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1170 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY
VOLUME 7
Traditional Galyix-Kagwantan Songs, Attributed to Lqayak'
1952, 7-1-C (a, b); recorded by Frank Italio on
September 13,
These songs were supposed to have been composed
by Lqayak", the youngest of eight brothers who went
to Sky Land (Kiwa'a), the afterworld of those who die
by violence. There he became separated from his
brothers, but finaUy returned to earth in a skin canoe
the frame of which was made of the skeleton of a
shaman.
The recording was made at the request of Mrs.
Helen Bremner, a Qalyix-Kagwantan woman, who
ceremonially paid Frank Italio, her CAnkuqedi "uncle,"
for the service. The two songs are preceded by the story
told in Tlingit by Frank Italio (2 minutes), and are
foUowed by an explanation in English by Minnie
Johnson (pp. 877-878).
The singing lasts a total of 3:30 minutes, the first
song (a), lasting about 2 minutes. It is composed of an
introduction, and a single stanza, sung twice. The
singer breaks off before the beginning of the repeat of
the stanza to give an explanation evidently referring
to the story: "Kiwa qawu hidi (houses of the ghosts)
dekudikit; (? he came out at)." After the repetition of
the stanza, he begins with the introductory phrase of
what would appear to be another stanza, but abruptly
cuts this off: "That's aU," and speaks for about 10
seconds before starting the second song. He seems to
treat these two compositions as if they were simply two
parts of the same song, although they are musicaUy
distinct.
The second song (b) has an introduction (or false
start?) of three phrases. He breaks off to exclaim:
"De hut6! (That's all), De hut6 'eya! (That's the end),
De daga k"Altsaq (Push [the skin canoe?])." Then he
begins the stanza, which he interrupts just before the
final phrases for additional remarks about the story
(which I was unable to transcribe from the tape). The
song ends after the repeat of the single stanza with the
exclamation "Hutc 'AWE!" (That's all). As usual, Frank
Italio seems to end his song before it is finished.
In the first song, the hero mourns his brothers in
Kiwa'a; in the second he (?) caUs for the skeleton canoe
to be given a push. It is exceedingly difficult to foUow
the Tlingit text as sung, because of the singer's quavering
voice, the insertion of many extra syUables,
and the muffling or mumbling of others.
Eliminating what appear to be insignificant variations,
the words seem to be:
W
X
Y
Z
SONG 1(a)
Introduction
Kiwa'a hahahaha, Ki—[Kiwa'a = Ghost Land,
Sky Landl
-wa'a hiyehe, Ki-
-wa'a ha,
'aha, 'ihi, yehe.
Stanza I
A yahahe, kinik, wa [or x"a]—[kinik = above]
B 'a" ha", 'a" ha",
C Kiwa qawu hidi—Houses of the ghosts
D Kiwa qawux-ii yaqu-tutliqada, iye,—[Kiwaqawuxu
yaqutliqat (?) = among the ghosts
he went astray]
E Kiwa qawu-u hidi, 'ihi—Houses of the ghosts
F 'aha, yi hidi—[yi hidi = your houses]
A
B
C
D
E
F
[Breaks off: Kiwa qawu hidi dekudikitJ (?). He came
out (?) at the houses of the ghosts.]
Stanza II
yaha, 'i-e, kini, 'a" [or x"a]
'a"i 'a"i 'a"w,
Kiwa qawu hidihi,
Kiwa qawuxu 'a [or ya]?-qutut}iqada ha, 'ihe,
Kiwa qawu'u hidi 'ihi
'aha yi hide.
End
A 'ahahe, yi-i kine hu'a
B/ 'a" 'a" hutd!—The end!
X
Y
Z
The singer speaks for 10 seconds.
yaha 'ahi hya 'a,
ya 'uyi hya ha,
ya 'uhi hya, 'a hm
SONQ 11(6)
Introduction
[Breaks off: De hut6! de hut6 'eya! de daga k^Altsaq:
That's aU! That's the end! Push (the skin
canoe ?)!]
Stanza I
A 'aya, 'ucgi,—['ucgi = perhaps]
B da ha qu-lA-tsaq de-he—[qulAtsaq de = push 1]
C 'ihiy 'ixt!i nAna hiyinihi—['i 'iytii nAna hini =
river of your dead shaman]
D di wA?-tla-k"a nex ta—[di — the] —[ne? = safe]