Stores in Fort Ware; working for Gus

Translation by Mary Charlie, Edna McCook, Eileen McCook and Sharon Hargus. Transcription by Sharon Hargus.
Length:  13:42 with coughs edited out.

1. SH: '53 they closed it?

2. MA: They shut down their store. They move out.

3. You know,Hudson Bay peoplejodestore'uwììhsų,dunedowa,since1925Ithink.
   herethey hadpeoplefor
   'Those Hudson Bay people had store here for those people.'

4. 'Iiwuts'ehlajodeyahdaside'idedidòò'iiold clinicwìlędegwudalacompany storewìlęghiilè'.
   thatafter(cert)heredown therethereright nowthatthere iswherethere(cert)there isused to be
   'Where that old clinic is now that's where they had a company store long ago.'1

5. How you want me to tell it? In

6. SH: Nuk'èhdzè'

7. MA: 'Ide (there) company man. He's a Jap I guess. He's a Japanese.2

8. "Dunekatsìdla"'ìghidii.
   personhe's smallthey call him
   'They call him small man.'

9. 'Idesǫ'idestore'uwìihsų̀.
   there(uncert)therehe had
   'That's where he had a store.'

10. Sǫ'ùkwùneHudson Bay kwùnemàghghììhlhah'wèdè'.
    (uncert)those peopleHudson Bay peoplethey bother himalways
    'Those Hudson Bay store always bothered him.'

11. Madustsàzùstl'ǫaghduleh.
    than himpeltthey sell
    'They sell more beaver pelts to him.'

12. 'Idegòòliididįįzǫhmoredune,dunemoremik'ìts'idlii.
    therehoweveronly himpeoplethey like him
    'But everybody likes him more.'

13. 'Ùkoocredittl'ǫhduneghà'uleh.
    thosein exchange forpeoplehe gives things to
    'He always give credit to people.'

14. 'Ùkooduneyamukayghniizųmuts'ehnighdììlehcredittl'ǫh,dàna'ędiigòòlìì.
    thosepeoplewhatthey want itfrom himthey buy pl.in exchange formoneywithouteven
    'What those people want they buy from him on credit, even without money.'

15. 'Ii'èh'ùkwùneHudson Bay kwùne'udoomukayghniizų.
    thatbecause ofthose peopleHudson Bay peoplenotthey want him
    'Those Hudson Bay people don't want him for that.'

16. Dunekindììdùlhdadunemugàhlhududùlhdajoo,'ùkooduneyudǫjoodune,enoughdunetàgh---'e'ehdǫ.
    peoplethey come back downwhenpeopleto himthey gowhenalsothosepeopledrink ittoopeoplepeoplehe lets drink
    'When people come down from their trapline he give those guys a drink.'

17. Duneplease dèt'ęanything'èh.
    peoplehe pleasesby means of
    'He would do anything for people.'

18. 'Iisǫlhàwìì,lhàwììsǫ'ùkwùneHudson's Bay kwùnedèsǫkaghghììlahìì.
    that(uncert)once(uncert)those peopleHudson Bay peopleI don't knowwhat he was done to by them
    'One time I don't know those Hudson Bay people did to him.'

19. 'Ii 'èhwoodądzii'ìtsè'èmove out 'unujàh.
    and thenon account of themdownnudùsja
    'He move out because of them.'

20. Gwawuts'eh'ùkooHudson Bay peoplejo'usanii.
    thatafterthoseherealone
    'From there on those Hudson Bay people (were) here alone.'

21. Kwùlakhiniigòòliikhutawnèyǫdak'udàzǫh,jodekhuye1953,'iilakwakwùdiitsàzùscheap'ujàhde,kwùdiidune'umaghnììlàh'iitl'ǫh'ìtsè'èdunekhughà naghdu(dùlh).
    finallyweevenwe were all raisedwhenstillherewinterthat(cert)finallyjustpeltthey becamewhenjustpeoplethey abandonedandthendownpeoplethey leave us behind
    'Even us when we were all still growing up, 1953 that's when beaver pelts got cheap, they just let everybody go and they moved out.'

22. They move out. They left people stranded.

23. 'Ùkookat'edunelaHudson's Baywòòwidii.
    thosethey do thatpeople(cert)they call them
    'That's what they call Hudson's Bay.'

