大象传媒

A虂a uu 鈥橪a虂anaas  Sdang uu we虂ed kihlgulgaa.

This is 鈥橪aanaas Sdang speaking.

Di虂i k瘫a虂a uu Xilaa uu i虂ijan-gwaa!

My Uncle was Xilaa!

G瘫adg瘫aywaas ingguu , t鈥檜虂ujee 鈥檒  da鈥檃虂asii   ingguu 鈥檒 nawa虂ayaanii.

Above G瘫adG瘫aywaas, he used to own a fortress, and this is where he used to live, they say.

鈥橶a虂agyaan ingguu 鈥檒 nawa虂asiidluu 鈥檒aa x瘫idguu 鈥檒 tuuwi虂i nawa虂ayaan-gwaa!

And while he lived on top, they say his clansmates lived below.

鈥橶a虂agyaan ahl a虂aniis G瘫aa 鈥檒 k瘫ahlsiidluu  鈥檒aa k瘫鈥檜hl 鈥檒 sa虂ngg na虂agaangaan.

and whenever he went down below to this one, he used to stay with him for a while [referring to Xilaa鈥檚 younger brother, Sgaamyang].

鈥橶a虂adluu 鈥檒aa da虂ngahl gin ga ha虂la ii鈥檞an  uu 鈥檒 i虂sdagaangaanii.

And with him, he used to host great feasts they say.

鈥橪aa da虂ngahl gyaa 鈥�. x瘫aadaa ii鈥檞andaa gyaahlaal naa鈥檃s 鈥檒 hldanu虂udaasii.

With him, he feasted the big house-chiefs.

Gasa虂n tadeihlsdluu, a虂aniis han asa虂n 鈥檒aa k瘫鈥檜hl k瘫ahlaga虂angaan.

After however many seasons, this one [the younger brother] also went up to stay by him.

鈥橶a虂agyaan 鈥檒 du虂unsii uu, Sgaamyang hin uu 鈥檒 kyaaga虂an-gwaa.

And his younger brother was called Sgaamyang.

Di虂i k瘫a虂a uu  鈥檒 du虂unsii.

He was my maternal uncle鈥檚 younger brother.

鈥橪 du虂un uu,  Xilaa uu, 鈥檒aa ahl asa虂n 鈥檒 k鈥檞虂aay (should be du虂un)  鈥檒aa k瘫鈥檜hl sa虂ngg naas uu,鈥檒aa da虂ngahl gin ga ha虂lagaangaan, 鈥檒 tawi虂i isis, 鈥檒 tawi虂i isii uu 鈥檒aa ahl gin ga ha虂lagaangaan.

And Xilaa, the older brother hosted a doing with his younger brother at his house, because they were kinfolk (i.e. supporting one another).

鈥橪ngee x瘫aadee 鈥檒aa 鈥檒 hldaanu虂udawaasii.

They feasted the townspeople all the time.

鈥橶a虂agyaan tli虂isdluwaan gu tl鈥� ts鈥檃naawna虂ngtl鈥檃asiidluu, tlagee ahl angaa, 鈥檒 gyaada虂hwuga虂angaanii.

And when households of people moved in by and by, he would sell parcels of land to them.

鈥橶a虂agyaan gid sG瘫wa虂an x瘫i虂inangaagaan uu.

And he had one living son.

Xilaa gid sg瘫wa虂an x瘫i虂inangaagaan uu,  Gidaa Kuja虂aw hin uu 鈥檒 kya鈥檃虂agaan.

Xilaa had one son who was alive, his name was Gidaa Kujaaw.

鈥橶a虂agyaan 鈥檒 鈥檒a虂anaa 鈥檒e虂eygaawaas gyaanaan, 鈥檒 gid na ts鈥檃gee ga 鈥檒 gwa虂awaasiidluu an angaa 鈥檒 鈥� gyaahlal hin uu 鈥檒 kya鈥檃虂adaang.

And while he was village chief, he didn鈥檛 want his son to be without a household, so he built and potlatched a house for him.

