yes.
Yóot shatsís.
It is at rest on the water way over there.
Yáa,
This,
nás'k gaawx' gíwé daak gug̱waḵóox̱
at maybe three o'clock it will leave
wé Deishóode.
to Haines.
Yéi ak.wé?
Is that the way it is?
Yéi áwé.
That's right.
Yáa, am,
This, um,
ldakát yéit naḵúx̱ch yá yaakw tlein.
that big boat goes around everywhere.
«X̱'éishx'w yaakw» yóo duwaáakw
They are called “blue canoes”
yáa dleit ḵáach.
by the white men.
Haaw.
Hey.
G̱unéi kg̱waḵóox̱.
Itʼs going to take off.
Haaw, wáa sáwé duwa.áx̱ch?
Now, what sound is it making?
Ch'a g̱óot yéide aa áwé.
Thatʼs a different one.
Wáanixʼis Xunaadé yaa kakg̱waháa yáat'aa.
Perhaps this one will continue on to Hoonah.
Chʼa yóokʼ daak gug̱aḵóox̱.
Itʼs going to depart shortly.
Yaakwx' tsú wéit,
There are boats over there too,
yaakwxʼu sáani tsú daak has naḵúx̱ áwé,
smaller boats are moving out too,
wáanix'is ast'eix̱ yís áwé {daak} daak yanagwéin.
maybe the fleet is heading out for fishing.
Iyatéen gé?
Can you see it?
Aaá, x̱wasiteen.
Yes, I see them.
Aa, yóodu aa tsú,
Yes, there is another one over there,
wé tliyaanax̱.á.
on the other side.
Yáa yagiyee áwé yáa, am, yéi kduneegín kei ḵukg̱wakʼéi áwé. Yeedát ḵu.aa ḵuwligóosʼi yáx̱ yatee.
Today, um, they were saying that it was going to be good weather. Right now itʼs gotten kind of cloudy, though.
Wáanixʼsʼ seig̱án {ḵu.aat} am.
Maybe tomorrow, um..
Seig̱án ḵu.aa ḵúnáx̱ kéi gux̱satʼáax̱ʼán.
Tomorrow is going to be very hot though.
A kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw wáa sá kéi kakg̱waxeexí yáa,
I forgot how high it was going to get, the,
hmm.
Temperature!
Am,
Um,
á ḵu.aa, wáa sá kg̱eesáa Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ wé?
anyway, what are you going to call it in Tlingit?
Yagux̱satʼáax̱ʼán.
It is going to be a scorcher!
Yagux̱satʼáax̱ʼán.
Itʼs going to be very hot.
Yéi áwé.
That's the way it is.
Yáa
The
aadé kéi kakg̱waxix yé áyóo, wáa sá kg̱eesáa?
what will you call the way the (temperature) goes up?
85, yéi áwé, kadunéek seig̱ánxʼ.
85, right, is what they are calling for tomorrow.
Nás'k jin
3
Nas'gadooshú jinkaat ḵa keijín yáanáx̱ kéi kakg̱waxéex yáa,
Itʼs going to go up past 85, the,
ḵutí?
weather (temperature)?
Ḵutí áwé.
That's the weather.
Aaá.
Yep.
{ḵúnáx̱ áwé}
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé {haa kaadé} haa kaadé agux̱dagáan.
Itʼs going to get really sunny on us.
Chʼáakw tlél yéi tóo x̱wanoogún {yá} yáa yeedát {yá ḵus} yá ḵutí aadé yateeyi yé.
A long time ago, I never used to feel the weather get the way it is today.
Yéi ák.wé?
Is that right?
Aaá. Ayáx̱ áwé. Chʼáakw tlél yéi utéeyin.
Yep. That's right. It wasnʼt that way long ago.
Aaa.
Yes.
{g̱óot yéide}
G̱óot yéide áyá yaa nanein {yáa} yáa haa lingitʼaaní yáa ḵutí.
The weather in our world is changing.
G̱óot yéidei tlax̱ yéi.
Very different.
Tlax̱ yéi, am, chʼa tlákw g̱agaan haa kát uwaxíx.
It's really, um, the sun is always beating down on us.
