040. Captain Bill's Marriage

Dictated by Captain Bill, December 30, 1913. XVIII: 23-25;

A story about the first marriage of Captain Bill. The marriage referred to is with his first wife.

40.1

ciʕas

ciʕas

woo

he talked marriage

yaacʕaʔaaɬ

yaacʕaʔaaɬ

Walk-down-at-intervals

Walk-down-at-intervals

.

Walk-down-at-intervals acted as wooer;

pg. 23 begins above

Probably Captain Bill's older brother, who died without leaving any children. Marriage referred to here is with Capt. Bill's first wife, not with present one; he had children by first, but they did not grow up.

40.2

ʔucačiƛ

ʔucačiƛ

go to

he went to

yuχʷaayic̉a

yuχʷaayic̉a

Yohwaytsa

Yohwaytsa

m̉uuħuuɬʔatħ

m̉uuħuuɬʔatħ

Burned-Front sept

Burned-Front sept

m̉aam̉iiqsakʔi

m̉aam̉iiqsu

older child

-ˀak

POSS

=ʔiˑ

DEF

his older child

t̉an̉a

t̉an̉a

child

child

.

He went to Yohwaytsa of the Burnt-front sept (to ask for) his oldest daughter.

40.3

ʔukɬaamita

ʔukɬaa

name

-(m)it

PAST

-a

ABS?

she was named

qeeʔas

qeeʔas

Keas

Keas

.

Her name was Keas.

Tyee Bob's sister.

40.4

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

and then

and then

ƛaaʔuukƛaa

ƛaaʔuk

another one

=ƛaa

again

again he did

ciʕas

ciʕas

woo

talking marriage

.

Then he went to talk marriage again.

40.5

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

and then

and then

tupaataƛ

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he put up his ceremonial privilege

ƛaʔas

ƛa₁

stick up

-ˀas₁

outside

standing up outside

qʷaa

qʷaa

thus

thus

qʷeeʔiitq

qʷaa

thus

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

what is a

quuʔas

quuʔas

man

man

ʕiiɬpiiỷas

ʕiiɬpiiỷas

feather at the forehead

feathers at the forehead

ciʕasỷakʔi

ciʕasỷakʷ

marriage privilege

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the marriage privilege

.

He put up his ceremonial marriage privilege, which stood erect on the beach and looked like a man with feathers on both sides of his head.

40.6

huʔacaʔap̉atuk

huʔacaʔap

return to s.o.

-ˀat

PASS

-uk

POSS

it was returned to him

.

It was returned to him.

Sometimes tupaati is returned immediately; at other times one waits several days before returning. First time no tupaati is put up. Rule is that tupaati and whatever is put with it must not be allowed to rot away by rain. One must either return it or take it inside and thus accept suitor. To have tupaati taken in quickly suitor will put up biscuits or other food with tupaati at end, when it is taken in and girl's father calls together relatives to feast of what is given by future m̉aɬt̉i (such gift called haʔumčiƛ). Goods or money may be put with tupaati also. Sometimes one can force father-in-law to give up girl by giving food in this way. If father-in-law does not want suitor he may immediately (one minute later) send his man down to return goods (huʔacaaʔapčip) without saying anything.

40.7

ƛaaʔuukƛaa

ƛaaʔuk

another one

=ƛaa

again

again he did

ciʕas

ciʕas

woo

talking marriage

.

He talked marriage again.

40.8

huʔacačiʔaƛƛaa

huʔacačiƛ

return

-ˀaƛ

NOW

=ƛaa

again

they came back again

ɬučħaaʔaƛ̉i

ɬučħaa

pay bride price

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-ˀiˑ

2s>3.IMPER

pay the brideprice!

,

waaʔaƛ

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they said

.

They came back again and said, '(Come and) pay the brideprice now!'

The suit is not always accepted at first. Acceptance is indicated by taking in the suitor's topati. Return of the topati does not indicate rejection (unless it is done with undue alacrity), but the wooing party must try again.

