Battle of Sitka Tlingit Translation

Alex Andrews (Kooxichx')
The Battle at Indian River

Recorded by the National Park Service, Sitka, Alaska, July 30, 1960
Transcribed by Vesta Dominicks and Nora Marks Dauenhauer
Translated by Nora Marks Dauenhauer 1
Edited by Richard Dauenhauer and Nora Marks Dauenhauer
Yá a! éesh x'éidá! áyá, I will teil this story

kakkwalaneek, according to my father,
yá a! éesh !'éidá!, the story about them,
has du <laat sh kalneek, according to my father,
aaa, yes,2
aadéi stártx wusiteeyi yé the way it started
yá shóox'aná!, yá haa káx koowasheeyi aa from the beginning, of the Russians3
yáa Anóoshi, who found us,
aadéi the way
10 stárt! wusiteeyi yé yá kulagaaw. 10 the battle started.
Aaa, Yes.
a! éesh x'éidá! áyá Tuis is according to my father,
_Kaajaakw !'éidáx. according to _Kaajaakw.
Hóoch lt was he
tlákw a! een akawlineek. who often told this to me.4
Ách áyá xwasikóo. Tuis is why I know it.
Tlél tsu kut aa !wagéex' tie asaax'óo teen. I didn't forget any of the names.
Aaa, Yes,
hé _Kunaa !'akát áwé uwakû!, Héendei carne by boat to the en trance of Redoubt
Héendei, Bay,
20 .Kunaa x'akát. 20 to the entrance of Redoubt Bay.
Áx' áyá du yáa uwakû! yáa Ana.óot. Tuis is where the Aleut paddled up to him.
Áyá <laak áyá awsi.át at!á yis. He invited him up to have some food.
A x'éi! at gugatée néekw áwé When he was going to feed him, he put ocher on
ayaawaléi!'w. his face.
Léix'w, a wash kaadéi awligkh. He stamped ocher on his cheeks.
Aadá! áyá a !'éi! at teex., After this, he fed him,

áyá tla! kût! áyá at uwa!áa. but he overate.
Áyá yá Héendei _ku.aa áyá tie haadéi wookoox., So then Héendei returned here by boat,
ka wé Ana.óot tsû tie yáax' haat uwakû!. and the Aleut also carne back here by boat.
Anóoshi !Oox' áyá yéi yatee yá Ana.óot _ku.aa. The Aleut is living among the Russians.
30 Yá Héendei _ku.aa áyá Lingit Aani yá village áyá 30 But Héendei is living in Tlingit country, in the
áx' yéi yatee. village.
X'oon U!ée sáyá, How many nights passed.

aan hitx'i tÓO! yaa anagût. Someone is going through the houses,
Duwóos', asking,
"Aadóoch sáyu yaawaléix'w yu káa shaanák'w?" "Who put ocher on the face of the little old man?"
Tléil wudusku, No one knew,
"Tie héináx so they're telling him, "Next door,
tie k'idaakaadéi shundusgeich:' maybe over there:'
329
330 • SECTION IX. BILINGUAL TEXTS
A xoox áwé yaa anagut. So someone's going among them.

Ch'a wáa yoo at koonée sáwé du káx k_uwduwashee. After a while they found him.
40 "Aank_áawuch áyá yaa xat kunak_éin. 40 "A nobleman is sending me.
Aadóoch sáyu yaawaléix'w Who put ocher on the face

yu k_áa shaanák'w?" of the little old man?"
Ha Héendei kwa tie yéi yaawak_aa, "Xáach áwé cha So Héendei replied, "I was the one, sir.
aank_áawu, I put ocher on his face:'
xáach áwé yaxwaaléix'w:' Toen the messenger said, "Well, the little old man
Áyá kandukáayi k_u.aa yá tie yéi yaawakaa, "Ha <lied:'
woonaa xá wé k_áa shaanák'w:' "It wasn't me,
"Tléil xát áwé, I wasn't the one who did it, sir:'
tlél xáach áwé, cha Aank_áawu:' Here he had already admitted to it in the first
Héix' áwé de akaawaneek shukát. place.
Hmmmmmmm. Hmmmmmmm.
so Yan kadusnóok áyá kux wudigut yá k_áa. so When they were sure, the man carne back.
Aagáa áyá gayeis' hîtde wduwasháat, Tuis is when Héendei
Héendei k_u.aa. was held in jail.
Déix x'adusxée, After not feeding him for two days,
aagáa áyá kaa shaanák'w, they sliced a piece of flesh

du gushkadleeyî áyá aax kei kawdudlix'ás', from the little old man's thigh
wududzi.ée du x'éis, and cooked it for him
agaxaat. to eat.
fit'fx k_u.aa yá sitee But this Héendei
yá Héendei k_u.aa. was a shaman.
60 Akgwaxaayî áyá du yéigich áyá yéi yawsik_aa, "Ihî 60 When he was going to eat it, his spirit told him,
ax s'aatî, "Don't, Master.
Lingît dleeyi áwé:' That's human flesh:'
Ách áwé tlél awuxá. That was why he didn't eat it.
/
1 Tie Toen,
ch'as yáa sakwnéin áwé aawaxáa ch'a axook. he only ate the bread, as dry as it was.
Ch'áakwx sateeyî áyá tie jiwduwanák. After a long while, he was released.
Yáak_áa, Tuis man,
Héendei k_wa jiwduwanák hé hitdáx. Héendei, was released from jail.
Áyá tlei áyá at wooxoon He5 quickly started to get ready,
Wanka Hîtdáx áyá at wooxoon. From Wanka Hit6 he began to get ready.
70 Yá Stoonook du éesh, 70 Tuis father of Stoonook
Jilkáatdei. used to go to Chilkat.
Át áyáa ndulhunjeen. People would sell things in different places.
Jilkáatx' kéi alhóon áyá When he goes up to sell in Chilkat
Anóoshi ádi áwé duhóon. Russian goods are sold.
X'alatseenin góot yéix'. They used to be expensive in other places.
Ch'u tie át wuk_ooxu áyá As soon as he got there
du éeshch woo.éex' his father invited him,
du éeshch. his father.
Du hunxuch woo.éex' But his older brother

80 Stoonook k_u.aa. 80 invited Stoonook.
Kaagwaantaan yátx'ix áyá s siti, Stoonook
ALEX ANDREWS: THE BATTLE AT INDIAN RIVER • 331
yá Stoonook and his older brother

ka yá du MnKW. are children of Kaagwaantaan.
Át wukooKÓ áwé tie - When he got there-
yá Héendei tsu tsu Kaagwaantaan yádiK áyá siti. Héendei was also a child of Kaagwaantaan- 7
Áyá ch'a at gugaKaa nóok áyá neil when he was just about to eat, in carne and
wujikák hunkered down
yéi duwasáagu káa, Kakáayi, a man named Ka.káayi,
aanyádi. a person of noble birth.
Áyu K'ali.oos áyu yu aanyádi That person of noble birth had a loose mouth,
90 yu Kaagwaantaan yádi. 90 that child of Kaagwaantaan.
Áwé ch'u tie ldakát yéidei áwé yaa anaKót'. Toen he begins to taunt him.
Yá du hónKW Tuis older brother of his,
yá Stoonook du hufiKw- this older brother of Stoonook -
tléil tlaK du hónKW tie du een naa not his biologica! older brother, but a co-clan
yádi áyu- child with him -
"A yáK ák.wé kdunéek, asks, "Is it true what people are saying, what that
wéit .káa, man there,
wé dleit káa, the White Man
aadéi yóo ikawsinexi yé?" <lid to you?"
Tie tlél I k'akoohél'gidéin áwé yaa yanduskéin. Toen obscenities are being said to him.
Áwé tie du toowu kéi nanéekw Tuis starts to depress
100 Stoonook ku.aa. 100 Stoonook.
Ách áwé ayis wuduwa.éex'i át Tuis was why he didn't eat

tlél aWUKá. the food he was invited for.
A kináax' áwé ganukch. He would just sit over it.
Ch'áakw sa.ini áwé dákdei yóo anasneech wé du After it sat a long time, he would push his bowl of
atKaayi. food away.
Tsu ch'a góot át áwé du K'éiK naduteech Toen he would be given something else,
tsu ch'a góot át. then something else.
AadáK agateech, tie tsu ch'a a káa yan ootéeych, He would pick it up, then put it back down, then
aadáK áwé dákdei. push it away.
Tie ch'u shadultlékwx' áwé All they could do was keep carrying food in,
wé aadéi kuwduwa.éex'i yéide, into the place where they were invited,
110 shadultlékwx'. 110 carry it in again.
Ch'áakwK sateeyi yan atKáa áyá tie gunayéi Long after the mea! was over, he started to leave.
uwagut. He hadn't eaten,
Tléil at WUKaayée áwé, but he headed for
ch'a aan ku.aa áwé tie, the house where he was staying.
neildéi. As soon as he comes in where he's staying
Tie neildéi yaa nagudi áwé, he said to his father,
du éesh yéi ayawsikaa, "You go around to different villages like an
''.Aanyádi, aristocrat,
Aankáawu yáK guna.aant neekóKch:' like a noble person:'
"Wáa sá iyawdudzi.kaa yitk'? "What <lid they say to you, son?
120 Wáa sá iyawdudzi.kaa?" 120 What did they say to you?"
Tléil du yáa ayawdunéi ách áwé, Because his relatives,
-
yáa du een aax'w, his co-clan children,
du een naa yátx'eech, didn't respect him,
aadéi yawsikaayi yé. they talked disrespectfully to him.
Sh yát akawdinik. He feit guilty.
Ách áwé yéi ayawsikaa du éesh, Tuis is why he said to his father,
"Tle yáa taat, "Let's leave right this evening,
seigán <laak galahaash kóKdei:' let's float out on tomorrow's tide:·
"Ihi yitk'. "Don't, son.

130 K'ikát nakadahoon 130 Let me sell these first,
yá haat xwalihuni át:' these things I brought to sen:·
Ách áwé yéi ayawsi_kaa, "Nahoon, Tuis was why he said to him, "Sell them,
nahoon:' sell them:·
Ts'ootaat áwé tie yaakwdéi yéi jiwdinei yá du That morning this crew of his, his father's crew,
xwáax'u, du éesh xwáax'u. packed the boat.
Tie gunayéi uwakux haadéi Toen, they started off for here,
yei nalhásh héen yix. drifting down the river.
Aagáa áwé a yáa wlihásh wé géen wás'i. Tuis is when he drifted past the silverberry bushes.8
Áa kaa jikaawa_kaa, They were told
�adulxásheet. to cut some.
140 Tlagei áwé tie yaa shanahik. 140 The boat was filling up.
Aan áwé yáax' haat uwakux. He carne here by boat with them.
Ch'a yeisó wookooxu yaakw áwé Jilkáatdei. It was the boat that had just gone to Chilkat.
Jilkáatx' áwé du yáx yawdudzi_kaa, Stoonook
Stoonook. was insulted in Chilkat.
Wudukeedich áwé, ch'a yeisó wookooxu yaakw People were suspicious because the boat that had
tsu haat kóox, just gone was back,
.K'alyáan kwa yéi yaawakaa, .K'alyáan said,
"Du ee�áa angagoot wé ax kéek'." "Someone go get that younger brother of mine:'
_K'alyáan du kéek'x _ku.aa áwé sitee Stoonook, Stoonook was the younger brother of .K'alyáan,
du een naa yádi. his co-clan child.
150 Ách áwé tlé aadéi _kukawduwakaa "I hunxuch 150 That was why someone was sent to teil him,
ixoox:' "Your older brother wants you:'

Neil góot áwé tie, When Stoonook carne in,
aaa, yes,
diyéex' áwé awsinook. they seated him in back.
Át woogoot _K'alyáan diyéex', .K'alyáan was pacing back and forth in the back,
diyee kát woogoot. pacing back and forth in the back.
Aaa, yá du keilk'i hás _ku.aa wé ixdáak áwé áa s Yes, his maternal nephews though, were out by
at shi, the entrance. That's where they sang.
Duk'aan x'asheeyf áwé dushi. They sang the song of Duk'aan.
Duk'aan yéi áwé duwasáakw wé káa. Duk'aan was the name of the man.
Du sheeyi áwé dushi They sang his song,
160 du x'asheeyi. 160 the song he composed.
Aaa, Yes.
yá Kaagwaantaan yátx'i _ku.aa yá diyee ká áwé át But the Kaagwaantaan children however, sat at
kéen. the back of the house.
Du x'éit kuwsi.áx yá du yáx yawdudzik_aayi They listened to how Stoonook
Stoonook. was insulted.
Yán akla.áax áwé .K'alyáan yéi yawakaa, When he had heard it clearly, _K'alyáan said,
"Aaa, "Yes,
tléil wa.é yéi iyawdus_kaa kik', the insults weren't meant for you, younger brother,
tlél wa.é, not for you.
ch'a wé i t'aa�i áwé yéi yawdudzi_kaa, The insults were for your relative.9
170 tléil i daat át áwé:' 170 It's not about you:·
Áwé ch'u tie t'áa ká áwé aawatséx Toen Stoonook

Stoonook k_u.aa. stamped his foot on the floor.
"Tléil áwé ax tuwáa ushgu "I don't want

yéi xat daayaduls_aayi things like that said about me,
tléil xá ax tuwáa ushgu xa.áxJi, I don't want to hear
yá aadéi haa daayagaxduls_aa yé:' the things that will be said about us:'
"Ihi;' "Don't:'
_K alyáanch áwé áx kuligéik, _K'alyáan didn't want him to do anything,
_Kalyáan, _K alyáan [said],
180 "Ihi. 180 "Don't.
Ihi kfk'." Don't, younger brother:'
De du tóox' siwé yaa shakanalwuch'i yáx yaa But _K alyáan's thoughts were like a muddy
natéen du tundatáani _Kalyáan ku.aa. whirlpool.
Aa�áa áwé aadáx awlisháat du k'akwlagéiyi. This is when he grabbed his musket.
Yu ixdáakx'has at shi Duk'aan and the others
Duk'aan. were singing by the entrance.
Aaa, yá haa t'aakx'i has du yátx'i áyu tsu. Yes, these relatives of ours were their children, too.
Chookaneidi yátx'i áyu. They were children of Chookaneidf.
Áyá yá s du t'aa�ich tsu aadéi s wusineeyi yé Because of what their relative <lid to them
áwé tie chuch yát has akawdinik. they felt guilty.
190 Ganaltáat awul.óoni áwé tie s du xoodéi kéi 190 When he shot into the flames, the embers
kaawasóos wé x'àan. scattered among them.
Ch'u tie á áwé tie aadáx yéi s awsinee. This is what they picked up.
Hás du xeitkát áwé has ayawlitsuw. They stuck them on their chests.
Stoonook tsu ch'oo yéi kuwanéekw. Stoonook <lid the same, too.
Yá haa Kaagwaantaan yádi tsu ch'oo yéi This child of Kaagwaantaan of ours <lid the same
kuwanéekw. thing, too.
Aa�áa áwé neildéi dusgutx'w, This is when they packed inside
neildéi, into the house
wé �éen wás'i ách áwé woosh dulxisht. those branches to beat each other with.
X
Anóoshee káx' áwé yéi s kuwanéekw, _
-- � They <lid this to train for the Russians,
Anóoshee káx'. for the Russians.
200 K'idéin yan has née áwé tsáa, 200 When they [the Kiks.ádi] were finally ready
a <laat áwé ls_aa jikawasóos yá Kaagwaantaan the Kaagwaantaan were trying to get inside
yá Kiks.ádi has du hidi, _Kalyáan du hidi <laat x'éix the Kiks.ádi house, _K alyáan's house; but the door
yawdudlitsáls_. was bolted.
Hé! aadéi wóoshdáx yéi s naxdudzineiyi yé No way could anyone separate them [the Kiks.ádi].
kuwustee. They stopped on their own.
Ch'a hás áwé yax has kawsixeex. It was the same when <lawn carne, when evening
Tsu keewu.aayf xáanaa tsu ch'oo yéi. feil.
Woosh duxisht They're beating each other
Anóoshee káx'. training for the Russians.
Ch'a hás They drew
woosh ée x'adanéekw kát áwé yéi s awsinee from each other's hateful words,
210 woosh ée x'adanéekw kát. 210 each other's hateful words.
Aaa, Yes,
yan kunée k'idéin aa�áa áwé shóox'aanáx áwé when they were finally ready
yéi duwasáagu yé yáat the place here originally called
Gájaa Héen, §ájaa Héen,
§ájaa Héen- §ájaa Héen-
át áwé la.aayéen wé hit kuwát'. this is where the tall building stood.
Daax'oon aas áwé Four logs 10
woosh kát wudutsóowun, were joined together,
daax'oon aas. four logs.
220 Yán;,ç áwé aawa.aat 220 They went along the beach
Wat.lachéiiidéi. to Wat.lachéi;,ç'i.
Dat'éeii áwé áx' yéi yatee There's a blacksmith living there,
dat'éeii. a blacksmith.
Aadáx áwé, From there
wuduwatee wé tákl, l. they took the hammer,
tákl. î the hammer.
Wuduwaják wé The blacksmith
wé dat'ée;,ç'i. was killed.
T'aawduwa;,çaa wé §ájaa Héen hit They went as a raiding party to the large building
tlein, at §ájaa Héen,
230 hit tlein. 230 the large building.
Dujáakdáx áyá a daadéi gunéi aawa.át yá hit tlein After they killed him they set out for the large
daadéi. building.
Adaat a.áat áyá ;,ç'aan teen áwé téil áwé yaa When they were surrounding it carrying fire-
nduyáan, they're packing sapwood torches on their backs,
téil- sapwood torches-
aaa, ch'a yeisû a daa xángaa yaa ana.ádi áwé, yes, as they were still approaching it, a Russian
Anóoshich kuwsiteen. saw them.
Kawdigáaxi yá;,ç áwé yaawakaa, The Russian
wé Anóoshi. gave out the cry.
Aaa, Yes,
a tayeet áwé yawdudzitée tie wé ;,ç'aan. they lit the fire underneath it.
• At'aaxáay:i k,u.aa eexayáak x'aa lutóot áwé latsis, Those paddling to war are anchored at the point,
240 K'alyáan du keilk'i hás. 240 K'alyáan's maternal nephews.
L'ée k'áatl' áwé They're tearing felt apart
woosh ji;,çoodéi dus'éil', into strips [for each person]
koogéinaa yá;,ç. like a koogéinaa. 11
Aanyátx'i, They're passing them out to each other
du keilk'i hás K'alyáan, in this way
Kaagwaantaan yátx'i ka Chookaneidi yátx'i to the noble children,
yéi áwé K'alyáan's maternal nephews,
k,aa ;,çoodéi yéi adaané. the children of Kaagwaantaan and Chookaneidi.
§adustéen wé s'eek aaná;,ç <laak las'ées aagáa áwé When they see the smoke billowing out is when
t'aawduwaxaa. they attacked.
250 Anóoshee Aankáawu k,u.aa áwé dikée, 250 But the Russian leader was up on top,
wé noow shakéet áwé át woogoot wé he was walking around on top of the fort, on top
hit tlein shakée. Daax'oon aas wóosht of the large building [ where theJ four logs were
wuduwatsûw. joined.
A eegayáanáx xukkáa gagáas' áwé When the party landed on the beach
k,aa iakaneegi ;,ç'awduwawóos', "Wáa sá sh di.uwu an interpreter was asked, "Why are the men
.!5.u.00 áwé wéináx yan uwakûx?" coming off the boat dressed that way?"
Áwé ayahaayi áwé tóot He made a motion [an angry gesture] as if to grab
aawas'él'. their spirit.12
Ch'as aanyátx'ee áwé, They were all aristocrats.
Kalyáan du keilk'i hás áwé Kalyáan's nephews
aanyátx'ee áwé. were aristocrats.
Ách áwé wé aandaa.óonaa s du ée iayakawdudlijél, That's why they aimed the cannon right at them,
aandaa.óonaa. the cannon.
260 Daak jikdu.áat áwé woosh shukáx áwé s ludagûkx, 260 As they were charging in relays
Duk'aan teen with Duk'aan,
Stoonook, Stoonook,
tie Duk'aan kaa shukáa wusheexi teen áwé wjitóok. as Duk'aan was charging ahead, the cannon fired.
A shukáx' áwé yan wusitáa Ahead of him fell <lead

Chookaneidi yádi, a child of Chookaneidi
Kaagwaantaan yádi ku.aa áwé du itx' yan wusitáa and a child of Kaagwaantaan fell <lead behind
Stoonook. Stoonook.
Tie yéi áwé kukaawasóos. That was how they feil.
.K'alyáan ku.aa áwé ch'a wé yaakw yik áwé áx' But .K'alyáan was delayed
yawdi.aa. in getting out of the boat.
270 AKsatéen du keilk'i hás, 270 When he saw how his nephews
1 káK jiwul.aadi aagáa áwé yóot jiwdigût. were unable to fight back, he charged.
Aadéi tsaagál' yaa ax'anashát, He pointed a spear,
litaa du séit kawligeik, a dagger dangled from his neck,
jiKan.át. , a weapon.
A yeet jidagóot áwé, When he charged in
du yát wududli.ûn wé aandaa.óonaa, the cannon was fired in his face
áwé tie wdzigeet. and he fell.
Tie yáanaK át áwé aa luyaawagûk wé x'awool Toen some of his men ran with spears to one side
yaaK, of the door,
tsaagál' teen ka héinaK á. and some to the other.
280 Wududzikóo áwé s'áaxw káK, 280 They knew that the Russians would be excited
wé Yéil S'áaxw káK by the hat,
tláakw guganeeyi Anóoshi. the Raven Hat.
A yáK áwé wootee. That's exactly what happened.
Át áwé aawajél When one of them touched
du s'áaxu his hat,
tie aadéi yaa anashéeni áwé as one was reaching for it, the Tlingits would
koodutaakch, spear him,
du éenyee áwé dutaakch. spear him through the armpit.
AanáK yuK sh kawdayéedi yá x'awoolnáK As one was stretching out through the door,
anax yakdu.ákx'w áwé. they would stagger out.
290 Du kaadéi áwé kutx kaa shuwdudlixeex Anóoshi, 290 They killed off many Russians
.K'alyáan kaadéi. in retaliation for .K'alyáan.
Du daax' anadáak áwé aadáx shawdigût. When he carne to, he jumped up.
Xóots x'ayáx áwé wduwa.áK, He sounded like a brown bear.
du éesh hás x'ayáx áwé wduwa.áx. He growled like his fathers.13
A yeedéi neil jidagóot áwé wé hit tlein yeedéi, When he charged in, inside the big house
aagáa áwé kasgaax tláakw woonei Anóoshi, is when the Russians began screaming,
kasgaax. screaming.
Tie du itnáx áwé áa neil jiwduwa.át ayeedéi. His men charged in behind him.
Áwé ch'oo wé hit tleinx' Inside the house,
300 kukawdaxéel'i áwé, 300 while they were fighting to the death,
kaa x'anaa xoodáx wusigaan yû the stairway burned away [before they could get
dzéit. back down].
Wusigaan. lt burned.
Aadáx gasgáan áwé When it burned,
tlél aadéi yóo diyéedei oongaagoodi yé. there was no way anyone could go down.
At doogóoch áwé shawlihik wé hit tlein, The big house was filled with anima! skins -
taan doogû, sea !ion skins,
xóots doogû. brown bear skins.
Tie kaa shanáa wdus'eedi áwé aan <laak When the men wrapped the skins around their
dushk'énch. , heads they would jump out.
Diyéet nak aach ku.a áwé aadáK <laak kuxût'ch Those who stood below would pull them out of
wé x'aantû. the fire.
310 Tie kaa <laat áwé udax'éix'ch 310 The skins
wé at doogu. would shrink around the men [from the heat].