Yáa, ah, yáa tléiḵw tsú.
The, uh, the berries too.
Yáa was'x'aan tléig̱u a x̱oodé x̱waagoot.
I went to check on the salmonberries.
Áwé tlél,
And
tlél tlax̱ yan kawu.á.
they werenʼt really fully grown.
Ax̱oo.aa yéi kakwdzigeisáani, chʼa aan ḵu.aa
Some of (the berries) are just tiny, but
yan kaawawadi yáx̱ yatee.
they are like theyʼve fully matured.
Aaá,
Yes,
Wudzigánt'.
Theyʼve been scorched.
Yéi ák.wé?
Is that right?
Aaá.
Yes.
Wé g̱agaanch.
From the sun.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé yak'éi yá haa x̱ʼéix̱ yeeteeyi káaxwei.
The coffee that you brought for us is very good.
Gunalchéesh!
Thank you!
Tle ayáx̱ yishi.útl.
You boiled it just right.
Yáa, am,
This, um,
{daa}
wéide daak naḵúx̱ wé yaakw.
that boat is heading out over there.
Daaḵw.aa sáwé?
Which one is that?
Iyatéen gé?
Can you see it?
Malaspina.
Malaspina áwé.
Itʼs the Malaspina.
Há.
Oh.
Nás'k gaawx' áwé daak ḵúx̱ch, áwé wáanáx̱ sáwé tlax̱ yéi chʼa yóokʼ daak gug̱aḵóox̱?
It (usually) leaves at three, so why is it going to depart so early?
Woolʼéexʼ gwáawégé.
Maybe it broke down.
Gwál aa wool'éex' áwé.
Maybe part of it is broken.
Á áwé Deishóode yóo yaḵúx̱k ḵa Shg̱agweidé wé daak naḵux̱ aa.
That boat thatʼs headed out usually goes to Haines and Skagway.
Wáa sá gax̱dusáa {du} Lingít x̱ʼéináx̱ áwé a saayí.
What is that going to be called in Tlingit?
Daa sá?
What?
Wé,
The,
Yaakw tlein gé?
A big boat?
Wé yaakw tlein.
That big boat.
Hmph.
Tlám. Wáaḷaspéena.
Oops. Malaspina.
Wáaḷaspéeḷa
Malaspina.
Wáaḷaspéeḷa yóo áwé haa tlagu ḵwáanxʼich wáanixʼs yéi áwé has akg̱wasáa.
Perhaps our old people would call it Wáaḷaspéeḷa.
Yáa,
This,
yáa dleit ḵáa {x̱ʼana} hasdu x̱ʼanagóogu.
the way they (pronounce English).
Okay.
How, how they
I want us to talk about how they, um,
how they weren't able to say the "Ws" and how they weren't able to say the,
Even though we have "L" in our language,
"N"
they weren't able to say it.
Anybody ever figure out why?
Like the "M",
Malaspina,
Waala, Waal, Wáaḷaspéena no, Wáaḷaspéeḷa
Malaspina.
Yeah, like,
um, they probably would've called it.
It (the dog) is running away from you. "I don't want to go out."
Yaa kanajúx gé?
Is it running? (the camera)
Wool'éex'.
Itʼs broken. (joking)
Ch'a yóok',
Early,
Chʼa yóokʼ daak naḵúx̱ wé yaakw.
That boat is heading out early.
Wé,
That,
{wéitʼát k} é át áa wdudliyex̱i yé tsú, wé yaakw.eetí,
that place where they built those things, the shipyard,
chʼáakw,
a long time ago,
ch'oo yéi x̱at gusagéink'idax̱ áwé, am,
from the time I was little, um,
yaaw.
herring.
A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw.
I forgot.
Aatx̱ yéi daatoonéiyin wé
We gathered from there
G̱áaxʼw ák.wé? G̱áaxʼw.
Herring eggs? Herring eggs.
Aa, wé g̱áaxʼw.
Yeah, herring eggs.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé áa nageijéen wéit.
There used to be an abundance of them there, that place.
