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Tlingit Conversation #89
[Continuation of recording #88.] Speakers are Shakʼsháani Margaret Dutson and Kaaxwaan Éesh George Davis. Recorded March 6, 2013, at George Davis’s house in Juneau, Alaska, by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.
Tlingit transcription and English translation by Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester with Ḵaakal.aat Florence Sheakley, and by Koolyéik Roberta Littlefield. Edited by X̱aagi Sháawu Keri Eggleston.
Ḵúnáx̱ áwé át koox̱a.áḵwch,
I tell her what to do a lot,
yá i dlaak'.
this sister of yours (Ljáaḵk'). [Ljáaḵkʼ is a Tʼaḵdeintáan name. Kaaxwaan Éesh is Tʼaḵdeintáan (clan). Therefore there is a clan kinship between them.]
Aaa.
Yeah.
{yéi d} Yéi daayax̱aḵá,
I was telling her,
am,
um,
«Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo haa een sh kawulneegí, George.»
“I'd like him to tell us a story, George.”
Ax̱ síkk'i yei x̱at yawsiḵaa,
My dear daugther said to me,
«Ḵúnáx̱ áwé need-x̱ wutuliyéx̱.»
“We really need it.”
Yéi áwé.
That's right.
Are we taking a break?
Tléik'.
No.
Ó! Ó, góok!
Oh! Oh, go ahead!
Wé Mr. Barrett, {I}
That Mr. Barrett
du tóodáx̱ yigoodí áwé,
it was when you left him,
yéi sh keelneek i húnx̱w eeg̱áa {at uwa} yaat uwaḵúx̱. Aha!
you said your older brother came for you here. Yes!
Ax̱ géidei yaa nagút.
He is coming towards me.
«Daa sáwé yáax' yéi daa.eené?»
“What are you doing here?” (George asked)
«I eeg̱áa áwé haat wutuwaḵúx̱.»
“We came for you.” (His brother replied.)
«One year deferment áwé i jeeyís yei gax̱toox̱oox̱.
“It was a one year deferment, we summoned her for you.
X̱'ayat'éex' wé shaawát.
The woman was argumentative.
{tléil}
Tléil ák' oohein {i}
She doesnʼt believe
Wartime
Hél ák' oohein yee jee ajeewanaag̱í wé
She doesnʼt believe he'll give you the
one year deferment.»
one year deferment.”
World War II?
Aaá.
Yes.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Áwé,
So,
«Háʼ,
“Well,
{yá} ch'a yá Gastineau Hotel lobby-yi yéi kḵwanóok.»
I will just sit down in the Gastineau Hotel lobby.”
«Yee eeg̱áa wéit x̱at gux̱satée,» yéi yax̱wsiḵaa.
“I will be there waiting for you,” I told him.
"«X̱'ayat'éex' i tláa ḵa áwé i dlaak' hás, tsú haa has x̱'ayat'éex'.
“Your mother and your sisters are argumentative. They also argued with us.
Yá ax̱ ítx̱ yaa has na.át,» yéi yaawaḵaa." [At shooḵ]
They are following behind me,” he said. [Laughter]
Á áwé
It was
half-hour later áwé
a half-hour later that
{x̱wasa} x̱wasiteen {a}
I saw
aax̱ yeiḵ has na.át
they were walking down
wé Baranof x̱án á.
by the Baranof (Hotel) there.
Baranof keeká áwé áa yéi yatee wé Selective Service Office.
The Selective Service Recruitment Office is next to the Baranof.
Aax̱ yeiḵ has na.ádi,
As they were coming down,
«Goosú i suitcase-í?»
“Where is your suitcase?”
{ag̱áa nax̱} «Aag̱áa nax̱too.aat dei!»
“Then, let's go get it now!”
Yaakw yíkdei kg̱wanéi??? gax̱too.aadí,
When we were going to board the boat,
tle ch'as yaakw yóo daak wutoo.aadí áwé
then as we were going aboard the boat
aax̱ daak, Ḵéex̱'dei {ḵúx̱} ḵúx̱dei kei s x̱at yaawax̱áa.
out away from there, they took me back (by boat) to Kake.
One year later áwé ax̱ eeg̱áa haat has {uwa ah}
It was one year later, they came for me
Coast Guard ax̱ eeg̱áa haat uwaḵúx̱.
the Coast Guard came for me.
Petersburg-déi has x̱at yaawax̱áa.
They transported me (by boat) to Petersburg.
Dei has kaawashóo wé,
They were feeling high,
Coast Guard has at daná. {haa ha}
the Coast Guard guys were drinking,
haa een yaa nashíxi.
the ones running with us.
Á áwé
And then
beer ax̱ x̱'éix̱ has aawatee.
they gave me a beer.
{hél áx̱} «Hél átx̱ ux̱layéix̱,» yóo s daayax̱aḵá.
I told them, “I don't use that.”
I was 18 years old.
«Well,
“Well,
tléil wáa sá igux̱sanei, idanáyi.»
nothing will happen to you if you drink it.”
Aadéi Devil. [At shooḵ]
How Devilish. [Laughter]
Áawé, {ha ha} has du x̱'ayáx̱ áwé x̱wdináa.
So I drank just like them.
«Yáax' yá bunk káa natá yú.»
“Sleep on this bunk here.”
Petersburg-x' áwé kei s x̱at uwax̱ích.
They threw me off in Petersburg.
Aag̱áa áwé,
And then,
{s ah} Selective Service office-xʼ áwé tsu.
It was at the Selective Service Office again.
«"Baranoff" haadé kg̱waḵóox̱.
“ “Baranoff” (boat name) will come here.
A yíx̱ yei kg̱eegóot.
You will get on it.
Tliyáa Juneau-déi.
And then go to Juneau.
Juneau-dax̱ áwé tle
And then from Juneau
Seward-dé.»
to Seward.”
Yéi áwé. One year later,
That was it. One year later,
{yá one át} át too.áat áwé, Selective Service office one year later.
we got there, the Selective Service office one year later.
Yées shaawát áa yéi jiné, wé x̱'ayat'éex'i shaawát ḵu.aa tléil á.
A young woman was working there, that argumentative woman though wasn't there.
Á áwé yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa, «Mr. Davis,
She said to me, “Mr. Davis,”
{yá} yá desk x̱áni g̱anú.
sit down by the desk.
i een sh kakḵwalneek,»
I will tell you a story,”
yóo x̱at yawsiḵaa,
she said to me,
wé shaawát.
that woman.