Yéi áwé, In this way
héil tlax kutx kaa shuwuxeex Lingit, Anóoshi not many Tlingits perished, but all the Russians
ku.aa áwé tie hóoch'k'ix wududliyéx. were all clone in.
A yeex' kutx shoowaxeex wé hit tie áx Many perished in the big house when it burned
kawsigaan. down.
k kaxsagáan áwé tie hóoch'k' When it burned down, that was the end
wé hit. ofthe house.
Gidák _ku.aa áwé Shee Lutóodei áwé Gidák, on the other hand, had gone to Cape
uyéx, Ommaney,
Gidá_k. Gidák.
Wé káa, Three men 14 went there along with him,
320 nás'geenáx káa du een wookoox aadéi. 320 with that man.
Taan. Sea !ion.
Taan áwé, lt was sea !ion
k'át hás axáayin Anóoshi. the Russians were so fond of eating.
Aagáa áwé yakw.wookoox Shee Lutóodei. They went to the Cape Ommaney to get them.
Dayéshgeen áwé wéit'át They were scarce
yáax'. over here.
Ch'as yóo Shee Lutóodáx áwé, Only from Cape Ommaney
du.eenin wé taan. were sea lions harvested.
Aadéi áwé wookoox Gidák. Tuis is where Gidák had gone.
330 Du eetée áwé hóoch'k'ix wududliyéx Anóoshi. 330 In his absence the Russians were all wiped out.
Aagáa áwé du káa yan kuyaawadáa. Tuis is when the Tlingits kept their eyes on him.
Dé hóoch'k'ix wududliyéx Anóoshi. The Russians had already been wiped out.
Aa wdudziné2Çt' tsu, Some were also captured,
galsháatadi, prisoners,
Anóoshi. Russians.
Áwé du yeegáa áwé tlél kéi dusgánch, de du kát As for Gidák, who was already due
koowaháa, back,
Gidák ku.aa. they were holding off on the funeral pyre for him.
Aadáx áwé, And then
áa <laak kóox áwé when his boat appeared,

340 §ájaa Héenx' <laak kóo2Ç áwé aagáa awdligeen 340 when his boat appeared at §ájaa Héen, he
wé hit, tlél á. looked for the house - it wasn't there.
Héen táakt áwé _kutées' He looked in the sea
ka yu dikée, and above him.
"Wusitáax'w ágé yu hit tlein?'' "Did the big house sink?"
yóo áwé 2Ç'ayaká Gidák_. Gidák asked.
"Kindei gwáa wdudzixóot'?" "Or maybe it was pulled up?"
Du t'áakdáx ku.aa áwé dultin. The people on the beach just watched him.
A tóo2Ç áwé aanáx haat uwakux. At the same time a boat carne through there.
Yu Yéilk'i Daakeitk'i daadéi áwé <laak uwakux wé The boat reached "Little Raven's Toolbox;" 15
yaakw; aadéi áwé aawa.un he shot
at'eegi. the oarsman there [on the boat].
350 Áwé ch'u tie át kaa tukawjiyáa t'aawduxaayi. Ch'a 350 They were reluctant to chase him. But then they
aan áwé t'aawduwaxáa. chased him.
Tl'ayáak' yayuwaa áwé aadéi yatán. He steers toward the far shore ofKatlian Bay. 16
Wé Giya_kw_kwáan yaagu That Alutiiq boat [is called]

ch'akux. ch'afs.u�.17
Áwé gil' seiyéenáx áwé yan yawduwaxáa. He was put ashore at the foot of a cliff.
Wé gil' seiyéet _kóox áwé du kináanax.á aa daak When he reached the foot of the cliff by boat,
aawa.át, people carne out above him
du kináax' gadujaagéet. so that they could kill him from above.
Áwé ch'as h<t _ku.aaAnóoshi _kutx _kaa shuwlixeex, But then he, the Russian, 18 killed off many
Anóoshi _kutx [shuwlixeex]. people.
WéGidá_k Gidá_k
Lingft kutx ashuwlixeex. _ killed off many Tlingits.
360 Ldakát yéidei áwé daayadu_ká. 360 The Tlingits were saying all kinds of things to him.
Áa _kaa tanalxáach áwé, galsháatadigáa When they gave up chasing him, they went by
yakw.woo_koox yáadei, boat after the prisoners here
yá Sheet' kaadéi. to Sitka. 19
Aadáx áwé át yawduwaxáa. From there, they brought them back.
X.aju du jisháatadi giwé yéi Here they were going to bring the prisoners right
gaxdulsháat. Aagáa áwé kei into his hands. At that time, he would cry out
udaláaych [gleefully],
"Ha haa-a-a-a!" "Ha haa-a-a-a!"
Ha gûsá _koowajagi _káa tsu, Why would one who killed people,
gaaxdulsháat, be kept prisoner,
gaaxdusneix. be spared?
Tlél áwé ák' ooheen. He didn't believe it.
370 Ch'a at tugáni daakeit héent axéech áwé 370 Only when he threw the empty powder keg into
aagáa áwé tsá the sea

du káa daak jiwduwa.át. is when
Wuduwasháat. they finally went out and attacked him.20
Aadáx áwé haat yawduwaxáa, yá Sheet'káx' haat They grabbed him.
yawduwaxáa, From there he was brought here to Sitka by canoe,
yá aanx'. to this village, by canoe.
Aagáa wé tsá daginaa áwé áx' shóot awduwa.ák, Toen finally a fire was built above the tideline,
daginaa _káa yeegáni. a funeral pyre above the tideline.
Aadéi áwé yaa kandulyéin They're lowering him down there.
de át kawduwajél wé galsháatadi yax The prisoners who were all going to be killed were
yagaxduljáa_k, already brought there.
380 _ka yá Lingit tsû át kawduwajél. 380 The Tlingit [dead) were also brought there.
Áx' kindei gaxdusgáan. They wil! be cremated21 there.
Aagáa áwé, That's when

aadéi yaa kandulyéini áwé _kaa jeedáx kéi wjixix. he escaped when they were lowering him.
Dzaas áwé ách yéi kandulyéin, He was being lowered with thongs,
dzaas, at doogû du kasánx' wuduwadûx'. thongs; skin was tied to his waist.
Yéi kandulyéini áwé When he was being lowered [with the thongs]
yaakw kaanáx áwé aan kei wjik'én he jumped over a canoe
áwé _kaa jeedáx yóot wudziyé_k. and slipped out of their hands.
Yá aan shóodei áwé yaa yandusná_k. They chase him toward the edge of the village.
390 _Kaa K'éidáx áwé kéi nagut. 390 He starts to run away from them.22
Kóoshdaa x'ayáx áwé duwa.áxch But Gidá_k,
Gidá_k_ku.aa Gidáls
Gidá_k. made sounds like a land otter.
Ch'a aan áwé a.éex', "Wéidei yaa At the same time someone yelled, "He's running
nashi-i-ix:' that way!"
Yóo áwé K'aya_ká lingit Tuis is what someone said.
"Wéidei yaa nashix, gaysháa-a-a-t!" "He's running that way! Gra-a-a-a-b23 him!"
Áwé áx' g_áa;is; wé _káa shaanák'w Toen there was an old man crying there,
tsaag_ál' áwé du jeewu, armed with a spear,
yáay, whale,
400 yáay s'aag_i tsaag_ál'. 400 a whale-bone tipped spear.
Ch'u g_aa;is;i áwé aawa.á;is;, While he was still crying he heard

du ;is;oonx'i ya;is; yawdudliják his relatives had been killed
Anóosheech. by the Russians.
A daadéi áwé g_áa;is;. He's crying for them.
Awu.éex'i áwé, As someone yelled [at him)

du ;is;ándei yaa nashix _káa tlein a large man is running toward him,
du kaadéi yaa sh nalgás'. <living at him.
A yáx' áwé aan wudigoot, He jumped up to face him.
"Hahahahaha;' "Huh-huh-huh-huh-huh;'
410 yóo áwé yaawa_kaa. 410 is what he said.
Wé tsaag_ál' aadá;is; aawasháat, He grabbed the spear,

yáay s'aag_i tsaag_ál'. the whale bone tipped spear.
Dákdei kei wushk'éini áwé As he sprang out
a itdei kei aawaguk the old man threw the spear after him
áwé du lak'éech' kóog_u kát áwé uwagás'. and hit him in the nape of the neck.
Áwé yéi ;is;'uskudlidáal. His legs are twitching.
Aag_áa áwé áx' du daa;is; daa_k aawa.át, At that moment people gathered up around him,
Kiks.ádeech. the Kiks.ádi.
Tie wduwajá_k. Toen they killed him.
420 Du shaayée aadá;is; wuduwal'éex'. 420 They broke his head off.
Aag_áa áwé tsá aan aawa.aat, Tuis is when they took it

_kaa yeegáni gookdéi. to the funeral pyre.
!Çaa yeegáni gookt dutée áwé du shaayi, When they brought his head to the funeral pyre,
ch'a du óonayi áwé ách dus.unt du waak_. they shot at his eyes with his own rifle.
!Çu;is;daa;is;kat'éex'i;is; áwé sitee wé óonaa. The rifle was a muzzle loader.
Áwé at katé atóo;is; kawulx'éex'i áwé, k'idéin Tuis is the one that when the bullet fits snug, it
kadag_átch yéi áwé. hits the target well.
Yéi at daaduné, That's how it's done,
aan áwé du waak du.unt. that's what they're shooting his eyes with.
Sh_k'awulyeil yóo áwé duwasáakw The man's name
430 wé _káa. 430 was Sh_k'awulyeil.
Du jiyis áwé wdudlis'áa wé óonaa, They claimed the rifle as booty for him,
aaa, wé aan_káawu. that noble man.
Sh_k'awulyeil jiyis áwé wdudlis'áa They took Gidá_k's musket,
Gidák óonaayi yéeyi, as booty for Sh_k'awulyeil,
_ku;is;daa;is;kat'ée;is;'i. a muzzle loader.
Aan áwé a waak a.unt. He shoots at the eyes24 with it.
Aaa, Yes,
ách áwé that's how
/ hóoch'k'i;is; wusitee. he [Gidák) met his end.
440 Aaa, 440 Yes,

ách áwé noow wududliyéx, that's why they built a fort,

tie Noow Tlein yóo wduwasáa, áx' áwé awliyéx du then named it Noow T lein; he built his fort
noowu, there,
Shk'awulyeil noowu. Shk'awulyeil's fort.
Aadáx áwé, From there
du kát kuwudáa áwé adaséix'án xá haadéi they were keeping watch for when the Russians
jiguxdagut nóok. would retaliate.25
Aagáa áwé yan wulis'is Anóoshi shgóonayi tlein. Tuis is when the huge Russian schooner sailed in.
Aagáa áwé Tuis is when
tléil áwé aadéi xduwa.óoni yé kuwustee. there was no way for them to shoot [their cannons].
Wé aandaa.óonaa, ch'áagu aandaa.óonayi Those cannons, the cannons of long ago
450 a hoodi tayeet áwé x'ala.át. 450 pointed out under the rail [ of the ship].
Ách áwé tlél wudu.óon; wé noow a shakéet áwé s That's why they couldn't shoot. The Kiks.ádi
yawdiháa Kiks.ádi. gathered at the top of the fort.
Ách áwé ch'a hás ku.aa áwé yéi s yaawakaa wé That's why the Russians said,
Anóoshi,
"A géidei áyá yeeyliyéx yá noow, "You built this fort wrong,
a géidei. wrong.
Wáa sá yatee wooch yáx dzitiyi yéix' Why don't you build it
gaylayeix in a level place
ka héen áa yéi yateeyi yéix'? and in a place where there's water?
Daat héen sáwé gaxridanáa yá dikéex'? What water are you going to drink up there?
Yó óonaa tsu áa kóo x'adigéik:'
460 Ách áwé
• Those guns are not in the right place, either:'
460 That's why
a jeet kukawlidudli yáx áwé wootee. it seems as if they were tricked.26
Ách áwé That's why
Kaasdahéen daax' has awliyéx the Kiks.ádi
Kiks.ádi s du noowó, built their fort at Indian River,
Kiks.ádi. their Kiks.ádi fort.
Éeknax.aanáx áwé, On the beach side
aas wóoshx kéi kawduwajél. logs were piled high.
Jinkaat hit áwé, a geix' yan wulinuk.
Jinkaat hit áwé a gei yawdudliyéx
{ Ten houses sat inside.
Ten houses were built inside
27
470 ka kóok aatlein áa kawduwaháa. 470 and a huge pit was dug.
Ch'a wáa yoo at koonée sáwé yan wulis'is wé After some time, the Russian ship carne sailing in.
Anóoshi yaagó. That's when they carne around the point by the
Aagáa áwé Kaa Seiyi Yadaanáx áwé mouth of Indian River,
yándei yaduxáax'w kat'óott bringing things in at half
kát áwé kadéin, tide,
a kat'óott kadéin the tide
wé kées'. was half way up.
Aagáa áwé yándei yaduskuxx'w wé Anóoshi. Tuis is when the Russians were being brought ashore.
Aagáa áwé. Tuis is when.
Yáa yeedát, But now,

480 a shukáx' kaxwlinik. 480 I got ahead of my story.
Ch'u tie yáadáx kéi kakkwalanéek. I'll teil it from here.
At tugánigáa áwé wookoox He went after gun powder,
at tugánigáa. for gun powder.
Náasdei áwé wookoox, Kalyáan Kalyáan went to the Nass River
du kéilk'i hás teen with his maternal nephews
at tugánigáa. for gun powder
Dulnuk yá Anóoshi when news of the Russians was coming,

duinuk. news was coming.
Aaa, Yes,
490 aadáx áwé aawa.oo wé at tugáni daakeit 490 he bought the powder keg from there, and lead
daadas'u too,
daadas'u. lead too.
Haat awuxáa áwé tie yóo Sheet' X'aa Lutóonáx When he brought it here, he went through the
áwé dáaknáx forest
woogoot. at the point of Baranof Island.
_Kaasdahéen He went to the shoreline of the point of Indian
yadaadéi, River,
_Kaasdahéen yadaadéi woogoot. the shoreline of the point of Indian River.
Yéi áwé ayawsikaa du keilk'i hás, He said to his maternal nephews,

"Yaa kukanashgidi deikéenáx x'wán, "When it begins to get <lark,
yóo noow eegayáakt yikux:· come by boat to the beach at the fort:'
Dei duwatéen ku.aa wé shgóonaa át shaltsisi They could see that the schooner was already
diginaa. anchored out there.
500 Áyá dziyáak tie ashukáa kaxwlinik yáat'aa. soo Tuis is what I forgot to teil a while ago.
Aaa. Yes.
Át kóox áwé, When he landed there,

át góot áwé _Kaasdahéen yadaat góot áwé dáaknáx, when Kalyáan walked along the forest side of
Kalyáan Indian River,
áa yeik algéen áwé aagáa when he carne out to look around, he looks for
kutées'. them.
Tie yóo X'us'noowu Yax'áax' yaa kandul.uni His maternal nephews are being bombarded in
gwáawé gé du keilk'i hás. Crab Apple Fort Channel.28
"Ax keilk'i hás;' tie yaa anach'éx'i teen áwé, "My nephews;' he said, pointing them out,
"Ax keilk'i hás yóox yaa "My nephews are being chased and bombarded
kandul.un:' over there!"
Aagáa áwé, aagáa s wookooxu Tuis is when
atugáni daakeit the powder kegs they went by boat to get
510 áwé wjitóok. 510 exploded.
Naaliyéidáx áwé kéi kukaawasóosi They [the nephews] were blown far and wide
deikéex' nashtóok wé atugáni. when the powder exploded out on the sea.
Ch'a s du jisháax' áwé They popped up

at'aa s uwaxáa Anóosheech. right in the hands of the warring Russians.
Ch'a s du jisháax' áwé kindei kdugáas'. They popped up right in the range of their guns.
Has a.unt áwé, They're shooting at them.
has a.unt.' They're shooting at them.
_Kaagwáask' yóo áwé duwasáakw, _Kaagwáask' was the name
wé at unti s'aati. of the sharp shooter.
520 Hu áwé at unt. 520 He's the one shooting.
Áwé sh yáa jiwdawóodli kaadéi áwé Because he was rushing it -
Lingit gánji sîwé aawatáx', he was chewing Tlingit snuff,
Lingit gánji - Tlingit snuff-
Aaa, tlax áwé du wásh deikéex' yéi yatee, ách áwé yes, his cheek bulged way out, that's why he
tléil tlax couldn't
a x'akwéiyi áx kawdayaa. sight in on anything.
/ ..
Kawdaxéel' áwé yéi yatee. Sh kát at wudli.át.
Tle yóot a �éex' du washtóodáx aa�áa áwé
Trouble. is like that. He felt guilty about it.

Only when he threw it out of his mouth is when
tsá aa woo.unt wé Anóoshi. he shot at some of the Russians.
Áwé tlax sh yáa jiwdawóodleech áwé, But because he was in such a hurry to attack
530 x'aan áwé a kát yawsixix. 530 a spark feil on it.

Ách áwé "'{jitóok wé atugáni That's why the powder blew up,
atugáni. the powder.
X'us'noowu Yax'áax' áwé yéi lt was in Crab Apple Fort Channel that this
kawdiyaa. happened.
Ách áwé, This was why

keena.áa yándei kuyadusku�'u nóok - when people were ferried in the next morning
dziyáak át kaxwlinik - ! told the story to this part a while ago -
hóoch'k' du keilk'i hás. his nephews all were gone.

Ch'a aan áwé yéi x'ayaká yándei yaduxáax'w nóok Even with all this, when those Russians were
--
wé Anóoshi,
--11
being ferried, he said,
"Aadóo sá ax een? "Who is with me?
540 --Oei xáa kei guxlanáa:' 540 This is what's going to destroy me:'
Kaa xoot áwé wooch'éex', tsu sh He was shouting this out among the people; they
wududlik'átl', were silent,
kaa tóox koowateeyi yáx áwé yatee. as if they were frightened.
Áyá Kadakw.ádi yóo duwasáagu káa There was a man of the clan called Kadakw.ádi,29
hás du káani. their brother-in-law.
Ha hu áwé yéi yaawakaa, "Xát It was he who said, "I am.
i een chaa, 'Tm with you, my good man,
xát i een:' I'm with you:'
Ách áwé héen yix yaa s kawduwahaash This is why they floated down the river,
héen yix. down the river.
550 Aa�áa áwé séix akawditee, 550 This is when K'alyáan
K'alyáan, hung his hammer
du tákli, around his neck,
séix akawditee. hung it around his neck.
Héen yix áwé yaa s kawduwahaash. They floated down the river.
Ch'ás has du x'é áwé dikéet has al.át. Only their lips were above water.
Yá du káani teen áwé kawdixéel', He and his Kada_kw.ádi brother-in-law were taking
Kadakw.ádi teen. on the trouble side by side.
Ch'u dákdei at dultini áwé a.ee�ayáanáx áwé They waded ashore while the Russians were still
xukkáa s jiwdzikwaan. looking toward the woods.
A xoot has jiwdi:át wé Anóoshi. They charged into the Russians.
Áwé Well,
560 a tóox áwé liwoot wé kaa dleeyi tóox - 560 it's too hard to stab through human flesh [with]
wé jixan.át. that weapon.
Ách áwé át ashukaawa�ix' K'alyáanch _ku.aa. That's why K'alyáan abandoned it.
Wé tákl áwé But the hammer
jindaax', he took in hand.
jindaat áwé ajikawdzitee, wé He wrapped the thong around his wrist
aanáx akawduwatool wé tákl, a hole was drilled through the hammer,
dat'éex'i tákli, the blacksmith's hammer,
Wat.lachéix'idáx wuduwas'áyi the hammer
tákl áwé. that was booty from Wat.lachéix'i.

