138. How a Potlatch Mask was Obtained

Dictated by tayiiʕa ("Thief Harry" Klootasee (Tsish.)). interpreted by Frank Williams; Sept. 1913 to explain specimen #10 (new series)=#97. See ntbk VI: 35-36; 108/ f4 ((2)

This short text was dictated to explain specimen no. 10 (new series) = no. 97: hinkiicim, used for n̉uššiƛ (“giving away”) in ʕict̉uuɬa potlatch when another tribe is invited. Obtained by tayiiʕa from his mother’s side at Ucluelet. μan in back with loose swinging arms is taak̉upšiiɬ “whales always come to shore when he spears them”); he was chief at k̉ʷayimta, about ¼ mile west of Ucluelet. Man in front is his son, named niixʕin (this was tayiiʕa’s first name) “best hunter for sea-lions” (hardly accurately translated). He went to sleep and dreamt that sea-lion told him to get name niixʕin. He was still wiktaqyu (not yet ƛuukʷaana) when he met experience narrated in text and represented in mask. Middle part of mask represents cave of wolves into which niixʕin went in. At bottom is wolf on which he rode. Two holes represent two doorways leading into cave. Red piece of wood with cross-hatching and blue and gold circles represent what is on rock of wolf-cave in front. Above are other carvings on this rock. Slit between two pieces of wood represents trail leading to doors. When he had finished with wolves, he was saan̉ak, as represented by saan̉akuxsim on top of mask in front. Arms of man in rear are pulled out (see p. 35a) [vi:36]any time during song. In back is k̉ayiicuk “cedar-bark dyed in black clay” and down. These features are merely conventional. Mask made by qiiwaaš (= ? qeewaas “goes out sideways from his ʔuusimč cave;” whale hunter’s name). Specimen no. 9 (new series) = no. 96:__ Headmask for paaƛpaaya, used in dance with ħaacħuuɬa song. Dance performed just before lots of money is to be given away. Duck on top is miixtač bird, who is “great medicine” for hunters. Man in center is one who got miixtač. Two hands outspread show that he got what was very hard to catch. tayiiʕa got tupaati for mask from his mother, who was Ucluelet. Bottom part is merely conventional figure to put other features on. Dancer comes in with strings of mask loose. When, in song, they come to ʕimtšiƛ part (song goes with mask), strings are pulled tight and bird figure jumps together. At end of ʕimtšiƛ, strings are let down again. Made by Ucluelet man (qeewaaš), related to tayiiʕa on his mother’s side. Words of chorus (in Nootka) are: __ n̉aacseeʔisim ħaw̉iɬaħ waħšiƛʔaaqƛaħ ʔaye hixʷaɬtup you will watch me I am ‘chief’, I shall throw away much wealth, money. have much property First two words are sung in Kwakiutlː__ χaaw̉aacuuwa kiikiiqama (= n̉aacseeʔisim) (= ħawiɬaħ) ʔuʔuyiqħʔaƛitweʔin c̉iiqa maačinƛ he sang song Tsika (as) he went into house. Specimen no. 11 (new series) = no. 98: __ ħuquuma used to put up in corner of (potlatch) house to take care of his people. He watches over all, and is called ʔiič̉im “old man.” Name: ɬaapħiitap (now name of tayiiʕa) “holding tribes down by flapping with wings.” He used to be given food to eat in his mouth (dry fish and whale meat, which would be changed every two weeks about). If he was not given food, he got angry. They addressed prayers to him. tupaati is Nitinat in origin. ɬuutisim got it from his father. Made by ɬuutisim. Marks on chin and cheeks represent stars which everybody sees, i.e., he is seen by everybody, just like stars. Red triangles on top represent sea-gull feathers.

138.1
ʔukɬaama 
ʔukɬaa 
name 
-maˑ 
3.IND 
it is called 
ʔaħ 
ʔaħ 
this 
this 
taak̉upšiiɬ 
taak̉upšiiɬ 
Causes-whales-to-run-to-shore-when-speared 
Causes-whales-to-run-to-shore-when-speared 

This one is named Causes-whales-to-run-to-shore-when-speared.

pg. 35 begins here

138.2
ʔukɬaama 
ʔukɬaa 
name 
-maˑ 
3.IND 
it is called 
ʔaħ 
ʔaħ 
this 
this 
niixʷʕin 
niixʷʕin 
Coiling-Sound (mask) 
Coiling-Sound 

This one is named Coiling-Sound.

138.3
wiiktaqyu 
wiktaqyu 
uninitiated 
he was uninitiated 
kʷiisaħi 
kʷiisaħi 
sea-mammal hunter 
hunter 

The hunter was not initiated (in the Tluukwana).

138.4
ƛuukʷaaniičiʔaƛweʔin 
ƛuukʷaaniičiƛ 
Wolf Ritual initiate 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he got initiated in the Wolf Ritual 
tuuksimčkʷačiƛ 
tuuksimčkʷačiƛ 
train for getting sea lions 
train for getting sea lions 

He got to be initiated when he was training for sea-lions.

