Plants, Christmas in Anvik

Recorded by Jim Kari.  Recording on ANL0778.wav. This text
is the only item on that recording.
Recording length: 08:32
Translation by Edna Deacon and Lucy Hamilton.
Transcription by Sharon Hargus.
JK:  1991 with Belle Deacon and Nellie Wharton in Fairbanks.

Plants

(some noise of Belle fumbling with the microphone?)

1. Xileggnixodhiɬyitots'i,gaghtlghanhxotl'oghxiɬdik,getiyngi'innguqoggxigide'on'ts'ixiyiɬtuxxiɬdi,gagxiɬdininalyayh.
   springit's getting to bethensnow meltsafterthenveryouton earthit's sunnnythenduringthenberrythenthey're growing back
   'In the spring after the snow melts, the berries grow when there's lots of sunshine.'1

2. Axaxiɬdikxiɬdidandhu'ondetthatxiɬditr'iniha.
   thenthensalmonberryfirstthenwe pick
   'Then salmonberries are the first thing we pick.'

3. 'cause

4. Iyniniɬjikdixo'inq'ayitdit'anhthatdandhu'on.
   itit rots to groundbecauseright away(people) dosalmonberry
   'People do that right away because salmonberries rot to the ground.'

5. Yitotl'oghxiɬdikniɬyaghchetr'inihasanh duxodhil ts'in'.
   after thatthenblueberryalsowe pickduring the summer
   'After that we pick blueberries all summer long.'

6. Xeyts'in'xits'i xodhiɬxiyiɬcheiyniɬyaghcheniɬteyh.
   fallit's getting to bethenagainitblueberryagainit's overripe
   'When it's getting to be fall the blueberries get soft.'

7. Axaxiɬdiyiggiydinathdloychechetr'iniha.
   thenthathigh-bush cranberryagain and againwe pick
   'Then we pick high-bush cranberries.'

8. Yitots'in'nondiniyyiɬtr'iniha.
   thenred curranttoowe pick
   'We pick red currants too.'

9. Axaxiɬdikdandiggiyche,iychegetiyngizrenh,dandiggiy.
   thenraspberrytooittooveryit's goodraspberry
   'Raspberries are very good too.'

10. Gag vedayiɬtr'iniha.
    black curranttoowe pick
    'We pick black currants too.'

11. Iychecheiyyitr'iɬvatrxineg.
    ittooitwe cook themnicely
    'That's good cooked too.'2

12. Yitots'in'xiyhdixonetnontr'alyayh.
    thenwinterforwe keep them
    'We keep them for wintertime.'

13. Shaxilvituxtr'idriyhts'iyitr'iɬvatrjust likegashighxit'an.
    sugarin itwe sprinkleandwe cook themwhitepeople
    'Sugar is mixed in with them and we cook them just like white people.'

14. Gilegiqdughotyuxudzdidinaxi'nets'ixughotiytr'iɬvatr.
    bookaccording toallit tells usandaccording toitwe cook
    'It's written on the (recipe) book and we cook according to that.'

15. Iychegetiyngizrenh.
    ittooveryit's good
    'That's very good (tasty) too.'

16. Axaxiɬdikxeyts'in'nuxodhiɬtuxxiɬdik,ngido'Nts'ini'an ghun' deloyts'itr'itidiɬ.
    thenautumnit's comingwhenthendownriverBonasilla Mt.we go to
    'When it was getting to be fall we would go downriver to Bonasilla Mountain.'

17. Yit xiɬdideloyq'idzdixinaɬt'adisre'tr'inihiɬ.
    thenmountainonhow manyI wonderwe camp
    'I don't know how many nights we camped on the mountain.'

18. Nenhtl'itgetiylongtr'inihaniɬanht'asryiɬ,xiyhdixonet.
    low-bush cranberryreallylotswe pickblackberrytoowinterfor
    'We picked lots of low-bush cranberries and blackberries too for winter.'

19. Yitots'in'xisrghedyiɬtr'iniha,gosanhtux.
    thenrosehipstoowe pickheresummerduring
    'We picked rosehips too here during summer.'

20. Agidetiyvixelansanhtux.
    that's allitthe ones that aresummerduring
    'That's all there is in the summer.'

21. Getiyiy,getiyngizrenh,xiyhdixonet.
    veryitveryit's nicewinterfor
    'It's very nice for winter.'

22. Gonenhtl'itiytetth'okyettr'inihats'i.
    herelow-bush cranberryitbasketinwe're picking
    'We picked cranberries in birchbark baskets.'