Ldakát yáa
All of
{dzigán}
Dzantk'ihéenidáx̱ ḵu.oo áwé ldakát áx̱ {woosḵ} [woosḵéijeen]
the people from Juneau would be sitting all along there
áwé yaakw yíkt tsú.
and in boats, too.
Chʼas wé g̱eiy wé áa yéi yateeyi yé áwé wéidáx̱ yóode.
Just right over where that bay is, from over there to way over there on the other side.
Áwé ḵúnáx̱ áa nageijín, aatx̱ yéi daatoonéi noojín.
There was an abundance at that place, we used to gather (herring eggs) there.
Áwé yá yaakw.eetí áa kawdu.aag̱ú,
When they proposed to put a shipyard there,
ldakát yáa Lingít a géide woo.aat.
all the Tlingits were against it.
Tlél hasdu tuwáa ushgú áa yéi teeyí.
They didnʼt want it to be there.
Ch'a aan áwé áa wdudliyéx̱.
They went ahead and built it there anyway.
Yeedát ḵu.aa {tlél} tlél áx̱ woo.aa yáa,
Nowadays (as a result), (herring) donʼt run there (to spawn), the,
Has awliláx̱ áwé.
They killed it. [lit. ʼthey made it witherʼ or ʼthey made it rotʼ]
Has awli-what?
They what?
-láx̱.
[stem: -láx̱.]
Has awliláx̱.
They killed it.
G̱óot yéide,
It changed,
g̱óot yéide wootee, yáa, yáa aas,
it changed, the logs,
{yáa héen tóo tóo héen}
héen tóode yéi daadune aas, wáa sá duwasáakw?
what do they call the logs that they put in the water?
{wé a gáasʼi}
A gáas'ix̱ wududliyex̱i.
that they use for its posts (pilings).
How do you call creosote? Creosote logging?
Tar.
Yeah.
Tar. Um,
There's a name for it. I can't remember it.
Anyway that, that's the reason why,
the, um, herring never came back.
Because of the, the tar on the, that's what the Tlingits believe anyway.
Because of the tar on the um, logs that they put into the water and everything.
Can you think of it?
Tar. I was going to bring my orange books and stuff, and I forgot. Huh.
Oin yáx̱.
Like oil.
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Tar. There's a word for it.
Kʼóox̱ʼ yax̱.
Pine tar like.
T'ooch', t'ooch' kʼóox̱? No.
Black, black pitch? No.
Tar, just like soot.
There's, there's a,
stuff that goes inside the chimney too, that's tar, and they,
and papa had a name for it.
Because they used to have to clean it out.
I can't think of it right now.
But okay, um
G̱unéi gé kaawajúx?
Did it (camera) start running?
Yaa kanajúx. Chʼa yeisú yaa kanajúx.
Itʼs running. It's still running.
Ách áwé, ách áwé tlél áx̱ woo.aa wé yaaw wé,
That's why, that's the reason the herring don't go there to spawn,
wéitʼát áa wdulyeix̱ídáx̱ tle hóochʼ.
it was gone after they built that thing there.
Á áwé yóo tliyaanax̱.á
So on the other side, [of Auke Bay]
á tsú wé g̱áax'w aatx̱ yéi daa toonéiyin.
we used to take the herring roe from there too.
Á áwé á tsú áa has aa wliyéx̱.
So they built on there, too.
Duwatéen, duwatéen yáat,
They could see it, they could see it right here,
{aadé}
aadé, am, awsineiyi yé wé g̱áax'w, ch'a aan áwé tsú yóo tliyaanax̱.á áa aa wdudliyéx̱ áwé tle hóochʼ. Yeedát ḵu.aa tle hóochʼ.
they way they put up the herring eggs, but regardless of that, they built another one on the other side and now theyʼre gone. Nowadays they are all gone.
Tlél yaaw haax̱ woo.aa.
The herring donʼt come here to spawn anymore.
Tlél aatx̱ yéi nax̱tusineiyi yé yá g̱áaxʼw.
Now we cannot pick our herring roe from there.
X'oon táakw sáwé de tlél, tlél yaaw haax̱ woo.aa.
For so many years now, the herring havenʼt, havenʼt come here to spawn.
'66? '64?
'66?
Yéi gíwé l haax̱ woo.aayí.