Wé afternoon ḵu.aa áwé aax̱ áwé ax̱ húnx̱w {ax̱} ax̱ géit uwagút yé x̱á,
That very afternoon where my older brother came to (get) me, see,
1:00 in the afternoon áwé aax̱ {daax̱}
it was 1:00 in the afternoon, from there
ch'ú aax̱ Anchorage-dáx̱ {at} x̱at yagax̱dux̱áa
just from there, from Anchorage they were going to transport me
plane yíkt.
on a plane.
Ah,
Uh,
dei tsu {there} déix̱ planes tsú áa yéi yatee.
there are two planes there.
Pacific Northern Airlines yóo áwé duwasáakw.
Pacific Northern Airlines it is called.
Wé a yíx̱ yéi kḵwagút áa.
The one I am going to go on that (Pacific Northern Airlines).
Ax̱ jeet wuduwatée wé travel order.
They gave me the travel order.
Ch'a ashkwát áwé
Even before
{áwé aax̱ aax̱}
{aax̱ yéi aax̱}
Selective Service
Selective Service
gági nax̱agút áwé ax̱ géit uwagút ax̱ húnx̱w.
as Iʼm coming out my older brother met me.
Há', ch'a wéix̱ kawdiyáa áwé.
Well, something had happened.
Tle one year later,
It (had been) one year later,
{ḵúx̱ át yoo x̱} ḵúx̱ x̱at yadux̱áa áwé tsá.
when they took me back again.
Yá desk x̱áni x̱at wusinook wé yées shaawát.
By the desk she sat me, the young woman.
«Yiskóo gé wé plane yíx̱ yikg̱eegoodí?
“Do you know that plane you were going on?
Pacific Northern Airlines.»
Pacific Northern Airlines.”
«Aaá.»
“Yes.”
"The plane you're supposed to go on,
“The plane you're supposed to go on,
uh, flig̱ht number so-and-so."
uh, flig̱ht number so-and-so.”
"Yeah, I remember."
“Yeah, I remember.”
«X̱wasikóo,» yéi yax̱wsiḵaa.
“I know it,” I told her.
«Wéi a yíx̱ yakg̱eegut plane,
“The plane you were going on,
yáadáx̱ {wuda} wudaḵeení ít,
after it left here,
{tléil tléil} hél wuduskú wáa sá woonei.
they don't know what happened to it.
{wuduwa} Wuduwat'éi wé plane.
They found the plane.
Kaawliwál'.
It broke apart (crashed).
Oh my!
Hél survivor ḵuwustee.
There were no survivors.
Ldakát áwé passengers áwé
All of the passengers
they all got killed,"
yéi x̱at yawsiḵaa wé shaawát.
the lady told me.
Hah.
Huh.
Aadé, Dikée Aanḵáawu {át át uh}
There, the Lord
Dikée Aanḵáawu áwé. Ch'a ag̱aa áwé {Ax̱ ya ax̱ ya}
The Lord there. It was then,
{yee} Ax̱ yayi ah, he was in my path.
He was in my path.
Ahah.
Yeah.
Ch'a tlákw a daa yoo tux̱aatánk nooch.
I think about it all the time.
Uh, I really thank the Lord.
Áwé Military tóox' áwé tsu,
In the military again,
tsu hél unalé ax̱ gaawúx̱ ḵuwusteeyí.
it was almost my time again.
{car} Military cargo checker-x̱ áwé x̱at wusitee.
I was a military cargo checker.
Hah.
Huh.
Áwé,
So,
civilians tin áwé yéi jix̱anéi nooch.
I worked with civilians most of the time.
Á áwé, Major-ch ḵu.aa aadéi x̱at kaawanáa.
And then, the Major sent me there.
Thatʼs a port commander, Major áwé.
Thatʼs a port commander, a Major.
Major Fitzmorice yóo duwasáakw.
His name is Major Fitzmorice.
Ḵúnáx̱ {át tle} át at koona.áḵwch ḵáa. Aaá.
The man that really gives orders. Yes.
"Well {take six} take six men with you.
wé warehouse-dé.»
to that warehouse.”
Gave warehouse number haa jee {ách áwé x̱'} akawshixít.
He wrote down the warehouse number for us.
{At} áwé {has d aa has} aadéi haa wdudzix̱óot' wé six men tin.
They took us over there with the six men.
«Mail áwé áwu, á áwé aax̱ Anchorage {at at} ách at g̱isawóo.
“There is mail there, from there you will command it to be sent to Anchorage.
Here's where itʼs gonna go to you."
Haa áa neilt wutoo.áat áwé MP,
Well when we went inside, the MP (Military Police)
guards, {át has} óonaa tin át has woo.aat.
guards were walking around with rifles.
Guards
they were guarding the mail.
Ch'u tle ch'as áa neil x̱wagoodítin áwé tle,
Just as I walked in,
{aa} aax̱ aa x̱wsitée wé mail,
I picked up the mail,
aadé akḵwalg̱éin wé destination,
to look at where it is going,
ḵa ch'as aax̱
and just from there
kindachóon sh kax̱wdataaní wé mail tin áwé,
when I stood up with the mail,
wé óonaa kayéik x̱waa.áx̱.
I heard the sound of the rifle. [Telephone ringing.]
Oh, okay.
Aatx̱ yéi wootee.
It's turned off! [Her phone that just rang.]
Áwé
Then
"Drop that mail," yóo x̱at yawsiḵaa wé guard.
“Drop that mail,” the guard said to me.
Yéi áwé {ax̱ ax̱ yaa} ax̱ yaadáx̱ kunaaléi óonaa.
The rifle was this far from my face.
I looked rig̱ht down the (barrel).
Tle du een kax̱anéek,
So I tell him,
«Gwál yá yáadei haa kaawaḵaayi ḵáa mistake yéi awsinei.»
“Maybe the man that sent us here made a mistake.”
There's a phone over there, I want to place that call.
Áwé, {call} call x̱waliyéx̱ wé Major.
And then, I made a phone call to the major.
{du een ka}
Hél ḵwá {du} du saayí x̱wasáagu
I didnʼt say his name though
x̱at sei.áax̱ g̱aa wé guard-ch.
in case the guard heard me.
