Haa Shuka: Our Ancestors (Classics of Tlinglit Oral Literature, Vol. 1) (English and Tlingit Edition)

These gripping and powerful prose narratives relate monumental events in the lives of the forebears of Tlingit clans, from the prehistoric migration to the coast of Southeast Alaska to the first contact with Europeans. The stories were recorded from the 1960s to the present by twelve tradition bearers who where passing down for future generations the accounts of haa shuka , which means "our ancestors." Their narratives tell of the origin of social and spiritual concepts and explain the complex relationships among members of a given clan to their relatives in other clans, to spirits of the land where the vents took place, to the spirits of departed ancestors, and to the spirits of various animals, including killer whale and bear. The focus here is on the stories and story tellers themselves, who lived amazingly different lives, reflecting in a small way the complexity of Tlingit life in the twentieth century, a period characterized by unprecedented political, economic, and social change. The stories were told in Tlingit and then transcribed from the tape recorded versions. The editors have attempted to write these stories the way they were told, and to then translate them into English keeping the unique Tlingit oral style. This book will be of interest to the general reader of Native American literature and comparative literature, as well as to folklorists, linguists, and anthropologists. Of special interest to linguist will be the new texts (transcribed in three different Tlingit dialects) containing many hitherto unattested grammatical forms. Frontmatter Front cover Frontispiece Series title page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Preface Acknowledgements Map Haa Shuká, Our Ancestors Introduction I. Format Lines Indented, “wrap around”, or runover lines Line numbering Punctuation Different versions Notes Biographies Other ancestors II. Oral Style Repetition Exact repetition Repetition with variation Parallel structure and refrains Terrace Code switching III. Some themes and concepts At.óow IV. Translation Order of lines Nouns and pronouns Áyú Áwé Aaa Transitions Tle Aag̱aa Ḵu.aa Other words Verb tense V. The Tlingit alphabet Complexity Vowels Consonants Voicing Aspirated Tone Technical sound chart Stolen tone Underlines W for rounding Apostrophe Names VI. The nature of Tlingit grammar Fixed variation Particles and demonstratives Standardization Tricky forms Editorial errors Standardization of dialect Narratives Ḵákʼw / Basket Bay History (Shaadaaxʼ / Robert Zuboff) Táaxʼaa / Mosquito (Shaadaaxʼ / Robert Zuboff) Ḵaax̱ʼachgóok (Ix̱tʼikʼ Éesh / Andrew P. Johnson) Naatsilanéi (Kéet Yaanaayí / Willie Marks) Naatsilanéi (Tseexwáa / J. B. Fawcett) Duktʼootlʼ / Strong Man (Taakw Kʼwátʼi / Frank G. Johnson) Ḵaakexʼwtí (Kéet Yanaayí / Willie Marks) Xóotsx̱ X̱ʼayaaḵuwdlig̱adi Shaawát / The Woman Who Married the Bear (Yeilnaawú / Tom Peters) Xóotsx̱ X̱ʼayaaḵudlig̱adi Shaawát / The Woman Who Married the Bear (Naakil.aan / Frank Dick, Sr.) Kaatsʼ (Tseexwáa / J. B. Fawcett) Sítʼ Ḵaa Káx̱ Kana.áa / Glacier Bay History (Kaasgéiy / Susie James) Sítʼ Ḵaa Káx̱ Kana.áa / Glacier Bay History (Ḵooteen / Amy Marvin) Anóoshi / First Russians (Yaaneekee / Charlie White) Yéil Yaagú / Raven Boat (Jeeník / Jennie White) Gusʼkʼiḵwáan / The Coming of the First White Man (Asx̱ʼaak / George R. Betts) Notes Basket Bay told by Robert Zuboff Mosquito told by Robert Zuboff Ḵaax̱ʼachgóok told by A.P. Johnson Naatsilanéi told by Willie Marks Naatsilanéi told by J.B. Fawcett Strong Man told by Frank Johnson Ḵaakexʼwtí told by Willie Marks The Woman Who Married the Bear told by Tom Peters The Woman Who Married the Bear told by Frank Dick, Sr. Kaatsʼ told by J.B. Fawcett Glacier Bay History told by Susie James Glacier Bay History told by Amy Marvin Raven Boat told by Jenny White The Coming of the First White Man told by George Betts Biographies George Betts / Asx̱ʼaak Frank Dick, Sr. / Naakil.aan J.B. Fawcett / Tseexwáa Susie James / Kaasgéiy Andrew P. Johnson / Ix̱tʼikʼ Éesh Frank G. Johnson / Taakw Kʼwátʼi Willie Marks / Kéet Yaanaayí Amy Marvin / Ḵooteen Tom Peters / Yeilnaawú Charlie White / Yaaneekee Jennie White / Jeeník Robert Zuboff / Shaadaaxʼ Backmatter References Back cover Recorded From The 1960s To The Present By Twelve Tradition Bearers Who Were Passing Down For Future Generations The Accounts Of Haa Shuka, Which Means Our Ancestors. Narratives Tell Of The Origin Of Social And Spiritual Concepts And Explain Complex Relationships. Text In Tlingit With English Translation On The Opposite Page. Includes Biographies Of The Narrators. Also Extensive Introduction And Notes. Basket Bay History / Robert Zuboff -- Mosquito / Robert Zuboff -- Kaax'achgóok / A.p. Johnson -- Naatsilanéi / Willie Marks -- Naatsilanéi / J.b. Fawcett -- Strong Man / Frank Johnson -- Kaakex'wti / Willie Marks -- Woman Who Married The Bear / Tom Peters -- Woman Who Married The Bear / Frank Dick, Sr. -- Kaats' / J.b. Fawcett -- Glacier Bay History / Susie James -- Glacier Bay History / Amy Marvin -- First Russians / Charlie White -- Raven Boat / Jennie White -- Coming Of The First White Man / George Betts. Edited By Nora Marks Dauenhauer And Richard Dauenhauer. English And Tlingit. Bibliography: P. 511-514.