Na虂a gyaa angaa 鈥檒 tlaawhlda虂ayaanii, x瘫aad na虂a ii鈥檞aan.

He had a house built for him, a big longhouse. (this implies he hired people to build a house)

鈥橶a虂agyaan tli虂isdluu tlagee 鈥檒 da鈥檃虂asiidluu, da虂a鈥檃ay 鈥檒a虂angaa x瘫i虂ilaayaanii.

And what parcel of land he had, the housepit took up all of the space (implying that this was the house of a high ranking person, the bigger the da虂a鈥檃ay, the more prestige the person has).

鈥橶a虂agyaan 鈥檒aa hl k瘫i虂nggan-gwaa.

And I saw him (Gidaa Kujaaw).

North Island gu tlaan 鈥檒 ge虂ihlsdluu, di虂i aw an 鈥檒 hlgG瘫ayaasiidluu, awang ahl hl k瘫aat鈥檌ijan.

At North Island, when he stopped living, when they called my mother over there, I went across there with my mother.

鈥橶a虂adluu nang i虂ihlangaa k瘫edjgad 鈥檒a虂a uu iijan.

He was a handsome man.

鈥橶a虂agyaan asgee gu 鈥檒 k鈥檜t鈥檃lgan.

And that鈥檚 where this one had died.

鈥橶a虂agyaan di虂i aw k瘫a虂a鈥檃ng ajii sda, K瘫鈥檌is Xaadaa tlagaa gu sda hahlgwii ga isidsi虂idluu, di虂i aw sg瘫u虂nan k瘫a虂a鈥檃ng x瘫i虂inangaawaasii.

And my mother, from this uncle of hers, as the Alaskan Haida were making their way back to the island, my mother was the only one left alive after her uncle.

Gam an 鈥檒 ja虂adaasii, gam 鈥檒 jaasahl nagee gam 鈥檒aa tl鈥� guulaa鈥檃ngsii,

Because she was a woman and because it wasn鈥檛 fitting for a woman to  lead a household,

鈥橶a虂agyaan G瘫i虂deed gu guudaa tl鈥� i虂ijaa鈥檃ngaanii.

so they came together about it (to discuss it).

鈥橶a虂agyaan G瘫i虂deed gu gud ahl tl鈥� i虂ijaa鈥檃ngaanii.

And they had a meeting about it.

鈥橪ngee x瘫aadee, gya虂ahlahl na虂as 鈥檞a虂adluwaan is gyaanaan,

All the village people, all the house chiefs came together,

Nang chiefgaasiis, 鈥檞a虂agyaan gwaaygaang an nang leadergaagaan uu Stl鈥檃ng 鈥檒ngaagaan-gwaa.

And the one who  leader of all the clans was a Stl鈥檃ng 鈥檒aanaas. [it seems like they got all the Raven clans got together].

Ahl a虂aniis uu, 鈥渁虂ajii ji虂ingeilgaa, a虂a nang ja虂adaa xajuu k瘫a虂a k鈥檜t鈥檃lgansdluu, ji虂inggeilgaa!鈥�

And this one [said], 鈥渋t鈥檚 getting to be a long time since this little woman鈥檚 uncle passed away.鈥�

鈥橪aa hl i虂sdaa鈥檜. We虂ed uu hl G瘫eihlgiidaa鈥檜! We虂ed uu hl G瘫eihlgiidaa.u

鈥淭ake her [meaning  鈥檃ccept her鈥�]. Finish it up now. Finish it up now.

鈥橪aa ga k瘫鈥檃虂ngsdluu G瘫aa xadala虂a 鈥檒 daaG瘫eihlsanggwaa.

If she鈥檚 lucky, she鈥檒l come to have children.

鈥橶a虂agyaan a虂asgee uu 鈥檒a虂angaa isdlaa鈥檃saang.