Áwé
So,
du een kax̱anéek,
I tell him (the major),
du óonayi ch'a yeisú ax̱ yáa ax̱'awshit'íx'.
his (guardʼs) rifle was still holding steady in my face.
It's one foot away from my face!
Oh my!
{hél} Hél ax̱ tuwáa ushgú x̱alatíni, x̱at gug̱wa.óoni.
I didn't want to watch him, or he'd shoot me.
Ách áwé du een kax̱waaneek, "I have to place a call."
That's why I said to him, “I have to place a call.”
X'oon sáwé {hé af hé} after I hung up,
How long after I hung up
{ha} 10 minutes later áwé truck aanáx̱ haat wuligás'.
it was 10 minutes later, a truck pulled up.
Déix̱ guards a yíḵt ḵéen.
There were two guards sitting in it.
Óonaa tin a yíkdáx̱ has uwa.át.
They got out with rifles.
Ch'a {du x̱án} du x̱ánt aa {u uwa} has uwa.át, wé guard.
They just walked next to the guard.
Du jeedáx̱ yéi w{du}dudlis'él' yá du óonayi.
They tore his rifle from him.
"You're under arrest!" tle yéi yawdudziḵaa.
“You're under arrest!” they told him.
Dei aax̱ ship-x̱ wududliyéx̱.
They shipped him out.
Yá guards
The guards
center of the guard-x̱ yaa nagút
he's walking in the center (between) the guards
óonaax'. [At shooḵ]
with rifles. [Laughter]
Jéi! Déin ax̱ tóox̱ ḵoowatee.
Holy cow! I was really frightened.
I had those two close calls
but,
gwál, Diḵée Aanḵáawu aadé,
maybe, it's the way of the Lord,
aadé {ḵun} át kundayéich yé.
how things come to pass.
Ch'a aax̱ áwé, tlákw a daa yoo tux̱aatánk nooch.
Since then, I have always been thinking about it.
Ḵu ákwsháyá yéi ḵuyanaḵéich
Maybe this is how people say
ḵúx̱ ax̱wlixwétlʼ.
???
Mhm.
Yes.
{haa haa} Ch'a yéi ḵutoosteeyí kwá
When we live that way,
{haa een}
{haa een} «K'idéin ḵug̱eestí,» yóo x̱at daayaḵáa nooch ax̱ tláa.
my mom would always tell me, “Live well.”
Accept-íx̱ layéx̱ Diḵée Aanḵáawu {i sh i} sh daa yóo tutánk i tóode.
Accept the Lord into the way you think about yourself.
Á áwé, tlákw x̱aan yóo x̱'ala.átk nooch wé ax̱ stepfather-yi.
My step father was always talking to me.
Soox̱shí yéi áyá duwasáakw Lingít x̱'éináx̱,
Soox̱shí, thatʼs what heʼs call in Tlingit,
du saayí.
his name.
Wáa sá?
What?
Soox̱shí.
Soox̱shí.
Ó.
Oh.
Charlie Newton. Ahah.
Uhuh.
Áwé ax̱ tláa aawasháa.
He married my mother.
Hóoch áwé kei x̱at wusiwát,
He is the one that raised me,
{at} atk'átsk'u x̱at (sateeyí).
(when I was) a young boy.
Ax̱ éesh chʼa atk'átsk'ux̱ sateeyídáx̱ áwé,
My father, from the time he was a young boy,
wunaayí ít.aa cancer ash uwajáḵ, ax̱ éesh.
when he died after, cancer killed him, my father.
Ó.
Oh.
Aaá.
Yes.
Shaak'oox̱ Éesh yéi duwasáakw Lingít x̱'éináx̱ ax̱ éesh.
My father's Tlingit name was Shaak'oox̱ Éesh.
Ah,
Uh,
Tsaagweidí.
(clan)
Mhm.
Yeah.
Tsaagweidí áwé.
He was Tsaagweidí clan.
Ah,
Uh,
Angoon-dáx̱ áwé wusidaaḵ
He moved from Angoon
yées ḵáax̱ sateeyí.
when he was a young man.
Aag̱áa áwé Angoon-dáx̱ áwé,
And then from Angoon,
has ah,
they uh,
déix̱ tribes áwé.
itʼs two tribes.
One of them went to that Killisnoow-déi.
One of them went to that Killisnoo.
Has wulgáas' tléix' aa ḵu.aa,
When they moved, the other one though,
{aa} aadáx̱ áwé {a} Ḵéex̱'t, {kaw}
it was from there to Kake,
Ḵéex̱'de wsidaaḵ tle ax̱ éesh.
my father moved to Kake then.
Aag̱áa áwé ax̱ tláa aawasháa.
That's when he married my mother.
{yée} Ch'u yées shaawátx̱ sateeyí.
She was just a young lady.
{a a ax̱}
Ax̱ léelk'w ḵwá s,
My grandfather though,
Charlie Kake yéi áyá duwasáakw.
Charlie Kake was his name.
Charlie
Charlie Kake.
Kake?
Aaá, Kake.
Yes, Kake.
Just like Kake.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Kake City.
Ḵa
And
shaawát aa ax̱ léelk'w ḵwá s
my grandma though
Jenny
Jenny Kake.
Ah,
Uh,
{hél na} Hél nalé Xunaadéi ḵux̱ haa wulgáas'i.
We almost moved back to Hoonah.
Gwál ah, {aa} ch'a aadéi at ḵukundayeich yé á, gwál.
Maybe thatʼs the way people would move around, maybe.
Ch'u ax̱ast'eix̱í séet
While I was fishing in the channel
Naawéijánch x̱at x̱'eiwóos' du een anḵasg̱eiwú ḵa cháatl du een anḵast'eix̱.
a Norwegian asked me to seine with him and halibut fish with him.
{ah hél hél hél hél}
Hél {ax̱ tu} ax̱ tuwáa ushgú.
I didn't want to.
Gwál dei ch'áakw l ḵux̱astí yáx̱ áwé.
I wouldn't have been alive this long.
At daná áwé yaa s ayaksaxíxch áwé, séet kaadáx̱ yaakwx'.
They did a lot of drinking, the boats from the channel.
Naawéiján.
The Norwegians.
{yaa aga x̱oo} Ch'a a x̱oo aa áwé a káa daak x̱at sahéich nooch.
I just always remember some of it.
Aadé close call yéi x̱wsineiyi yé.
How I had a close call.