Ách áwé ashaksat'ix't With this he smashes their skulls,
570 ashaksat'ix't, wé Anóoshx'i sáani. 570 he smashes the skulls of the Russians.30
Aaa, Yes,
tlél áwé s du éex at jiyawuxaash. they weren't even scratched.
Noow geit áwé s luwagook tle. They ran inside the fort.
Noowdéi neil has lugóok áwé x'éix yawdudzigûk After they ran inside the fort, the door was barred
has du itnáx. behind them.
Tléil áwé has du éex at jiyawuxaash. They weren't even scratched.
Aagáa áwé tle tsu kûxdei áwé wduwaxoox Tuis is when the boat captain
wé yaakw s'aatéech. asked for the return of the bodies.
Kûxdei áwé yawdudzikûKX', They took them back by boat,
kûxdei wé kaa naax'û. took the bodies back.
580 Has yawduwadlaak áwé aadéi 580 They were defeated,
Anóoshee dei s yawduwadlaak. the Russians were already defeated.
Aaa, yaakwt has akajéil áwé Yes, when they had taken them all aboard,
daax kéi s awsiyik wé dleit aankwéiyi. they ran up a white flag.
Áwé tlél kaa daa yaa kushuwusgéi But the Tlingits

yá Lingftch ku.aa. didn't understand.
Sh jeet áwé kudushee The Tlingits looked among their treasures
a yáax' <laat gadudziyeigi át, Lingitch. for something to hoist up in response.31
Ách áwé tle wé taat áwé, taat tóo ayaawa.át Tuis was why at night, they went by night,
taat tóox'. through the night.
590 Kaasdahéen yadaax yaa aga.áat áwé, 590 When they were going along Indian River,
aaa, yes,
Kaasdahéen yadaax at yátx'i yaa kandujél, they carried their children along Indian River,
taat tóo ayaawa.át yá noow geidáx. they left the fort during the night.
Ch'a yaa ana.ádi áwé While they were going along

kamdigaax wé atk'átsk'u. a child cried out.32
Naaléi yû dáak. It's a long way up into the forest.
Kaasdahéen sháak áwé át aawa.át. They carne to the headwaters of Indian River.
Aagáa áwé yéi x'ayaká, Tuis is when he said,
wé atk'átsk'u kandagáax, when the child cried,
600 "Yiják! 600 "Kill him!
Du sé káx haa káx kunaxduwashee:· They might find us by his voice:' 33
Lsagooháa sákw siwé. Tuis is the origin of the name Lsagooháa.
He cried.
Át a.áatdáx, After they got there,

yaakw kaa jeex' yéi natée aagáa áyá tie kuyaawagoo. when they got boats, they went by boat.
Tie yóot áwé át naawligás'. They all settled over there.34
Chaatlk'aanoow áwé tlé áx' yéi kuwatee. Chaatlk'aanoow is where they lived.
Chaatlk'aanoow. Chaatlk'aanoow.
Ch'áakw áa yéi kuteeyi áwé, has du toowu ku;,çdei After [the Tlingits] stayed there a long time, the
yóo wdineiyi yáx wootee Anóoshi. Russians' anger quieted down.
610 Aa�áa áwé 610 That's when

kaa jeet has akaawakáa they sent over
wé �iyakwkwáan. the Alutiiq.
Wandaa yóo áwé duwasáakw Wandaa was the name
wé �iyakwkwáan. of the Alutiiq.
Aan yakaadéi yaa gakóox áwé W hen he was approaching the village by boat
deikéená;,ç áwé awlitsaak he stuck some white
wé dleit yá;,ç yateeyi swan's down
�ukl'i x'wáal'i. out on a pole.
Yaakwt áwé kawliyaa. It dangled on the mast.
620 _Kóot x'atáan áwé, 620 W hen he spoke to them
tla;,ç wáa yak'éiyi yóo ;,ç'atánk sáwé what a great speech
du jeet wuduwatée. "�agaan yá;,ç áwé eewatee cha was given in return.35 "You are like the sun, you
Aankáawu, noble person,
Guláalák. Guláalák,36
Haa káx' áwé kux yaydzi.áa, �agaan yá;,ç yóo:' You turn to face us like the sun:' 3 7
Áwé tlél áwé du tuwáa wushgu But he didn't like it,
Wandaa tuwáx' _ku.aa. Wandaa didn't like it.
Adaséix'án áwé _kóot ;,ç'eiwatán He spoke in return,
"Yisikóo ;,çá �agaan, "You know how the sun
at shatukx:' cracks things:'
630 _Kaa daa raa kushuwsigéi 630 They understood

du sh kalneegi. what he said.
Ách áwé tsu tatóok That's why they made a cave
yóo x'atángi;,ç wududliyéx, into a speech.
"Tatóok yá;,ç áyá eewatee:' "You became like a cave:'
_Kaju tlél ash tuwáa wushgu, Well, he didn't like it,
Wandaa tuwáx' tlél wushgu tsu. Wandaa didn't like that either.
"Té xá áa daxda�átch tatóok tayee:· "You know, rocks usually fall inside a cave:'
Hóoch'i aayéex áwé awliyéx, "Aas He tried for the last time. "You are like
jiseiyée yáx áwé iyatee. the base of a tree.
640 Yáa yeedát áwé 640 Now
a ji�eix' áwé yéi haa k�watée we wil! be in your embrace

a seiyéex'." at the base:'
"Ee náadaa." ''Ee náadaa." 38
Anóoshi ;,ç'éináx yéi kuyawsi_kaa, "Eehi, He told them in Russian, "Don't.
da�atch xá Surely old branches
sheey aas yikdá;,ç:' fall from a tree:'
Ách áwé tie kóo at wusi�áaxi yáx áwé wootee. It was enough to make a person cry.
Ách áwé yéi ayawsi_kaa. That's why he said to him,
"Haadéi yóot kux cha Ana.óot kuháal'i. "Bring your boat over here, you no-good Aleut,
650 Héen táa yóo ishakaxtoohóo:' 650 so we can swish you around in the sea!"
"Yak'éi. "Fine.
Yak'éi;' yóo áwé ;,ç'aya_ká. Fine;' he said.
A itdei áwé tsu yéi yawdudzi_kaa, After this they asked again,
"I jeewu gé, "Do you have
Biláalák du téix'i gé i jeewu?" Baranov's 39 heart,40 do you have it?"
"He-hei-i-i-i-i!" kéi wdiláa áwé. "He-hei-i-i-i-i!" he cackled.
"Yeeytéen ágé yáat kawlidzéidi "Do you all see that swan's down
gukl'i x'wáal'i? dangling here?
Biláalák du téix'i áwé, dleit yáx áwé woonei, That's Baranof's heart, turned white,
660 dleit yá;,ç_:' Ách áwé ák' awduwahin. 660 like snow:' Because of that, they believed him.
Ách áwé kaa jeenáx yan That's why when he carne on his boat
kóox áwé tlé wduwasháat they grabbed him into their hands
guwakaan. as a peacemaker.41
Ch'u tle du een áwé They're making up
woosh ilk'éikw. with each other.
L'eix áwé du een kuyalakánx'. They're doing a peace dance with him.
Du een yéi wdudzinei They made peace
kuyalakánx'. with him.
Aaa Yes,
670 ch'u yéi at kunoogû tle yáat ;,çángaa áwé yaa sh 670 while they're doing this they're tricking them
kandulhéin. into coming over here.
Aaa Yes,
yá Daxéit x'aká áwé yéi duwasáakw the entrance of Daxéit is called
.G_asda;,çei;,çda.aan. .G_asda;,çéixda.aan, the village at Halleck lsland.
Áx' áwé yéi yatee Naawéiyaa. That's where Naawéiyaa Jives.
Kaagwaantaan áwé wé káa. Tuis man is Kaagwaantaan.
Hu áwé naa káani yáx áwé He was like a naa káani42
yá át kaa tukawjiyayi yé. for the place they were reluctant to go to.
Kaa yaaxt áwé, Bravely
hóoch áwé yáax' haat ashoowanée yá Sheet'ká he was the one who brought them back among
Anóoshi ;,çoo. the Russians in Sitka.
680 Aaa 680 Yes,
yéi áyá tle at wook'éi things were made good
Anóoshee teen. with the Russians.
Ách áwé yáax' That's why
yéi haa wootee, we lived here,
yáa naax sati, the clan members,
haa yátx'i tsû. our children, too.43
Aaa, Yes,
yá haa t'aakx'i, has du xoo has du t'aakx'i, these siblings of ours are among their siblings,
Chookaneidi yátx'i ka Kaagwaantaan children of Chookaneidi and children of
yátx'i. Kaagwaantaan.
690 Hás áyáa has kawdixéel'. :, 690 lt is they who <lied here.
Aaa Yes,
has du éesh hásch áyá s du een tsu yáa kux it's their fathers who carne back here again by
wudikûx , boat
yá Anóoshee xoo. among the Russians.
Ách áwé This was why
at k'idéin wootee things improved,44

tle .G_uwakaan wootee then the Deer Peace Ceremony was made with
s du een. them.
Aaa, Yes,
ch'áakwx yaa ksatée áwé, after a long while
yéi wduwasáa yá káa there was a man named

700 .Kooxx'áan. 700 .Kooxx'áan.
Anóosheech áwé has du eet kawlikáa, He was sent over to them by the Russians.
Anóoshi. the Russians.

Tle Anóoshi áwé tle k_aa :1Çoonx'ée:1Ç wusitee. The Russians then became our relatives.
Yá Kiks.ádi :1Çoonée:1Ç wusitee. They became relatives of Kiks.ádi.
Aaa, Yes,
ách áwé yáax' yéi s wootee that's why they lived here,
ch'u yáa yeedádi yáax' yéi yatee Anóoshi, even today the Russians still live here.
:1Çoox' yéi s wuteeyich. because they lived among us.
Yá Sheet'káx' In Sitka
710 yéi áyá yan has kawdiyáa. 710 this is what happened to them.
Aaa, Yes,
áyá it is
yá cháchch áyá the church
s du jeedáE áwé yéi wsinee, that took
yá s'áaxw. this hat away.45
Aan áyá s at yawsik_aa, With this, they made a promise
aan. to them.
Ha yáadu k_wa aadéi yan kawdiyayi yé shóox'aaná:1Ç. Here is what happened at the beginning.
Aaa, Yes,
720 héench áwé yéi wsinee, 720 _K alyáan, the man who battled the Russians,
_Kalyáan, yá k_áa Anóoshi ashawu:1Çeeji aa, was taken by the sea46
yáa Gag_eit káx' in Silver Bay,
yáa §ag_eit káx'. Silver Bay.
Tie yáa kóok - Toen this box -
du k_óogu a yigu wé Yéil S'áaxw the Raven Hat was in his box -
ka yáa tákl and the hammer,
wudus'áayi [tákl]. the booty [hammer].47
Ch'ás á áwé wduwat'ei. That's all that was found.
Yáa §a_g-eit .X'ananook kát áwé That box
wlihásh 730 floated on the current to the entrance of Silver
730 wé k_óok . Bay.4s
_Kalyáan k_u.aa tie tlél wudut'ei; ch'a héench áyá tsá But _Kalyáan wasn't found; he was finally killed by
uwaják the sea,
yá x'eg_aak_áa. this brave man.
Ch'a hu áyu yéi sh wudzinee. He did this to himself.49
Yan áwé uwahóo, He waded ashore
§ag_eit .X'ananook káx'. in the current at the entrance of Silver Bay.
Du kóogu áa kei awsi.in, He put his box up high
§ag_eit .X'ananook. above the current at the entrance of Silver Bay.
Dikée kéi as.éen áwé ch'a hu áwé sh wudiják, After he put it up high he killed himself,50
aaa, yes,
740 ch'a hu. 740 just him.
Aaná:1Ç áwé wdudzikóo yéi s wusneeyi, g_il' yáE áwé How they knew he <lid this to himself was that the
shunaagóo wé shf, blood flowed down the face of the cliff
tie yu héendei into the sea
ch'as du kóogu g_aa:1Çdusteenéet áwé. so that his box could be seen.
Ách áwé yan yadu:1Çáa That's why when they brought it in by canoe
aan kóok kawduwat'élt. they broke the box over [his death].51
Du kaadéi áwé wduwajá_k. They killed it over him.52
Áyá After
has askóo they knew this
du it aa _Kalyáanch áyá wlitfn, the _Kalyáan following him looked after the hat,
750 da:1Ç.aa _Kalyáanch, 750 the second _ Kalyáan,
yáa Yéil S'áaxw ka yáa Tá.!s.l. this Raven hat and the hammer.
Áyá nakwnéitx'ich áyá s du jeedá;iç kawlidootl. But the preachers talked him out of it.
Du een áyá at yawdudzikaa. They made a promise.
"I wunaawu, "When you die,
née;iç' i káa yéi ga;içdu.oo'.' a marble grave marker will be put over you'.'
Ách áyá kasayé daakahididéi kaa jeex' ajeewaná.!s., Tuis was why he released it to the museum,53
kaajeex'. to their possession.
Yá Brésbatérée He released it
kasayé daakahidix' áyá ajeewaná_k. to the Presbyterian museum.
760 Nanáa áyá tlél yéi yan kawdayá. 760 When he died, this didn't happen.
Aaa, Yes,
yá nakwnéitx' these ministers
has sh k'awdliyél. lied.54
Goosóo aadéi s at yawus.!s_aayi yé? Where is what they promised?
Ách áwé yáa yeedát Tuis is why, now,
ch'a nichkáx' áwé s du jeex' yéi yatee, they have them for nothing,
yáa Tákl, this hammer,
yáa S'áaxw, this helmet,
Sheey Káa Sh K'ut Yéil, Sheey Káa Sh K'ut Yéil,
770 a tóot kawdaxéel'i Kalyáan shukát aa. 770 the one the first Kalyáan battled in.
Aaa Well,
yéi áyá yan kawdiyáa; yáa yeedát, this is what happened; now,
ách áwé, yáa yeedát this is why, now
yáa át tóox' yéi kg_watée, it will be in this tape recording,
yáa át tóox', in this tape recording,
a;iç éesh aadéi sh kalneegee yé. the way my father told it.
Tlél ;içát a;iç sh kalneegée áyá, Tuis is not my story,
a;iç éesh áyá, it is my father's,
Kaajaa_kw. Kaajaa_kw.
780 Hóoch áyá tlákw á;iç een aklaneegéen; ách áwé 780 It was he who told it to me aften. That's why
;içwasikuwu yá;iç yatee; ldakát yá _kaa saax'óo it's like I know it,55 with all the names of the
teen; tlél yaa _ku;içwlag_aat. people; I didn't forget it.
Yéi áwé yáa yeedát yee een kunáa;iç daak That's how I explained it to
ka;içwaanik. you now.
Aaa, Yes,
yéi. that's how.
Yáax' áwé yándei shukg_watáan. Here is where it will end.
Aaá. Yes.
Hóoch' áwé, That's all there is
a daat. about it.
no attempt to note or transcribe phonetic detail such as au

Notes tomatic labialization of velars following u and oo. We antici
pate that co versions of the texts will eventually be available
1. The Tlingit text was transcribed independently by Vesta to specialists interested in a closer, technica! analysis of the
Dominicks and Nora Marks Dauenhauer. The Dauenhauer phonetics of the narration, which preserve conservative fea
transcription and translation date from the mid-198os. The tures of older Tlingit, recorded from a seventy-five year old
Dominicks transcription dates from 1973, when she was an speaker forty-seven years before the present publication of
employee of the Sitka National Historica! Park. Her project the transcription. As with the Sally Hopkins transcription
was never developed beyond the first draft, and was never that follows, the Alex Andrews recording deserves a closer
translated. Vesta shared her typescript of 1973 with us for the transcription by specialists in Tlingit historica! phonology.
present volume, and we therefore list her as co-transcriber. 4. Told this. Tlingit, akawlineek. There seems to be a pho
Her Tlingit name was Tóon; she was of the Raven moiety netic pattern in Mr. Andrews's narrative of the raising of the
and .Kaach.ádi clan of Kake. She was highly regarded as a pitch of the final syllable of a verb at the end of a sentence,
teacher of Tlingit language and literacy in Sitka, and as a although the pitch is phonemically low in isolation and in
./
translator and performer of Gospel music. Vesta Dominicks other environments. lt is beyond the scope of our transcrip
<lied on October 24, 2006. tion to note these, and we transcribe them as low.
We thank Jeff Leer, Alaska Native Language Center, Uni 5. In this transitional sentence, the Tlingit grammar is
versity of Alaska Fairbanks for his careful proofreading of ambiguous regarding the pronoun reference for "he:' The
the text, and for suggestions for notes. We also thank the above episode is about Héendei, and the following episode
students, elders, and community members who partici is about Stoonook's visit to Chilkat. We understand the pro
pated in our fall 2006 Introduction to Tlingit Oral Litera noun to refer to Stoonook.
ture class at the University of Alaska Southeast both on-site 6. Wanka Hit. Tuis is a clan house name not documented
and through distance delivery, for their careful proofread elsewhere and not recognized by otherwise knowledgeable
ing of this text as a class activity: in Juneau, Linda Belarde, persons in the community today.
Hans Chester, Jessica Chester, Michelle Martin, Jeremy 7. The basic plot is difficult to follow here, but we con
Strong; in Sitka, Roby Littlefield, Ethel Makinen, Irene Paul, clude that the reference to Héendei is parenthetical, and that
Franklin James, David Kanosh; in Wrangell, Virginia Oliver; Héendei is not along on the trip. Stoonook goes to see his
in Yakutat, Dora Jackson. We appreciate the additional ears, father's people, but is insulted by a fellow child of his fa
eyes, and interpretations of ambiguous passages. The edi ther's clan, a co-clan child of Kaagwaantaan, therefore his
tors assume full responsibility for any errors that may have "brother:' In Tlingit social structure, persons whose fathers
slipped through. are of the same clan are considered siblings.
2. Yes. In Tlingit narratives and oratory, this is sometimes 8. Silverberry bushes. In Tlingit, g_éen wás'i; Elaeágnus
pronounced aaá, with a high tone on the second syllable, commutata Bernh. (Hultén 1968:684, Trelaway 1983:95).
meaning "yes:' At other times it is with low tone, in which Found in centra! Alaska to southwest Yukon; found in Atlin
case it functions more as a verba! pause or "thinking word:' and Teslin (Leer, personal communication, November 13,
We decided to write this with no tone mark in all instances, 2006). The fruit is eaten. Here, the branches are used for
but still translate it as "yes:' feeling that it conveys more than beating in a ritual purification before battle. The plant is
English "umm" or "uh:' not attested on the coast, but the story would suggest that,
3. The Russians. In Tlingit, the demonstratives such as yá although rare, it could once be found in one spot in the
('this" or "the") are generally pronounced short by north Chilkat Valley. According to David Kanosh (personal com
ern speakers and long (yáa) by Sitka and southern speak munication, January 30, 2007), his grandfather, George John
ers. In our publications we generally standardize with with Sr., reported that silverberry once grew in the Angoon area,
short vowel spellings, but here we have followed the narra but no longer does. There are extant tape recordings of
tor's pronunciation as closely as possible, in this case yáa George John Sr. and Charlie Jim discussing this.
Anóoshi rather than yá. We do, however, standardize to y 9. Relative. The Tlingit term used is fs.aa t'aag_[, meaning a
where he in some places uses an older pronunciation of w, clan brother or sister, a clan relative.
such as has du wátx'i for has du yátx'i, "their children" (line 10. Four logs. Presumably referring to the rectangular
186), because the more correctly phonetic spelling confuses construction of the Russian fort, with round logs laid on
readers. Where he uses an older m, as in kamdig_aaÇf for their sides and notched at corners to fit, in contrast to the
kawdig_aaÇf (lines 595, 603) we retain this. Where northern construction style of the Tlingit clan house with split boards
speakers have ei in many verb sterns, Mr. Andrews and other standing vertically.
Sitka speakers have ee, which we retain. Likewise, he has 11. Koogéinaa. A ceremonial sash worn diagonally from
néekw where northern speakers prefer nook. We have made the shoulder to the waist, most commonly seen today in
the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sister Archives, Expedition and Field Records, North America,
hood forma! dress, but also popular in photographs of late Louis Shotridge's indexed ethnographic research card file,
nineteenth and early-twentieth century Russian Orthodox box 2). We thank Charles Smythe for calling these notes to
Church brotherhoods, after which the ANB and ANS koo our attention (personal communication to Nora and Richard
géinaa is modeled. Dauenhauer, February 19, 1993), and Lucy Fowler Williams
12. He may be making the sign of the cross. for confirming the reference (personal communication, No
13. The brown bear is a crest of the Kaagwaantaan, vember 21, 2006), hut we do not include them (or several
Kalyáan's father's clan (and the clan of the narrator, who is other questionable accounts) in this book because we do
Kaagwaantaan and a child of Kiks.ádi). not have the time and space to èxamine them in detail and
14. At least one of these companions is identified in Rus address the folklore of mythmaking. A trick seems unlikely.
sian sources as Aleksei Eglevskii. Gidák is the Aleut sharp The original Noow Tlein site was designed for protection
shooter Vasilii Kochesov. in traditional Tlingit warfare, whereas the Indian River fort
15. We have not confirmed the place name Yéilk'i Daakeitk'i was designed to deflect cannon fire. A brief summary of the
("Little Raven's Little Box or Toolbox"). People with local Shotridge notes will suffice.
knowledge have suggested similar sounding names (such as According to the notes, the Kiks.ádi were tricked into
Yéil Kóogu, "Raven's Box") at Crawfish !niet and Necker Bay, abandoning their position on Castle Hili and relocating to
hut these are much further south on BaraI].of Island and do Indian River. The traitor was a Tlingit woman from Yakutat
not fit the context of the chase in the northern part of Sitka who was married to the Russian in charge there (i.e., Stepan
Sound. Tuis part of the recording is exceptionally difficult to Larionov). Baranov was throwing a temper tantrum because
hear, so our transcription may also be in question. his ship canons couldn't elevate enough to hit Castle Hili.
16. Tl'ayáak' Yayuwaa. Tl'ayáak' is Katlian Bay. We under Hence the need for trickery. The woman told K'alyáan that
stand the term yayuwaa to refer to the face of the shoreline her husband warned her of an imminent attack, and she ad
northwest of Lisianski Point, leading toward Dog Point. vised him to relocate out of cannon range. K'alyáan believed
17. Ch'a!s.û:,f.. A skin-covered boat. lt is unclear if reference her. The Kiks.ádi abandoned Castle Hili under cover of dark
is to the smaller, faster baidarka, or the larger, slower, open ness and built the Indian River fort overnight. The Russians
baidara. Gidák was a marksman and would probably hunt bombarded it, and occupied Castle Hili for the remainder
from a baidarka, hut for hauling sea !ion they would require of the Russian period.
the larger baidara and support crew. He and a partner were 27. The houses were built low in the pit dug inside the
probably in a two-hatch baidarka. fort.
18. Reference is to Gidák, for whom the terms Russian and 28. X'us'noowu, Crab Apple Fort (not to be confused with
Aleut seem to be used interchangeably. He apparently killed Xutsnoowu, Angoon) was located on Alice Island. Alice and
many Tlingits in the course of the chase. Charcoal Islands were joined during World War II to build
19. Tuis is a confusing passage. The narrator's point of ref the Sitka airport. In the modern context, Alice Island is
erence is Sitka, where he is making the recording. closer to the bridge, Charcoal Island closer to the runway.
20. We interpret this difficult passage to mean that even Reference is to the waterway either between the islands or
though the Tlingits may have suggested that he might be adjacent to the fort.
spared, Gidák was certain that he would be killed if captured, 29. Kada.!sw.ádi. An Eagle moiety clan, now associated
so he fought until he ran out of powder, at which point he with Hoonah, historically a branch of Chookaneidi.
was overpowered. 30. Russians. In Tlingit, the narrator uses a diminutive
21. Cremeated or burned up. The Tlingit use of kindei and slightly derogatory form, Anóoshx'i sáani, literally "little
gives a mental image of ashes rising. Russians" which could be translated as "Russkies:'
22. Run away from. In Tlingit, literally "from their mouth;' 31. "Balance" or reciprocity is a fundamental aspect of
or "from their jaws:' Tlingit protocol. Here the narrator is emphasizing that the
23. The Tlingit verb here is rhetorically lengthened. The Tlingits did not know the military significance of the white
passage is difficult to follow and has been reconstructed flag, hut were responding according to their protocol of
from a long false start. matching song for song, speech for speech, display of clan
24. The eyes. In Tlingit, a waak, "its eyes;' using the pos object to match object, etc.
sessive a because the head is now separated from the body. 32. Tlingit, kamdig_aa�, here and in line 603, with m re
25. The Tlingit verb sounds like !s.uwudáa hut is probably placing w as the perfective morpheme. These are the only
!s.oowadáa. places he does his in the narrative. Tuis is standard in
26. The motif of the Tlingits being tricked is also found in Interior Tlingit, hut unusual on the coast.
four pages of notes by Louis Shotridge at the University of 33. The Tlingit verb /s.una�duwashee, "they might find/
Pennsylvania Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum discover us;' is a potential, a very rare form.
34. In the Tlingit verb, naawligás; the naa is an incor 46. Tuis is an oblique reference to drowning.
porated noun not listed in our grammatica! materials pub 47. Hammer. On the recording, the narrator first says "hat;'
lished to date. then corrects himself.
35. In this humorous passage, the narrator takes on dif 48. We have not confirmed §a�eit X'ananook as a place
ferent voices for the exchange of oratory. Tuis line is sar name; the word seems to suggest the current at the mouth
castically enul)ciated. Lines 625-26, describing Wandaa, are (,!'a) of Silver Bay (§a�eit).
spoken with the lips pursed. Line 634 is "sing-song:' Lines 49. There are two senses of the Tlingit of this line: "He did
637-39 and 649-50 are chanted delicately. this to himself" or "He took his own life:·
36. Guláalák (and Biláalák, below). Tuis is a Tlingit name 50. The account of .K'alyáan's death by suïcide is unique to
for Baranov. The "underlined l" letters indicate voiced l, a this version and needs further research. The narrator may
sound not normally found in modern coastal Tlingit, but be confusing or collapsing the deaths of two or more men
substituting for n in the speech of some older Tlingits (héel by the same name. The .K'alyáan of 1804 was still alive in
for héen, "water"). The sounds b, r, and v are not found in 1818, when he witnessed the departure of Baranov and posed
Tlingit, and are replaced here with Tlingit sounds and the for a portrait by Mikhail Tikhanov. The name .K'alyáan was
voiced l. held by a succession of Kiks.ádi leaders (Pierce 199ob:223;
37. Tuis version by Alex Andrews features the verba! duel Hinckley 1996 passim). According to Ted Hinckley (1982:
ing between the Tlingits and the peace negotiators. The ac 271) a man named Katlayan LK'alyáan] was stigmatized by
count by Herb Hope, above in this book, also includes ora his involvement with the Indian police, and hanged himself
tory. The image of the sun is also recorded by P. N. Golovin in 1891. The version by Alex Andrews is unclear, suggesting
(1983:96) from a Tlingit speech of December 14, 1860. drowning, on the one hand; but blood on the rocks suggests
38. Ee náadaa. Russian, Nye nádo, meaning "Not neces that he either cut his wrists or threw himself on the rocks,
sarY:' or slipped.
39. Baranov. In Tlingit, Biláalák, another Tlingit pronun 51. Literally, "they pounded/hammered the box to pieces
ciation of the name. with it:· The "it" suggests using the hammer.
40. In Tlingit, du téi,!'i, using the possessive suffix because 52. Killed it. Tuis term is used today for bringing out and
the heart is now detached. Normally the possessive suffix is distributing money at a potlatch, thus increasing the cer
not used with body parts. emonial value of an at.óow. Historically, a slave would have
41. Peacemaker. In Tlingit, g_uwakaan, literally "deer;' but been killed, or an object destroyed. Here the object may
also the term for a hostage, a peacemaker, and the peace have been literally broken over his body or hammered to
making ceremony. pieces, but also figuratively broken in memory of him.
42. Naa káani. Literally, "clan or moiety in-law:' In Tlingit 53. Museum. Literally, "House of Strange Things:' See
ceremonial relationships, a person of the opposite moiety appendix 4.
who helps the hosts facilitate the event, like a master of cer 54. Ministers lied. In Tlingit, "yá nakwnéitx' hás sh
emonies. k'awdliyél:' Nakwnéit is literally "priest;' a borrowing from
43. He is emphasizing that both moieties were living in French le prêtre. The Tlingit verb for telling a falsehood uses
Sitka after peace was made. the same stem as the word for Raven, Yéil.
· 44. The recording is very unclear here; transcription of 55. If taken literally, this line is misleading. Tuis is self
this line is debatable. deprecating wording common in traditional Tlingit story
45. See appendix 4 for a history of the Raven Hat. See telling and oratory. In this case, while still asserting that this
color plate 22, a photograph of the 2004 ceremony trans is a reliable account from reliable sources, Alex Andrews
ferring it from the Sheldon Jackson Museum to the Sitka downplays his own abilities and focuses on his father. To say,
National Historica! Park. "That's why I know it" would seem like bragging.
Sally Hopkins (Sh�aasti)
The Battle of Sitka

