036. Tom Washes Away His Nephew's Low Birth

Dictated by Tom Sayachapis, November 18, 1913. Notebook XV: 5-7.

Tom gives a potlatch to elevate his nephew. Tom's first cousin (Johnny Yukum's mother) was dear to him. She married a commoner, and Tom was very angry, vowing he would never speak to her. When she got a child, he relented and went to give his first potlatch for the child in order to wash away its disgrace. This child was John Yukum's older brother.

36.1

hašiičiƛsi

hašiičiƛ

find out

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I found out

ʔaniič

ʔaniič

that

that

t̉an̉anakšiƛ

t̉an̉anakšiƛ

give birth

she had a child

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relative

ʔuucʔii

ʔuuc

belong to

=ʔiˑ

REL

the one who belonged to

qaɬaatik

qaɬaatik

younger brother

younger brother

n̉ɔɔw̉is

n̉uw̉iˑqsu

father

father

ʔuħuk

ʔuħ

is

-uk

POSS

hers was

n̉uw̉iiqsu

n̉uw̉iˑqsu

father

father

.

I heard that a relative of mine - her father was a younger brother of my father - had given birth to a child.

36.2

quxʷaaʔaƛ

qux

freeze

-ˀaƛ

NOW

it was freezing now

m̉aɬuk̉ʷaƛ

m̉aɬuk

cold

-ˀaƛ

NOW

it was cold

.

It was cold and freezing at the time.

36.3

hat̉iisšiƛsi

hat̉iisšiƛ

bathe

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I started bathing

.

I started bathing.

36.4

ʔuusimčšiƛsi

ʔuusimčšiƛ

train for power

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I trained for power

ʔaniis

ʔanis

1s.SUB

that I might

n̉uššiƛʔaaqƛ

n̉uššiƛ

distribute property

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

distribute wealth

.

I trained for power that I might distribute wealth.

i.e., get wealthy so as to distribute.

36.5

qʷisʔaƛquu

qʷis

do thus

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-quu₁

3.CND

it would do thus

qʷeeʔiitq

qʷaa

thus

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

that which was like

ʔinksỷi

ʔinksỷi

stick

sticks

hapsỷup̉atqas

hapsỷup

hair

-ˀat

INAL

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my hair

ʔuunuuƛ

ʔunw̉iiƛ

because

because

quxʷaa

quxʷaa

be freezing

it was freezing

.

My hair would be like sticks because it was freezing.

36.6

ʔuusimč̉aƛsi

ʔuusimč

do ritual training

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I trained

ʔanis

ʔanis

1s.SUB

that I

ʔayiiỷipʔaaqƛ

ʔayiiỷip

obtain a lot

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

would obtain a lot

ħaw̉iɬmis

ħaw̉iɬmis

wealth

wealth

.

I trained that I might get much wealth.

36.7

ʔayiiỷapsi

ʔayiiỷap

make a lot

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I produced a lot

ħaw̉iɬmis

ħaw̉iɬmis

wealth

wealth

.

I did produce a lot of wealth.

36.8

šiiƛuk̉ʷaƛni

šiiƛuk

move house

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-ni

1p.ABS

we moved house to

ʔucačiʔaƛ

ʔucačiƛ

go to

-ˀaƛ

NOW

going to

hiikʷis

hiikʷis

Equis

Equis

.

Then we moved to Equis.

36.9

č̉uučk̉aƛ

č̉uučk

all

-ˀaƛ

NOW

all of them now

quuʔas

quuʔas

person

people

ʔucačiʔaƛ

ʔucačiƛ

go to

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they went to

hiikʷis

hiikʷis

Equis

Equis

.

All the people went to Equis then.

36.10

yaaɬsii

yaaɬ

although

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

even though I had done

waħšiƛit

waħšiƛ

abandon

-(m)it

former

abandoned

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relative

ʔuunuuƛ

ʔunw̉iiƛ

because

because

ʔani

ʔani

that

that

masčimcħinƛ

masčimcħinƛ

marry a commoner

she had married a commoner

sukʷiʔaƛsi

sukʷiƛ

take

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I now took her

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relative

ʔucaʔap̉aƛsi

ʔucaʔap

make s.o. go

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

made her go

maħt̉iiʔakqas

maħt̉ii

house

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my house

.

Although I had abandoned my relative because she had married a common person, I now took her to my house.

