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Sib Potlatch Songs
This group—with the exception of the first 3 songs which may be sung by any Raven
sib—consists of songs which are the exclusive property of particular sibs. They are sung by
them when they are hosts at a potlatch, and may not be sung by others except at the request
of the owners. Most of them are traditional songs, attributed to mythological figures or to
composers from long-dead generations; some are of recent composition for particular potlatches.
The great majority are mourning songs or laments; some are associated with particular
crest heirlooms (pp, 568-569),
These sib potlatch songs are here arranged according to the sib owning or claiming them,
beginning with the sibs of the Raven moiety.
Raven Moiety: Two Songs Referring to Raven's Theft of Daylight
1952, 7-2-A and B; recorded by Frank Italio on September
13.
1954, 2-2-E (a and b); recorded by Frank Italio on
May 7. (Same as above.)
These are two traditional songs, ascribed to Raven
himself, and may be sung by any Raven sib when it is
host at a potlatch. In addition, the Tl'uknaxAdi sing how
Raven deceived the Sea Otters (pp. 863-864), and there
was apparently another serious potlatch song connected
with Raven's drawing ashore the ark of animals (see pp.
865-867, but not recorded). We recorded from Frank
Italio a snatch of the song which Raven sang in the
whale when he wished it to drift ashore, and were told
J = 58
As sungm
t=m
^
ye qe H tieu de
(' ? to the sand beach!
^
i
ye qe 'i tieu
de
? to the sand beach v
about (but could not record) the second song when
Raven wished for an aristocrat to cut open the whale
and let him out (p. 853). In addition to these serious
songs, there are a group of funny songs about Raven or
attributed to him (see pp, 869-873, 1257-1270).
The first two songs referring to Raven's Theft of Daylight
(1952, 7-2-A and B) were included by Frank Italio
1152
as part of the Raven cycle, a story which he was fond of
teUing. He began the story in Tlingit on August 29, 1952
(recorded on Reel 4, side 2), and the tape ran out after
24:15 minutes. The story was resumed on September 13
(Reel 7, side 2), and ran for an additional 27:05 minutes.
No English translation was recorded, although Minnie
Johnson was present on both occasions. The versions
told by her on September 2, 13, and 14, 1952 (see pp.
848-855) seem to be fairly close to Frank Italio's story,
as far as I can judge from the Tlingit words which I am
able to recognize in the recording.
On May 7, 1954, Frank Italio again told the whole
story of Raven in Tlingit, though evidently a shorter
and confused version (2-2-E, pp. 856-857). Then he was
asked to sing the songs that referred to the Theft of
Daylight, which he did, using a cigarbox as a drum.
The tape ran out whUe he was stUl singing the second
song. These appear to be exactly the same songs as
those which he had sung in 1952; the minor differences
between them are insufficient to justify publication of
the scores of those sung in 1954.
Song A (about 3:30 minutes) was supposedly sung by
Raven when he was sitting on the Box of Daylight. It
consists of an introduction and a single stanza (sung
twice, with variations).
Song B (about 3:30 minutes) tells how Raven obtained
Daylight, and threatens to open the box. It is
by far the most complex song in the collection, consisting
of many repeated phrases. Apparently, however,
these fall into two stanzas, with fragments of a third.
On September 13, 1952, Minnie Johnson gave the