Recorded by the National Park Service, Sitka, Alaska, August 1958
Transcribed and translated by Nora Marks Dauenhauer
Edited by Richard and Nora Dauenhauer 1
[Aakashook yóo �atángi] [Prolog by Peter Nielsen]2

Woosh x'ayagéidei kdunik nooch haa shagóon. People tel1 of our ancestors in different ways.
Á áyá Tuis is why
haa tundatáani yéi yatee we are thinking
haa een sh kangeelneek. you will tel1 us the history.
I yoo x'atángi We will keep your words
yan gatootee. in a safe place.3
Aax yá haa shagóon, From this, these ancestors of ours,
yá haa shagóon yáanáx from here, these ancestors of ours
kei shukawsixix, yá haa shagóon. branched out, these ancestors of ours.
10 Áyá tléil woosh x'ayáx kadulnik nooch. 10 It's never told the same way.
Áyá ax tuwáa sigóo Tuis is what I want
haa een kayineegi. you to tel1 us.
Ha yéi áyá Tuis is how
yá anax lingitx haa wsiteeyi yé. we became who we are as Tlingit.4
[Sh�aastî]: Déi ák.wé? [Sally Hopkins]: Are we ready?

[Aakashook]: Aaá. [Peter Nielsen]: Yes.
Góok. Go ahead.
[Sh�aasti yóo �atángi] [Main narrative by Sally Hopkins)

Aaa, Yes,5
haa yáa and now, the ones6
20 haa shagóon sákw, 20 who were to become our ancestors,
yéi áyá this is how
akawlineek my grandfather
axléelk'w. told it.
Ch'u tie a x'éidáx Tuis is right from his lips,
Lsagooháa x'éitx áyá wdlineek, lt was told from Lsagooháa's lips.
yá Tuis
Kaa Xoox' X'adukaa. Kaa Xoox' X'adukaa.
Yá §ayeis' Hit, Tuis Iron House7 -

anáxhaa shagóon sákw those who were to become our ancestors
30 kuwdzitee. 30 were born from there.
Aankalaseek, The son8
du yéet áyu of Aankalaseek
Shk'awulyeil, was Shk'awulyeil,
haa tlaaléelk'w. our mother's grandfather.9
A jeedáx áyá. It was from him.
Du yaakusgeiyi He told
akaawaneek the knowledge
du éesh has x'éidáx. according to his fathers.
351
Yáa Skajeek Aankalaseek 10

40 Aankalaseekch uwasháa. 40 married Skajeek.
Ách áyá yá du yéet Tuis was why this son of hers -
tlél a yaagáa kuwuskáat. nothing could measure up to him.
At2S; áyáa From then on

yá du sée she wanted someone
lingit jiyana2S;lasheet to take the hand"
tuwatee. of this daughter of hers,
Sgutóot á. Sgutóot. 12
Tléil kwa áyóo yá du éesh But they didn't try
du tláa hidix' at the [clan] house
13
50 áyá kawdu.aakw. 50 of her father's mother.
14
Yáana2S;.á, On this side
Wat.lachéix'i, of Wat.lachéix'i
áx' áyó du itt uwakó2S; yó yaakw is where the boat began to follow them
du sée gaa2S;dusháax'oot, so that her daughter would be asked to marry,
yá Skajeek du sée á, this daughter of Skajeek,
Sgutóot. Sgutóot.
Waadaagéi áyóo, It was Waadaagéi
du itt uwakó2S;. who followed her.
A yaadéi yoo K'eiwatán She debated with him
60 du yikyádi I k'agoolcheengáa. 60 so that her descendants would not be low class.
Aadáx áyá du kaanáx nadustée áyáa Following this, when she was persuaded,
yéi yaawakaa, she said,
"Déi! "It's settled.
§aa déi yatee, déi! It's ok now, it's settled.15
Anax <laak gó déi, sik'! Come on out now, little daughter.
Aaa, Yes,
kalgakó kát Wat.lachéix'i? doesn't Wat.lachéix'i flood? 16
Du xáni woogó déi:' Go with him now:m
Áx' áyá wduwasháax'w du sée Tuis is where she was asked in marriage,
70 Sgutóot á, 70 Sgutóot,
haa shagóon sákw. who was to become our ancestor.
Anáx Lingitx haa wsiteeyi át áyá. Tuis is what made us who we are as Tlingits.
Á áyá woosh eetéex kawdi.aa Tuis is who succeeded one another,
ch'u shóogu á, the same one,
yá §ayeis'hittaan. this group from §ayeis'hittaan.
Woosh eetéex has kawdi.aa yáa haa leelk'u hás. These grandparents of ours succeeded one another.
Atx áwé From then on

_kuwdziteet' their descendants
. has du yikyátx'i. were born.1 8
80 Ch'u aatx áyá tléil Kaagwaantaan yádix 80 From that time on those who were to become
aa wustee our ancestors
haa shagóon sákw. were not children of Kaagwaantaan.
§ayeis'hittaan We became the descendants of
yikyátx'ix haa wsitee. §ayeis'hittaan.
Ách áyá yáa yeedát, Tuis is why now
woosh jeedéi yaa haa shundaxixi, that we are dying off from each other
ch'a 2S;át tsó ax tundatáani yéi yatee my thoughts are also this way,
1 kut gugaxeex that it doesn't get lost,
SALLY HOPKINS: THE BATTLE OF SlTKA • 353
aadé kuwt.�osteeyi yé. the way we carne to be. 19

Tsu yá S�utóot ku.aa áyá Also how many descendants
90 tsu du yikyátx'ee 90 this S�utóot
aadéi yakaawageiyi yé. carne to have.
Ach áyá Tuis is why2°
.G.ayeis'hittaan yádi a child of ,G.ayeis'hittaan
káa shakéex' lawlitseen. is valued so highly.21
Aaa, Yes,
yá Noow Tlein ká we used to sit
a kát tookeenéen. on Noow Tlein.22
Aaa, Yes,
Hft Tlein In addition to the Big House [Hft Tlein]
23
100 a xeinéedei yéi yagugéi. 100 how many houses there were.
Yá haa kahidi Tuis clan house of ours,

shux'áanáx, from the beginning,
yáanax.á a tuwán. was next to it on this side,
Yá Lkwa Hit, the Point House [Luka Hit] 24
yá _K'alyáan s aayéex wusitee. that became the one of _K'alyáan and his people.
A dagiygé áyá haa aayi In· the middle was ours, the Strong House
At Uwaxiji Hit. [At Uwaxiji Hit].
Yáanax.á áwé On this side
sheeyák'w, was an offshoot,
_KooKX'áan aayi, the one of _KooKX'áan,
110 Tinaa Hft. 110 the Copper Shield House [Tinaa Hft].
Héinax.á áwé ,G.agaan Hit. On the other side was the Sun House.
Daax'oon hft áyá áa wdikee yá Noow Tlein There were four houses that sat there on top of
shakée. Noow Tlein.
Aadáx áyá ux kéi haa uwatée. From there we grew apart.
Ch'a haa een has wuduwatlákw Their history was told with ours,
ya ,G.ayeis'hittaan the ,G.ayeis'hittaan
ka Wat.aaneidi. and Wat.aaneidf.
Haaw, Now
yéi áyá, this is how
yá aax haa saxduháa when they [the Russians] wanted us out of the way,
120 has du shukáx yei na.át tl'eitakw káa 120 ahead of them carne high caste people
a daasheeyi teen. with their songs.

Aa�áa áyá tsáa Tuis is when
wuduwa.áx it was finally heard
wáa sá s kuwusteeyf how those who were to become our ancestors
yá haa shagóon sákw. carne to be.
Atx áyá yá haa léelk'w Following this, this grandparent of ours,
haa tláa du tláa, the father
has du éesh of the mother of our mother,
tsu ,G.ayeis'hittaan, was also of the ,G.ayeis'hittaan,
130 T'ákwjaa. 130 T'ákwjaa.
Du yéetx áyu wsitee _Kaa Xoox' X'adukaa
_Kaa Xoox' X'adukaa. was his son.
Du yinaadéi áyóo Next to him
Naas Sháak. was Naas Sháak.
Du yinaadéi áwé Kashaawát, shaawátx Next to him was Kashaawát, the one who was a
siteeyi aa, woman,
KayikAxaa, KayikAxaa,
ka ax léelk'w, and my grandmother
.Kaasawusxé, .KaasawusKé.
T'ákwjaa yátx'ee á. T'ákwjaa's children indeed.
140 Aax áyáa 140 Following them
hóoch'i aayéex wusitee Ltsaak, the very last one was Ltsaak
Ltsaak á, Ltsaak indeed.
T'ákwjaa yátx'ee. The children of T'ákwjaa.
Anax haa x'alitseeni át áyá. These are the people we became high caste from.
Ách áyá yá Noow Tlein kaadáx, Tuis is why when we moved
yá .Kaasdahéen yikdei naa klagáas', from Castle Hili to Indian River, 25
áx' noow wududliyéx. they built a fort over there.
Tléil ch'u tie áyá They didn't quickly
kut has awugéex' lose
150 has du yéi jineiyi. 150 their work.
Shis'gi Noow á Green Wood Fort, indeed,
áa wdudliyéx. they built it there.
Aaa, Yes,
tliyáax' yéi aa yatee there was one on that side
Shaa Seiyi Aanx'. at the village on Jamestown Bay.
Ch'u tlé yu gaaw áwé tsá tléix' yá Shis'gi Noow Toen at that time, people finally gathered as one
geit kawdik'it' at Green Wood Fort,
yá haa shukát kustéeyi aa. these who lived before us.
Haa Now
160 yáax' s'é x'akkwanáak. 160 I will stop here for a while.26
Yá .Kaasdahéen yadaa Green Wood Fort

Shis'gi Noow áa wdudliyéK. was built at Indian River Point.
A yeedéi áyá naawligáas', People moved off [of N oow TleinJ to go there
yá Anóoshi yéi kuwanaskáa, when the Russians told the people
"Aal!: yee klagáas' déi, yáat:' "Move out of here now:·
Ach áyá yá aanyátx'i shukáx woo.aat. this is why the noble people went ahead.
Hás du itt uwagut Naawushkeitl
Naawushkeitl á, followed them,
Xaayaduskaa. Xaayaduskaa.
170 Aadéi _l!;aan kadulnik yé áwé. 170 Tuis is how it was told to me.27
Yá kaa _ku.ázji áyá yéi at yakawligei. lt was this interpreter who caused all the trouble.
Tléil ch'u tlei áyu s du <laat jishoowdulnei. We didn't bother them at all.28
Has du jigunayáa aawa.át. We moved away from our pursuers.
Áyá yá kaa ku.ázji ku.aa áyá galsháatadi áyá But the interpreter was a prisoner from a
T'ikanaa xáayee xoodáx. T'ikanaa war party.
Daalnéix' á It was Daalnéix'
ka Ilóoshga. and Ilóoshga.29
Á áyá Anóoshi .l!;OOt has loowaguk. It was they who joined the Russians.
Ch'a kóox has aawanéekw. They were taunting us.

Tléil kwá has du jidaat kaa tooti. But we didn't pay attention to them.
180 Á áyá deikéená.l!; kugakux yaakw áyá, 180 It was the boat that was going to go along outside
yáat. of here.
X'us'noowu KOOnáK <laak They carne paddling out from Crab Apple Fort
uwakuK. [X'us'noowu) .30
Áyá s ayaawatsaak. Tuis is the one they chased.
Á áyá tlax kut.l!; áyá sh kát has at wudli.át. We worried about ourselves too much.
SA LLY HOPKINS: THE BATTLE OF SITKA • 355
Aaa, Yes,
yá _kutx shoowaxeexi _ku.oo - these people who <lied-
áyá ch'a hás has du at tugáni áyá, it was their own gunpowder
has du een yaakw awshitóok. that blew up a canoe with them.
Tléil Anóoshich áyá wushtóok yá yaakw. It wasn't the Russians who blew the boat up.
190 Ch'a hás áyá. 190 lt was themselves.
Ha wool yát áwé uwa.kux Sooxsaan

Sooxsaan. carne to the face of a seawater cave.31
Du yéet yá Shkoowuyéil Her son Shkoowuyéil
awsiteen du éek' has teen yaakw wushtóogu. saw the boat blow up with her younger brothers.
A xoowu á Deiki Shaak'óo, Deiki Shaak'óo was among them,
.ka Wat.aaneidf xoonáx and one from among the Wat.aaneidi
_ka Kadakw.ádi xoonáx. and one from among the Kadakw.ádi.
Áyá Anóoshi yaagóoch has wusineix A Russian boat saved
_kudziteeyi aa. the ones who were alive.
200 Tléil <laat kaa tooshtf 200 We didn't pay attention to them,
de woosh tóodei ku.aa áwé yaa jikandulshis'. but it was already becoming a bottleneck.
Wáa nanée s áyá At what point was it,

s du een kawduwaneek, someone told them
"Dei wéix yaa s jinda.át- "They're charging over -
Anóoshi xáayi- the Russian war party
aan tlénx' huge ships32
Kaasdahéen yadaanáx. around Indian River Point.
Woosh t'ikaadéi is�átch, They're tying up next to each other.
kéi s ash guxla.óon:' They're going to open fire:·
210 Aa�áa áyá 210 Tuis is when
yaa yeedát yéi s duwasáakw nowadays they would say

a <laat they studied up33
study yéi s awsinee. on it.
Aaa, Yes,
wudishuch áyu K'alyáan
K'alyáan bathed34
yá Anóoshi káx'. for strength against the Russians.
Has awsikóo yéi s gaxdusneeyi. They knew what the Russians were going to do.
Ách áyóo- That was why-
35
220 Shk'awulyeil jeenáx }su.aa yá kaawaháa haa tláa 220 [the helmet] Sheey Káa Sh K'ut Yéil
du léelk'w was in the stewardship of our mother's grand-

Sheey Káa Sh K'ut Yéil. father Sh_k'awulyeil.
Tléil tlax has du ádi áyá- lt wasn't really theirs-
yá_K'alyáan, that's why K'alyáan
ách áwé yéi yaawakaa, "Haahi. said, "Hand it over.
Haahi. Hand it over.
Sháa yan _kadatee, Let me wear it
a tóot has du jee yux na_kagoot:' so I may go out in it to do battle with them:·
De kóo_k táadei kawduwajeil The many people who were still alive there
yá _kudziteeyi aant_keenf, were already put into the pit 36
230 kéi gaxdul.óoneech yó. yaakw. 230 because they were going to blow up the boat.
Ách áwé Tuis was why

s'eek doogu ayawdlit'á_k. he wore a black bear pelt.37
Du sháawu á, On his head
wé Sheey Káa Sh K'ut Yéil. was the Raven Helmet [Sheey Káa Sh K'ut Yéil].
Du jeewu du tákli. In his hand was his hammer.

Tléil tlax tuk.ugé, tlax ch'a yángaa. The bottom wasn't too big, it was just right.38
Du jeegáa aawat'áax' He shaped it to his hand
a shu. on the end.
Aka.áwli áa yéi aawa.oo. He put a strap39 on the end.
240 Dé yándei yaa yanagwéin. 240 The [Russian] boats were already landing.
Tlél tlax tláakw áyu sh yáa wdawóotl. He wasn't in too much of a hurry.
Yux kugagut néekw, ch'a hû sh kawdi.ákw. When he was going out he volunteered himself.40
Tie yux yaa nagûdi een áyá du guk yix at As he was going out the door a cannon shot went
yawdudli.un aanda.óonaa. past his ear.
Tlei yá noow, At the fort
a xawoolx' áwé yan yaawagás'. he dropped face down at the door.
"Há háa!" "Há háa!"41
Yóo daayaduká, "Kalyáan, wa.é akyá?" They said to him, "Kalyáan, is that you?"
De sh daa yaa anasdák ku.aa, But he was already coming to,
de a.in. he was ready.
250 Ch'u tie kaax shagaxdus'óowu teen áwé 250 As soon as they were going to chop his head off,
shawdigut. he jumped up.