36.11

hišink̉ap̉aƛsi

hišinkʷ

together with

-ˀap

CAUS

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I did so together with

naỷaqakukʔi

naỷaqak

baby

-uk

POSS

=ʔiˑ

DEF

her child

ʔiš

ʔiš

and

and

čakupukʔi

čakup

husband

-uk

POSS

=ʔiˑ

DEF

her husband

.

I took her together with her child and her husband.

36.12

wikỷuusi

wikỷuu

never

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I had not yet

ɬučnaakšiƛ

ɬučnaakšiƛ

get married

got married

wiikp̉iičsi

wiikp̉iič

batchelor

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I was a bachelor

ʔiiqħii

ʔiiqħii

still

still

.

I had not yet married (then), I was still a bachelor.

pg. 6 begins here

36.13

hišimỷuup̉aƛsi

hišimỷuup

gather

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I gathered together

qʷam̉aaʔakqas

qʷam̉aˑ

all

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

all of mine

ʔuw̉aat̉in

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

relatives

caqiic

caqiˑc

twenty

twenty

ʔiš

ʔiš

and

and

ħayu

ħayu

ten

ten

.

I gathered together all my relatives, thirty of them.

36.14

ʔiiqħuk̉ʷaƛsi

ʔiiqħuk

tell

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I told them

ʔanis

ʔanis

1s.SUB

that I

sukʷiʔaƛ

sukʷiƛ

take

-ˀaƛ

NOW

accepted

naỷaqakʔi

naỷaqak

baby

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the baby

ʔanis

ʔanis

1s.SUB

that I

hawiiʔaƛ

hawiiƛ

finish

-ˀaƛ

NOW

finished

p̉išsuuqƛ

p̉išsuuqƛ

be angry

being angry

.

I told them I accepted the child and that I had stopped being angry.

36.15

waaʔaƛsi

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I told them now

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relatives

,

c̉ukʷiƛʔaaqƛaħ

c̉ukʷiƛ

wash

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

-(m)aˑħ

1s.IND

I will wash

yaa

yaa₁

that

that

naỷaqakʔi

naỷaqak

baby

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the baby

ʔani

ʔani

that

since

masčimʔak

masčim

commoner

-ˀak

POSS

his is a commoner

n̉uw̉iiqsu

n̉uw̉iˑqsu

father

father

.

I told my relatives, 'I shall wash this baby, since his father is a commoner.'

36.16

nuuʔiƛʔaaqƛaħ

nuuʔiƛ

start singing

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

-(m)aˑħ

1s.IND

I will start singing

nuuk

nuuk

song

songs

,

waaʔaƛsi

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I said now

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relatives

.

'I shall sing songs for my relatives.'

36.17

ʔaƛp̉iiɬma

ʔaƛa

two

-p̉iˑɬʷ₂

...songs

-maˑ

3.IND

there are two

yaqii

yaqʷ

REL

-(y)ii

3.INDF-REL

which are

nuuk

nuuk

song

songs

waaʔaƛsi

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I said now

.

'There are two of these songs', I said now.

36.18

čuu

čuu₁

ok

ok

ƛuɬmaa

ƛuɬ

good

-maˑ

3.IND

it is good

nuuʔiʔi

nuuʔiƛ

start singing

-ˀiˑ

2s>3.IMPER

start singing!

,

waaʔaƛ̉at

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-ˀat

PASS

they said now

č̉uučkħʔaƛ̉atsi

č̉uučk

all

-(q)ħ₃

BEING

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-ˀat

PASS

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

all of mine

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relatives

.

'Very well, that's fine! sing!' said all of my relatives.

36.19

nuuʔiƛsi

nuuʔiƛ

start singing

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I started singing

.

I sang.

36.20

||

waaŋaahiiyii

heeŋee

...

haahoooŋoo

ʔaahiiyii

...

hooŋoo

...

hiiyeeŋee

...

wɔɔŋɔɔ

k̉iinšuweeeŋee

heeneey

kiinaayiya

t̉aaqʔaʔeeeŋee

heeŋeeŋeeɬs

ħaw̉iiŋiiɬ

chief

...

wɔɔŋɔɔ

ʔoowaʔeeyaaƛs

ħeen̉aaŋa

...

||.

hwanga hiyi hange ... ha hongo ahiyi ... hongo ... hiyenge ... wongo hinshowenge heney kinayya . I drop straight down wealthy from time to time. I have obtained the Quartz Being.