Ḵa shayadihéin déin, close call yéi x̱wsinei
I had a whole lot of close calls
ax̱ast'eix̱í
when I was fishing
ch'a tléináx̱.
all by myself.
Tléináx̱ áwé át nax̱aḵúx̱ch ast'eix̱.
I'd go around by myself fishing.
Dé x̱waadllaag̱í dáanaa áwé tle
The money I earned,
ax̱
my
wé x̱waashaayí shaawát jeedé yanx̱ax̱éich.
I'd take it (by boat, after selling fish) to the woman I married.
Ḵáchgu,
But,
ḵáchgu náaw áwé ásíwé aan a.óo.
but I guess she was buying booze with it.
Sheet'kaadáx̱ áwé order-x̱ alyéix̱ wé náaw.
She ordered the liquor from Sitka.
{ax̱ héi x̱át} x̱át ḵu.aa {hél} hél ch'u aax̱ kasi.aani atx̱á sh x̱'eis' yoo x̱ada.eik áwé ax̱ast'eix̱í.
I don't buy nice food for myself when I am out fishing.
Á áwé, aan party yaa yaksaxíxch.
She would be having a party.
Á áwé, dleit ḵáa teen áwé kei wjixíx, ax̱ náḵ.
So, she ran away from me with a white man.
Hah!
Huh!
Haa x̱ánt tlákw ḵáa,
A man was always by us,
ḵa áwé
and
du shát tsú.
his wife too.
{a} tle has wudishán.
They were old.
Ax̱ x̱ánt has uwa.át.
They came by me.
«Tléil i toowú unéegug̱u,»
“Don't let your soul be troubled,”
ax̱ káankʼi yoo x̱at yawsiḵaa.
is what my in-law said to me.
Ax̱ káani yéi ax̱ yát x̱'awdliyóo.
My in-law called me his relative.
«Gwál yéi ḵukg̱wastée
“Maybe there will be a time
áx' i x̱ándei kg̱wasg̱áax̱ wé shaawát.
when that woman is going to come crying to you there.
I x̱ánde kg̱wasg̱áax̱
She's gonna come crying to you
ḵúx̱ g̱eeteeyí.
for you to take her back.
{l tlél tlél}
Hél haa jeenáx̱ kawuháa ákwé?
It's not our business, is it?
Ch'a wa.é i jeenáx̱ áwé akg̱waháa
It is only your business
{i tuw} i tuwáa sagoowú ḵúx̱de kg̱eeteeyí.
if you would like to take her back.
I x̱ándei ḵwás g̱ug̱asg̱áax̱.»
However, she will come crying to you.”
Áwé dei BIA jeeyís yéi jix̱aneiyí áwé,
It was when I was working for the BIA,
phone {kei} ax̱ desk-i káx'.
there was a phone on my desk.
Kei uwa.íx' áwé.
It started ringing.
Daa sáwé hú?
Who was it?
Wé ux̱washáayi shaawát yaa,
The woman I had married,
kadag̱áax̱ wé phone toodéi,
sheʼs crying into the phone,
ḵux̱ ḵateeyít.
for me to take her back.
"Please take me back."
«Aadéi ax̱ yat'éiyi yoo yaysiḵaayi gé hél a daa teeydataan?»
“You were talking behind my back, didn't you think about that?”
Ldakát ḵáa,
Everybody,
yá {ḵa} ḵaa x̱oo awshit'óok aadéi x̱at l ushik'éiyi yé.
she let it fly among the people that I was no good. [Awshitʼóok means to shoot/ fly an arrow.]
Ax̱ aax̱ yat'éi áwé yéi yaa yanasḵéin.
Sheʼs saying it behind my back.
Ax̱ lawyer-ch tsú x̱aan,
My lawyer also (told) me,
I had an attorney that I hired,
x̱aan akanéek
he told me
aadéi yóo x̱at yawsiḵáayi yé ax̱ yat'éi.
what she was saying behind my back.
Áwé du yát x̱waa(g̱íx'), «Tléil ax̱ tuwáa ushgú
I threw it at her, “I don't want
ax̱ x̱áni yéi iwuteeyí.»
for you to come back by me.”
Ch'as áwé ax̱ yátx'i áwé {ax̱ daat} has du daat ax̱ toowú yanéekw.
I was just feeling sorry for my children.
«Ch'a wa.é, ch'a wáa sá {á} ilitseen ayáx̱,
“You, with all your strength,
yan ikashú.»
just go get drunk.”
Fire-x̱ wududliyéx̱ yáax'.
They fired her here.
Telephone operator-x̱ áwé sitee.
She was a telephone operator.
Fire-x̱ wududliyéx̱ at danákʼw l.aan.
They fired her because she drank too much.
Yáax' áwé BIA ch'as x̱at kaawashóoḵ.
Here at the BIA she just laughed at me.
Áwé,
So,
áwé {neil} neilt x̱a.aayí áwé,
When I was sitting at home,
x̱a-study book x̱atéew.
I'm studying, reading a book.
{x̱aan} Neil ashuwlitséx̱ áxʼ ax̱ x̱'aháadi.
She kicked in my door there.
«X̱waa.áx̱ federal you trying to find a job,»
“I heard you are trying to find a federal job,”
dei yóo x̱at yawsiḵaa.
is what she said to me.
«Aadóoch sá hire-x̱ igux̱layéix̱?
“Who's going to hire you?
Tlax̱ yéi dumb-x̱ isateeyi yéix',» yéi áwé x̱at yawsiḵaa.
You are so dumb,” is what she said to me.
Daléich tin de gánde woogoot.
She went out yelling.
{ax̱ s a} I took my
wé Civil Service test.
the Civil Service test.
Pass-x̱ x̱waliyéx̱, I had 89.
I passed, I had an 89.
Ah,
Uh,
ah, {de d de} de yéi jix̱aneiyí áwé, {hú s}
uh, I was already working,
hú ḵwa hél aadéi pass-x̱ g̱ux̱layeix̱í áwé, Civil Service test.
she however couldn't pass it, the Civil Service test.
Hig̱h school equivalency test áwé.
It was a high school equivalency test.
Á áwé, {d} pass-x̱ x̱waliyéx̱
So I passed it
hél yaa ḵoox̱ashgeiyítin.
even though I was dumb.
Jéi. [At shooḵ]
Holy. [Laughter]
Áwé, yáadáx̱ ḵoowateen.