Há! Há! Há! Há! Há! Há! Há! Há! Há! Há!
A shayat'ákw a t'é-1\:'t, aagáa áwés héent He hammered them on their temples, this was
wujixix. when he ran into the river.
_Kaasdahéen yix áwé He floated down
sh wudlihaash. Indian River.
De <laak na.át Anóoshee The Russians were already coming up,
has du t'aawak shaxijayi teen. with their swords.
A kat'óotnáx áyá guxkáa wjixeex. About half way down, he ran up on the beach.42
Át sh wudligáak, He made sounds like a raven,
ashakat'i-1\:'t. he smashed their heads.
260 Aagáa yaa kunayát'Anóoshee. 260 The Russians were lying all over.
Ch'a x'oonk'is sáyá áa sh wudzineix, kasgáax A small party got away safely; the Russians
Anóoshee. screamed.
Excited-x áyu s wusitee. They were excited.
Tlél sh yáa s wusgeet. They didn't fight back.
Aagáa áyá tsá, Tuis is when
yakw káa wdikéil' du jinák, they escaped into the boat
tléil shawudihéini aa. not very many of them.
Haa yáa yeedádi yáx at wuduskoowu ákyóo? Was it as we know things today?
Ch'u tie yakw káa kei ndakél'i, While escaping on the boat,
yû aan geidéi <laak yakw.wuhaayi áyá, while the small boats were going to the ship43
44
2 7 0 dleit aankwéiyi <laat wududziyék. 270 they were flying a white flag.
Ha yá yéi kuyakawligeiyi T'ikanaa xáayi sháawu But the woman from outside45 who caused the
ku.aa áyá. many corpses -
Tlél koon there was no one to teil us -
ách koongaaneegi káa, tlél kaa ku.áxji kaa ;oo. there wasn't an interpreter among them.
_Kuyaawadlaak áyóo _K'alyáan. _K'alyáan had beaten them.46
Ách áyû dleit aankwéiyi <laat wuéiudziyék. That was why they were flying a white flag.
Hóoch'. It was over.
Aan geidé <laak kawdik'it', at'éi áyá They had gone to the big ships; in the meantime,
kawduwachák, they packed,
kawduwachák. they packed.47
Haa, Now,
280 yá _K'alyáan, 280 this _K'alyáan,
SALLY HOPKINS: THE BATTLE OF SITKA • 357
ch'as hû áyû Kaagwaantaan yátx'ix has wusitee, only he was of the children of Kaagwaantaan,
yá At Uwaxiji Hit yeekáawu. a man of the Strong House.48
Shuws'aa du yéet áyû _K'alyáan was the eldest
_K'alyáan shukakáawu. son of Shuws'aa.
Du yinaadéi áwé Next to him
K'wáni á. was K'wáni.
Du yinaadéi áwé Next to him [K'wáni]
Stoonook. was Stoonook.
Du yinaadéi áwé Yeidis'aa. Next to him [Stoonook] was Yeidis'aa.
290 Dax'oonináx áyû wootee 290 There were four of them,
yû Kaagwaantaan yátx'i. these children of Kaagwaantaan.
Kûnáx hás áyáa They were the very ones who
yá haa k_gwaxaa át káx' has wudishûch. trained intensively for those who would war on us.
A áyû tie yan has uwanée And then they were ready,
haa yáadei aa, those from here,
yá haa yinaadéi la.aa aa. those from the house next to us.
Xaawuduskaa Xaawuduskaa49
Naawushkeitlx satéeyin. used to be Naawushkeitl.5�
Aaa, Yes,
300 du k'idaaká áyóo 300 next door to him was
_K'aax'.ushti á. .K'aax'.ushti.
Tliyaanax.áa hit yee áwé In the house on the other side were
yá Wat.aaneidi yóo has [?] sh disáagu aa, these who called themselves Wat.aaneidi,
Kaax'achgóok á. Kaax'achgóok was there.
Yá dáa_knáx aa Shiyák'w Kooxx'áanx The one on the back side, Shiyák'w, who used to
satéeyin. be _Kooxx'áan.
Yá du yinaadéi aa áwé Next to him was
Aataatseen á. Aataatseen.51
Héinax.á aa yee áwé Tlákwsataan. In the one next to him was Tlákwsataan.
Haa, Naw,
310 yéi áyá yakaawagei 310 this is how many there were
haa kahitx'i. of our clan houses.
A yeenáx áwé s kuwdziteet' Kaagwaantaan From these houses were bom children of
yátx'i. Kaagwaantaan.52
Á áyá yá Wat.aaneidi These are the Wat.aaneidi -
yá a hidi the people
yeekáawu. from the house of theirs.
Héendei yóo áyû duwasáakw, Kaagwaantaan yéet He was called Héendei, Héendei was a son of
áyû yû Héendei. Kaagwaantaan.53
Hû áyá tlél yaa kuwushgéi He was the one who didn't use good judgment.
haa daakashû, He got us involved.54
haa daakashû, tlél yaa kuwushgéi. He didn't use good judgment.
320 [Aside]: Yándei kwshé k_kwalanéek? 320 [Aside]: I should finish telling it, shouldn't I?
Yá Anóoshi Kunaa áyá haa jeetx has aawatee, aadé The Russians took Redoubt Bay from us, this is
áyá naawligáas'. where [their] people went.55
A eetée áyá yá shaanák'w yá While they were gone, there was this little old
noow gei, man in the fort,
yá noow tlein inside the big fort,56
diyéenax.á a tayee. below it.
Áyá aadéi woosh has wuditsáay. They agreed to go there.
"K'e yó. káa shaanák'w ;çánde na;çtoo.aat:' "Let's go visit the little old man:'
Ach áyá aadé du een aawa.aat. Tuis is why they went with him.
Du lyaa.kooshgeiyi sákw áyá. Tuis was to become his foolishness.
Á áyó. yó. shaanák'w yéi ayawsikaa, Toen he said to the little old man,
330 "Néi!Cha shaanák'w, 330 "Hey!Little Old Man,
yáat'át i yáa yéi ;çwsaneiyi yei ik�wanée;ç:' If I put this on your face,you'll get welJ:'
Yanéekw áyó. yó. káa shaanák'w. The little old man was ill.
Lingit léi;ç'uch áwé ayawliléi;ç'w. He put Tlingit ocher on his face.57
Ách áwé tie yan yaawagás' yó. káa shaanák'w. Tuis was what caused that little old man to fall over.
Tle áx' kawlit'ik. Toen he stiffened up with rigor mortis.
Tle aa;ç has woo.aat neildéi. Toen they left there for home.
Áyá �unaat;ç áyá a kagéi yaakw át At the same time,a boat carne from Redoubt Bay
uwakó.;ç to the fort,
yá Anóoshee. a Russian.
Wáa sáyá kaawahayi shaanák'w áwé kawlit'ik Why was this little old man stiff
58
340 léi;ç'w du yáwoo? 340 with ocher on his face?
Ách áyá kuwduwa;çoo;ç Tuis was why they called people

yó. áx' yoo ;ç'adul.atgi nuch yéide, to the place where they would hold meetings.
"Aadóo sáhé i shaanák'w ayaawaléi;ç'w?" "Who painted the face of the little old man?"
"Tléik'," duwasháak, "Tléik'." "No!" people denied,"No!"
Áyó. at sháadei yándei ga;çdus.haan;ç giyó. kooji, He thought that he was going to be put at the
ách áwé yéi yaawakaa,"Cha ;çát áwé cha head of some important position,this was the
aankáawu:' reason he said,"That was me,sir:'
"Ahoo,gagó.!" "Oh,go!"
Ách áyá �ayéis' hitdei oon aawa.aat. Tuis was why they took him to jail.
At loox'aa;ç gu;çsatee át á. Tuis was to be the start of the trouble.59
§ayeis'hitdei oon ana.áat áyá yá káa shaanák'w When they took him to jail, the little old man's
[kusteeyi] du �ushká du ;ç'eis kawdudlix'ás'. thigh was sliced for him to eat.
350 Áyá ch'a du ;ç'as'gó. .ku.aa giyáa 350 But the spirit in his jaw
ul;çéidleen. was lucky.
Ach áyá yá du dayéen yóo kuwanugu du yéigi;ç Tuis was why his spirit warned him. He was
sateeyi,aawakit,tlél awu;çá. suspicious,he didn't eat it.
Ha, Now,
anax áyáa this is where
�unéi yak�waxix át áyá, our trouble
yá haa kaxéel'i. will start from.
Tléil wáa sá s koonook,a kéen. They weren't doing anything, they sat.
Tléil They weren't doing anything
daa sá kóo;ç awdanéekw yá;ç has koonook, that might make things bad for them,
ch'a a kéen. they just sat.60
61
360 Tlél <laat kaa tuwushtee, tie tliyéi yéi wootee. 360 No one thought about it,it stopped then.
Aat;ç áyá yéi yaawa.kaa, Shuws'aa, After this Shuws'aa said,

"Jilkáatdei a;ç tuwatee;· "I would like to go to Chilkat:'
Ách áyá tie yéi yaawakaa, Tuis is why Stoonook said
Stoonook, "Éesh!Xát tsó.!" "Father!Me too!"
Yá tl'eitakw káa áyá du ;ç'éidei héen du yáa nooch. Tuis noble person is usually supplied with water.62
Ách áyá wookoo;ç du yéet teen Jilkáatdei. Tuis was why he went to Chilkat with his son.
Gwáa déi,Jilkáat Kaagwaantaan He [Stoonook] was a child of the Chilkat
yádi áyó. du hun;çu hás yá;ç Kaagwaantaan. He was glad to see his older
taawa.ás. tribal brothers.
Áa kéi kóox áyá ch'u tie du ya.áak. When they got up there,there was a place for him.
Ch'u tle yt'.t dikéet wuduwasháat du hunxu hásch. He was elevated 63 by his older brothers,
370 Yá Stoonook .ku.aa. 370 this Stoonook was.
Ách áwéi Tuis was why
ht'.t tst'.t tle du toowt'.t akawshigoo. he calmed himself down.

"I da.aa yáx x'wán yîtk', "Be brave my son,64
áa at kadikekwdi yé áyá;' this is where things fait:'
yóo áyt'.t yoo 2Ç'ayatánk du éesh. These were his father's words.
Tle áa neil wugoodî ji.t'.ts'aa As he entered into the house, there was a wash
yeit, basin,
tle yawdi.óos'. he washed his face.
Kawduwas'éil' Jilkáat át. They tore65 dry fish from Chilkat.
Axá k'idéin. He was eating well.

380 Aaa 380 Yes
Shkeedli.káa áyá ash woo.éex', Shkeedli.káa, his older brother,
du ht'.tnxw. invited him.
Yeilxáak tst'.t á. Yeilxáak, was also there.
Ch'a yeist'.t yáa As they were placing
kaxwéix du 2Ç'ayee yaa ndus.ini een áwé, neil a dish of high bush cranberries for him to eat, a
wujikák, man intruded.66
�t'.tnáx That man,
x'ali.oos. that older brother of his,
Áyt'.t yt'.t káa was Ka.káayee.
yt'.tdu ht'.tnxw He was very
390 Kakáayee á. 390 loose mouthed.
Tle a kaadé yaa nashéeni áwé yéi ash As he was reaching into his dish, he said
yawsi.kaa, [to Stoonook],
"Héhéhé! "Heh! Heh! Heh!,
Ahem! Ahem!" Arhem! Arhem!"67
Ch'a st'.tgaa ayakeet. He immediately became suspicious.
"Aaá, "Yes
i2Ç'ak.kwawóos', let me ask you,
Stoonook, Stoonook,
aak'é Anóoshi áwé kwshé gayéis' hityee ash that was some fine Russian who had him sitting
wusinook:' in jail:'
Du yáx ash yawsi.kaa. He insulted him.68
69
400 Ách áwé tie dákdei yóo awsinei yá s'ix'. 400 Tuis was why he shoved his dish away.
"A yáx áwé. "That's right.

Kaagwaantaan yéet áwé. He is a son of Kaagwaantaan.
Tlél gu.kalaseen, I won't hide it,7°
a yáx áwé. that's right.
Yéi yan kawdiyáa:' That's what happened:'
Ha á áyá at shoowaneiyi át áyá. Tuis is what started the trouble.
Ch'a tliyéi yéi s duwa.óo tléil tsu s du éex They kept still, no one had bothered
awdunóok. them.
Ách áwé Tuis was why,
tle yéi ayawsi.kaa, he told him then,
410 tle dákdei yóo awsinei, tle wdihaan gándei. 410 then he pushed it away, then stood up to go out.
Neildéi yaa nagt'.tdi áyá yá du shagóoni. As he was entering his parents' home [he said).
"Aankáawu yáx yáat'aa guna.aant "Tuis one always travels to other villages like a
nakóxch:' nobleman:m
"Ax yéetk' ée, "My poor son!
wáa sá kwshf yan ikawdiyáa? What happened to you?
At gaxoon, tláakw, tláakw, tláakw, tláakw, tláakw, Start packing quick, quick, quick, quick, quick,
at gaxoon!" start packing:'
Hóoch'. It was over.
Haat gadanaagi yáx wootee, It was like the rip tide72 was standing up
du éesh du een haadéi, for his father to bring him back here
yá Sheet'kaadéi. to Sitka.
420 Géen X'aak'ónáx áyá ayakaawanáa. 420 He told them to stop at Silverberry Bush Point.73
Yó du éesh Tuis father of his

du 2Ç'adaa yóo kuwagutgu aa, who was taking care of him [said],
"Yéi k'ikulgei k'igees'éet, "You'll tie this size74
�éen wás'i. of silverberry branches together.
Tlei.!s.áa k'igilas'éet, k'ikgisa.áaxw You'll bind up twenty bundles of them and tie
shakáx'." them together at the bow:'
Aagáa áyá tsáa Tuis when
tayeex woogoot. he went to bed to sulk.
Du een yaa nakux tie tleitaat. The boat took him along at night.75
At ló sákw á. Tuis is preparing for trouble.76
430 Anax yan ukooxch. 430 He would go ashore.

"Déi yitk' "That's enough son,
ch'a k'át at geendasháat. please eat just a little.
I téix' gwaatseen:' You might have a heart attack:"'
"Tléik'. "No,
Hél ax tuwáa ushgó i jeetx át xwaxaayi:' I don't want to eat anything from you:'
Chaatlk'aanoowx' áyá tsá yéi yaawakaa Finally at Chaatlk'aanoow he said
"Góok! Yándei. "Let's go ashore.
Ch'a aandáx i wóowu gé tlél wéit?" Do you have some of the food from the village?"
"Héidu yitk', héidu. "There's some here son, here.
440 Ch'as á:' 440 Just this:'
Yan at xáa áwé tie tsu When he finished eating, then

wootaa. he slept.
Aaa, de yó noow geix' .!s.wá dei woosh xoot yoo Yes, but people were already mixing inside the
duwa.átk. fort.
Wáa sá kaa toowó teeyée. How good they feit.
"Tléigé I wéix yaa gookuxch?" Wáa sá "Isn't he coming yet?" How people were anxious to
sawlit'aani. see him.
Wáa nanée sáwé yéi .!s.uwaawakaa, At what point was it someone said,
"Shaat' X'aa Lutóonáx daak yawdigich. Ha góok! "The boat has rounded Watson Point. Let's go!
Góok, i da.aax x'wán Kiks.ádi:' Go! Be brave, Kiks.ádi:'
Gánt uwanók .K'alyáan
450 K'alyáan. 450 sat close to the fire.
S'ekdaakeit tlein as'éik. He was smoking a large pipe.

Tie aantóox nakóox áwé When they carne to the village
yéi yaawakaa, he said,78
"Ha wáa sáwé I haax ugoot?" "Well, why doesn't he come?''
"Haa, "Well,
de wéix yaa nagut:' he's already coming:'
"Ahoo!" "Oh!"
Héide ashuwataan. He opened the door.79
"Yáaná:is; x'wán haagu:' "Carne on in this way:'
460 Tie yéi áwé ayawsikaa du kéek'. 460 Tuis is what he said to his younger brother.
Ash :is;áni woonook. He sat by him.
Sh wudlik'átl'. He was silent.
"Neelneek déi! "Tell it now!80
Ayá:is; ák.wé du yá:is; giwé iyawdudzikaa?" Is it true that you were insulted?"
"Aaa, "Yes,
du yá:is; pt yawdudzikaa:' they insulted me:' 81
"Haa wáa sá ituwatee?" "Well,what do you want to do?"
"Ha, ch'as I nakwa.á:is;jit :is;áayá a:is; tuwatee:' "Well,I just don't want to hear it:'
"Ha,yéi áwé,yéi áwé:' Well,that's right,that's right:'
470 At shuwsiteeyi át áyá. 470 Tuis is what started it.
Aagáa áwé, Tuis was when
:is;'awool yéi x'ayawdudzitee x-x-x-x-x-x-x. at the door the wind made the sound xo-00-00-00.
Haahá! Oh,oh!
Jakyis wóoshdei ga:is;du.áat,Kiks.ádi. The Kiks.ádi will gather for the kill.
Anóoshee káx' á, They will now participate
yeisu déi has du jeex' aadéi akgwashée in the trouble82.
yu l.uk'é. with the Russians.
Ch'u déi, ch'u déi,ch'u déi,ch'u déi When it kept on,kept on,kept on,kept on
yawus.aayi happening,
1 s'aati át teen a:is;'áa:is; [negotiators] went between them with their
ayaawa.át. masterless at.óow.83
480 Ch'as yá s du éesh áyá á. 480 Only their father was there.
§ayes'hittaan The §ayeis'hittaan,

Kadakw.ádi. Kadakw.ádi.
Wóoshdá:is; kaa jiyakawduwashéet'. They wrenched them apart.84
Aa�áa áyá tsá gándei woosh Tuis is when, when they were outside,
:is;'awduwawóos' they were asked85
wáa sá yándei kukagu:is;dayaayi. what the people are going to do.
Wuduwa.oo de wé l'éek'áatl' kajóox. Those balts of felts were already bought.
Kaagwaantaan yátx'i aayi sákw á. They were for the children of Kaagwaantaan.
X'us.éenaa du yéet áyu Duk'aan, X'us.éenaa's son Duk'aan was
490 §ayes'hittaan yádi. 490 a child of the §ayeis'hittaan.
Dus'éil'. They were ripped.
Yéi kwdatlaa Tuis wide,
koogéinaa sákw á. for koogéinaas.
Aanyátx'i aayi. For the nobility.
Aa:is; áyá They distributed them
woosh :is;oodéi, among themselves
"Ná,Ná,Ná:' "Here,here,here:'
Ách áyá yéi yaawa_kaa Duk'aan Tuis was why Duk'aan said,
"Haat aa yti. "Bring one here.
500 Kaagwaantaan yádi gunayáakde gé a:is; dook 500 Is my skin different than a child of
yatee?" Kaagwaantaan?"
Ách áyu du jeet aa wduwatée, Tuis was why they gave him one.
"Duk'aan wáa sá kwshé kgwasgéet;' yóo du daa kaa "What was Duk'aan going to do?" people
tuwatee. wondered.
"Ha góok! "Let's go!
§unayéi y.á déi!" Get going now!"

Ách áyá �unéi aawa.át, Tuis was why they started off,
dáaknáx á. through the back of the village.86
Hás ku.aa áyás yaakwnáx áyá, yá Kaagwaantaan But the children of Kaagwaantaan went
yátx'i. by boat.
.Kaa shakát áwé wjixix Duk'aan
Duk'aan á. ran around at the bow.
510 Deikéenáx yaa nakux. 510 They were paddling along on the outside.
Tlél wudusku yu noow a �eidáx ayawdus.aadi No one knew they had left the fort,
ch'a aadéi duwajée. but thought they were still there.87
Anóoshee kwá dleit aankwéiyi <laak ayawsiyik_. But the Russians raised a white flag.
Ch'u tie yáa Toen,
Sheet' X'aa t'áak as they were walking
yaa ana.át, behind Sitka Point
áyá yá ax léelk'u sákw k_u.aa áyá, the one who was to become my grandfather,
Wusx'éen du yéet áyóo the son of Wusx'éen,
Lsagooháa Lsagooháa,
520 du tláach yaa naljik' 520 his mother was packing him on her back,
gwéil tóot, in a sack,
wáa 1 ulgeiyî sáyóo. how tiny he was.
Aaa, Yes
yá a shukáx áwé yaa s awunashk'én in front of her, skipping ahead with a cane,
Séikw á, were Séikw.
Séikw ka X'wáal'k'. Séikw and X'wáal'k'.88
De a shagunká ku.aa áyóo Tuis was the beginning of it all,
has na.átch. they were going along.
Kayeixtá�u ásgiyóo, I guess X'wáal'k'
530 X'wáal'k'. 530 thought about wood shavings.
Séikw ku.a áyá ash K'eiwawóos', "Haaw;' Séikw asked him, "Now;'
Séikw: Séikw [says],
"Wáa yateeyi aa adawóotl sá i tuwáa sigóo:' "What kind of fighting89 do you want?"
X'wáal'k': "Adawóotl xá ax tuwáa sigóo. X'wáal'k' [says], "Fighting is what I want, you see.
Héhéhé:' "Heh, heh, heh:' 90
Séikw: "Séikw [says],
"Wáa sa K'ayeeká?" "What are you saying?"
"Kayeixtá�u adawóodli xá ax tuwáa sigóo;' "A wood shavings fight is what I want, you see;'
yóo áyu yaawak_aa X'wáal'k'. was what X'wáal'k' said.
540 .Kach hás áyu yéi s 540 They were the ones who would be responsible
kuyakuxlagéi. for many dead.9 1
Yóo shan yadaa, dáxnáx, Those two had reached old age,92
kaa shukáx yaa s awunaltsák_. they walked with canes ahead of everyone.
[Kuká�k'w]: _Káa shaanx' áwé. [Katherine Benson]: 93 They were old men.
[ShJ:.aastî]: _Káa shaanx' áyu. [Sally Hopkins]: They were old men.
De yaa ndus.át. They were were walking along.
[Aakashook]: Kashdei Kanásx. [Peter Nielsen]: I thought he was Kanásx.94
[Sh�aastî]: §ajaa Héen [Sally Hopkins]: Toward the
Noow daadéi. §ajaa Héen Fort.
Á áyu ch'a s t'ukgwas.énák'w áwé. They were pampering themselves.95
550 §ajaa Héen Noow, 550 At the §ajaa Héen Fort
dáak_náx tlél léidei shuwdul.aat. the back doors weren't shut tight.
Wóosht K'awdi�át. They were just closed.96
Uxganhéen. Coal oil.
Yu deikée áwé sagu yawdzi.aa. Wáa nanée sáwé Out there they were having fun. When was it
wdudziteen wé yaakw. somebody noticed the boat?
Anax haat uwakux It was coming through there,
koogéinaa s'aatx'i, the koogéinaa wearers
de kaa xoowu hás, already among them
wé yéi s kuyakawligeiyi _ku.oo. those who were to kil! so many.
[Kuká�k'w): Ch'as wé yaakw áwé tsáa wdudziteen. [Katherine Benson): The boat was finally seen?
560 [Sh�aasti]: Aaá, 560 [Sally Hopkins]: Yes,
yá Qagaanhittaan xoonáx nás'gináx has yatee yu from among the Sun House people there were
galsháatadi three hostages,97
_Kaachgun á. _Kaachgun was there.
Nás'gináx has yatee. There were three of them
Ach áwé tie yéi s yawdudzi_kaa, That was why they [the Russians] said to them,
"Wáa sá kawahaayi aa áhé?" ''Aanyátx'i áwé, "What's with them?" "They're nobility,
_K'alyáan kéek' hás áwé:' they're _K'alyáan's younger brothers:'
Ách áwé has du xoot óonaa x'awdudzitán. Tuis was why they aimed the gun among them.
A t'éi áwé yóo diyéenáx kwa a kát kaa seiwax'ákw While they were doing this down below, they
dá_kdei kei x'eiwaxixi x'aháat. forgot the door that opened to the back.
Yawdlixwáts X'wáal'k'. X'wáal'k' charcoaled his face.
570 Yawdlixwáts. 570 He charcoaled his face.
Dzisk'u yáx yawdlixwáts. He charcoaled his face like an owl.