Thatʼs about how (long) they havenʼt run for.
Áwé yeedát ḵu.aa yóo,
But now,
Berner's Bay déi kadunéek yaaw áx̱ ya.aa yeedát.
they say the herring go to Bernerʼs Bay to spawn now.
Yáa, yáa haa atx̱aayí áyá,
Our, our food,
{um aadé} aadé yaa ndusnen yé,
what theyʼre doing to it,
yeedát ḵu.aa áwé,
now (as a result),
ch'as yáa Sheet'kaadáx̱ áwé yóo yatuwadláḵkw.
we can only get them from Sitka.
{Tlél} Tlél aadé g̱óot yéidáx̱ yanax̱tuwadlaag̱i yé.
We canʼt get them from any place else.
Ch'as Sheet'ká áwé déi yá yaaw áx̱ ya.aa.
The herring only spawn in Sitka now.
Ch'a k'ikát ax̱ éex̱ x̱'anataan.
Talk to me once in a while.
I x̱'éit áwé x̱wasi.áx̱.???
I'm listening to you.
I jeedáx̱ áwé yaa nax̱shagóok.
Iʼm learning from you.
Yáa, um,
This,
yáa haa atx̱aayí,
our food,
yáa, um, Sheetʼká g̱óot yéide wuneiyí, hóoch' áyá {d} yáa haa atx̱aayí, yá yaaw.
if something were to happen to Sitka, our food, the herring, would be done for.
Yáa g̱áax'w.
That herring roe.
A á tsú {tlél tlax̱}
There as well,
tlél tlax̱ déi áx̱ woo.aa {yóo has} yóo has x̱'ax̱aa.áx̱ch yá Sheet'ká ḵu.oo.
they arenʼt really running there (the way they used to), thatʼs what I hear the Sitka people say.
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs it.
«Hasdu ée at x̱walitíw.»
“I taught them.” [Recording break makes reference uncertain.]
He says, "Youʼll never get rid of them. I trained them too well."
Everytime I start to itch, he said, «Ax̱ wéisʼi áwé!»
Everytime I start to itch, he said, “Those are my lice!”
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Is that George Davis?
No. George, George Abbot.
Oh, oh. George Abbot.
(George Abbott) I léelk'w. Aaa.
Your grandfather. Yes.
Itʼs like, my grandfather would have been good for this. He would talk forever. And it was all the subjects, everything that went on. He told,
You ever talk to George Davis?
Heʼs another fluent speaker.
Yeah, um, I worked with him a little bit with a similar project. But it was the, Alice got a grant to say, "This is what we would like to get a grant for," so I came in on the tail end of that part.
Yeah, it was the pilot (project).
The pilot. Thank you. I couldnʼt think of the word.
T'á áwé.
That's king salmon.
I smell fish. Are you cooking too?
Huh?
Is she cooking too?
T'á.
King salmon.
Linúkdzi át áwé i jeewú G̱unaakʼw jeedáx̱.
Thatʼs some tasty stuff you have there, (itʼs) from Fred White.
Yáat'át gé?
You mean this?
X̱áach yéi x̱wsinei. Áx̱, áx̱ akawdudlisʼeig̱i x̱áat, tʼá.
I prepared it myself. Smoked salmon, king salmon.
Ax̱ léelk'w.
My grandfather (Fred White). [ Fred White is the same clan as ḴFSʼs grandfather, Shangukeidí, so ḴFS refers to him as her grandfather.]
How is he?
Hél wáa sá.
Heʼs ok.
Mm.
Aax̱ gé yeexaash?
Did you cut it (camera) off?
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Cut!
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Góok. OK.
Go ahead.
Gunalchéesh haa x̱'éix̱ at yiteeyí.
Thank you for feeding us.
Wook'éi.
It was good.
{wé} Wé x̱áat ḵa wé g̱áatl ḵúnáx̱ wook'éi.
The fish and crackers are really good.
Ḵa wéi dleit ḵáa tléig̱u tsú,
And the grapes, too, [white manʼs berries]
á tsú wook'éi, gunalchéesh.
those were good, too, thank you.
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs the way.