40.9

ɬuučħukʷiʔaƛ

ɬuučħukʷiƛ

start marriage ceremony

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they started the marriage ceremony

č̉uučk̉aƛ

č̉uučk

all

-ˀaƛ

NOW

all of them now

qʷam̉eeʔitq

qʷam̉aˑ

thus many

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

as many as there were

quuʔas

quuʔas

man

men

qʷam̉eeʔitq

qʷam̉aˑ

thus many

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

as many as there were

ɬuučsaamiiħ

ɬuucsma

woman.pl

women

qʷam̉eeʔitq

qʷam̉aˑ

thus many

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

as many as there were

t̉aatn̉eʔis

t̉an̉eʔis

little child.pl

little children

.

All the men, women, and children began the marriage ceremony.

40.10

ʔuuksnaaʕaɬʔaƛ

ʔuuksnaaʕaɬ

handle

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they performed

tupaati

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

ceremonial privilege

.

They performed a ceremonial privilege.

40.11

hupaɬ

hupaɬ

moon

moon

ʔuut̉iʔiɬaƛ

ʔuut̉iʔiɬa

imitate

-ˀaƛ

NOW

it represented

hupaɬ

hupaɬ

moon

moon

tupaatiʔi

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the ceremonial privilege

.

The ceremonial privilege represented the moon.

Frank has seen moon also used as ciʕas tupaati by one of Tsishaath (probably Jacob Shewish). It consisted of quarter moon (opening on top) cut out of board supported on stick; it was planted in ground. Speaker of suitors never tells what tupaati represents. If girl's father knows tupaati that is shown (i.e., legend represented), he is supposed to take it in and accept suit (as it is also his own tupaati and suitor and he are descended from same line); if he does not want to grant suit, he says he does not know tupaati. Tupaati shown is apparently merely sign of high standing of family. If one has, e.g. yaʕii tupaati, he can make hiičapas, ciʕas, or other tupaati out of it. Wolf ciʕas tupaati must be accepted; wolf not allowed to come for nothing.

pg. 24 begins here

40.12

t̉iick̉inʔaƛƛaa

t̉iick̉in₁

Thunderbird

-ˀaƛ

NOW

=ƛaa

also

also there was Thunderbird

ƛaʔuu

ƛaʔuˑ

other

other

tupaati

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

ceremonial privilege

ʔukʷink

ʔuukʷinkʷ

along with

along with

ħiʔiƛ̉iik

ħiʔiƛ̉iikʷ

Lightning-Serpent

Lightning Serpents

.

Another privilege was Thunderbird along with Lightning Serpents.

These were all Maktliath topatis obtained through Captain Bill's mother.

40.13

ʔiiħtuup

ʔiiħtuup

whale

whale

ƛaʔuuʔiƛaa

ƛaʔuˑ

another

=ʔiˑ

DEF

=ƛaa

again

also there was another

tupaati

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

ceremonial privilege

.

Still another ceremonial privilege was a whale.

40.14

qačc̉iičiʔaƛ

qacc̉a

three

-iičiƛ

INC

-ˀaƛ

NOW

there were three

tupaati

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

ceremonial privilege

.

There were three ceremonial privileges.

Should really be two or four. Perhaps Thunderbird and Lightning Serpent may count for two,.

40.15

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛin

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

and then

-ni

1p.ABS

then we

ʔuuksnaaʕaɬʔat

ʔuuksnaaʕaɬ

handle

-ˀat

PASS

were performed to

yaqwiiqin

yaqʷ

REL

-wiˑ₁

at first

-qin

1p REL

we who were first

.

Then they performed for us, we who had performed first.

40.16

muuʔaƛuk

muu

four

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-uk

POSS

they had four

ʔink

ʔinkʷ

fire

fires

hiitacswiʔaaqƛ

hitacswi

go through

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

they would get through

.

They had four fires (torches) which one tried to get through.