Séikw tsu. Séikw too.
Hás tsu kéi s kugagáan ách They did this because they were going to be
áyu. burned alive too.
Ch'u tie áa neil has wukeeyi teen áwé a t'áagi As soon as they sat down inside, the others were
ayaawa.át. out in the back.
"Góok! Góok! Góok! Góok!" "Go! Go! Go! Go!"
Tlé a xoox has ayawli.át, They quickly set out
wé kayeixtágu. the wood shavings.
Ts'as yu éek aa áwé The Russians were only watching those coming on
dultin. the beach.
Ch'u tie wé kaa daax kéi kanagáni áwé tsá Only when the fire was flaring up around them
580 was when [they said], ''Aax di yóo ginawát!"
98
580 ''Aax di yóo ginawát;'
ch' u yaká áx', saving themselves there,

x'aan tóodei lunaagoogu yé. running to the fire there.
Yu jákwti kwá ch'a áwu yu éek. The bodies were still lying out on the beach.
A t'áagi ayaawa.át. They went around to the back.
Hóoch'. That was the end of it.
Wooooof! Kei wjituk. Wooooof! It exploded.
Yu noow shakuwát'. The tal! fort.
Ha, Now,
yáa a t'áa yeik a.áat when they carne back down to the beach,
yá jákwtix'i. the bodies
590 A yikt has 590 of the fallen
at'aa.uwaxayi yaakw áwé kuwsineix. were put aboard

Yá jákwti a yée kawdudligaa. a war canoe.99
A keekaadéi á, Across from there
Tl'ayáak' kaanáx, they rafted across 100
daak yawdudlixaanás'. Katlian Bay.
Wáashdánk'. Dog Point.
Áyá Tuis is where

át yakw.uwaháa. they went by canoe.

Dáagi wduwataan wé yaakw. The boat was brought up.
600 Dáagi kdutáan áwé, gil' shakéeK 600 When they brought it up, they sat on the top of a
ayaawakée. cliff.
Aagáa áwé wdudziteen, Tuis was when
Giyákw, the Alutiiq 101
Gidák Gidák was sighted
kei nakuxu. coming by boat.
Shee Lutóodei áyu uyéx Gidák
Gidák. had gone to Cape Ommaney.
A t'éi áyu yéi at woonei. Everything had happened while he was gone.
Ch'óo hás at'aawuxaayi áwé wé noow tlein While he was out chasing seals, everything was
shakéetK aa ku.aa finished
yan yóo at kaawatée. [with those] from the top of the big fort.
610 Aagáa áyá aa wlihaash Gidák, 610 Tuis was when Gidák floated to a stop there.
"Háa! "Well!
Wáa sá woonei noow tlein? What happened to the big fort? 102
Kindei gwáagé wdudziKóot'?" Was it pulled up?"
Yóo áyu x'ayaká. Tuis is what he said.
Wáanée sáyáa, At what point was it
has wududzineiK hás tsu, they saved
yá galsháatatx'i. their hostages, again.
Lingitch áwé át akawligán de adawóotl áyá start-x The Tlingits set a fire to it. The battle is now
wusitee. starting.
Aagáa áwé Tuis is when
620 yéi yaawakaa, "Góok, 620 they said, "Start,
haat yi.á'.' come now:'

Wé galsháatatx'i yaaK has awsi.aat. They took the hostages aboard their boat.
"Haa een has kaxyeenéek:' "You wil! teil us about them:no3
De Wáashdánk'u á. They were already at Dog Point.
Yu x'aa lukaanáx yei kawduwajél wé jákwtix'i. They unloaded the bodies at that point.
Deikée áwé áa wlihaash. He was floating at a standstill out there.
Aagáa áyá yéi daayaduká, Tuis is when they told him,

''.Aaa, Gidák_. "Hey, Gidák,
Haagu! Come here!
630 Yéi ikaxtusanéiK'.' 630 We'll spare you:'
"Há, há, há. "Ha, ha, ha.

Háa! Hah!
Xwasikóo Ká aadéi yei Kat gaKyisanq yé'.' I know how you'll spare me'.'
"Haagu!" "Come here!"
Wé kaa ku.á2Çji The interpreters
kuK has yawduwadlák had been taken back.104
k_aa xoowóo hás. They were among us.105
"Lil a Koodéi I yee tootéek "Don't think about going
yu kaa yeegáni ch'óok'. to the edge of the funeral pyre.
640 Yeehwáan tsu yax shaya kaxtusat'éix'." 640 We'll smash your heads, too'.'
Ách áwé ch'a kaa xoowu hás. That's why they were still among us.
Áa s x'akawdudlinik, The Tlingits egged them on,
"§ayKOOK Gidák!" "Call Gidák'.'
Tie has kaa x'akanéek They were interpreting
Gidák een. for Gidák.
"Yóo áhé has yee daayaká ka yóo'.' "They are saying this and that about you'.'
_Kaa yaká áa uwaxée. He stayed out on the water through the night.
Keijininái aa uwaják ch'as yá aanyátx'i. He killed five, all of them nobles.
Yáax' áwé tsá Js.aa jeet uwagut Gidák
106
650 GidáJs.. 650 finally surrendered.
Tle du een The canoes
woosh yoaxt kuwdzixix. carne along side of him.
Dei kéi kaidusgáan yu já.ls_wti, de ayeet They were already going to cremate the dead, they
awduwa.ák. had already started the fire.
Á áwé yu woosh yaaxx áwé yaa kunasxix áwé They were going along side of each other,
woosh x'anéegu kát each reinforcing their anger from the other's
áwé. words.
Du katlyaadéi wduwatsuw wé tsa�ál'. He was stabbed in the side with a spear by each
Ch'a wáa sá, ch'a néekwdein kudaanéiyin ch'a a man.101
yái. Just as he had clone painful things to them.
Jákwti, At the edge of the pyre
gánigookx', for the fallen
660 hooch' wuduwaják. 660 he met his end, he was killed.
Tle aai áwé Js.aa ioo yéi wootee wé From this point on, the interpreters
Js.aa x'akaneekx'i. were among us.
Tle has du een áwé aax naawligáas' The people moved with the interpreters
Kasdaxeixda.aan. to Gasdaxeiida.aan, [the village at Halleck lsl.]. 108
Kasdaxeiida.aanx' áwé tle tliyéi yéi koowatee. At Gasdaxeiida.aan everyone stopped.
Tléix', tléix' Js.aa káa yan Js.oowatée. One year, one year passed.'09
Yáax' áwé tsoo Here they were told
"Anóoshee "The Russians
yee eedéi s jikuida.áat;' yóo s yawdudzi.ls_aa. Ách are coming to kil! you:' Tuis was why they
áwé tle s wudzi.aat. moved.
670 Tliyaadéi 670 To the far side,
At Seiyée Tlein. to Deadman Reach.
ÁK has yawligás'. They moved on from there.
Cha ch'u tle Chaatlk'aanoownáx áyá tsu has Only at Point Craven <lid the people
kuwa.oo. settle.
Gayeis'hittaan ch'a kaa ioo The Çiayeis'hittaan
kaa ioowu hás. were still among us.
Tle tlél yéi Js.uwushtu. Toen no one thought about it.

Noow �ei aawa.át. They were living inside the fort.
Déii káa yan kutée áwé yéi After two years passed
yéi s du een kadunéek. they were told,
680 "Yóo, 680 "Up there,
yóo dikéedái, wé aan s'aati from up there, the head of the village 110
kaa jeet góot ku�akóoi kaa is coming by boat to surrender in front of the
yakaadéi:' village:'
Tle yan koowané. They were ready.
A yáx áwé. That's how it was.
Anai haat uwakui Wanáanák. Baranov arrived by boat.
Yaa at nadushéen They were singing

has du aayi [ha]s du yakwkasheeyée. their paddling song.
Yaakwnáx yawdudlitsaak we kax'wáal' déii On their mast they were flying two downs,
�ukl' x'wáal'i. swan's down.
690 A K'áagu á wé át, 690 In between was the object,
wé Seijich kut wuhooni át. the object that Seiji had sold off somewhere.111
A láanáx yawdudlitsaak. lt was in between them.

;Kaanaawuweidî sákw áyóo. That was to be payment for the fallen.
Aan }suxdei áwé }sukaxdulxux That was what they were going to persuade us
át áyóo. back with.
Tle }saa eegayáadei yaa na}su2Çu een áwé - As soon as he got to the beach in front of us -
[clapping, imitating the sound of guns] [clapping, imitating the sound of guns]
Anóoshi óonayi xá kustéeyin. [The Tlingits] used to have Russian guns.
Hóoch'. That was the end of that!
Daak kawdudli.un. They were blasted back out.
Kux wudikux yáadei. They carne back here.
700 Nás'gi áa. 700 The third time.
Aagáa áyá tsáa, It was finally then,

"Yak'éi;' yóo kuyaawakaa, "Gu déi:' "Good;' someone said. "Let's go:'
Wuduwashuch kwá s du káx' tsu yéi s They had been bathing for strength to get ready
kuwusneiyf yfs. for when the Russians would attack again.
Ha, aagáa áyá yáadu. At that point it was here.
Yáat áyá, lt was right here,
tlél héit, not there,
tlél yu _Kaasdahéen. not at Indian River.
Yáat áyá It was here
naawligás'. the clan moved.112
710 Xáawx' 710 There were logs
éekx', down on the beach,113

téix'. rocks.
Chush ya.áak sákw yéi wdudzinei. They made a place for themselves.
Á áwé wéináx yeik has awulshóowun, That was the trail that carne down through there
yu ée_k. to the beach.
Kak'áts' a x'aanf wusi.aa. Bushes with thorns grew there.
Dáak hitx'i áx yawusikée. The clan houses sat up there.114
[Kuká,!k'w]: Anóoshi? [Katherine Benson]: The Russians?
[Sh,!aast(]: Anóoshi. [Sally Hopkins]: The Russians.
Tsu ch'a s kuwlik'ei ch'a aan áyu yéi s They made peace again, but they went and did
koowanookw. this.115
720 Yáax' áwé tsáa 720 Finally, here

chush ya.áak people made places
yéi wdudzinei. for themselves.
Haw! Now!
Áhé ayáx }suyawdus.óowun. Tuis is where people were relocated.
Tlax yu tliyaadéi yan kuwa.óo Tlákwsataan. Tlákwsataan settled way over there. 11 6
Yá }saa kat'óot áwéis Halfway through were
Kadakw.ádi. the Kadakw.ádi.
[Line too faint to hear and transcribe.] [Line too faint to hear and transcribe.]
Haa yinaadéi áwé Shdéen Hit Next to us was Steel House
730 ka yáadu á 730 and the one here,
;Kooxx'áan aayi, _Kooxx'áan's [house],
Aataatseen aayî, Aataatseen's,
Tlákwsataan aayî. Tlákwsataan's.
Nás'k hit, Three houses
áx yaawa}sée. sat along there.
Tle yáa yéi Toen, in this way,

yáat here,
kóná:iç yaa ganée áwé tsáa when things were getting very bad
kaa chukaadéi wookéet'. people started to get close.
740 Yáa yeedát, yá haa ée:iç ananéekwji aa - 740 Now, the ones who bothered us117 -
Haaw! Well!
Yei áyáa Tuis is how,
yéi áyá kadulneek. this is how it was told.
Tle k'idéin koon has at wulik'ei. They made a very good peace.
Haa yá dleit káa kusteeyi yá:iç ágé wootee ch'áakw Now, was it like the culture of the whites long ago,
yá haa shukát kustéeyi aa? for these ancestors of ours?
Ách áyá tlél dleenkwát has awultéen, Tuis is why they didn't take good care of things,
yá kukawdudlitini át. because of what they imitated.
_Kaa naawuweidi s aawa.oo, The Russians
Anóoshee. made payment for the fallen.
750 Uháan kwá tlél kaa naawuweidi 750 But as for us, we didn't make payment for the
wtoo.oo. fallen.
Ch'a ldakát yéidei tie In many ways, then
has du toowu k'eiyi �aa s wooshee. they <lid what was honorable.118
_Ku:içdu.éex'ch. There would be a ceremony.119

X'éit:iç kéi dusyéekch They would open up
Déi:iç X'awool. the Two-Doored House.
Déi:iç :iç'aháat tlénx'. Two huge doors.
At:iç áwé kukanasheich Anóoshi From then on they would get drunk with the
:içoox'. Russians.
Ch'áak' :iç'ás'i tlénx' yan dul.aatch, Big eagle-jaw clippers would be filled
Anóoshi náawu. with Russian liquor.
760 Tlél wáa sá uti. 760 No problem.
Tlél kukahin. Nothing was wrong.
Haa! Well,
aadé :içaan kawdudlineegi yéi áyáa. this is how it was told to me.
Ch'a atóox' áyá kut:iç has shoowaxee-e-e-e-e-x Living this way, these people
yá ku.oo. di-i-i-i-ed.
Tléix' áyá haa kawsihidi There was just one clan house of ours,
Át Uwaxiji Hit- Strong House -
tléik', Lkwahit. no, it was Point House.
Ha kót:iç ku.aa yá haa yakaawagei. Ách áyá a Well, there became too many of us. Tuis is why
k'idaakáa yu:iç aa wligáas' yá hit. some people moved next door to this house.120
De yá ku:içwasteeyi áwé- When I was already alive-
no tlél :içat ulgé - 770 I wasn't very big -
aa�áa áwé S'é Hit wududliyé:iç. this was when Clay House was built.
De ku:içwasteeyi áwé. When I was already alive.
Shaatk'i tlein:iç :içat sitee. I was already a young woman.
Yáat'aa _lsu.aa yá a:iç káak hidi But this one, this house of my mother's brother,
áa wudunaa�i :içát tsu yoo when they stood up inside to dance, I, too, <lid the
k:içaahánk. sway dance.' 21
Aataatseen aayi. Tuis was Aataatseen's house.
Á áyá yá Shee- The song-
[Airplane noise drowns out speakers voice.] [Airplane noise drowns out speakers voice.]
[Kuká�k'w]: He.é, ch'a s'é :iç'éit:iç yakayti. [Katherine Benson]: Why don't you turn it off for
a while? 122
[Kuká�k'w]: _Kashde á áyá tle ashóodei k'idéin [Katherine Benson]: I thought you were going to
kak�ilanéek. add this too, to tell it well.
780 [Sh�aasti]: Aaá, ha á áyá a kint 780 [Sally Hopkins]: Yes, well this is it. I've only told
ka2fwaanik. part of it.
[Kuká;r_k'w]: �uwakaall2f kuwusteeyi [Katherine Benson]: When the Deer Peace
áyá, Ceremony was made,
de �uwakaan tóodei kaa sa�aháa yu T'aakó. when he wanted some people to join them from
aandá2f. Taku village to become peacemakers.
Aa�áa kaa jeedéi kaa naawuweidi áyá From when the payment for death was made,
yáadu á. that's what this is.
[Sh;r_aastf]: Ha, á áwé [Sally Hopkins]: Well, that's it,
á áwé ashóodei kakkwalaneek. that's what I'll add.
[Kuká;r_k'w, voices overlapping]: [Katherine Benson, voices overlapping]:
Á áyá That is what
yáa a shóodei keenik aa, a shóodei kak�eenéek 2fá. you're adding now, you'll be adding it now, right?
[Sh:lf_aasti]: Déi gé? [Sally Hopkins]: Are you ready?
[Knocking at door. Visitors arrive. [Knocking at the door. Visitors arrive.
Background noise and conversation.] Background noise and conversation.]
Déi gé? Are you ready?

790 Yá koo�áa át has kóo2f, 790 When they carne to get the people,
yaakwná2f ayawlitsaak, he had it on his mast,
aaa, yá aankáawu. yes, this important man.123
[Recording toofaint to transcribe.] [Recording toofaint to transcribe.]
Wanáanák. Baranof.
Yá kaa naawuweidi2f has Tuis is what they were going to use as payment for
aku2flaye2f át. our fallen.
Has du jeená2f kwá x'oon dáanaa And from their side I wonder how much money it
sákwshiyóo. would be.
Tlél kaa yáx' has akawuneek. They didn't say.
Á áyá kaa naawuweidix awliyéx. Tuis is what was used to pay for the fallen.
Á áyá yá Naawushkeitl jeex' áyó. yan uwatée. Toen it went to the stewardship of Naawushkeitl.
Yéi ákyó.? Is that right?
800 [Kuká;r_k'w, voices overlapping]: Yeah, 800 [Katherine Benson, voices overlapping]: Yeah,
du séix kawduwatee. it was put around his neck.124
[Sh;r_aasti]: Naawushkeitl jeex' áyó. [Sally Hopkins]: It was placed in the stewardship
yan uwatée. Du séi2f kawduwatee. of Naawushkeitl. lt was put around his neck.
[Kuká:lf.k'w]: Hé éekx'. [Katherine Benson]: On this beach.
[Sh&aast[]: Á áyá tsá kuxde kaa lus' [Sally Hopkins]: Tuis is what fmally caused the
wuli.aat. people to return.
Ách áyá yáa kux kuwdligás'. Tuis is why the people returned [to Sitka].
_Kaa naawuweidi s aawa.oo. They [the Russians] made payment for the fallen.
Tlél yáx at kawugei. A xoox' áyá yan uwatée yá át. Nothing could equal this. Tuis piece was included.
Ách áyá has du een Tuis was why there was
810 �uwakaan wootee. 810 the Deer Peace Ceremony with them.
A shóotx áyá tsá at wook'ei. Only after this was there peace.
Yéi yan kadayáa, After this happened,

ách áyá ch'a kaa jeet teenéen this was the reason this piece remained in
yá át. people's possession.
Ch'a a saax wusitee Tuis object made as payment for the many fallen125
yá aant keeni naawuweidix wududliyexi át. became well known.
Haa But now,
kt'.máx if only
yá �kagéi it had been given
woowáadi káa jeet teeni kát kwás tléil to someone as old as me, it would not
820 kut gugwaxeexéen. 820 have been lost. 1 26
Áyá yáa yeedadi káawu The people of today
tléil at daa yóo tootánk. don't think about these things.
Yá haa dakádin wooxeex. Ách áyá, wooyigaa It left us. Tuis is why we are becoming scattered,
yaa haa natéen a eetináx. we are in need of it.127
Haa námboo áyá haa jinák Our identity 128
wuduwahoon. was sold from us.

Ách yeedát a eetéenáx That's why we're in need of it now,
tlél aadéi yanaxtuwakaayi yé. Dleit káach yidaa we don't have anything to say [without it]. The
ktoodlaakw. white people are trying to get things from us.129
Ha, Well,
830 yéi áyáa 830 this is how much
yee een kaxwaaneek, l've told you,
aanyátx'u sáani. you noble people.
Tsu haa wu.oowu káach tsu na�a.áxji Even those who bought us130 should hear
haa kandayáayi what happened to us
shux'áanáx. in the beginning.
Aagáa áyá tsá yáax' wudixeet haa Finally, after this, our descendants multiplied over
yikyátx'i, here,
yá Sheet'ká yan aawatée. they covered Sitka.
Kiks.ádi yátx'i shux'áanáx. The children of Kiks.ádi131 were first.
Tie atx áyá tsáa From then on, finally,
840 ch'u yaká áx' tl'átgi sákw tóodei awli.aadi yé. 840 who ever wanted land claimed and took it.
Yá haa shukát kustéeyi aa kwás But those who lived before us
kutx has shuwaxeex haa nák_. died off from us.
Ha yáa yeedát And now
tléil ax tuwáa ushgu I don't want
aan xat wunaawóo. to die with it.
Ax yátx'i k_udziteeyi yéix', W hite my children are alive,
kaxyisakóo you wil! all remember:
yáat'aa this
yee tláa lilak'w hás kandayáayi. is what happened to your mother's ancestors.
850 Ách áyá kaxrisakóo yee nák naxagutni. 850 Tuis is how you wil! remember when I leave you.
Yéi áyá yándei yakwkwakáa. These are the words I will leave behind.
[A pause, after which recording resumes.J [A pause, after which recording resumes.] 132
Aaa, Yes,
ách xát because
yá Lkwahitnáx I was born
kuxwdzitee. in the Point House.1 33
15.'alyáan du káak áyóo, yáa yeedadi aayi 15.'alyáan 15.'alyáan's maternal uncle, the Kalyáan of today's
du káak, maternal uncle,
ax léelk'w, was my grandfather,

ax éesh du éesh. my father's father.
Sheek yóo áyu dusáagun. His name was Sheek_.