23. Tetth'okchuxtuxdoghnontr'idiniha',sraqayitlanhdong,sidithniqaye.
    basketbiginwe fill up pickingchildI amin the pastmy parents
    'When I was a child, my family and I filled them to the top.'

24. Yitots'iiyxiɬdikiyedi xeyditr'iɬnonh,causevanhgiqxiɬdiiyaxaxinetth'axedi.
    thenitthenitall winterwe eatice creamthenitwiththey makethroughout (winter)
    'We ate them all winter because they always made ice cream with them.'

25. Causenuxo'o' dit'anhts'ixiyiɬiygaggetiylongaxa dixit'anhdixo'in.
    masked dancethenitberryverymanythey usefor
    'Because when they held masked dances, they needed a lot of berries.'

26. Agidet.
    that's all
    'That's all.'

27. Well, we'll listen to it.

More on plants

28. (Xile)gotiy,niɬtiy gaga'andhiginix,q'odetgaguxinisayhdong.
    I forgotitbog cranberryI forgotjust nowberryI'm talking aboutin the past
    'I forgot bog cranberries when I was talking about berries just now.'3

29. Yitots'iniɬtiy gaga'iygetiyliniyh.
    thenbog cranberryitveryit's tasty
    'Bog cranberries are delicious.'

30. just like

31. Nenhtl'itq'idingit'aine'getiyliq'ets.
    low-bush cranberryit's likebutveryit's sweet
    'They're like low-bush cranberries but very sweet.'

32. Axaxiɬdingin' qotlcheandhiginix.
    thennagoonberrytooI forgot
    'And I forgot about nagoonberries too.'

33. Dandhu'onq'idingit'aiy.
    salmonberryit's likeit
    'It's like salmonberries.'

34. Vit'on'deggudziyniyaxiy,engitheghshinh qogg.
    its leavesit's shortitthat which growsoutflat
    '(The kind that) grows out in the flat has short leaves.'

35. Agidet.
    that's all
    'That's all.'

Christmas time

36. Ngidiggsrixno'xeydantr'ididixaxaxiɬdik.
    upriverwe spend winterthen
    'We used to spend the winter up the river (Anvik R.).'

37. Q'inodle chuxghonixidhiktuxxiɬdiqayxits'antr'itididiɬ.
    Christmasit's getting close towhenthenvillagewe start to return to
    'When it was close to Christmas we would go back to the village.'

38. Yuxudzniyithdaldhiyhtuxgetiyxetl'itthts'i.
    justsnow is deepwhenreallyit's hard
    'When the snow was deep it was very hard.'

39. Iɬt'etɬeknotthioyhyet,vinotthitr'odiɬts'ivinotthitr'ixaghntl'i'ith.
    continuouslydogahead ofsnowshoeinahead of itwe walkandahead of itwe broke trail
    'We walked ahead of the dogs in snowshoes and broke trail for them.'

40. because

41. Sidadryiɬsichidlqayyiɬxutlyedidltth'e.
    my younger sisterandmy younger brothersandsledthey sit in
    'My younger sister and younger brothers sat in the sled.'4

42. Axaxiɬdisingonhcheyitl'oyndidhithingone---sito'yiɬxiɬdiɬeknotthitr'o'isr.
    thenmy motheragainbehind itshe standswhilemy dadandthendogaheadwe du. are walking
    'My mother stood behind it (sled) while my dad and I walked ahead of the dogs.'

43. AxaxiɬdiIthchax xichuxntr'indiɬxin-gidiɬchithts'in'.
    then(place)we reachwe put up tent
    'Then when we reached Ithchax Xichux we would put up a tent.'5

44. Axaxiɬdiyitots'ixiɬdi---
    thenthenthen
    'Then---'

45. Oh,Dotith xingithdixidetthatr'inihiɬxotl'oghxiɬdiIthchax xichuxchenh.
    Long Portagefirstwe campafterthen(place)too
    'Oh, first we camped at Dotith Xingithdi and after that Ithchax Xichux.'6

46. Yitxits'ixiɬditthidangithnixidhikxiyiɬxiɬdi,Tthachinht'otqaytr'inxidaldhiyh.
    therefromthenmidnightit's getting to bethenthenVillage Sloughvillagewe came around corner
    'Then around midnight we would come around the corner to the village from Village Slough.'

47. Dotith tingxiyetr'antididiɬts'ido'otqaytr'inxidaldhiyh.
    Portage Trailwe come back outandjust over herevillagewe came around corner
    'We would come back out at Portage Trail and then come around the corner to the village just over here.'