24. Dunets'eh'ughni'į̀į̀h.
    peoplefromthey steal things
    'They steal from people.'

25. Dunedànà'allghììhchoojiitl'ǫhkwùlalittle bitwitsį̀į̀'dakwa'ìtsè'ènaghdughus.
    peoplemoneythey takethenfinallyduwatsìdlait's badwhenfinallydownthey run back
    'They steal people money and they take off out.'

26. 'ÙkooCompany peoplela'udookaghut'e.
    those(cert)notthey do that
    'Those Company people don't do that.'

27. 'Ughute'e.
    they're good
    'They're good.'

28. Dune'ute'eghiilè''wèdè'.
    peopleniceused to bealways
    'They were always nice people.'

29. 'Uwute'eduneghà 'ughudah.
    wellpeoplethey take care of
    'They take care of the people good.'

30. 'IilakòòhkwùdiiI was---kaschowadune'ìdà'èFort Grahamedzè'zǫhdunedus---allmove 'ujàh,gwudzè'khiniijoobaba'èhdune'èh.
    that(cert)in the pastjustI'm smallpeopledowntherejustpeoplethey movedtherewetooDadwithpeoplewith
    'When I was small all the people moved down to Ft. Grahame, us too.'

31. Fort Grahamedzè'dunetahnùts'ude.
    therepeopleamongwe live
    'Us too we moved down and lived among those people.'

32. Gwudzè'lììdunetuts'inudetl.
    therejustpeoplewe went among
    'We just mingled with them.'

33. Lhatahdalhèhgą̀hdàna,naghu'ą̀'.
    sometimeseveningmoneythey gamble
    'Sometimes they play gambling games in the evening.'

34. Dunena'u'ą̀'.
    peoplethey gamble
    'People would gamble.'

35. Geedunelhinaghdììdulhdadunekinètaliiyìnadudùlh.
    peoplethey come togetherwhenpeoplewhen they playthey have fun
    'When everybody gather around together they have fun.'

36. 'Uwute'e.
    it's good
    'Good.'

37. 'Udoo màdala"Fort Warewudunè"'khèhnii,'ùkoodììdzedǫ̀h.
    no one(cert)peoplethey call usthosefrom back therein the past
    'Nobody called us "Fort Ware people."'

38. 'Ùkoodune tiikealllheghidììh.
    thoseadultsthey know each other
    'All those days all the people know each other.'

39. 'Ìdà'èFort Grahamedzè'baba kwùnewootunaghnudèdlìì'ooh,babawoodzèè''ìna'ììja,allbabaghidiyììhiila.
    downtheremy parentswhen they went among themohmy dadtheir heartslifted upmy dadbeing related to him(cert)
    'When mom and them went down to Ft. Grahame, they were happy to see my dad, being related to him.'

40. 'Iiladidòò'ùkoodunenu---ch'ilanunayelhnekwùdii"Fort Warewudunè"'khìghidii.
    that(cert)nowthosepeoplecrazythose who are growing upjustpeoplethey call us
    'Now these people growing up call us "Ft. Ware people."'

41. Wiidìì'nùnidòòwè.
    their brainthey're missing
    'They have no brains.'

42. 'Udoolasà'è dǫ̀.
    not(cert)long time ago
    'It was not like that a long time ago.'

43. 'Àtse kwùne,'ÀtseTomah'uyiilababats'è'"sunàzę"'èhnii.
    grandfathersGrandfatherthat(cert)my dadtomy son-in-lawhe says
    'Old Tomah called dad my son-in-law.'

44. Babats'è'ladiisunàzęghidiidasuchwę̀'ghidii.
    my dadtohe callsmy son-in-lawthey callevenmy sonthey call
    'They call my dad "my son-in-law" or even "my son".'

45. 'Oohlhik'ìnaghts'idlii.
    ohthey like each other
    'They all like each other.'

46. Lhatahdadinnerwudowachinulhighnuyeh.
    sometimesforthey gather each other
    'Sometimes they all get together for dinner.'

47. One placealllhiihgàhnaghutsuts.
    lhàhdewith each otherthey eat
    'One place they eat all together.'

48. 'Ii'èh,'iitl'ǫhkwùla,'iitl'ǫhkwùlakinètal'èhjoowiiyùnadudùlh.
    andthenandthenfinallyandthenfinallythey play gameandalsothey're having a good time
    'And then they start playing games.'

49. Kwùlayhììhnunatsįįlhda'ìdadzè,'iilagwudaold man'èhdunetah'uts'ut'e,'uyiilhìghè'kwùlą,'usk'ookàn'ulęaGus Oley'ìghidii.
    finallygamethey're getting fatwhenfrom downriverthat(cert)therekwùląwithpeopleamongwe arethatoneold manwhite pesonhe isthey call him
    'When the game was starting to get fat, there was one old white man named Gus Oley.'