860 Du éesh ku.aa, yu Sheek du éesh ku.aa áyóo 860 His father, the father of Sheek_,
Aankáak'u yóo áyó dusáagun, Hátjayi. was named Aank_áak'u [and] Hátjayi.1 34
Kaagwaantaan dachxánx áyu wsitee ax éesh. My father was a grandchild of Kaagwaantaan.
Ách áyó du aat aawasháa, ax tláa That's why he married his paternal aunt,
aawasháa. he married my mother.
Ách yá uháan kuwtudzitee. Tuis is how we were born.
Jinkaat ka déixináx haa wootee. There were twelve of us.
Ha kutx kwá has shoowaxeex ax nák_. But they all <lied off from me.
Tléináx áyá kuxdzitee l'm the sole survivor,
aaa, yes,
870 yee tláak'w hás eetéex'. 870 in place of your maternal aunts.
Aadéi kuwtudziteet'i yé áyá. Tuis is how we were born.
Ha yáadu á ax tláak'w Well, here is my maternal aunt,
ax tláa du kéek'. my mother's younger sister.
Aaa, Yes,
Chookánk' du séex áyó wsitee Jeextsóow. Jeextsóow was the daughter of Chookánk'.
Ax tláa du kéek'. My mother's younger sister.
Ách áyu Tuis is why
wduwasháax'w she was asked to marry,
Chookán Éesh for Chookan Éesh
880 jiyis. 880 to take her hand.
Á áyá tléináx áyáa And now the only one
ax t'akkáwu aa beside me,
yá ax kéek'átsk'u. is my beloved younger sister.
Hóoch'! No more!
Hóoch'! No more!
Shuwlihaash haa adawóodlee Our troubles have floated out 135
haa káak hás aanéex'. on our maternal uncles' land.
Ax kéek', My younger sister
yáanax.áwu ax éesh du kéilk'i aayi áyá. is on this side, my father's nephew's child.
890 Aaa, 890 Yes,
yáa this
K'inaa Éesh daughter
du sée áyóo of K'inaa Éesh
Kukáxk'w. Kukáxk'w.
Nás'gináx á Three of us
kutudzitee. are alive.
Haa, yáanax.á aa ku.aa But those on this side,
yá ax éesh du aat hás, these paternal aunts of my father,1 36
dáxnáx áyá s kudzitee, hás ku.aa. two of them are living.
900 Yá a dagiyigé aa 900 The ones in between,
Kus.een Tláa du dachxanx'i yán [are] the grandchildren of Kus.een Tláa,
nás'gináx has yatee, there are three of them,
káax'w, men,
káax'w tsó. men also.
Hóoch' áyáa. There are no more.
Yá ax aayi ax yátx'i These children of mine,
dáxnáx káa yát áyá, nás'gináx, there are two male children, three of them,
daax'oonináx. four.
Sháa Jswá dáKnáJ.Ç wootee. And there were two women. 1 37

910 Aaa, yá aJ.Ç kéek'átsk'u aayf tsóo 910 Yes, and those of my younger sister, too, 1 38
aa wooneiJ.Ç du yátx'u sáani. some of her children are alive.
Hóoch' áyá aadéi áa shatudakéeJ.Ç yé Tuis is all of us who still wake up here
yá haa káak hás aanf. on this land of our maternal uncles.
Ách áyóo That was why
wutuwa.oowu káa wakshiyeex' in the eyes of the people we bought 139
uwayáa sh wutoosht'éex'i, it's as if we are rooted in place
tléix' yanaJ.Ç kawsi.aayi aas yáJ.Ç. like a solitary tree with many roots.' 40
Yéi áyáa Tuis is how
haa kusteeyée our Jives
920 eeshandéin yatee yeedát, 920 are pitiful today,
[ Questions from Kuká:é'w and Aakashoofs., [ Questions from Katherine Benson and Peter
toa faint to hear.] Nielsen, toa faint to hear.]
yá §ayeis'hittaan we who are children
yikyátx'iK haa sateeyf. of §ayeis'hittaan.
Aa�áa áyáa, Tuis is when
yáa aK tláa du tláak'w, my mother's maternal aunt

Kayik AKaa Kayik AKaa
Chookánk'fch áyó woosháax'w was asked for her hand in marriage by Chookánk'
shux'áanáK. in the first place.
Du sée áwé kuwdzitee Her daughter JeeJ.Çtsóow
JeeKtSÓOW. was born.
930 Du yinaadéi áwéi 930 After her
Yeildzóo. Yeildzóo.
Du yinaadéi áwé Tl'aakák'w. After him was Tl'aakák'w.
Yéi áyá s yakaawagei. Tuis is how many there were.

Áyá du yikyátx'i áyá, yáa aJ.Ç kéek'átsk'u These are her children, my younger sister's
aayée. children.
AtJ.Ç áwés yá aK tláa, And then this mother of mine
yá aK éesh jee yéi wootee. was with my father.
AK tláa du tláa, My mother's mother
Kashaawát. was Kashaawát.
Du sée áyó aK tláa shux'aa yádi, Her daughter, her first child, was my mother,
940 S'eistaan. 940 S'eistaan.
Du yinaadéi áwéi After her was
DaaKtináa. DaaKtináa.
Du yinaadéi áwéi After him
Kaalxaach. Kaalxaach.
Du yinaadéi áwéi After her
KaajeeKs.een á. KaajeeKs.een.
Yáadu áwé hóoch'i aayf, Here is the last one,
Kaak'wáa Éesh. Kaak'wáa Éesh.
Haa, Now,
950 atK áwés yáadu du kéek'. 950 following them here is her younger sister.
AK tláa du kéek' áyóo, Tuis was my mother's younger sister,
Kaalxaach. Kaalxaach.
Kaayéigich áyu uwasháa, Kaayéigi married her,

Kaalxaach wuduwasháax'w. Kaalxaach was asked in marriage.
A tóox' áwé kuwdzitee du sée In this marriage her daughter was born,
Sawduhaa á. Sawduhaa.
Tléináx wootee. She was the only child.
Atx áyóo yá Sawduhaa shaawátx nastée When Sawduhaa became a woman
yá du léelk'uch woosháax'w, her grandfather Tak'xoo asked for her hand in
Tak'xooch á. marriage.
960 Aagáa áyá yá Tak'xoo du yéet kuwdzitee, 960 Tuis was when Tak'xoo's son was born,
Shaayeexáak á. Shaayeexáak.
Aaa, yá dáxnáx yateeyi aa kwá s woonaa. But the other two died.
Has woonaa, hás _ku.aa. As for them, they died.
Atx áwé yáadei From then up to now
tléix' kwáan, neil kwáan yátx'ix has they became one group, the children of one house
wusitee, group/ 41
wóosh teen naa yátx'eex. all together the children of one clan.
Aaa, yá ax léelk'w Yes, this grandfather of mine
_Xwaantán á. was _Xwaantán.
Du yátx'i áyás tsu kuwdzitee. His children were also born.
970 Atx áyóo yáade 970 From then, here,

du sée, du káawu woonaa. his daughter's husband <lied.
Yáadu. Here.
Dax.aax wusitee yá du xux jeex'. She became her husband's second wife.142
Du sée áwés kuwdzitee, X'akjeek T láa á. His daughter was born, X'akjeek Tláa.
Haa, Well,
yéi áyá xwasikóo. this is how I know it.
Yá i tláa aayi kwá tléil xwasaku yá, As for your mother, l don't know
yá du éesh. [who] her father [was].1 43
[A pause, after which recording resumes.] [A pause, after which recording resumes.]
[Kuká�k'w]: Ch'oo yéi áwé sh keelneek, [Katherine Benson]: You're telling it right, my
shátx older sister,
980 yáa yeedát 980 right now,
yá aadéi the way
anáax daak keenikji yé, you're explaining
yá haa _kusteeyi. this genealogy of ours.
Aaa, Yes,
hé ax léelk'w this grandmother of mine
yéi x'ayakáayin, "Tléil gunakáa, tléix' Kikssháa;' used to say, "There's no one else, just the one
yóo. group of Kiks.ádi women:'
Áyá yáa yeedát i x'éidei xaa.áxch, shátx. And now, this is what I hear you saying, older sister.
Ách áwé Tuis is the reason
xáach tsu yáa yeedát yá, I am also [ talking] now
990 i x'a.itx' 990 after you,
yá about this,
aadéi sh wutudzineixi yé, after what you told
yá keeyaneegi. about how we survived.
Aaa, Yes
yá ax tláa this mother of mine,
yáa Yankawgé Yankawgé,
Jilkáatnáx áyu yu.á kuwdzitee. it's said she was born from Chilkat.
Jilkáat aa Kaagwaantaan yádix wusitee. She was a child of the Chilkat Kaagwaantaan.
Ách kuwtudzitee uháan tsu hu Tuis is how we too were bom, because she was
kuwusteeyéech. bom.
1,000 Xát ku.aa áyás 1,000 But as for me,
ch'a yáanáx my fathers are Wooshkeetaan
yu ax éesh hás áyá Wooshkeetaan. from here.
Ách áyá yáa yeedát sh wutoosneixée Tuis is why those of us who survived
ch'a yá haa yátx'u sáani gukáax' are telling this
yóo x'atuli.átk. for the ears of our young children.
Áyá yáax' akanéek yá ax shátxich yá aadéi haa Tuis is what this older sister of mine is explaining
wooneixi yé, de ch'á x'oonk'éenáx sá. here, how we survived, just so few of us.
Yéi áyá yáa Toen this:
yá xát áyáa as for me,
yá ax séek' áyá kudzitee. this daughter of mine is alive.
1,010 Du niyaadéi áyáa 1,010 After her
yá káax siteeyi aa yá Xaayaduskaa. the one who is a man, Xaayaduskaa.
Du niyaadéi X'akjeek Tláa After him is X'akjeek Tláa.
Du yátx'oo sáani ku.aa áyás tsu has ]sudzitee. Her little children are also alive.
Ha de ch'a á áyá akanéek yá ax shátxich; Tuis is what my older sister is telling about;
de hóoch' áyá. this is all of us.
De á áyá át haa shoowaxix yá haa káak There are no more of us here on this land of our
hás aani. maternal uncles.
De ldakát Tuis is all of us,
tlél daatx sá haa usti. we're down to nothing.
Áyá yáa yeedát yáax' yaa akanalnigi xáach tsu yáa And now, 1, too, have added here to what
yeedát adaat x'axwditaan. she told.
Haa yáa Now this:
1,020 kéi nawat aa 1,020 the ones that are growing up,
yá haa yátx'u sáani these children of ours,
haa dachxanx'i sáani, our grandchildren,
tie tléil déi s awusku. already they don't know it.
Ách áyá yáa yeedát ch'a wóoch een sh Tuis is why now we're telling it to each other just
katoolneek. now.144
Adax yá ax shátxi een yáax' woosh xánt Because of this, my older sister and I are sitting
tuda]séen. together.
Áyá yéi kugei áyá xáach tsu Tuis is how much I too
aa kakkwanéek. will tel1.
Yéi áyá. Tuis is all. 145
Eventually we received the support and encouragement of