48. Xintl-'anhtuxngitthegashighyigideq'un'xizronchequnagh.
    I'm lookingwhendownwhite peoplelightsapparentlylamp
    'I looked down and there were the mission lights, lamps I guess.'

49. Yuxudzsidigits'eyh.
    justI'm happy
    'I was just happy.'

50. Xogh entlnixq'ochecausexutlye'isdo'ts'i,ischoxxiyozrts'in'.
    I get tiredverysledI didn't sit inI'm bigprettybeing
    'I got tired because I didn't sit in the sled, being so big.'

51. Tthiganhvisrxiɬdiksoxoiɬtseiyyetxiɬdighisoɬviq'i.
    pointed snowshoethenfor mehe makesitinthenI'm walkingafter him
    'I'm walking behind him in pointed snowshoes that he made for me.'

52. Iiy!Q'inodle chuxghonixidhiktuxengitheghsrixno'yuxudz yegxigidigheghiɬxiq'i.
    (amazement)Christmasit comeswhenout onriveractuallyice lifted upit looks like
    'It looked like the ice lifted up out on the river at Christmas time.'

53. Qunaghxit'achelongh.
    lampbeautifullots
    'There were lots of beautiful lanterns.'

54. Iychequnaghxaɬne,lantern.
    ittoolampthey call it
    'They call lanterns qunagh too.'7

55. EdiChristmasts'antr'itididiɬtux,ngitthingyitxiɬdigetiysraqayyiɬxeɬedzall kinds of gamedit'anh.
    everywe go backwhendowntherethenreallychildrentoowelldo
    'When we went back every Christmas the kids played all kinds of games down there.'

56. Xotl'oghche,chexigililonghts'ixiyiɬ.
    afterwardstoothey hold feastthen
    'Afterwards they had a feast.'

57. Q'odexiɬdiyuxudzxik'ots'idznixidalningh.
    Nowthenjustdifferentit happened
    'Now it's not like that any more.'

58. Axaxiɬdikeniggantr'ididiɬ.
    thenwe went back
    'Then we went back (up the river).'

59. Dina'negyiɬdinatl'ogalyayh.
    dollnicetoothey gave us something
    'They gave us nice dolls too.'

60. Dinadhondhidloynilugguyyitdinatl'o'alyayh.
    necklacebeadedtherethey gave us
    'They gave us beaded necklaces.'

61. Dithitl'enathda'aknegyiɬdinatl'o'alyayh.
    clothparkanicetoothey gave us
    'They gave us nice parkas too.'

62. Axaxiɬdiyuxudzq'ixalniyhtuxxiɬdi,ngiyiggitraɬtth'echenuxo'o'ditit'eyh.
    thenallthey finishwhenthendownkashimtoomasked danceit starts
    'Then when they were finished, the masked dance would start in the kashim.'

63. Axaxiɬdisinq'adhxighela'yitɬogot.
    thenmy partnerthere wastheretruly
    'I had a partner there.'

64. JK: hmm

65. Diyin Łats Dhithxiydighene' hanhsinq'adhngilanh.
    (personal name)the one they calledmy partnerhe is
    'My partner was called Diyin Łats Dhith.'

66. Axaxiɬdingiyigginuxo'o'dontit'eyhdixiɬdi.
    thendown inmasked danceit startsthen
    'Then the masked dance would start down in (the kashim).'

67. Tth'okyesits'ixiyeguqoyh,vitthigits'igh xelanyiɬ,viladokyiɬ,viq'idathdlohiy.
    plateinto mehe/she brings in foodhooded parkaandscarfandthey're on itit
    'He brought me food on a plate, an overparka and scarf on it too.'

68. Xotl'ogh tuxxiɬdiq'ixalniyhtth'okxiɬdidina'oqotthanxiytalyayh.
    afterwardsthenthey finishplatethenfor usthey start to take outside
    'After they finished they would start taking the plates back out.'

69. Axaxiɬdikngiyiggchexiyetr'itidiɬaxaxiɬdik,Nanekgilekditit'eyh.
    thendown intoowe go in kashimthensingingit starts
    'Then when we would go in the kashim Nanek would start.'

70. Axaxiɬdikdizrodinaɬt'ansre'xiɬdixixinalyayh.
    thenhow many peopleI wonderthenthey're doing native dancing
    'I don't know how many people were dancing.'