So, she left here.
Wrangell-dé wé shaawát.
That woman went to Wrangell.
Ax̱ yátx'i tsú. Dáx̱náx̱ yateeyi aa áwé s du náḵ kei loowag̱úḵ.
My children too. Two of them ran away from her.
Oldest one,
haa x̱'awóolt kawdigwál, daa sáwé?
he knocked on our door, what?
{haa} Haa x̱áni yéi wootee
He stayed with us
one year.
The following year áwé tle tsu,
Again, the following year,
neilt tooḵeení áwé haa x̱'awool kawduwagwál.
While we were sitting at home, someone knocked on our door.
Daa sáwé, ax̱ yéet.
What is this, my (younger) son.
Ch'a yeisú atk'átsk'ux̱ sitee.
He's still a young boy.
Du tláa náḵ kei wjixíx.
He ran away from his mother.
{aat} Got on the ferry. [At shooḵ]
[Laughter]
Áyá áwé.
It's like that.
{yéi na wáa s} «Wáanáx̱ sáwé hél i tláa x̱án yéi?»
“Why aren't you living with your mother?”
«Mistreat-x̱ haa layéix̱ ḵúdáx̱.
“She's mistreating us too much.
Ḵa wé child support money {hél} hél haa jeex̱ aa utí.
And she doesn't give us any child support money. (Doesn't use the money for our needs.)
Aan at daná yaa ayanasxíxi áwés,» x̱aan sh kalneek.
She's drinking heavily with it,” he told me.
Hél yaa ḵooshg̱é.
Thatʼs foolish.
Jé!
Holy!
{du een} Du ée jiwduwanáḵ.
They let her go.
L yaa ḵooshgé áwé.
Sheʼs foolish.
Áwé {hél} hél hire-x̱ wududliyéx̱ wé BIA-ch.
The BIA didn't hire her.
Wasn't good enoug̱h.
Áwé x̱át ḵú yaax̱ yéi x̱at yanasḵéin {aadéi l} aadéi l yaa ḵoox̱jigéiyi!
Me though, she is telling me how foolish I am.
Ch'a wa.éich áwé kée??? {yóó} yóo yisinei.
You are the one doing the ???.
Aaá.
Yes.
Well, a x̱oo aa sháa
Well, some women
tle ch'a yéi gé áwé s ḵoowdzitee a yís.
are probably just born like that.
L.ushk'é.
Not good.
A x̱oo aa ḵwá ch'a kát sh daa yoo tudatángi nooch.
Some of them only think about themselves.
Ch'a {ka} kawsiyaayí {yáx̱} yáx̱ wootee.
She was just crazy.
A tóox̱ kei x̱at uwawát asg̱eiwú.
I grew up fishing.
Ah,
Uh,
{tléix'} tléix' summer atoosg̱eiwú áwé,
one summer when we were fishing,
tle déix̱dahéen haa wduwasháat
we got caught two times
kwéiy g̱ei tootaawú.
when we stole the boundary (went past the fishing boundary).
{a ran}
Petersburg-dé {ax̱} haa kawduwanáa shóogu aa kdusháat.
The first time they caught us they told us to go to Petersburg.
Yeisú atk'átsk'ux̱ x̱at sitee.
I was still a young boy.
Wáa sáwé crew tle {hél} tlél has ḵoostí!
How come there's no crew?
Ḵachgu g̱ayéis' hít ásíwé has dusḵéen
It turns out they sat them in jail
for half a day.
Afternoon áwé they had the trial.
It was in the afternoon they had the trial.
{they} Fine has aawaḵéi.
They paid a fine.
Tléináx̱ áwé, yaakw yíkt x̱a.áa.
All alone, I'm sitting in the boat.
Tléil ikoodushtán, hé!
They don't want to be around you!
Aahá.
Yes.
Áawé,
So,
{kʼe áyá}
{ash} ḵúx̱ yaa sh kanx̱alník,
getting back to the story Iʼm telling,
10 years-x̱ x̱at sateeyí áwé ax̱ tláa
I was ten years old when my mom
«Asg̱eiwú áwé yaax̱ yík kg̱eegóot yeedát,» yóo x̱at yawsiḵaa.
told me, “You are going to go fishing now.
«At gas.ée i ée kḵwalatéew.
I will teach you how to cook.
Yáax' ax̱ x̱áni yax̱ nahaan at gax̱as.eeyí.»
Stand right here by me while I am cooking.”
Áawé {ax̱} ax̱ waḵsheeyí adaanéi nooch.
Then she would do it in front of me.
Tléix' recipe áwé, áa x̱at shukaawajáa.
One recipe, she taught me.
«Spanish rice.
I ée kḵwalatéew aadéi {du}
I will teach you
wáa sá dus.eeyí.»
how to cook it.”
Yeedát ḵwá tlél tsu {a káx̱ du} a kát x̱at seitée daa sá a x̱oo yéi du.eix̱.
Now however, I can't remember what it was they put in it.
Áwé,
So,
{yaa x̱at} yaa x̱at nadasháni yáx̱ áwé! [At shooḵ]
it's like I am getting old! [He was 86 at the time of this recording.] [Laughter]
Tle ldakát át, kaadéi yaa x̱at sanax'áḵw.
I am starting to forget everything.
{dei wé ah} BIA-x' yéi jix̱aneiyí áwé,
When I was working at the BIA,
Agnes yéi yax̱wsiḵaa,
I said to Agnes,
«Gu.aal kwshé,
“Hopefully,
ah,
uh,
gu.aal kwshé retire-x̱ x̱at wudulyeix̱í
hopefully they will retire me
ch'ul ax̱ saayí kát x̱at seix'aaḵwch áyá.» [At shooḵ]
before I forget my name.” [Laughter]
Ha, aadéi {at} kei yaa ḵunx̱ashgéin yú.á!
Geez, how unwise I am getting!
Ldakát át kaadéi yaa x̱at sanax'áḵw.
I am starting to forget everything.
Ch'ul ax̱ saayí kát x̱at seix'aaḵwjí.
Before I forget my name.
{dei yaa}
Jé! {X'oon s} x'oondahéen sáwé haa wduwasháat tle?
Gee! How many times were we caught (fishing over the line)?
Second time haa kdusháat ḵú Wrangell-dé áwé haa kawduwanaa.
The second time we got caught though they sent us to Wrangell.