Yáa, um
This,
yáa ḵutí áyá {anax̱} anax̱ haadé agux̱dagáan {yóo yóo},
it looks like the sun is going to shine through the weather (clouds) on us,
yóo duwatéen.
thatʼs what it looks like.
Iyatéen gé Naakil.aan?
Can you see it, Naakil.aan?
Aaá.
Yes.
Kei anadáaḵ.
The weatherʼs clearing up.
Aaá, kei anadáḵ.
Yes, the weather's clearing up.
Kei anadáḵ.
The weather's getting nice. [correcting pronunciation]
Aaá.
Yes.
Yáa,
This,
yáa seig̱ánxʼ áwé ḵúnáx̱ kéi yaguxsat'áax̱'án yú.á.
they say that tomorrow is going to be really hot.
Kei kukg̱wak'éi.
It's going to be nice.
Ḵúnáx̱ ḵuyakg̱watʼáa yú.á.
They say the weather is going to be really hot.
Aaa.
Yes
{yáa um} Yáa yaakw tlein tsé tsu wéit aa uwaḵúx̱.
Another one of those big boats has arrived over there.
Aatx̱ aa wuḵoox̱ún, yeedát ḵu.aa a eetéet aa uwaḵúx̱.
One of them had departed and now another one has come in its place.
Wé
Those
x̱'éishx'w
blue
X̱'éishx'u yaakw.
Blue canoes.
X̱'éishxʼu yaakw.
Blue canoes. [Alaska State Ferries]
Aa, yáa,
Yeah, that,
yáa yaakwx' tsú, wé yaakwx'u sáani yánde yaa has naḵúx̱.
the little boats, too, those small boats are all heading to shore.
Gwál déi yan has awdzit'éx̱ áwé, ách áwé yánde yaa has naḵúx̱.
They're probably done fishing, that's why they're coming ashore.
Ch'áakw tlél yéi utéeyin yáa yeedát aadé tuwatin yé wé diyáa.
It wasnʼt like that a long time ago, how we see the other side (of the body of water) now.
Tlél daa sá áa yéi utéeyin.
There wasnʼt anything there.
Ch'as éeḵ,
Just beach,
ch'as éeḵ áwé áa yéi téeyin.
there was only the beach there.
Wéi hítx' tsú, áa yéi yateeyi hítx', á tsú tlél áa yéi utéeyin.
Those houses, too, the houses that are there, they werenʼt there either.
Yáa tatgé wutuwaḵoox̱.
Just yesterday we took a boat out.
Wé Chʼaakʼhéeni tliyaanax̱.a aadé wtuwaḵoox̱.
We went over to the other side of Eagle River.
Áwé tle ch'as ḵúnáx̱ áyú hítx' áa shayadihéin.
There are just so very many houses over there.
Ch'áakw tlél yéi utéeyin.
It wasnʼt like that a long time ago.
Yéi ákwshé?
That right?
Yéi áwé.
That's right.
Am.
Um.
Yeedát ḵu.aa ldakát yé,
Nowadays everywhere,
l yéi duwajiyi yé áwé hítx' áa yéi yatee.
there are houses in places you wouldnʼt think there would be.
Yáa
This
wáa sá duwasáakw?
what is the name of it?
Montana Creek.
Á tsú ḵúnáx̱ hít áa shayadihéin. Áwé.
There are a lot of houses there too.
Aadé ntooḵúx̱jin yú dáaḵ.
We used to drive back there.
Ḵúnáx̱ yú dáaḵ ká wé shooting range áa yéi téeyin.
There used to be a shooting range way back there (away from the ocean) [Off Mendenhall Loop Road].
Áwé tlél hítx' áa yéi utéeyin, yeedát ḵwá há ḵúnáx̱ yagéi yú hítxʼ.
There werenʼt any houses there, but now, my, there are so many houses.
Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen shákdé?
Maybe it's Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen.
Yéi gé duwasáakw?
Is that the name of it?
Tsu sá!
Say it again!
Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen.
Water that's clear.
Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen.
Water that's clear.
A yáx̱ ák.wé?
Is that right?
Tlél x̱wasakú.
I don't know.
A kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw aadé duwasáagu yé.