Notes the leaders of all the Kiks.ádi clan houses.
The recording contains a wealth of historica!, cultural,
1. We thank the students, elders, and community members and genealogical information. As noted throughout, there
who participated in our spring 2007 lntroduction to Tlingit are challenges to understanding the recording, and we have
Oral Literature class at the University of Alaska Southeast found no-one alive today with the grasp of information it
both on-site and through distance delivery for their careful presents. The text and translation will provide a starting
proofreading of this text as a class activity: in Juneau, Linda point for future cultural and genealogical research by clan
Belarde and Lance Twitchell; in Sitka, Corinne Brown, Kassy and community members, and will offer historians world
Eubank-Littlefield, Al Gray, Franklin James, David Kanosh, wide another important piece of the puzzle of Russian
Nels Lawson, John and Roby Littlefield, Ethe! Makinen, American history.
Vivian Martindale, Silvia and Willis Osbakken, Irene Paul, The recording is also valuable for linguistic reasons, which
and Al Wilson; in Anchorage, Vivian Mork. We especially also present challenges. On the recording, Sally Hopkins is
thank Jeff Leer, Alaska Native Language Center, Univer speaking a now-extinct dialect of Tlingit. We had trouble
sity of Alaska Fairbanks, for his careful reading of the text hearing the recording in places, and we also had to decide
and for his suggestions of notes on grammar and style. We how much phonetic detail to record to balance our desire
appreciate the additional ears and eyes. As editors, we as to reflect the unique features of her speech, but still make it
sume full responsibility for any errors that may have slipped accessible to the genera! reader and learner of Tlingit. Our
through. compromise is described below.
The narrative is difficult to follow at first reading because One of the most distinctive features of Sally Hopkins's
it is different from what we might expect of an historica! ac speech is the sound we write here as ji, called "dotted y"
count. It is intended to show the relatives and descendants or ''y-umlaut:' Although the sound has been described as
of Sally Hopkins how they are connected to the events of "gamma;' written y, Jeff Leer reports that this is not the case,
1802 and 1804. Therefore, her organization is not chrono because the "gamma" is a fricative and ji is not a fricative. Leer
logica!, but seems to be genealogical. Her storyline is a fam describes it as a high, back, unrounded semi-vowel, written
ily line and not a linear sequence of events. In fact, she col in IPA as UJ· Leer suggests calling the letter "yamma:'
lapses some episodes and changes back and forth between The ji sound has been lost in modern Tlingit. Jeff Leer
episodes. She assumes that we already know the basic "plot suggests that Sally's speech may reflect that of a transitional
outline" of the battles of 1802 and 1804. Therefore, we place generation between an older generation that had ji exclu
the Sally Hopkins account last, although it was the first we sively, and the modern generation that has lost it. Early Rus
worked with, at the request of the family of Sally Hopkins, sian transcriptions spell the sound with g. Sally's generation
and it was the narrative that started this entire book. We seems to have had a mixture of ji, y, and w. Variation be
hope that more research can be done on this narrative tween y and w depends on phonetic environment: a� yéet
by more people and at greater leisure once the book is in (my child) du wéet (his/her child). We decided to write both
print. the ji and these w sounds as ji, because spellings such as du
The narrative by Sally Hopkins is especially valuable for jiéet (closer to modern du yéet) proved in field testing and
several reasons. It was recorded in August 1958, fifty years proofreading to be less confusing to readers than du wéet.
prior to the publication of the present book, when Sally was The history of the ji sound helps explain the alternation of y
eighty-one years old. Since she was fluent in Tlingit by the and w in modern Tlingit grammar, especially noticeable in
age of five, for linguistic purposes, her speech is a window the y classifier and in perfective verb forms.
back in time to the spoken language of 125-30 years ago. For Other unique linguistic features are some patterns of in
historica! and cultural content, it is probable that when Sally tonation and vowel length. Here, again, we compromised in
was a child, there were persons still alive in the community our transcription. In most of our work, we tend to standard
who knew Baranov, who left Sitka in 1818, fifty-nine years ize spellings of demonstratives and suffix vowels as short,
before Sally was bom. The events of 1802 and 1804 were still following northern Tlingit usage, where centra! and south
strong in the memories of persons alive in Sally's childhood ern communities tend to use Jonger vowels. In these cases,
and youth, as were the family names and genealogies. there is no difference in meaning. Sally Hopkins is not uni
As noted above, this text is important as the starting point formly long or short, but has some vowels short, some long,
for the present book. In the mid-198os we were requested and some "half-long:' Tuis Jatter we do not attempt to reflect
by the daughter and grandson of Sally Hopkins to transcribe in the transcription. But otherwise, we have tried to follow
and translate the tape recording, and we received the en her pronunciation. Here are some examples:
couragement and cooperation of the National Park Service.
Short Long Meaning 6. As described above in her narrative, Sally Hopkins uses
yá yáa this both the long and short forms of the word (yá and yáa).
yû yóo that While we generally standardize short in our publications,
áyá áyáa this is here we try to follow the narrator as closely as possible.
áyû áyóo that is 7. Our convention has been to translate house names, but
Anóoshi Anóoshee Russian. not clan names. So we translate §ayéis' Hft as Iron House,
Also linguistically unique to this text is Sally's pronun but retain the clan name §ayeis'hittaan (literally, People
ciation of the conjugation prefix ga- in future verb forms. of the Iron House). Sally Hopkins pronounces the names
Tuis is described in detailed notes to lines 403 and 623. In with "stolen stress" so we spell them as §ayeis' Hft and
places where all modern speakers have the sound g, Sally §ayeis'hittaan. Phonetically, she often says §ayes'hittaan.
sometimes has g and sometimes k. Tuis is not random or We use this convention with other house and clan names.
free variation. In one passage in particular, she has different See the Tlingit name list for more information. Tuis term is
characters speaking with different pronunciations. Tuis sug also used with the secondary meaning of "jail house:'
gests that there may have been dialect variation from family 8. Phonetically, her pronunciation of ji here and in line
to family or clan house to clan house. 41 below is more like du wéet (influenced by the u). As ex
Her delivery is generally slow and deliberate, often with plained above, we still transcribe this as ji. Although less
slight pauses between lines. We note with a space between phonetically accurate, it is less confusing for readers. Like
lines only the Jonger, more significant pauses - either pauses wise for du waakoosgeiyi in line 38, and similar situations
in the running narrative, or where a difference in volume where her ji after u is pronounced w. In other environments
suggests the microphone was moved and/or the recorder the semivowel sound of ji is retained. We have tried to note
was turned off and then on again. There seems to be a canary all instances of ji in contrast to y, but we have no doubt
chirping loudly in the background. missed some.
Her pronunciation is very conservative, not only with the 9. Shk'awulyeil was the great-grandfather of Sally's mother.
ji described above, but with automatic labialization of velars Tlingit does not distinguish between grandparent genera
in the environment of u and oo. We do not reflect this pho tions (grandparent, great, great-great, etc.). Sally Hopkins
netic level in our transcription, nor do we indicate where and her descendants, her siblings' descendants, and the de
false starts are edited out. scendants of her mother's siblings (such as A.P. Johnson,
In editing this text, we have tried to keep the genera! Emily Williams, and others) trace their ancestry in a direct
reader and learners of Tlingit in mind, but this text in line to Shk'awulyeil. We do not have research time to de
particular (as well as other older recordings such as Alex velop a complete genealogical chart, but here we list for each
Andrews above in this book) cries out for a separate mono generation a key figure in the context of this book. Tuis will
graph featuring closer, technica! phonetic transcription and help others connect themselves to this family tree. We apol
annotation by and for specialists. We anticipate that in the ogize for not being able to list all of the people connected.
future the sound recording may be available to students and a. Aankalaseek, Sally's great-great-great-grandfather,
specialists interested in a closer, more technica! analysis of father of
the phonetics of the narrative, which preserves many con b. Shk'awulyeil, Sally's great-great-grandfather,
servative features of older Tlingit. father of
2. Peter Nielsen, Aakashook, is son of Sally Hopkins. In c. T'ákwjaa, Sally's great-grandfather,
his prolog he invites his mother to provide a definitive his father of
tory of their ancestors. d. Kashaawát, Sally's grandmother,
3. Literally, "Let us set it down" (on paper or on tape). mother of
4. The literal meaning is "Tuis is how we became human:' e. S'eistaan, mother of Sally and her siblings, including
Lingit means "human;' or "Tlingit:' A paraphrase would be the grandmother of A.P. Johnson and the grandmother
"this is how we became who we are today as Tlingit human of Emily Williams
beings;' or "How our lives are as Tlingits:' f. Sally Hopkins and siblings, including the mother of
5. Yes. In Tlingit narratives and oratory, this is sometimes Emma D uncan
pronounced aaá, with a high tone on the second syllable, g. Amy Nelson and siblings, including Peter Nielsen, fa
meaning "yes" (as in lines 16 and 800, in response to a ques ther of Ray Nielsen; James D. Williams, father of Marie
tion). At other times it is with a low tone, in which case it Olson and siblings; Emma Olsen
functions more as a verba! pause or "thinking word:' We h. Andrew Ebona and siblings.
decided to write this with no tone mark in all instances, but 10. Literally, Aankalaseek took Skajeek to wife. There are
still translate it as "yes;' feeling that it conveys more than two different verbs in Tlingit for "to marry;' depending on
English "umm" or "uh:' whether the subject of the sentence is male or female.
11. One would expect the direct object a- hut it can ap pears in several versions of the history. We have also trans
parently be omitted in this older dialect if the incorporated lated with the pronouns "us" and "we" a few lines below.
noun ji- is included in the verb. 29. Sally Hopkins pronounces this name with a voiced [,
12. Phonetically, here and elsewhere she joins the name which is an older Tlingit substitution for an English or Rus
and -á: S�utóot-á or S�utóodá. sian n. We believe this to be the Sitka interpreter Aniushka
13. Sally Hopkins emphasizes that she didn't marry a man ("Annie"), mentioned by Filipp Kashevarov. She survived the
of Kaagwaantaan, hut of _Gayeis'hittaan. The narrator is be 1796 shipwreck in Cook Inlet and was presumably alive in
ing careful to maintain the historica! distinction between 1802 and 1804. She also pronounces the name Daalnéiiç_' with
two clans generally lost today. a voiced l (written underlined) instead of n: Daalléii.
14. Phonetically, yáala�.á. 30. X'us'noowu, Crab Apple Fort (not to be confused with
15. In this line and the next déi is an enclitic and not a Xutsnoowu, Angoon) was located on Alice Island. During
postposition. World War II, Alice and Charcoal Islands were joined to
16. Although we can't confirm it, this sounds like a prov gether and to Japonski Island, to build the Sitka Airport.
erb or proverbia! expression referring to a naturally occur Alice Island is closer to the bridge, Charcoal Island closer
ring or inevitable event. to the runway.
17. Phonetically wookw déi, where -gu becomes -kw. Déi 31. We follow our Sitka colleagues' suggestion that the
is an enclitic. Tlingit term waal (hole) probably refers to a seawater cave,
18. Here and in line 312 the suffix -t' indicates repeated, possibly near Silver Bay.
plural action. Not only were they born, they multiplied. 32. The Tlingits called the Russian ships aan, hence
19. Or, "used to be:' The verb is attributive decessive per aandaa.óonaa (cannon), aandaayaagu (longboat), etc.
fective. 33. Another suggested reading is to understand the Eng
20. Low tone on ach, where high ách is expected. There lish word used in the Tlingit text as "steady;' as in to steady a
is a pattern in the narrative of ách being pronounced with ship, or keep it on course. But here the ship is at anchor and
a lower tone than the following áyá or áyu, creating a se ready to open fire. Also, the lines following suggest that the
quence of three increasing rising tones. Tlingits had studied Russian battle tactics. In line 213 she
21. Káa is high where low is expected. carefully pronounces "study " (not "sdádi"). Line 211 is pos
22. The clan houses were sitting on Noow Tlein, Castle sibly yéi at duwasáakw, "there is a thing they call 'study:"
Hili, in what is now downtown Sitka. 34. Reference is to ritual bathing in the sea to strengthen,
23. Tuis line is very difficult to hear on the recording. Also, purify, and focus on the coming battle.
many speakers say yéi yakugéi. 35. Tuis is the Raven Helmet described in other narratives.
24. In normal pronunciation of the clan house names, See the color section for photographs of it.
the tone is often "stolen" from the first word, so that Luká 36. Reference is to the houses built in the pit within the
becomes Luka Hft, with only one high tone in the phrase. fort at Indian River.
Likewise Tináa Hft and Tinaa Hft. These names could be 37. A pelt is worn over one shoulder like a half-cape, with
written as one word, hut we prefer to spell them as two the ether side under the arm.
words in Tlingit and English. Sally Hopkins pronounces 38. The verb tufs..ugé uses the incorporated noun prefix
this Lkwahft. form of tóofs., usually meaning "rump:' We understand this
25. Tuis is a transition to the historica! events of 1804. In to be the "butt" end of the hammer, i.e., the striking part of
the narrative, the place name is pronounced as a compound the head and not the handle. She seems to hesitate using this
noun, with one tone and the second vowel short, so we write descripter, hut can't think of a better one.
it as one word (_Kaasdahéen) instead of two words (Kaasdaa 39. Sally Hopkins uses the Tlingit word aka.áwli. In
Héen). Speakers vary slightly on pronunciation of this and northern Tlingit this is aya.áawoo. We understand this to
other place names, as in the American varieties of "New be a leather strap.
Orleans:' 40. Future sequentia!.
26. The narrator pauses here; the tape recorder is turned 41. The Russians are laughing because they think he is
off, and then on again. <lead.
27. After the pause, line 170 is considerably louder, faster, 42. Sally Hopkins uses the word guxkáa. In northern dia
and more emphatic, almost defensive. lects, this is xakwkáa, meaning sandbar.
28. The Tlingit is more literally, "They didn't bother them" 43. Here yakw is incorporated noun prefix (from yaakw).
and "they moved away from their pursuer:' We have clarified In lines 265 and 268 above it is also phonetically shortened
the pronouns based on our understanding of the passage, and could be spelled yakwkáa hut we have not combined
namely that the Kiks.ádi were trying to avoid conflict and the bases.
had already given up Castle Hili. The interpreter motif ap-
44. By now it is clear that Sally Hopkins does not lower i take this to be part of the dramatic dialog of the character
to e and ee to ei before uvulars. speaking, and not the narrator clearing her throat.
45. Sally Hopkins uses the Tlingit word T'ikanaa, meaning 68. Tlingit line 399 du jiá,;f. Sally Hopkins probably retains
"outside to seaward tribe;' in this context referring not to the a phonetic distinction between du jiá:f (= du wá:f) "his face"
Aleuts, but to Tlingits from the outer coast. from du yá,;f "Like him:'
46. We have standardized here to ji; Sally Hopkins says At the plot level, this is a pivotal section in the narrative.
/s.uwaawadlaafs.. Ka)sáayee is insulting Stoonook. The Tlingit is like the Eng
47. There is a short break here. The recorder was probably lish idiom "He rubbed his face in it;' - literally "his face-over
turned off for Sally Hopkins to rest. him he-moved-with-words:'
48. The narrator seems to contradict herself here; else There is a double layer of insult here because the graceless
where K'alyáan is identified with the Point House. clan brother is embarrassing and insulting his guest in the
49. Variant pronunciation. See Xaayadus}saa in appen present by reminding him of the past embarrassing and in
dix 11. sulting incident of the man in jail, and taunting him with it.
50. We interpret this grammatica! construction to mean Tuis ultimately motivates the Kiks.ádi to take action against
that the person has acquired a second name, such as Prince the Russians and clear their name, reputation, and honor.
Albert may rule as King George, or a bishop takes a new 69. On the tape, you can hear her sliding something like
name when elected pope. a plate on the table.
51. Modern pronunciation is Aak'wtaatseen, with diminu 70. Tlingit line 403 tlél gu/s.alaseen, "I won't hide it:' Sally
tive -k'w-. Hopkins's pronunciation of future forms is complex and de
52. The Tlingit has a form difficult or impossible to equate serves further linguistic analysis. In future forms, four po
in English: (ha)s fs.uwdziteet'. Here the suffix -t' indicates re sitions in the Tlingit verb complex are typically contracted:
peated action, something like "kept on being born" or "were irrealis prefix (u-), conjugation prefix (ga-), aspect prefix
repeatedly bom;' or "multiplied:' (Jra-), and the appropriate subject pronoun. In Sally's speech,
53. Tuis is a transition to the historica! events of 1802. the singular forms retain the conjugation prefix g-, but in
54, Or, "He got us in trouble:' plural forms it may be replaced by k.
55. Sally Hopkins pronounces _Kunaa with voiced l replac 1s gufs.a-
ing n. 2s gaJree-
56. Here we understand noow tlein (not capitalized) to re 3s guJra-
fer not to Castle Hili (as in Tlingit line 145 and English line 4s ga,;fdu-
146 above), but literally to the "big fort" of the Russians at 1p ka:f_too-
Old Sitka. In 1802 the Tlingits were still living at Castle Hili; 2p ka;sjiee-
Baranov occupied the site after the Battle of 1804. See note 103 to line 623 below for detail on use of k.
57. Literally, "He ochered his face with Tlingit ocher:' 71. Tuis line sounds like a proverbia! expression, but does
58. The Tlingit is phonetically du wáwoo; this is du yáwoo not seem to be. Perhaps an English equivalent would be
in contemporary Tlingit. something like, "They treat me royally in other places:'
59. The Tlingit may be at l6o:f gu,;fsatee. 72. The Tlingit word haat refers to a very strong, rush
60. Or, "They didn't let it bother them:' ing tide.
61. No one took it seriously. lt stopped on its own. 73. Here and in line 424 below, the Tlingit is Jréen and Jréen
62. Tuis is a proverbia! expression, meaning that a person wás'i. In English, Silverberry bush, Elaeágnus commutata
of privilege is pampered, accommodated, served whatever Bernh. (Hultén 1968:684, Trelaway 1983:95). Found in cen
he asks for. tra! Alaska to southwest Yukon; not attested on the coast,
63. The Tlingit is literally "carried around:' Although hon but found in Atlin and Teslin (Leer, personal communica
ored guests were literally carried to shore, we take this as tion, November 13, 2006). The story suggests there was a
a figure of speech here, that they were treating him as a place along the Chilkat River where the plant was found.
dignitary. The fruit is eaten. Here, the branches are used for beating in
64. Tuis is more commonly said today as "I gu.aa yá� ritual training and purification before battle. See the notes
x'wán:' to Alex Andrews for more detail.
65. They are literally tearing a large piece of dried, smoked 74. There is remarkably high frequency of the prefix
fish so that guests can reach into a bowl and get individual k'i- ("at the base of") it the verbs in this and the following
pieces to eat. sentence. The speaker is demonstrating the size of bundle
66. Literally, "carne inside and squatted down:' to tie at the base of the branches, to be used for ritual beat
67. There is a deliberate clearing of the throat here. We ing, as in a steam bath.
75. Tleitaat is an old compound word for tléix' taat, Jimmy and grandmother of Ken Perkins, the current leader
meaning "one whole night:' of the Steel House,was present at the recording.
76. See also line 348 above for a different form of this 94. The name is possibly Kanási or Kanás with suffix -;?f,
word. belonging to a verb like wusitee understood but not spoken.
77. The verb is potential ("might"). 95. The line is difficult to translate. The Tlingit stem énk'w
78. The verb is hard to hear; almost sounds like yéi describes a spoiled baby who cries a lot. A possible trans
yawoofs.aa, possibly an irrealis form. lation is "They were resting;' but we decided to stick more
79. In this passage, Sally Hopkins uses different voices closely to the Tlingit with "They were pampering themselves:'
for the narrator and the two men talking. The narrator is a Tuis is consistent with the Russian documentation that the
"regular" voice - quiet, careful, precise, but not slow (lines attack happened on a Sunday,when the residents of the fort
458,460-62, 47off.). _K'alyáan speaks in a "big man" voice - were resting and had the day off for leisure activities.
weighty low, slow (lines 459, 463-64, 467, 469). Stoonook 96. Two different Tlingit verbs are used here. We under
has yet another voice (lines 465-66, 468). stand the lines to mean that the doors were closed or shut
80. From [sh ka]neelneek déi, "Give me the news now!" but were not bolted or barred.
81. Literally,"I was rubbed all over his face;· like English 97. The Tlingit term, g_alsháatadi, can mean "prisoner"
"They rubbed my face in it:' or "hostage:· In this context,we understand this to refer to
82. Or,"join in the fight:' Tlingit women living with the Russians,and in the following
83. The Tlingit term used is l s'aati át, literally "master dialog the Russians ask them to identify the attacking Tlin
less object;' a special category of at.óow referring to an ob gits. We use the term "hostage" here and in the following
ject left behind after the owner's death. See the introduc passages to refer to the Tlingit women whom the Tlingits
tion to Dauenhauer and Dauenhauer 1990,especially pages take back, interrogate,and use as interpreters in the Gidák
16-17. In this passage, the Eagle moiety people mentioned episode. Jeff Leer hears nás'k áyu here rather than nás'giná;?f,
below were negotiating, presumably between the Kiks.ádi suggesting that Sally Hopkins is counting captives as non
and the Kaagwaantaan,in an effort to avoid a battle and to humans and not using the human suffix with numbers. In
dissuade the Kiks.ádi from attacking the Russians to save 563 below the human suffix is clear.
their honor. 98. Tuis is a Tlingit imitation of Russian speech. Jeff Leer
84. I.e., they pulled apart the people who were quarreling. hears this as áaxdi yaga{awaat. Possibly axrn: or ax TbI in
85. The recording sounds like ;,ç_'awduwas'[t, but ;?f'awdu Russian.
wawóos' makes more sense here. Tuis and the line above are 99. We are still not satisfied with our understanding and
hard to hear. translation of this sentence, lines 587-92 in Tlingit.
86. There is a minimal pair between the two-word phrase 100. Possibly yawdudli;?f.áanás', although everyone today
dáa/s.ná:;?f. á "through the back of the village" + á "it is" and says yawdudli;?f,aanás'.
dáafs.na;?f,.á (one word) "the upland / inland / rear side:' 101. The recording has Giyákw, "Aleut;' (specifically Alu
87. Tuis sentence is ambiguous. It could mean that the tiiq or Sugpiaq of Prince William Sound) followed by Gidák,
Russians at Old Sitka were not aware that the Tlingits had emphasized. It is unclear if she is correcting herself (in
left their fort at Castle Hili for the attack; or,the narrator which case Giyákw is a false start and should be omitted) or
could be confusing the battles of 1802 and 1804. The next if she meant to identify Gidák as an Alutiiq, in which case
dozen lines include images normally associated with the it should be inserted (although actually he was a Fox Island
1804 battle: evacuation of the Indian River fort, the white or Unangan Aleut).
flag,and the name Lsagooháa. 102. The Tlingit here has noow tlein, literally "big fort;'
88. There is some irony in the names. Séikw is the stem for and refers in this context to the Russian fort and not the
"breath" and "being alive;' and X'wáal'k' literally means "little Tlingit fort by the same name on Castle Hili.
down (feather);' a traditional symbol of peace. 103. In this passage there is interesting linguistic and sty
89. The Tlingit word adawóotl means "trouble;· especially listic use of grammar. Where most speakers today have ini
trouble that involves or leads to fighting. Another English tia! g in the conjugation prefix that is one indicator of the
translation here might be "asking for trouble:' future,Sally Hopkins has some characters using g and some
90. The character is laughing here. using kin dialog. Both forms still exist and are acceptable.
91. Sally has future form with k. Most speakers today Kiks.ádi characters use k (lines 623, 630). The Unangan
would say /s.uyag_u;?f.lagéi. Aleut Qidak uses g (633). Sally Hopkins in her "narrative
92. Literally,"had come to the face of old age:' The Tlingit voice" seems to use k (653,694,794,847). In dialog from an
shan yadaa is a contracted form of shaan yadaa. unidentified,non-Kiks.ádi speaker, kis also used (669). Tuis
93. Katherine Benson, IÇuká2Çk'w, the mother of Irene cries out for more technica! transcription and analysis.
104. The Tlingit verb also suggests "won over;' "persuaded;' yam or motion dance. Performed by women during the
"convinced:' joyous part of a ceremony, it is characterized by the use of
105. The bilingual women interpreters who had been in yam bundles wom hanging in front of the ears from head
the fort with the Russians are now taken back by the Tlingits, bands, and set in motion by swaying. See Dauenhauer and
who are now giving commands to them. Dauenhauer 1990:62, 271, 275, 410, 413.
106. This line is spoken with a heavy sigh. Sally Hopkins is 122. The interruption comes when Sally Hopkins is "on a
very close to the story and to the protagonists. It's just like roll:' Katherine Benson has to try to patch the hole in the
yesterday to her. fabric of the story, and uses the opportunity to clarify an im
107. Sally Hopkins says tsa!J.ál'. A variant form is tsaa!J.ál; portant point. Unfortunately, there are further disruptions
with a long vowel. in the recording session.
108. Sally Hopkins pronounces the place name with k. See 123. Here the narrative timeline returns to the events
gazetteer. of lines 678ff., when the Russian peace negotiators arrive

109. Here Sally Hopkins moves from the Battle of 1802 to at Point Craven. She then brings the narrative forward to
the peacemaking after the Battle of 1804. She omits all ref the peacemaking in Sitka (as described by Lisianskii and
erence to the Battle at Indian River, but cuts directly to the others).
Point Craven relocation and the peacemaking. 124. Reference is to the Allies of Russia medal; see also
110. Reference here is to Baranov, who was now headquar Lisianskii's account of the peacemaking, and the color sec
tered at the former Tlingit fort site on what is now called tion for photos of the medal and double-headed eagle crest.
Castle Hili. 125. This is an example of at.óow.
111. Down is the symbol of peace. The reference is uncer 126. The at.óow was lost or sold. The gist of this sentence
tain, but probably the object displayed between the feath and the surrounding passage is that people lost their inher
ers was either the Allies of Russia medallion or the double itance through careless living in imitation of white, Euro
headed eagle, an object that was later sold by a person American culture, and that some of the people of the past
named Seiji. The verb form wuhooni át is decessive perfec lacked the wisdom of her generation of elders. The younger
tive, contrasting with nondecessive fs.ut woohooni. generation then didn't understand the meaning of the at.óow.
112. Reference is to the village site along the beach on The verb form fs.ut gulJ_waxeexéen is decessive potential.
what is now Katlian Street. Sally Hopkins seems to be em 127. This passage describes the importance of at.óow for
phasizing this point. personal and clan identity, and its centra[ role in ceremo
113. Difficult to hear. Jeff Leer suggests it is possibly not nial oratory. If an individual sells an item in his or her stew
éefs.x' (locative, "on the beach") but lJ_éi/s.x' ("snags"). At any ardship, the entire clan is Jeft without a symbol of its iden
rate, the thrust of the passage is how inhospitable the new tity and is weakened in its ability to function ceremonially.
location was at first. WooyilJ_aa (from wooyik, "in space") could also be translated
114. This line is very hard to hear. "we are left dangling" or "Jeft hanging there in space:'
115. This could also be translated "but they behaved this 128. Námboo, from English "our number:'
way:' The reference is unclear. This is the end of reel one the 129. The Tlingit verb is literally "scratching around us" or
original tape recording. There is a break in the narration "scratching away at us:' Yana�tuwafs.aayi yé is a negative po
while the reel is changed. tential attributive construction: "we don't have anything to
116. Hard to hear. Jeff Leer suggests �ayes'hittaan, not say" or "no way can we say anything:'
Tlákwsataan. This fits the pattem of naming clans, houses, 130. "Those who bought us:' Reference is to the Ameri
and leaders but would also suggest that the Eagle groups cans, who purchased Alaska from the Russians.
also relocated along with the Kiks.ádi. 131. Reference is to persons with Kiks.ádi fathers and
117. Reference is unclear; presumably the Russians. Her mothers of various Eagle moiety clans.
voice becomes very low when she talks about what her clan 132. Tuis is the end of the "story proper:' Presumably at the
has suffered. In the lines that follow she seems reluctant to request of her son, she continues with her family tree.
teil the story, but "that's how it's told;' and she is passing the 133. There is a minimal pair (contrast) between fs.u�dzitee
tradition along. "I am alive" (line 868 below) and fs.u�wdzitee "I was born"
118. Literally, "They reached for their horror:' Following (855).
this sentence there is a break in the recording. 134. These are Kaagwaantaan names, Sally Hopkins's great
119. Here the Russians are inviting the Tlingits into their grandfather on her father's side.
house with two doors. 135. There is an oratorical delivery style in this line. Her
120. Reference is to the origin of Clay House as an out reference is not clear to US.
growth of Point House. 136. Paternal aunts of my father: i.e., Kiks.ádi.
121. Sway dance is a special Tlingit dance style, also called 137. Or, "Two women carne to be:'
138. Tsóo "too" pronounced long and emphasized. 144. We translate Tlingit ch'a as "just;' but placement of
139. Reference to "people we bought" is unclear; presum the English word is critica!. We understand this not to mean
ably slaves . See also note 130 above. "we're just telling it to each other;' but "we're telling it just
140. The s classifier implies many roots. now" (because they want to leave a record of the history for
141. Children of a house group is a concept in Tlingit so the coming generations).
da! structure referring to children of men who are from one 145. We end the transcription here, but the recording
clan house. The children's relationship to each other is like continues with discussion of post-1805 clan events and fur
that of siblings with different mothers but fathers of a sin ther genealogical information on Sally Hopkins's maternal
gle clan. By definition this is a relationship to the opposite grandfather. We add here lines 1054-1068 in Tlingit and
moiety, so it does not include women's children. The Tlingit English.
terms used here are tléix' hit yee/s_wáan yátx'i and neil !s_wáan
Yá Lsagooháa ku.aa I Xáay HftnáK áyu kuwdzitee, ! yá
yátx'i.
aK léelk'w. ! Tsu aK tláa du léelk'uK wusitee. / Wusx'éen
142. Lines 967-74 are difficult to follow, and our trans
du yéet áyu, I yá, I yá Lsagooháa. / Ách áyu I du yfk yádi
lation of this passage may be in error. We are uncertain of
K'awlitseen / Chookaneidf KOox'. / Du yátx'i shayawdihaa. /
the image and the genealogy. There is a phonemic contrast
Ch'a hás has K'awlitseen, / yá du yátx'i. / Ha tsu yá / Aank
in Tlingit between /s.áa and káa in line 971, and the record
alaseek tsu a K'awlitseen I du yfk yátx'i.
ing is difficult to hear in this place. Depending on the read
ing, the translation chokes are "Her man (husband) <lied" Tuis Lsagooháa though / was bom from Yellow Cedar
(du fs.áawu woonaa) and "She had a miscarriage;' literally "It House [Chookaneidf], / this grandfather of mine. / He
<lied on her" or "was stillborn" (du káa woonaa). Also, as in· was also my mother's grandfather. / He was the son of
other places in the history, the narrator's use of pronouns is Wusx'éen [Chookaneidf], ! this, / this Lsagooháa. / That
hard to follow. We understand the gist of the passage to be was why I his descendants were high caste / among the
that when Xwaantán's daughter's husband <lied, she became Chookaneidf. I His children were many. / Only they were
the second wife of a new husband (her second husband). high class, I these children of his. / Now this I Aankalaseek
Line 972 is possibly yáade(i). was also high class I and his descendants.
143. Sally Hopkins is probably addressing Katherine
Benson here, referring to Mrs. Benson's eagle moiety grand
father.

Battle of Sitka Tlingit Translation

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Alex Andrews (Kooxichx')

The Battle at Indian River

Yá a! éesh x'éidá! áyá, I will teil this story

Aadá! áyá a !'éi! at teex., After this, he fed him,

X'oon U!ée sáyá, How many nights passed.

A xoox áwé yaa anagut. So someone's going among them.

Aadóoch sáyu yaawaléix'w Who put ocher on the face

Déix x'adusxée, After not feeding him for two days,

aagáa áyá kaa shaanák'w, they sliced a piece of flesh

Du hunxuch woo.éex' But his older brother

yá Stoonook and his older brother

Ách áwé ayis wuduwa.éex'i át Tuis was why he didn't eat

Tléil du yáa ayawdunéi ách áwé, Because his relatives,

"Ihi yitk'. "Don't, son.

ixoox:' "Your older brother wants you:'

Áwé ch'u tie t'áa ká áwé aawatséx Toen Stoonook

"Tléil áwé ax tuwáa ushgu "I don't want

A shukáx' áwé yan wusitáa Ahead of him fell <lead

wé at doogu. would shrink around the men [from the heat].

áa <laak kóox áwé when his boat appeared,

Wé Giya_kw_kwáan yaagu That Alutiiq boat [is called]

aagáa áwé tsá the sea

Aagáa áwé, That's when

Ch'u g_aa;is;i áwé aawa.á;is;, While he was still crying he heard

Awu.éex'i áwé, As someone yelled [at him)

Wé tsaag_ál' aadá;is; aawasháat, He grabbed the spear,

Aag_áa áwé tsá aan aawa.aat, Tuis is when they took it

/ hóoch'k'i;is; wusitee. he [Gidák) met his end.

440 Aaa, 440 Yes,

ách áwé noow wududliyéx, that's why they built a fort,

Yáa yeedát, But now,

Dulnuk yá Anóoshi when news of the Russians was coming,

Yéi áwé ayawsikaa du keilk'i hás, He said to his maternal nephews,

Át kóox áwé, When he landed there,

Ch'a s du jisháax' áwé They popped up

Trouble. is like that. He felt guilty about it.

530 x'aan áwé a kát yawsixix. 530 a spark feil on it.

Ách áwé, This was why

hóoch'k' du keilk'i hás. his nephews all were gone.

tákl áwé. that was booty from Wat.lachéix'i.

Áwé tlél kaa daa yaa kushuwusgéi But the Tlingits

Ch'a yaa ana.ádi áwé While they were going along

Lsagooháa sákw siwé. Tuis is the origin of the name Lsagooháa.

Át a.áatdáx, After they got there,

610 Aa�áa áwé 610 That's when

630 _Kaa daa raa kushuwsigéi 630 They understood

a ji�eix' áwé yéi haa k�watée we wil! be in your embrace

at k'idéin wootee things improved,44

yéi wduwasáa yá káa there was a man named

Anóoshi. the Russians.

no attempt to note or transcribe phonetic detail such as au­

The Battle of Sitka

[Aakashook yóo �atángi] [Prolog by Peter Nielsen]2

[Sh�aastî]: Déi ák.wé? [Sally Hopkins]: Are we ready?

[Sh�aasti yóo �atángi] [Main narrative by Sally Hopkins)

Yá §ayeis' Hit, Tuis Iron House7 -

Yáa Skajeek Aankalaseek 10

At2S; áyáa From then on

Atx áwé From then on

no attempt to note or transcribe phonetic detail such as au