Oh.
Tsu yéi áwé tsu.
And the same way again.
Tléináx̱ yaakw yíkt x̱a.áa.
I am sitting in the boat by myself.
Hél has du tóoch wulchéesh iwdusháadi. [At shooḵ]
They didn't think it was possible to catch you! [Laughter]
Too young!
Harold Martin,
Mount Edgecumbe Hospital,
yee.át kát satáan.
he was lying on the bed.
Ḵáa shaan du x̱áni kei uwagút, du een sh kalneek.
An old man came by him, telling him stories.
{dáa} Aadóo sá?
Who was it?
{hé} Hél awusá a saayí. Oh.
He didn't say his name.
Áwé yéi ash yawsiḵaa,
So he said to him,
{tléil i} «Hél i tóoch ulchéeshiḵ, chaa,
“Don't think you can try it, my friend,
yáa yaa indashání!
now that youʼre getting old!
Hél i tóoch ulchéeshiḵ'.»
Don't think you can try it.”
Ldakát át kaadéi yaa sagax'áḵwch.
You start forgetting everything.
Ldakát yéidei.
All kinds of things.
Ldakát yéidei yaa ḵuganeich yéi áwé.
Everything starts happening to people, thatʼs how it is.
Yáa Harold-ch x̱aan akananíkch.
Harold would tell me that.
Tléináx̱ áwé {yaakwt iwdu} yaakw yíkt iwduwax̱ích. Aaá.
They threw you in the boat alone. Yes.
Hél has du tóoch eelchéesh.
They didn't think you were possible for them (to catch).
Óo, jé!
Oh, gee!
Yat'éex' áwé yaa ndashán.
It is hard getting old.
{x'oon} Ch'a ldakát yéi áwé aa x̱wsiteen.
I saw some all over the place.
Ḵa wé "Meredith" yóo duwasáagu yaakw yée ax̱asg̱eiwú,
And that boat called “Meredith” that I was seining aboard,
wé Dukt'oolʼ {gé i}
that Duktʼool' (story)
the story gé ee.aax̱ín latseen s'aatí?
have you heard the story of the master of strength?
Dukt'ool'.
[Name of the strong man in the story]
Wé taan wooshdáx̱ aawas'éil'.
He tore the sea lion apart.
Ó, ahah.
Oh, uhuh!
X̱wasitéen
I saw it (the place)
"Meredith" yée ax̱asg̱eiwú.
when I was seining on “Meredith”.
Forest DeWitt
Forrest DeWitt
ḵa wé ax̱ skipper-yí,
and my skipper,
Benjamin Kadéik, Tsaak' yóo duwasáakw.
Benjamin Kadake, his name is Tsaak'.
{has} Dáx̱náx̱ dikée cabin kináax' has yastán.
They were both up above the cabin steering.
Áawé,
So then,
sandwich x̱waliyéx̱ has du x̱'eis ḵa coffee.
I made sandwiches for them, and coffee.
Has du x̱áni kei yéi x̱wsinei.
I took it up to them.
Á áwé x̱aatéen wé haa shuká eech.
I saw the reef ahead of us.
Déix̱ eech áwé át il'áa???
It was two reefs situated there.
Deikée daak lukawsi.áa??? wé x'aa.
The point of land juts??? out to sea.
Aas áwé áa yéi ḵunateejín.
There used to be trees there.
Wé eech ḵwás,
The reef however,
wé déix̱ eech,
the two reefs,
áwé yéi s x̱at yawsiḵaa,
they told me,
«Dukt'oolʼ story gé ee.aax̱ín?»
“Have you heard the story about Dukt'oolʼ?”
«Aaá,» yóo yax̱waaḵaa.
“Yes,” I said.
«Á áwé haa shukáwu wé eech.»
“That is the reef there ahead of us.”
Wé taan wooshdáx̱ aawas'éil'i ḵáa gé?
The man who tore the sealion apart?
Aa, mistake ḵú áwé yéi x̱wsinei. {hél} Hél has x̱'ax̱wawóos', «Goo sáyá áx̱ yaa ntooḵúx̱ yeedát?»
I made a mistake though, I didn't ask, “Where is it weʼre at now?”
Ó.
Oh.
A, Lawáak neech áwé dei áwé yaa ntooḵúx̱
Uh, weʼre headed toward the shore of Klawock
west coast áa anax̱toosg̱eiwút.
so we can seine on the west coast there.
Aag̱áa áwé ax̱ waḵsheeyí yéi s awsinei.
That's when they showed it to me.
Wé Dukt'oolʼ {áx'}
That Dukt'oolʼ
áx', ah, taan wóoshdáx̱ aawas'éil'.
he tore the uh, sealion apart, there.
Ax̱ jeewú áwé wé story yáax'.
I have the story here.
Record-x̱ wududliyéx̱.
They made a recording.
Ah, ḵa
Uh, and
wé Saginaw Bay.
that Saginaw Bay.
Ah,
Uh,
yá woosh dasháayi, ax̱ tláa áa yéi has nateech yé áwé.
this couple, my motherʼs family lived there. [Kaaxwaan Éesh tells this same story starting near the end of recording #86 and finishing on #87.]
Ah, Taakw Noowú Aan yóo duwasáakw,
Uh, it is called Winter Fort,
wé Saginaw Bay ká.
at Saginaw Bay.
Á áwé
It was there
áa yéi has yatee yá woosh dasháa áwé.
that they are, this couple.
Has du baby,
Their baby,
yées ḵuwdzitee baby á ḵu.aa.
itʼs a newborn baby though.
Ah,
Uh,
aadéi sh daa yóo tuduwatángi yé
what they thought to themselves
just for a few minutes áwé a náḵ has g̱ug̱wa.áat wé baby.
just for a few minutes they would leave the baby.
Áa ḵúx̱ has da.áat áwé,
When they went back,
tléil át ḵoostí wé has du yádi.
the child was not there.
{hél hél hél} Hél has awuskú {wáa goo} wáa sáwé woonei.
They didn't know what happened.
Ḵach {x̱a} kooshdaaḵáach ásíwé wsinei.
Maybe a Land Otter Man did it.
Hah.
Huh.
Kooshdaaḵáa.
Land Otter Man.
Am,
Um,
ch'áakw
long ago
ch'a yeisú Diḵée Aankáawu yoo x̱'atángi hél ḵoostí.
the Lord's words (Bible) didn't exist.