I forgot what it is called.
A kwéiyi áwé yéi yatee.
That's the way the marker is.
Ha.
Oh.
A kaadé {...} Wáa sá yakḵwaḵáa?
Onto it, How will I say it?
Kawduwadálʼ.
They printed it.
Hm.
Oh, OK.
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Awsikóo wáa sá yakḵwaḵaayí.
She knows what Iʼm (trying) to say.
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Dawóotl áyá.
This is hard.
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Fine-x̱ x̱at dulyeix̱í de ch'áakw ax̱ dáanayi shuwuxeexéyáx̱ áyá.
My money would have run out long ago if they fined me. [For speaking English as has been done at Tlingit language immersion sessions.]
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Tle,
Anyway,
yáa, am,
this, um,
chʼáakw tsú yáax' yú schoolt yóo too.átgin.
long ago we used to go to school here.
Yáa,
This,
at yátxʼix̱ haa sateeyí.
when we were children.
Dax̱adooshú
Seven
dax̱adooshú {katáa} gíwé du katáagux̱ sitee ax̱ éek',
my brother mightʼve been 7 years old,
Jaḵwteen.
[Name of her brother Jimmy]
X̱át ḵu.aa gooshúḵ.
As for me, I was 9.
Áyá
So
shux'áa héide shuwdutaaní yáa
when they first opened
yáa school yáa Lingít jiyís
the school (to the) Tlingíts
yáa dleit ḵáatin.
with the whites. [When Tlingíts and whites became integrated in the schools.]
A áyá yáa, um,
And this, um,
Catholic School áwé haa jiyís héide shuwduwataan.
the Catholic School was opened for us.
Shux'wáanáx̱ áa yóo wtuwa.át.
This is where we first went (to school).
Ch'as Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóox̱ʼatánk áyá wtusikóo,
We only knew the Tlingit language,
ax̱ éek'tin.
my brother and I.
Ách áwé ch'as Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱ʼatula.átgin.
That's the reason we only spoke Tlingit.
Á áyá, am,
This is (why) um,
a x̱ʼáax', a x̱ʼáaxʼ tláakw haa yawdudziḵaa.
because of it, they bawled us out because of it.
«Tlél haa tuwáa ushgú Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'ayla.átgi.
“We don't want you speaking in Tlingit.
Yáa dleit ḵaa x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'anayla.átk.»
Speak in English.”
Ha wáa ḵu.aa sáyóo {dlei} dleit ḵáa x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'agax̱tula.áat l too.áx̱ji?
Well how are we supposed to speak English when we canʼt understand it?
Ách áwé {ts} ch'as yáa Lingít yinaadé wlitseen wóoshtin yóo x̱ʼatula.átgi.
So thatʼs why Tlingit tended to be more prevalent when we would converse with each other.
Yáa,
This,
l ḵaa x̱'éix̱ tusa.aax̱ích{ch'a wuháanch tlél}
because we didn't listen
ch'a wuháan yéi ḵutoonoogú tlél
when we were doing that ourselves
tlél haa tuwáa ushgú hasdu x̱'éix̱ tusa.aax̱í yóo gíwé s haa uwajée.
they seem to have thought that we just didnʼt want to listen to them.
A x̱ʼáaxʼ,
For it,
a x̱ʼáaxʼ haa jín,
for it, our hands,
haa jín wuduwax̱ísht.
they hit our hands.
Yáa Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'atula.átgich.
Because we were speaking Tlingit.
Woosh x̱ánx' tsú g̱aax̱tudaḵéejin.
We used to sit next to each other, too.
Áyáa Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱ʼatula.átgich, g̱óot yéix',
So, because we were conversing in Tlingit,
g̱óot yéixʼ yawdudzinúk ax̱ éek', Jaḵwteen.
they seated my brother Jaḵwteen to a different area.
L haa daa yaa ḵushoosigéiyi át áwé woosh x̱ʼatudawóosʼin,
We asked each other the things that we didnʼt understand,
«Wáa sá? Wáa sá yaawaḵaa?»
“Whatʼs that? What did they say?”