138.5
hiniipšiƛ 
hiniipšiƛ 
get 
he got it 
ƛuukʷaana 
ƛuukʷaana 
Wolf Ritual 
the Wolf Ritual 
ʔiš 
ʔiš 
and 
and 
hinkiicim 
hinkiicim 
head-mask 
head-mask 

He got both a Tlukwana and a headmask.

138.6
ʔukuxsiƛ 
ʔukuxsiƛ 
wear on the head 
he put on his head 
hinkiicim 
hinkiicim 
head-mask 
head-mask 

He put the headmask on his head.

138.7
kamitqšiʔaƛweʔin 
kamitqšiƛ 
run 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he ran  
hitaaqƛ̉iʔaƛ 
hitaaqƛ̉iƛ 
go into woods 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
going into the woods 
hiniisʔaƛ 
hiniis 
take along 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
taking along 
hinkiicim 
hinkiicim 
head-mask 
head-mask 

He ran into the bush, taking along the headmask.

S recorded -'at on the verb and then removes it, obviously not appropriate here.

138.8
sukʷiʔaƛ̉at 
sukʷiƛ 
take 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
he was taken 
ʔuħʔat 
ʔuħʔat 
by 
by 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
wolf 
wolves 

He was taken by the wolves.

138.9
ʔucaʔap̉aƛ̉at 
ʔucaʔap 
make s.o. go 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
he was taken to 
nučiiʔi 
nučiˑ 
mountain 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
the mountain 

He was taken to the mountains.

138.10
hineeʔiʔaƛ 
hineeʔiƛ 
enter house 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
he entered the house 
histiiʔiʔaƛ 
histiiʔiƛ 
enter house 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
going into the house 
maħt̉iiʔak 
maħt̉ii 
house 
-ˀak 
POSS 
the house of 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
wolf 
wolves 

He went into the house of the wolves.

138.11
ʔuyuʔaɬʔaƛ 
ʔuyuʔaɬ 
see 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
he saw 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
wolf 
wolves 
ƛuukʷaana 
ƛuukʷaana 
Wolf Ritual 
the Wolf Ritual 

He saw the wolf Wolf Ritual.

138.12
yaaɬweeʔin 
yaaɬ 
there 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
they were there 
ʔaanaħi 
ʔaanaħi 
just 
just 
ƛuukʷaana 
ƛuukʷaana 
be performing 
be performing 

There they were just doing the Wolf Ritual.

138.13
waɬsaap̉aƛ̉at 
waɬsaap 
take s.o. home 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
they took him home 
m̉aw̉aaʔaƛ̉at 
m̉aw̉aa 
take home 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
they took him home 
hitinqsan̉ap̉aƛ̉at 
hitinqsan̉ap 
take down to the beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
they took them down to the beach 
t̉aqsiɬa 
t̉aq1 
unchanged 
-siɬa 
do 
doing so unchanged 
hiɬħʔat 
hiɬ 
LOC 
-(q)ħ3 
BEING 
-ˀat 
PASS 
he was there 
ƛ̉akmaqis 
ƛ̉akmaqis 
Tlakmaqis 
White-pine-Beach 

They took him home; he was brought down to the beach, nothing more; he was there at White-pine-Beach (in the Ucluelet territory).

138.14
sukʷiʔaƛ̉at 
sukʷiƛ 
take 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
he took 
n̉uw̉iiqsakʔi 
n̉uw̉iˑqsu 
father 
-ˀak 
POSS 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
his father 

He took his father.

138.15
wik̉iičim 
wik 
not 
-ˀiˑčim 
2>3p.FUT.IMP 
don't be 
ƛ̉ičiƛ 
ƛ̉ičiƛ 
shoot 
shooting 
q̉aanaaƛ̉am̉inħʔi 
q̉aanaaƛ̉a 
wolf 
-m̉inħ 
PL 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
the wolves 
qaħšiƛuusaħ 
qaħšiƛ 
die 
-(w)uus2 
3.Rel.Dub 
-(m)aˑħ 
1s.IND 
I might die 

"Do not shoot the wolves, for I would die."

138.16
waɬšiʔaƛ 
waɬšiƛ 
go home 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
he went home 
ʔucačiƛ 
ʔucačiƛ 
go to 
going to 
maħt̉iiʔakʔi 
maħt̉ii 
house 
-ˀak 
POSS 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
his house 

He went home to his house.

138.17
takuk̉ʷaƛ 
takuk 
at once 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
right away it began 
ƛuukʷaaniičiʔaƛ 
ƛuukʷaaniičiƛ 
perform Wolf Ritual 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
performing Wolf Ritual 
hiɬħʔat 
hiɬ 
LOC 
-(q)ħ3 
BEING 
-ˀat 
PASS 
there 
maħt̉iiʔakʔi 
maħt̉ii 
house 
-ˀak 
POSS 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
his house 

Right away the Wolf Ritual began there in his house.

138.18
ʔuʔuyaqħʔaƛitweʔin 
ʔuʔuyaqħ 
sing 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-(m)it 
PAST 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he sang 
c̉iiqaa 
c̉iiqaa 
sing secret chant 
singing secret chants 
maačinƛ 
mačinawiƛ 
enter house 
entering the house 

He sang a secret chant as he entered the house.

is there a song here?? VI:36