50. Sukudii.
    he summons me
    'He summoned me.'

51. "Ya?"'ìdissįį.
    whatI say to him
    "'What?"'

52. "Su'èhdinii---,sudowaka'ììnhlhah,"sèhnii.
    with mefor meyou workhe told me
    "'Work for me," he told me.'

53. "Sudowak'e'ingeh"sèhnii.
    for meyou pack things aroundhe told me
    "'Pack around my stuff for me.'

54. "'Ìdighè'Indinii gàhdzè'dasyalhe,daskelhe.
    upIngenika R.thereI'm going to goI'm going to go by boat
    'I'm going to go up Ingenika.'

55. Gwudzè'mu'èhdèesya.
    therewith himI went
    'I went there with him.'

56. "Hǫ,"'ìdissįį.
    okayI tell him
    "'Okay (I'll go with you)," I told him.'

57. Babadudus'ą'èhhoksèhnii.
    my dadI ask himandgo aheadhe told me
    'When I asked daddy, he told me I could go.'

58. 'Ii'èhbaba---'ùkoodune'èhdèes(ya).
    andthenthatpersonwithI went
    'And then I went with that guy.'

59. Kwùdiimuk'ǫ̀wè'ùkoomugrubè''ùkoo,'ùkoogold pan,'ùkoomudowak'èsgeh.
    justhelping himthoseyutsudziithosethosefor himI pack around
    'I pack around his gold pan and some groceries.'3

60. K'ula,kwùląwìsdììhek'ula'utsùnma 'ute'e.
    reallyold manpoorreallymeanhe likes
    'That old man sure likes meat.'

61. 'Ùkoolhoowe'ùkooghùje'ùkoomi'įįhk'e'usghǫhda,dahdòòzǫhtliin 'uyeh'įį.
    thosefishthosegeesethosefor himI kill themwhenright awayjusthe cleans it
    'When I kill fish or geese for him, he cleans them right away.'

62. Kudajook'ulami'įįhzèehkhęgòòliino.
    moosetooalmostfor himI killedbut
    'I almost shot one moose for him but no.'

63. Wuts'è' nistsį̀į̀'.
    I'm not too good at it
    'I'm not too good at it.'

64. 'Uyiigòòlesadus'unè'ǫ'èh'iikudaghayiis'òòn.
    thatwillowthan meit's highbecausethatmooseI missed shooting
    'The willow was taller than me so I missed that moose.'

65. 'Ii 'èh'ìdighèSwannell'ìghidiigàhgwudzè',gwudzè'lalhuts'a---,gwudzè'laone week'uts'at'è'.
    and thenupthey call itriverthere(cert)there(cert)we stayed
    'We stayed one week up Swannell.'

66. Gwuda'uts'ut'èzǫhdǫ̀' 'ukhììlàh.
    therewe stayuntilwe were starving
    'We stayed there until we got really hungry.'

67. Mutl'ǫhdiihk'e'iis'òòn.
    after himchickenI kill pl.
    'After he was gone I killed chickens.'

68. 'Ùkoodiihsteak'uslàhlhìghè'ghustsèt,lhunadalhdidįįjoolhìghè'.
    thosechickenI madeoneI atehe came backhe tooone
    'I ate all of one chicken, and when he came back he ate one chicken too.'

69. 'Ùkookèhlalhèhgą̀hkwùlasakwudidùs'ǫnuts'idèhtl'a,tunts'idèhtl'à.
    thoseby means of it(cert)eveningfinallysunit started to setwe started to run backwe ran back from the bush
    'After we eat those chickens we took off back down.'

70. of tunts'ide`htl'a

71. "Sąskakwunle"'wèdè''ìdissįį.
    black bearforwatchalwaysI tell him
    'I tell him watch for bear.'

72. "Sąsmìninjida.Dinii---dusbùt.Khudant'e,"sèhnii.
    black bearhow you scare themI'm hungryhurry uphe tells me
    "'You scare the bears. I'm hungry. Hurry up."'

73. Mutseh nas---'Òòh,sutsehnadalh.
    ohahead of mehe walks
    \glt 'He walked ahead of me.'

74. 'Ooyèzǫhnèh'ǫ.
    downjusthe keeps his head down
    'He just looked down walking.'