Áwé tsu
And again,
wóoshtin yóo x̱'atula.átgi tsu a x̱'áax' haa yawduwajee.
they punished us again for conversing with each other.
X̱át ḵu.aa,
As for me,
{yáa naa.át}
kinaa.át áa yéi du.ux̱xʼ yéide x̱at wududzigoot.
they put me in the coat closet.
Áa x̱at wududzinook tléix' yagiyee x̱'áanáx̱.
They sat me in there for one whole day.
Ḵúnáx̱ áa ḵukawjig̱ít áwé a tóot x̱at dus.áa.
They sat me in there until it was fully dark.
Yáa neildé haa jigax̱dunaag̱í áwé tsá {atóode a t} a tóotx̱ daak x̱at wududzigút.
They finally brought me out of there when they were going to let us all go home.
Dleit ḵáach yéi yasáakw "closet".
The white man calls it “closet”.
A tóot x̱at dus.áa.
That's where they kept me.
Yá Lingít x̱'éináx̱ yóo x̱'ax̱atángich.
Because I spoke in the Tlingit language.
It's hard to think about sometimes.
What they did to us to stop the language.
[Break in recording] [At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Now that theyʼre paying me to talk, I donʼt talk.
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Even at home I, Iʼm wondering who heʼs talking to. I go out to look at him. Here heʼs talking to the TV.
I learned that from a friend of mine. He was arguing out there in the living room. I finally went out there. Look around, thereʼs nobody there, just the TV. [Break in recording]
Áa, ax̱ adée!
Ah, my goodness!
G̱án yáa kanat'á.
Look at these blueberries.
Yan kaawatʼáa.
Theyʼre fully ripe.
Aadé sheyadiheni yé.
How many there are.
Kanat'á.
Blueberries.
Kanat'á, ḵúnáx̱,
Blueberries, (theyʼre) really,
ḵúnáx̱ yan kaawat'ayiyáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa yatee.
they seem to me to be fully ripened.
Aahá.
Yes.
Yéi ágé?
Is that so?
Yéi áwé.
Thatʼs it.
X̱'eeya.áx̱ch gé?
Do you understand?
Aaá.
Yes.
Am, yóo áwé dáaḵ aa tsú.
Um, the ones further in the woods are too,
á tsú yan kaawat'áa. De yán kaawat'áa.
theyʼre also fully ripened. Theyʼre already fully ripened.
Ḵúnáx̱ duwa.áx̱ch. Daa sáwé yóode x̱'aduwa.áx̱ch?
Itʼs really making noise. Whatʼs making noise over there?
Yéil áwé tláakw haa daayaḵá.
Raven is bawling us out.
Yéil.
Raven.
Tláakw has x̱'ayaḵá.
They're making lots of noise.
Á áyá, «Aganáa! aadé yateeyi yé,» or, «Ax̱ adée!»
So, “Oh no! the way it is,” or, “My goodness!”
Ax̱ adée yáa tléiḵw.
Oh my, the berries.
Wéit ḵu.aa, dáa sáwé wéit, wé,
Over there though, what is that over there, that,
Haaw, a kát x̱at seiwaxʼáḵw.
Well, I forgot.
Wé, am,
That, um,
x̱áat aan yéi daadune át.
what they put up (smoke) fish with.
Naakil.aan,
Hans,
tsu du een sá.
tell him again.
Keishísh.
White alder.
Keishísh á.
White alder.
Ayáx̱ áwé.
That's right.
Á áwé x̱áat aan yéi daaduné.
That's what they use to fix (smoke) the fish.
G̱óot yéide aa ḵu.aa tlél ushkʼé.
Other kinds are no good.
Yóo has x̱'ax̱a.áx̱jin ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ léelk'w hás yáa,
Thatʼs what I used to hear my mother and my grandparents say,
ch'as yáa keishísh áwé yak'éi yóo s x̱'ayaḵáayin.
only the white alder is good, they used to say.
Wéide ayatéen wé aas, á tsú.
He can see some trees over there, those too.
Lingít x̱'eináx̱ wáa sá duwásaakw á ḵu.aa?
What is that one called in Tlingit?
Yisikoo gé?
Do you know?
Tléik'.
No.
X̱áay shákdé.