And these that are hers [her children] will come forward.鈥�

鈥橶a虂agyaan nang sa虂awaan kye虂e uu, nang sa虂awaan kye虂e uu Skila虂awee hin uu 鈥檒 kya鈥檃虂agaan.

And the one who said that, his name was Skilaawee, they say.

鈥橪 Stl鈥檃ng 鈥檒ngaagaan.

He was a Stl鈥檃ng 鈥檒aanaas.

鈥橶a虂agyaan di虂i k瘫a虂a ahl uu gud 鈥檒 tuuwi虂i, an 鈥檒 tuuwa虂adawugangaan.

He was my uncle鈥檚 kin, they made each other to be kin. [they treated one another as kinfolk].

鈥橶a虂agyaan a虂a uu tlagw a虂ajii k瘫a虂atl鈥檃jaawaanii-gwaa,

And this is how it came to be,

鈥橶a虂agyaan di虂i aw huu chiefgaagee an tl鈥� isdaayaanii-gwaa.

And this is how my mother was given the chiefship.

鈥橶a虂agyaan di虂i uu we虂ed G瘫udgwaa an di虂i G瘫idatl鈥檃gee gu we虂ed uu di虂i uu i虂ijan.

So now as the last one I have arrived at this position.

Tli虂isdluwaan di虂i na虂anlang di虂i da虂ngahl gin ga ha虂lagandluu,

Finally, my naaniis had a doing with [for] me.

Salaagudga虂ng uu, saki虂idee, naxi虂ingee di虂i G瘫adu虂u 鈥檒 i虂sdiiyaa an uu 鈥檒 k瘫a虂atl鈥檃agan.

Salaagudga虂ng stepped forward putting the headdress and the blanket around me.

鈥橶a虂agyaan Yahguu jana虂as 鈥檞a虂adluwaan uu di虂i aw gyaa ne虂e aa uu st鈥檃hwugaangan.

And all of the Yahguu jana虂as  filled up my mother鈥檚 house.

鈥橶a虂adluu K瘫uyge虂e ii鈥檞ans, di虂i aw, di虂i na虂an jahli虂i aa, K瘫uyge虂e ii鈥檞ans uu kya虂agaanggan-gwaa,

And K瘫uyge虂e ii鈥檞ans, my mother, my most special naanii, K瘫uyge虂e ii鈥檞ans called out,

Ana虂a 鈥檒 suus gyaan uu hlanga虂an uu 鈥檒 suugiinii,

She鈥檚 inside but she鈥檚 speaking softly [They are announcing him from a different room, speaking softly],

鈥淴ilaa G瘫a虂wtlaasii k瘫a虂atl鈥檃agaaaaaaang,鈥�  hin uu 鈥檒 suugiinii-gwaa.

鈥淗ere comes the new Xilaa,鈥� that鈥檚 what they kept saying [increasing their volume].

Haw asa虂n ne虂e aa tl鈥� st鈥檃hwugaasii, haw asa虂n tl鈥� gyu虂ujuus G瘫ada虂ang uu haw asa虂n tl鈥� haa鈥檞a虂anan

And again, to the full house of people listening, after a short pause again, very close-by, they chanted,

鈥淴ilaa G瘫a虂wtlaasii k瘫a虂atl鈥檃aga虂aaaaaaaaang,鈥� hin tl鈥� suu G瘫ada虂angaan uu.

鈥渉ere comes the new Xilaa鈥� they said after a slight pause.

Di虂i na虂an uu di虂i k瘫ank瘫a虂atl鈥檃as gyaan-gan.

As my naanii guided me forward from one room into the main another. [in front of her],

鈥橶a虂adluu di虂i an tl鈥� k鈥檃jeilgan-gwa.

And then they started to sing for me.

Saki虂idee di虂i k瘫aj iiy tl鈥� i虂sdagan-gwa.

They put the headdress on me.

Di虂i 鈥檒a虂anaa 鈥檒e虂eygaasii, G瘫ad G瘫aywa虂as 鈥檒ngee uu di虂i 鈥檒a虂anaa 鈥檒e虂eygaasii aa, I虂its鈥檃aw han asa虂n kya鈥檃虂ang.