75. 'Udoodutsehkwule.
    notahead of himselfhe's watching
    'He didn't look ahead of himself.'

76. Koohdehlììyìdàdzenòòwakhunèehkùdèhtl'ak'ànustą.
    suddenlyfrom downriverwolverinemeeting usit ran outI see
    'One wolverine ran into us.'

77. Stop 'usjàh.
    'ide 'udidèeszut
    'I just stopped.'

78. 'Udoomuts'è'kusjììh.
    notto himI breathe (a word)
    'I don't say anything to him.'

79. Dahdidiik'ehnòòwayuts'è'kadnèehtl'à.
    wellthisonwolverineto himit ran out
    'About that close the wolverine ran out to him.'

80. 'ų̀ų̀ų̀ų̀ghdejàh.
    it made noise
    'It made an 'ų̀ų̀ų̀ų̀gh noise.'

81. 'Oohkòòht'è',kwùląlenudùsdzòòwììlaoh boy.
    oh?old manwhen he jumped back(cert)
    'Oh the old man just jumped back.'

82. Kwùdii"hey, boy"'èhnii'iitl'ohtunudèhtl'a.
    justhe saidandthenhe ran away
    'He just hollered and ran back.'

83. 'Iigunmutl'àkwuniihdlat.
    that'òònaI grabbed from him
    'I grabbed that gun from him.'

84. Kwùdiigwudadlòw k'èh k'èsts'uts.
    justthereI fall around laughing
    'I just laughed.'

85. 'Uyiinòòwajoothere2 minutessǫyuk'ànehtą'iitl'ǫhkakhwùdè''ìtsè'èlìì,munts'è'lììya'ììtl'a.
    thatwolverinetoogwuda(uncert)he looks at himandthenfinallydownjustlaketojusthe jumped over
    'That wolverine look at him 2 minutes and then finally it just ran down across to the lake.'

86. Kwùdiigwudadlòw k'èh k'èstsuts,oh.
    justthereI laugh around
    'I just laugh around there.'

87. "Gus,khudant'e,"'ìdissįį.
    hurry upI tell him
    "'Gus, hurry up," I tell him.'

88. "K'ah,'uyiisąsnidįį?"sèhnii.
    (interr)thatblack bearwhere is ithe told me
    "'Where's that bear?" he tell me.'

89. "K'ulasąs'ukadììht'emuchę̀'wìlęlat'e,"'ìdissįį.
    ratherblack bearit's funnyits tailthere isit isI tell him
    'I tell him "that's funny bear he got long tail."'

90. "I know,nòòwalat'eladinii,"sèhnii.
    wolverineit isyou sayhe told me
    "'I mean that's wolverine," he say.'

91. "'Uyii'ech'à'gok'ula,k'uladzadniindlàhìì,"'ìdissįį.
    thatfromtherealmostyou pooped in your pantsI told him
    "'You got scared of that wolverine and almost pooped in your pants."'

92. Mughǫhdusdlòw.
    at himI laugh
    'I just laughed at him.'

93. Gwudzè'lakhwùdè'dlòw yizèhkhę'udidìì'įį.
    there(cert)just thenhe laughed hardhe's trying to be
    'Just then he laughed there.'

94. Hey,old mine'ìghidiidelhunts'at'às.
    they call itwherewe reached
    'We came to the old mine.'

95. Kwanùdiihkhetlgwa.
    finallyit got darkthere
    'It got dark.'

96. Gwudalììbunk housets'ustę.
    therejustwe sleep
    'We went in the bunk house and went to sleep there.'

97. Nunèestęlǫ̀didįįjoonunùstę.
    I fell asleephadhe toohe went to sleep
    'I had fallen asleep and so did he.'

98. Ts'inuszut.
    I woke up
    'I woke up.'

99. Sunshinebrightwindow'ǫ̀dzek'ànustą.
    sa dę̀'throughI look
    'I look out, sunshine bright.'

100. Hey,'uyiidunenunidòòwèsuchǫhda.
     thatguythey're gonewhile I sleep
     'That guy left while I was sleeping.'

101. Muts'ùdè''èhììt'è'nunidòòwè.
     his blanketetc.they're gone
     'All his blanket and everything gone.'

102. 'Uyii'òònajooniihdòòwè.
     thatguntooI don't have
     'He take that gun everything.'

103. 'Ooh'udoogòòlii,'udoogòòliisukudii.
     ohnotevennotevenhe calls me
     'He didn't even call me.'