Maybe it's yellow cedar.
X̱áay ák.wé?
Is that yellow cedar?
X̱áay áhé.
Thatʼs yellow cedar.
X̱áay.
Yellow cedar.
Ha wáanáx̱ sáwé yáat'aa ḵu.aa tlél daa sá a x̱oo?
Why is it there's nothing in these (bushes)?
Yáa kanatʼá,
The blueberries,
kanatʼá wásʼi,
the blueberry bushes,
tlél tlax̱ daa sá a x̱oo.
thereʼs nothing at all in there.
Yáat'aa ḵu.aa ḵúnáx̱ áa shayadihéin.
Thereʼs lots on this one, though.
Wéináx̱ tsú, wé dáaḵ aa tsú.
On that side, too, the one further up.
Ḵiyik'éet'i yáx̱ áwé de yak'éi.
It's good enough for you to pick already.
Gwál yé.
Maybe so.
Gwál yé.
Maybe so.
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Oh, yáa ḵutaan gé?
For this summer?
Aa, {de} de yan kaawat'ayíyáx̱ x̱á duwatéen.
Yes, they look iike theyʼre already fully ripened.
Chʼas ax̱,
Only my,
{k'i} Ḵuk'éetʼ,
Berry picking,
Ḵuk'éetʼ.
Berry picking.
Gwál yéi kagux̱dagéi yáa eeti.aa
They might get about this big the next
eeti.aa yagiyee.
the next day.
Yéi gé?
That right?
G̱agaan.
The sun.
G̱agaanch a kát awustʼáax̱'áni.
When the sun makes the heat radiate upon it.
Ḵúnáx̱ áa kalitéx̱.
The ground is mushy.
Kalitéx̱ yáa,
Itʼs mushy,
{át x̱waa} át x̱ahan yé.
where I'm standing.
X̱at iyatéen gé?
Do you see me?
Aaá.
Yes.
Oh.
Yáatʼát tsú, {ax̱ tláa} tléik', chʼa dleit ḵaa aayí ákyá?
This one too, {my mother} no, is this a white man's (plant)? [Non-indigenous]
Aaá.
Yes.
A yáx̱ yateeyi kayaaní,
The plant that's like this,
ax̱ tláach yéi kanik nujéen yáa
my mother used to say
{ḵákw}
ḵákw aan du.áagin.
they used to weave baskets with it.
Áa has jikoodus.háayjin
They used to make them
yéi has anax̱sanei[t] kei has nawádi.
pick it when they were growing up.
Wuháanch ḵu.aa tlél wutusateen,
We never saw it ourselves, though,
wáa sá, am,
how, um,
aan ḵákw yéi daaduneiyí. Ch'as wé,
how they made the baskets with it. Only the
ch'as wé x̱áay ḵá wé,
only the yellow cedar and the,
am,
um,
yéi daaduneiyí áwé ax̱ léelk'úch, wutusiteen.
being worked on by our grandmother, we saw that.
X̱áayta.aandáx̱ yéi daatoonéiyin {ax̱ léelk'u}
We used to get it from a yellow cedar area [Deer Harbor]
ax̱ léelkʼw ḵa ax̱ aat jiyís, yáa
for my grandmother and my paternal auntie, the
a shagóoni yáa ḵákw yéi daanéiyi.
ancestral material for making baskets.
Aatx̱ áwé neil yawtoox̱aayí {tsoo}
Then when we brought it home,
{tsu wéi} tsu a daax' yéi jitoonéi noojín.
we used to work on it some more.
X̱at x̱'eeya.áx̱ch gé?
Do you hear me?
Aa.
Yes.
Ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ gukyíxʼ ligaaw {héit wudiḵeeni} héit wudiḵeeni át.
That thing flying around over there is really loud in my ears.
Á ḵu.aa wáa sá gax̱dusáa wéit wudiḵeeni át?
How about that one, what are we going to call that thing flying around over there?
Ḵaasheeshx̱áaw.
Dragonfly. (Helicopter)
[At.shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Haaw, x̱ʼawditaan.
Well, he spoke. [Jokingly referring to himself in 3rd person here?]
Aaá.
Yes.