That鈥檚 why I am chief at G瘫ad G瘫aywaas, at what they call Iits鈥檃aw.

Ahlji虂i gu di虂i tl鈥� G瘫idatl鈥檃dasiidluu, di虂i an sda tl鈥� kya鈥檃虂agandaas,

When they got me to arrive, when they had announced me,

Di虂i tl鈥� k瘫ank瘫a虂atl鈥檃as gyaan,

When they led me inside,

鈥橶a虂agyaan nang k瘫w鈥檃虂alaa uu saki虂idee di虂i k瘫ajee tl鈥� daguhldaga虂n-gwaa,

This person from the opposide side [an Eagle] placed the headdress on my head.

鈥檒aa ga tl鈥� gyaa i虂sdlee an aa.

just so they could pay him for this.

Di虂i gudaa鈥檃ngaasiidluu, hl sG瘫a虂yhlgan.

I didn鈥檛 like what was happening, I cried.

鈥橶a虂agyaan ahlji虂i G瘫ade虂e gu x瘫aad gya虂ahlandagan.

And the townspeople talked [told stories] about it.

A虂a uu tlagw a虂ajii k瘫a虂atl鈥檍uugan.

So this is how how they worked these things.

A虂ayaad uu itl鈥� x瘫a虂nhlaa G瘫a虂ndl xyaangs uu hl da鈥檃虂ang-gwaa, Kya虂awan aa.

And today I own the river across from us, the Kyaawaan (Hancock River).

K鈥檜uwa虂n Ku虂n x瘫a虂nhlaa nang xya虂angs han asa虂n, K瘫aala虂n 鈥檒aa han asa虂n hl da鈥檃虂ang-gwaa.

And I own the one that flows across from Marten-Creek Point, the K瘫aalan, I also own that one.

K瘫a虂ahl agwi虂i nang is han asa虂n, A虂awan han asa虂n, hl da鈥檃虂ang-gwaa.

And the one that鈥檚 way up the inlet, the Aawan, I also own it.

Di虂inan k瘫a虂ahlii aa G瘫a虂ndl xya虂angs han asa虂n hl da鈥檃虂ang-gwaa.

The one that flows into Diinan Bay, I also own that one.

Haay!

Listen up!

Gam tli虂ijisdaan a虂atlaan ts鈥檌daltlaa鈥檃ng-gwaa.

I didn鈥檛 move here from somewhere else.

A虂a uu 鈥檒ngee gu di虂i k瘫a虂aygaagan.

I was born in this village.

Di虂i k瘫a虂a 鈥檒ngee da鈥檃虂agaanii ahlaa.

Because my uncle owned the village.

A虂a uu tli虂isiidluu di虂i aw di虂i gin suudagiinii uu aa i虂ijang.

This is all that my mother told me.

鈥橶a虂agyaan hawa虂n ji虂ingG瘫usdlaas gyaan 鈥檞a虂agyaan a虂asdluwaan di虂i k瘫aga虂njuu G瘫ahgalgan.

There is more to it than this, but now my throat is tired.

Haay! Kilsdlee aangaa, di虂i kil aa dala虂ng gyu虂ulangs sang, dala虂ng aa hl&苍产蝉辫;办颈濒鈥檒补补驳补苍驳.

Listen up! Honorable ones I thank you for listening to my voice!

Ha虂w鈥檃a Gulk瘫i虂ihlgad, Gulk瘫i虂ihlgad uu we虂ed uu 鈥檒 kya鈥檃虂ang-gwaa, iitl鈥� gyaa uu i虂ijang-gwaa.

Thank you G瘫ulk瘫iihlgad, they call her Gulk瘫iihlgad, that鈥檚 ours.

Di虂i gid uu 鈥檒 i虂ijang. A虂a uu tlagw 鈥檒aa an hl guda虂ng-gwaa.

She is my child. This is how I think of her.