This tupaati is called ʔinksnaaʕaɬ. Sometimes one man on each side, sometimes two. These hold long sticks of cedar (several tied together), called hičma, lit at ends. They stand face to face holding lit ends close together, about 3cm apart. Suitor's people try to get through. This tupaati is always done outside, successful one running into house. Is difficult to get through; if one dodges underneath, they put torches down on ground to prevent passage. If no one can do it, including young man himself, visiting tribe's chief is called upon. They always let him pass through, lifting torches so as not to hurt him, for chief must not be hurt. This breaks Gordian knot. In theory every girl-defending tupaati has to be solved. All such tupaati are per se tupaati of girl married, which her children inherit right to. She gets main right to them, in preference to her brothers, if they are announced later as ʔuk̉ʷičkʷispiƛỷak. Such tupaati does not carry right to all tupaati derived from same legend or being (e.g. moon), but only ħakʷaƛsmaỷak itself.

40.17

wik̉iit

wik

not

-ˀat

PASS

there was no one

hitacswi

hitacswi

go through

go through

ʔaanasa

ʔana

only

-sasa

only [L]

only then did

ʕimtšiʔat

ʕimtšiʔat

Tutuutsh

Tutuutsh

ʔuħʔiš

ʔuħʔiš

and

and

c̉iʔisimɬ

c̉iʔisimɬ

Thomson

Thomson

.

None got through except Tutuutsh (Peter Kishkish's father) and Thomson (Mrs. Kishkish's father).

40.18

ƛaʔuuƛaa

ƛaʔuˑ

another

=ƛaa

again

there was again another

tupaati

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

ceremonial privilege

.

There was another privilege.

40.19

ƛeʔiiʔaƛ

ƛeʔiiƛ

set up on ground

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they were set up on the ground

ʔinksỷi

ʔinksỷi

stick

sticks

ʔaƛp̉iiɬ

ʔaƛa

two

-p̉iˑɬʷ₂

...songs

two

qʷaa

qʷaa

thus

thus

ʔaħʔaa

ʔaħʔaa

that

that

c̉isspuʔis

c̉is₁

rope

-(c,k)spuɬ

between

-‘is

on the beach

line between them on the beach

hiɬʔaƛ

hiɬ

LOC

-ˀaƛ

NOW

there now

c̉istuupʔi

c̉istuˑp

rope

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the rope

ʔukʷiʔaɬ

ʔukʷiʔaɬ₃

attach to

attached to

ƛaʔasʔi

ƛaʔas

pole

=ʔiˑ

=DEF

the poles

ʔaƛp̉iiɬ

ʔaƛa

two

-p̉iˑɬʷ₁

... long objects

two

.

Two sticks were set up like this on the ground with a rope in between fastened to the two poles (sticking up from the ground).

Indicating by gesture that the two poles converge above with line hanging from them.

40.20

hinuɬtaƛ

hinuɬta

get out of canoe

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he got out of the canoe

quuʔas

quuʔas

man

a man

hinuɬtaƛ

hinuɬta

get out of canoe

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he got out of the canoe

wiisaaʔapšiiɬ

wiisaaʔapšiiɬ

Kills-them-before-they-come-out

Kills-them-before-they-come-out

sukʷiʔaƛ

sukʷiƛ

grab

-ˀaƛ

NOW

taking hold of

c̉istuupʔi

c̉istuˑp

rope

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the rope

.

A man, Kills-them-before-they-come-out, got out of a canoe and took hold of the rope.

40.21

waaʔaƛ

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he told him

yaqʷacʔitq

yaqʷ

REL

-ac₁

belong to

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

the one to whom it belonged

tupaati

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

ceremonial privilege

ʔuukʷiɬ

ʔuukʷiɬ₂

refer to

refer to

ʔani

ʔani

that

that

hiinasiƛʔaaqƛ

hinasiƛ

reach

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

trying to reach

ʔapqiiʔi

ʔapqii

summit

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the top

ƛaʔasʔi

ƛaʔas

pole

=ʔiˑ

=DEF

the poles

suun̉uɬqčik

suun̉uɬqčik

go hand over hand

going hand over hand

c̉istuup

c̉istuˑp

rope

rope

hinasiƛ

hinasiƛ

arrive

arriving at

ʔapqiiʔi

ʔapqii

summit

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the top

.