71. Engithicheniɬk'otr'ith'izrts'in'.
    outtoowe don't go out to middle
    'We never went out and danced.'8

72. Dina'oxoNanekidiqadixiyan'niɬk'otr'o'isr.
    for usit's purchasedonlywe go out to middle
    'The only time we would go out there was when the song was purchased for us.'

73. Yuxudzxo'inxiɬdiniɬk'otr'ith'izrts'in'.
    thusforthenwe don't go out to middle
    'For that reason we wouldn't go out there any other time.'

74. Uxuxuyiɬxiɬdidina'oxoxigalyayh.
    suddenlythenfor usthey bring in things
    'Then suddenly they would bring things in for us.'

75. Axaxiɬdiyitxiɬdidinatseyeengithitxiɬdiq'idhntr'o'isr.
    thentherethenour grandmothersoutthenbesidewe go out
    'Then we would go out dancing (beside) our old grandmas out there.'

76. "Gila."
    go on
    "'Hurry. Right now."'

77. Anchecheandithitl'enathda'xiviniydaɬchith,vitthigits'igh xelan.
    theytootheyclothparkathey dressed up inhooded parka
    'They too are dressed in cloth overparkas.'

78. Axaxiɬdiyit xiɬdigiq'i anhdinanoghɬ dixi'neiyxiɬdiiyyuxudztr'iɬzreyhxiq'i.
    thenthenthe masked onethey're telling usitthenitwe're takingit looks like
    'They tell us about the mask (dance motion), and then we can do it.'

79. Cheidiqathiy.
    tooit's boughtit
    'It too (the song) was (already) purchased.'

80. Yitots'igetiyxeɬedzdixit'anh.
    thenreallywellthey're doing
    'They're having a really good time.'

81. Axaxiɬdinodxinihiɬxiyiɬxiɬdikngi'eghxiyiɬq'itr'ididaɬ.
    thentwicethey spend nightthenthenoutsidethenwe go around
    'They would spent two nights (in the village) and then we went around outside again.'

82. Dina'oxoldhidyedina'itoɬxiɬzrisrts'in'.
    our tea partnersthey give us tea
    'Our tea partners would give us tea.'

83. Axaxiɬdiyitotl'oghxiɬditon-gataɬdixche.
    thenafterwardsthenthey do it over again (next night)too
    'Then they do would do it again the next night.'

84. Yitchechegitr'ixit'angilegchecheixidile,ts'iiycheche,iycheniɬk'otr'ith'izrts'in'.
    ittoonative from somewheresongtoothey singandittooittoowe don't go out to the middle
    'They also sang songs from other villages, and we didn't go out to the middle (during that) either.'

85. because

86. Dina---vaxadina'oqoxidiqatts'ixiyan'niɬk'otr'ito'isr.
    with itfor usthey payonlywe will go out to the middle
    'We only went out to the middle when they paid us.'

87. Ngiyixixit'oghxiyan'tr'ididltth'e.
    downunderneathonlywe sit
    'We just sat underneath.'9

88. Ngiyixixit'oghxiyan'tr'ididltth'e.
    downunderneathonlywe sit
    'We just sat underneath.'

89. Yuxudzxo'inxiɬdiniɬk'otr'ith'izrts'in'.
    thusforthenwe don't go out to middle
    'So we don't go out to the middle of the floor.'

90. Ngu'oxiɬdixidoychechengiyixingintr'idiggisrts'ixiyan'xiyentr'ididiɬ.
    overthendoortoodownfloorwe're crawlingonlywe go in
    'We just crawled on the floor from the doorway when we went in the kashim.'

91. Go dadzdixighaɬchuxdisrisrdhithxididiniɬchedhts'ingiyixiq'an' t'oghngiyiggtraɬtth'et.
    this wayso bigbearskincurtain dooranddown?insidekashim
    'There was a bear skin this big hanging over the door and down inside the kashim.'10

92. Q'odetxiɬdikxidondiditeyyan'xethdlat.
    nowthendooronlythey have
    'Now they only have a regular door.'

93. Agidet.
    that's all
    'That's all.'

Notes

1. nguqogg from ngin' qogg
2. for example, as jam
3. niɬtiy gaga', lit. 'crane's berries'
4. Belle's younger brothers were Lucius and Wilfred.
5. Ithchax Xichux, lit. 'big area under evergreen tree'
6. Dotith xingith 'Long portage, Goblet Ck.'
7. kerosene lantern with chimney
8. They just sat and watched.
9. under the bench; bench as wide as the floor
10. hair side facing in, skin side out in Shageluk