104. Suchǫhdatsitununè'įįyìtsè'è,landingwuts'è'.
     while I slepthe sneaked awaydownto
     'While I was sleeping he sneaked away to the landing.'

105. Gwudalagrubts'ehlha.
     there(cert)ts'utsudziiwe keep pl.
     'That's where we leave the grub.'4

106. Oh,nidìsyatl'ǫhoutsidesughelè''unasdlàh'iitl'ǫhoutside'iispring water'èhsunè'wash 'uslàh.
     I got upandmy packI fixedandthentazowethattoo kùdilį̀į̀hiiwithmy face nusus'òts
     'I got up and fixed my packsack outside and washed my face in the spring water.'

107. Well,kwùlanudùsjasǫgwudzè'muk'èhnudoosjà'iikwudisdii.
     dahthat's ithe left(uncert)thereafter himI will goI think
     'I thought he had gone so I was thinking about following him.'

108. 'Iiwuts'ehnaydis'į̀į̀h.
     thatafter itI'm looking around
     'I look around.'

109. Yàhnosdè'sǫkud---duyaziik'èh'às.
     just across there(uncert)cow and calfthey're walking around
     'Right across there's a cow and a calf.'

110. Ye'
     hey
     'hey'

111. Geedune'uzèhkhę,ahmewitsį̀į̀'.
     personkilled somethingohto heck with them
     'Somebody killed something, ah to heck with it.'

112. Kwùlaninadusgę̀joogwudzè'zǫhdunekunudèhtlah.
     thenI packed up againtootherejustpersonhe started to walk back out
     'Just when I pick up my pack somebody walked out.'

113. T'ahgwudzè'sukanadalh.
     backtherefor mehe's coming back
     'He went to look for me, he came back.'

114. Gwudzè'laplatefullsuwǫhlhunakalh.
     there(cert)ts'à'tùdùsmuniifor mehe brought back
     'He brought back a plate full of food for me.'

115. 'Ùkooyèht'ęfried bacon,eggs'ùkootoast'èhììt'è',big cup'èkèhcoffee,stillhot.
     thosehe fried itthoseetc.k'òòka chowinlùgàfiik'udàzǫhsukwùn
     'He cooked fried bacon, eggs, toast everything, and in a cup he brought him back coffee.'

116. "Hiihboy'intsuts,"sèhnii.
     you eathe told me
     "'Eat boy," he told me.'

117. 'Astsèdiitl'ǫhkwùlanuts'idùst'ats.
     I eatafterfinallywe two left
     'After we ate, we left.'

118. Gwudzè'kints'idììt'ats.
     therewe two came back down
     'We came back down (to the landing).'

119. "'Oohhiihboy'utsùn'ędiidusbùt,"sèhnii.'
     ohboymeatwithoutI'm hungryhe told me
     "'Oh boy, I'm hungry without meat."'

120. Gwuda'iikickergha'ììhlhahii'èhthatkickerwaterpumpbroke.
     therethathe's working onbecause
     'He was working on the kicker because it had broken.'

121. 'Udoo'ants'oodlehiiyooht'è.
     notwe fixare able
     'We can't fix it.'

122. Ah,kwùdiinuts'idookèhii'ìdissįį.Highwater.
     justlet's come back by boatI tell himtootùdùsmun
     'Let's just go. The water is high.'

123. Hey,lhoowe,Dollyfourbig onemudowatùsusla.
     fishchabachowfor himI caught
     'I caught four dolly.'

124. Gee,lhìghè'allpretty nearghudugh.
     onek'ulahe ate up
     'He ate almost the whole fish.'

125. 'Iiwuts'ehnuts'idùs(k)ę.
     thatafter itwe came down by boat
     'From there we float down.'

126. Hah,high waterpaddle'èhwe paddle downall wayto old Fort Grahame.
     heyt'òswithnuts'idùskęFort Grahame ts'è'
     'High water we paddle down the whole way to old FG.'

127. Kwùlajust about darklaFort Grahamets'è'tunts'uskęghiilè'.
     finallynùdidèhkhetl(cert)towe came ashore againit was
     'It was almost dark when we got back to old Fort Grahame.'

128. Hǫ.Kwùla.
     okaythat's it
     'Okay, that's it.'

Notes

1. Susan McCook thinks this was probably an independently operated store.
2. Susan McCook: may have been Chinese
3. yutsudzii 'his food', lit. 'what he eats'
4. ts'utsudzii 'our food'; lit. 'what we eat'