This is a typical 'potlatch song' of the Tsishaath Indians. The bulk of such a song is burden and the significant words are greatly changed by the introduction of meaningless syllables right into the body of them. As this song was not taken down on the phonograph, it was practically impossible to note every recurrence of burden syllables. The rows of dots indicate that such syllables are repeated from among the burden syllables that precede. This rule applies to other song texts in this volume. The first two lines of the song are burden; the third line is not in Nootka but is in either Kwakiutl or some Coast Salish dialect, doubtless very much garbled, as usual; the significant words of the song are in the last two lines, corresponding to the prose forms: t̉aˑqʕaʔaˑɬah ħaw̉iɬ ʔoˑwaƛaħ ħiˑn̉a. A Tsishaath wealth display song.

36.21

t̉aaqʕaʔaaɬaħ

t̉aaqʕaʔaaɬ

drop straight down

-(m)aˑħ

1s.IND

I always drop straight down

ħaw̉iɬ

ħaw̉iɬ

be wealthy

being wealthy

ʔuuwaƛaħ

ʔuuwaƛ

find

-(m)aˑħ

1s.IND

I have found

ħiina

ħiin̉a

Quartz Being

Quartz Being

.

I always drop straight down, chief, I have found a Quartz Being.

36.22

huuyaaɬʔap̉aƛsi

huuyaaɬʔap

make s.o. dance

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I had it dance now

naỷaqakʔi

naỷaqak

baby

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the baby

.

I had the baby dance.

I.e., someone danced in place of the child.

pg. 7 begins here

36.23

c̉ukʷiʔaƛsi

c̉ukʷiƛ

wash

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I washed him

p̉aaƛp̉iičiʔaƛsi

p̉aaƛp̉iičiƛ

give potlatch gifts

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I gave potlatch gifts to

ʔayeʔi

ʔaya

many

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the many

quuʔas

quuʔas

person

people

.

I washed him (by) giving potlatch gifts to the many people.

36.24

muup̉iiɬuksi

muu

four

-p̉iˑɬʷ₁

... long objects

-uk

POSS

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I had four

puu

puu

gun

guns

p̉ač̉ak

p̉ač̉akʷ

potlatch gift

potlatch gift

.

I had four guns for potlatch gifts.

36.25

c̉aaƛc̉aawayaƛsi

CVƛdup-

REP

c̉awaˑ

one

-ayiˑ

give

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I gave one to each

ƛ̉isaɬ

ƛ̉isaˑɬ

blanket

blanket

qʷam̉eeʔitq

qʷam̉aˑ

thus many

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

as many as there were

quuʔas

quuʔas

person

people

.

I gave one blanket to each of the many people.

36.26

hawiiƛsi

hawiiƛ

finish

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I finished

p̉aaƛp̉aaya

p̉aaƛp̉aaya

giving a potlatch

giving a potlatch

.

I finished potlatching.

36.27

ʔaƛp̉iiɬma

ʔaƛa

two

-p̉iˑɬʷ₂

...songs

-maˑ

3.IND

here are two songs

ʔaħ

ʔaħ

this

this

nuukʔii

nuuk

song

=ʔiˑ

DEF

songs

,

waaʔaƛsi

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-siˑ₂

1s ABS

I said now to

ʔayeʔi

ʔaya

many

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the many

quuʔas

quuʔas

person

people

.

Then I told the many people, 'Here are two songs."

36.28

waħšiƛitaħ

waħšiƛ

abandon

-(m)it

former

-(m)aˑħ

1s.IND

I abandoned her

ʔaħkuu

ʔaħkuu

this

this

ʔuw̉aat̉inʔakqas

ʔuw̉aˑt̉in

relative

-ˀak

POSS

-qaˑs

1s.SUB

my relative

ɬuucsma

ɬuucsma

woman

woman

ʔuunuuƛ

ʔunw̉iiƛ

because

because

ʔani

ʔani

that

that

masčimcħinƛqa

masčimcħinƛ

marry a commoner

-qaˑ

3.SUB

she married a commoner

.

I abandoned this kinswoman because she married a commoner.

36.29

ʔunaaksap̉aƛaħ

ʔunaaksap

provide with

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-(m)aˑħ

1s.IND

I now provide him with

ʔaƛp̉iiɬʔi

ʔaƛa

two

-p̉iˑɬʷ₂

...songs

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the two

nuuk

nuuk

song

songs

.

I now give (the child) the two songs.

36.30

yaquk̉ʷaaħitii

yaqʷ

REL

-uk

POSS

-ˀaaħ

IRR

-(m)it

former

-(y)ii

3.INDF-REL

he who would be

taayii

taayii

older brother

older brother

yuuk̉um

yuuk̉um

Yuukum

Yuukum

.

(This child) who would be the older brother of Yuukum.

But had died.