Aag̱áa gíwé l.ushik'éiyi át wé
Was it at that time, evil things
devil ákwshé lingítch ulyéix̱, Aaá.
maybe it was the Devil people made, Yes.
Ah,
Uh,
{yá} yá story x̱'aak sh kawlineegí
when telling this story
story tsú aa
another story
{a} a káwu á.
is in it.
{tlél} Hél Dikée Aanḵáawu has awuskú,
They didn't know God
ḵa aadé káa sh x̱'adugáax' á tsú, hél has awuskú.
and how to pray, that too, they didn't know.
Á áwé.
It's like that.
Ax̱ tuwáa sigóo
I want
ah, extra copy ax̱ jee yéi teeyí, i jeedéi aa kḵwatée
uh, if I have an extra copy, I will give one to you
g̱ee.aax̱ít.
for you to hear.
Ahah.
Uhuh.
Ah,
Uh,
áwé gáan,
outside,
gáani yoo has na.átch.
theyʼd go outside.
Ix̱t'ích ḵu.aa áwé át has kaawa.áaḵw.
It was the shaman though that gives them orders.
Aadóoch sá?
Who does?
Íx̱t'.
A shaman.
Ó, ahah.
Oh, uhuh.
Íx̱t'ích áwé,
It was a shaman,
át has kaawa.áaḵw wé
that gave them orders
at Tebenkoff,
dáx̱ ḵu.oo.
the people from there.
Áwé g̱ag̱ee.áax̱
You will hear it
wé recording káx'.
on the recording.
Ḵéex̱' ḵwáan yáanáx̱ has yakoogeiyín,
They used to be more numerous than the Kake people,
yá Kuyu ḵwáan.
the Kuiu people.
Yóo át tin ḵu.aa áwé
It was there though
tléix' tribe tin ḵu.aa áwé woosh has wudisháax'w
they married into one tribe
wé
that
Naasdeidí yóo duwasáagu tribe áwé.
tribe called Naasdeidí.
Aan áwé woosh has wudisháax'w wé Kuyu ḵwáan.
They married into the Kuiu people.
Dei {has d} has diyéshḵ.
They are rare.
Askúḵuch yaa x̱at najáḵ. {k'éi k'é wé}
Coughing is killing me.
G̱atoolsáa s'é, aag̱áa tsá g̱unéi kakg̱eelanéek tsu.
Letʼs rest first, and then youʼll tell it again.
Mhm.
Yeah.
{wé wé}
woosh dasháax'u,
The married couple,
Oh, gíwé has du yádi?
Oh, (about) their child?
Aaá.
Yes.
[Recording break] Wé Tebenkoff át ḵaa shuwuxeexí x̱áa,
When people died off at Tebenkoff, see,
Mhm.
Yeah.
{hél áwé a daa a daa yoo has a daax̱ has x̱'ayawdli.á}
Tʼayawdli.át.
They took news.
Goodáx̱ sá l,
From where,
{daa}
wé daat sákwshé has yaawajée.
maybe they were punished.
{yá} Wé íx̱t',
The shaman,
íx̱t', {a}
shaman,
teen ḵu.aa áwé kawduwaneek.
though was told.
Há, daat sáwé du een kaawaneek?
Well what was it he told him about?
Áwé {áx̱} yóo át áwé áx̱ ḵaa jikawligéiḵ, wé íx̱t'.
So it was that thing he restrained people from doing, that shaman.
«Wé x̱áat,
“The salmon,
tlél aadé gax̱yeesheeyí áwé.»
you will not touch.”
Mm.
Yeah.
Há, i tuwáa sigóo gé ḵoon yéi kawdulneegí yee,
So, do you want to, when they tell people the story,
He wants to start again.
Okay?
{a, daas} Daaḵw aa sáwé {gux̱}?
Which one?
Wé dziyáak kaylineegí áwé two tribes wooch has wudashaayí.
The earlier story about two tribes that married each other.
Oh, Tlél áwé át ḵaa {shu-} shuwuxeexí Aaá. Tebenkoff. Ahah.
Oh, Not where the people died off Yes. at Tebenkoff. Yeah.
Á áwé
That's the one
ah,
uh,
íx̱t' has
the shaman
áwé gag̱ee.áax̱ wé recording {i jeet x̱at}
you will hear the recording,
i jeedéi aa kḵwatée.
I will give you one.
Gag̱ee.áax̱ du saayí wé íx̱t'.
You will hear the name of the shaman.
Wé íx̱t' saayí.
The shamanʼs name.
Áawé,
So,
áx̱ ḵaa jikawligéiḵ, «{hél} Hél aadéi gax̱yeesheeyí x̱áat.»
he forbade them, “You all are not going to touch the salmon.”
Áawé x̱'aduwóos', «Há wáanáx̱ sáwé?»
He was asked, “Why not?”
Tléil ḵoon akawuneek.
He wouldn't tell them.
{ḵa}
Ḵa wé {aa} aadé ḵuyawsiḵaayí tsu, {hél}
And then what he told them again,
hél g̱eiwú ḵoostí aag̱áa.
there were no fishing nets at that time.
«Tlél áx̱ yeesheeḵ wé x̱áat.»
“Do not touch the fish.”
Áwé has du déindei yaa yana.éini áwé.
The fish are swimming up next to them.
Áwé,
So,
Wáanáx̱ sá i toowúch áx̱ ḵujikawligéiḵ, wé íx̱t'?
Why do you think he forbade the people to do that, the shaman?
Á áwé, {hél hél} hél has awuskú.
That's it, they didn't know.
{aa} Aadóoch sáwé du een kaawaneek?
Who was it that told him?
Áwé tle yaax̱ yoo s ayanasḵéin áwé has du íx̱t'i.
They were talking down their shaman.
Hó!
Oh!
Wé Kuyu Ḵwáan.
The Kuiu people.
Áawé,
So,
ch'a shayadihéin aa tle kaadéi yaa x̱at sanax'áḵw.
there's a lot I'm starting to forget.
Ah,
Uh,
yaa ḵux̱wlig̱át du saayí, wé íx̱t'.
I forgot the name of the shaman.
Goodáx̱ sá l Diḵée Aanḵáawuch ḵu.aa áwé du een akawuneek.
From where, it wasnʼt the Lord though that told him.
Yéi áwé.
That is how it is.