The owner of the privilege told him to try to reach the top of the poles by climbing the rope hand over hand.

40.22

sukʷiʔaƛ

sukʷiƛ

grab

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he took

quuʔasʔi

quuʔas

person

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the man

wiisaaʔapšiiɬ

wiisaaʔapšiiɬ

Kills-them-before-they-come-out

Kills-them-before-they-come-out

čiičiʔaƛ

čiičiƛ

pull

-ˀaƛ

NOW

pulling

c̉istuupʔi

c̉istuˑp

rope

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the rope

.

The man, Kills-them-before-they-come-out, took hold and pulled on the rope.

Father of Louis.

40.23

ʔeʔimqħʔaƛ

ʔeʔim

as soon as

-ħ₂

CONTEMP

-ˀaƛ

NOW

as soon as he did

ʔiič̉ačiƛ

ʔiič̉ačiƛ

lift up

lifting himself up

ʕaššiʔaƛ

ʕaššiƛ

break

-ˀaƛ

NOW

break

tupaatiʔi

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the ceremonial privilege

.

As soon as he started lifting himself, the privilege broke.

40.24

hiniip̉aƛ

hiniip

get

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he got now

quuʔasʔi

quuʔas

person

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the man

tupaatiʔi

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the ceremonial privilege

.

The man succeeded at the ceremonial privilege.

Breaking the tupaati is considered equivalent to meeting the test in the regular way. This tupaati is called maƛspuʔis.

pg. 25 begins here

40.25

ƛaʔuuƛaa

ƛaʔuˑ

another

=ƛaa

again

again another was

qicyuu

qicyuu

painting

a painting

ʔuħtin

ʔuħtin

made of

made of

ɬuʔuk

ɬuʔuk

board

boards

hiitacswiʔaaqƛ

hitacswi

go through

-ʔaaqƛ

INTENT

they would try to get through

.

Another was a painted (device) made of boards which one tried to get through.

40.26

qʷaaʔap

qʷaaʔap

do thus

they did like this

ʔaħʔaa

ʔaħʔaa

that

that

č̉iitinkšiiɬ

č̉iitinkšiiɬ

join edges at intervals

joining edges at intervals

ɬuʔuk

ɬuʔuk

board

boards

.

The boards did like this, coming together edgewise at intervals.

This tupaati imitated swapping of Sky-Cod placed at door of house. See Mr. Bills account of puberty boards.

40.27

waaʔaƛ

waa

say

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he said

ʔiiqħuk

ʔiiqħuk

tell

told

yuχʷaayic̉a

yuχʷaayic̉a

Yohwaytsa

Yohwaytsa

yaqʷacʔitq

yaqʷ

REL

-ac₁

belong to

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

to whom belonged

tupaatiʔi

tupaati

ceremonial privilege

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the ceremonial privilege

ʔani

ʔani

that

that

ʔuut̉iʔiɬak

ʔuut̉iʔiɬa

imitate

-ˀak

POSS

his represented

hinaayiɬʔi tuškuuħ

hinaayiɬ tuškuuħ

sky codfish

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the sky cod

ʔukɬaaʔaƛ

ʔukɬaa

name

-ˀaƛ

NOW

it is called

tuškayiɬimč̉a

tuškayiɬim

Sky-Cod

-(m)ič̉aˑ

3.HEARSAY

Sky-Cod

.

Yohwaytsa, the owner of the ceremonial privilege, said that it represented the sky cod-fish, which is said to be called Sky-Cod.

yuχʷaayic̉a = Tyee Bob's father

40.28

ʔuʕašt̉aƛ

ʔuuʕašt

obtain

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they obtained

hiniip

hiniip

get

got it

hiiniyuqʷapiʔa

hiiniyuqʷapiʔa

Attacking-from-Overhead

Attacking-from-Overhead

ʔuupaaɬ

ʔuupaaɬ₂

along with

along with

t̉upčiqƛ̉iħta

t̉upč̉aqƛ̉iħta

Distended-nostrils

Distended-nostrils

.

Attacking-from-Overhead and Distended-nostrils made it.

Attacking-from-Overhead = Alfred Joe's grandfather; t̉upč̉aqƛ̉iħta = Mr. Bill's father

40.29

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

ʔaħʔaaʔaƛ

and then

and then

hawiiʔaƛ

hawiiƛ

finish

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they finished

sukʷiʔaƛ

sukʷiƛ

take

-ˀaƛ

NOW

taking her

ħaakʷaaƛʔi

ħaakʷaaƛ

young woman

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the young woman

hiniipšiʔaƛ

hiniipšiƛ

get

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they got her

.

Thus they finished (the tests) and obtained the girl.

40.30

ʔuħʔaƛukʷin

ʔuħ

is

-ˀaƛ

NOW

-uk

POSS

-ni

1p.ABS

ours was

ɬučħim

ɬučħim

marriage exchange

marriage payment

ƛ̉isaɬ

ƛ̉isaˑɬ

blanket

blankets

caqiic

caqiˑc

twenty

twenty

ʔiš

ʔiš

and

and

ħayu

ħayu

ten

ten

ʔaħ

ʔaħ

this

this

qʷam̉aa

qʷam̉aˑ

thus many

thus many

.

Our marriage payment consisted of thirty blankets.

40.31

ʔuutỷaap̉aƛ

ʔuutỷaap

bring as a gift

-ˀaƛ

NOW

he presented as a gift

qʷič̉ičkʷispiƛʔitq

qʷič̉ič

dowry gift

-kʷis(a)

get out of

-‘ipiƛ

in house

-ʔiˑtq

3s.REL

the dowry gift which he brought out

.

(Later on the father) presented the the dowry gift which he had brought.

Less commonly they give girl clothing when she is leaving father's house for canoe. They leave very same evening of the marriage ceremony, Bridegroom not supposed to sleep with girl for first four evenings. During this time girl is taught by four old women called ʔačcaaqsim what to do when married (in former days they were very particular about young girls running around before being married, so they really were quite ignorant of sex matters when married - were married very young as rule); these women teach also management of house, how to treat husband, and so on. Word: "kneeling things on side of canoe" (old woman supposed to be blocks that one kneels on); she sits in middle, they on each side, so she can lean on them when she gets tired. These women are paid for services by suitor's father. When she gets to husband's place, his people čimpiƛ in feast: "fix her up in house" with dishes and other household things. At same time tupaati are given her, called čimpiƛỷak. Thus, when Alex came back here, Tom gave her ƛ̉ayaqak "root-picking or berrying place" for ƛičsỷup and ʕaʕiic̉u. She is given also tupaati she cannot use herself; thus, when Tyee Bob gave her hunting rights in M̉uħuuɬ country, she can let Huu-ay-aht brothers use right. They do not pass right to their children. Sometimes one will čimpiƛʕas "go and give čimpiƛ with dance; perform it and hand it on to her.

40.32

huksiičiʔaƛ

huksiičiƛ

start to count

-ˀaƛ

NOW

they started to count

m̉uš

m̉uš₂

fish weir

fish weirs

c̉aʔakʔi

c̉aʔakʷ

river

=ʔiˑ

DEF

the river

hiɬ

hiɬ

LOC

there

ʔuỷak

ʔuỷakʷ

(used) for

(used) for

cuw̉it

cuw̉it

coho salmon

coho salmon

ƛaʔuuƛaa

ƛaʔuˑ

another

=ƛaa

again

again another

ʕač̉ak

ʕač̉ak

funnel trap

funnel trap

ʔuỷak

ʔuỷakʷ

(used) for

(used) for

hink̉uuʔas

hink̉uuʔas

dog-salmon

dog-salmon

sac̉up

sac̉up

Chinook salmon

Chinook salmon

.

They enumerated fish weirs on the river for coho and also funnel-traps for dog salmon and tyee salmon.

Capt. Bill's daughter by this first marriage died without children, so that he lost these tupaatis. Capt. Bill never used them, but he would have as long as he had his first wife.