Nás'gináx̱ ḵáax'w,
Three men,
no, dáx̱náx̱ ḵáax'w,
no, two men,
at natéi has wooḵoox̱ aax̱.
they left from there to get food (hunting).
Áat Daadé, yéi áwé.
To Coronation Island, thatʼs it.
Coronation Island áwé yóo duwasáakw.
It was called Coronation Island.
Áat. [Áat Daa]
Coronation Island.
Áat Daadé áwé has wooḵoox̱ x̱á.
They went to Coronation Island you see.
Há wáa sá tlax̱ yéi ḵunaalee yéidei yoo has yaḵúx̱k {at}
Well why did they frequent a place so far away
atx̱á?
(for) food?
Has du déin ḵu.aa áwé
When right next to them
ldakát át áwé áwu wé Tebenkoff.
everything was there at Tebenkoff.
Ch'a aan áwé ch'as yóo deikée yóo Áat Daadé.
Even so, out yonder around Coronation Island
Coronation Island daadéi daak has uḵúx̱ch
They would go out around Coronation Island
al'óon.
to hunt.
Aadéi s uyéx̱i t'éik áwé yéi yoo at kaawashóo.
While they were over there, all that happened.
Áwé nás'gináx̱ gushé áwé has yatee.
Maybe it was three of them.
Kax̱wshixít has du saayí,
I wrote their names,
tle á ḵu.aa tle a kát x̱at seiwax'áḵw.
but I forgot it.
{wé}
Áax̱ ḵúx̱ has daḵóox̱ áwé,
When they went back from there,
wé Tebenkoff,
to Tebenkoff,
yá aan yá áa yéi s yateeyí yé, yá aan x̱á,
this village, this place where they lived, this village, see,
{wé át ḵoowdl} át ḵoowlig̱ás'i yé.
the place where people moved to.
Kag̱átl'x̱wá yóo áwé duwasáakw.
Kag̱átl'x̱wá, thatʼs what it is called.
Wáa sá?
What?
Kag̱átl'x̱wá.
[place name]
Kadáḵ
Aaá, -x̱wá
Yes, -x̱wá.
Kag̱átl'x̱wá.
[place name]
Óo.
Oh.
{ga}
Yéi áwé yéi yanaḵéich
Thatʼs what heʼd say
hú Xʼáakw chʼa aklaneegí.
him, Xʼáakw [name?] when heʼs telling the story.
Tle aadéi yak'éiyi yé áwé ayáx̱ saa a yát has aawatée.
How fitting it is, the name they gave it.
{á} Áa g̱aatáax' yéi daatooneiyí.
Where they set traps there
{wéin áx̱} áx̱ woogoo {yáa} yáa, {at}
they go along this,
{wé} wé aas jiseiyí
the shelter of a tree
yánnax̱, éeḵnax̱.á.
toward the shore, toward the beach.
«At ya.eetí isateení x̱aan kakg̱eenéek.»
“When you see the tracks you will tell me.”
Yéi ḵuyanaḵéich, «Hél tsu daat ya.eetí s'é á.»
He tells people, “There were no tracks there.”
Aadéi ach áa akwlix̱éetl'i yé.
How afraid it made him.
Áwé át ḵaa shuwaxíxi yé áwé.
That was the place where the people died off.
Tle wé atgutóodáx̱ tle wé éeḵnax̱.á shóodei tle,
From the forest to the end of the beach,
ch'as ḵaa naax'úx̱ sitee.
itʼs just dead people.
Át ḵaa shuwaxíx tle,
People just died off there,
Yóo át, ákwé?
At that place, is that it?
wé íx̱t'ích yaa has jikanalgéiḵ áwé,
that shaman is forbidding them
{tlél}
«Tléil gax̱yeek'íx̱'t yóo.»
“You won't gaff (fish) there.”
Áawé hás ḵu.aa tle
But they just
{sháal yáx̱ áwé tle áx̱}
sháal has awliyéx̱ tle yéi
they built a fish trap there,
{wé} wé g̱aat héeni.
at the sockeye stream.
Áx̱ daaḵ dáa áwé,
After the tide comes in there,
yei naléini áwé tle wé sháal yát wuliḵóo.
when the tide is going out, then the fish trap is flooded.
Áx' áwé,
Itʼs there,
has wudixʼís' x̱áat tle wé g̱aat {di ke hél} hél goodéi sá,
they get into a heap, the salmon, the sockeye, thereʼs nowhere (to go),
has du yeex̱ woolaa tle wé sháal yáx'.
the tide went out from under them and into the fish trap.
Hmh.
Oh.
{áawé s}
Áwé íx̱t' tin woosh has x̱'adaxéet de.
Theyʼre arguing with the shaman.
«Aadóoch sáwé has du x̱'éix̱ at gug̱wateex̱ yá haa yátx'i?
“Who is it that will be feeding these children of ours?
Aadóoch sáwé s du x̱'éix̱ at g̱ug̱atee? {hás has}
Who will feed them?
Has du x̱'éis x̱aayá, ách áwé {yá xʼ} yá x̱áat,
This is for them to eat, see, thatʼs why these salmon
a daa yéi jinax̱tooneit.»
we are working on.”
Áwé aan yoo has x̱'ali.átk wé íx̱t'.
They are talking to the shaman this way.
Áawé,
So,
tlél ḵwás ḵoon akawuneek daat sáwé ḵuyakg̱wajee.
he didn't tell people though how he was going to punish people.
Hél ḵoon akawuneek daa sáwé ḵuyakg̱wajee.
He didn't tell people how he will punish them.
Áwé {áa} sagú tin áa yeiḵ has uwa.át wé sháa, ḵwá.
So the women, however, went down to the beach with joy.
Lítaax' {x̱a} has akg̱waxáash.
Knives, theyʼre going to cut fish).
Áwé shóogunáx̱ shaawát,
So the first woman,
áa yeiḵ g̱óot tle ch'as hú,
after she went down to the beach then just she,
awuxaashí áwé,
when she was cutting it,
kawdig̱aax̱í yáx̱ yaawaḵaa
it was like she was crying out,
wé shaawát.
that woman.
Kawdig̱aax̱í yáx̱ yaawaḵaa.
It was like she was crying out.
Áwé tle,
Then,
a ítdáx̱ áwé tle áa wdzigeet.
it was after that she just fell there.
Áwé du x̱úx̱ch,
So her husband,