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1172 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY VOLUME 7
Refrain
A, B ha ha ha ha, ha ha; ha ha ha ha ha;
C 'a hu hu we he, he huwA;
D 'a ha [clears throat], 'a hu aw, 'a ha ha ha;
A, B 'a ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha, 'a;
C 'a hu hu we he, he huwA;
D 'aw— ha ha huwA, ha ha ha ha
Stanza I
A, B dja xat 'uwu sa-dJA (repeated)—[I always be-
[x"a tuhu?l
come hurt?]
C di xetl qAdu 'axe huwA—Whenever the Thunder
sounds
D 'aw-, ha ha';
A 'ax kak 'unxa-djitc-A—I always imagine my
(lost) uncle
B 'ax kik' 'unxa-djitc-A—I always imagine my
(lost) younger brother
C hu hu-e, he huwA,
D+ 'a ha, ha hu aw,
'a ke hede! [spokenl 'a ha—"To the beginning!"
Stanza II
A, B dja xat 'uwu sa-dJA (repeated)
C di yu kuwAti kEt 'UWA
D 'aw-, ha ha';
A 'ax kak t!i-nal-ni-ne
B 'ax kak tu-nani-ye
C hu hue, he huwA;
D' 'a ha, ha hu aw, 'a;
hutc 'awA! [spoken] —'' That's the end!''
The meaning of the words, as given by Mmnie
Johnson, would seem to be:
Whenever I hear the Thunderbird, I become hurt.
The noise of the Thunderbh-d reminds me of the
uncle and brother whom I lost.
II
I am surprised when I hear the Thunder, It sounds
lUie the relatives I lost. They have no pity for me,
because they left me alone.
(See the 'Song for the Thunderbird Blanket,' 1954
5-2-E; below,)
The structure of the song, as analyzed by McAUester,
is:
Refrain:
Stanza I:
A
A
A
A
B C D
B C D
B C D-
B C D+
Stanza II: A B C D-
A B C D'
Traditional CAnkuqedi Song for the Thunderbird Blanket (I)
1954, 5-2-E; recorded by Mrs. Chester Johnson,
assisted by Jenny White, on June 10,
This song has not been transcribed because it is the
same as that recorded by Frank Itaho, July 30, 1952
(1952, 2-1-F), The former was entitled 'Song for the
Thunderbird Screen' (xetl xin daciyi), while this was
called 'Song for the Thunder Blanket' (xetl xu daciyi),
Both were ascribed to the boy who had been taken
by the Thunderbirds, whom Mrs, Chester Johnson
caUed GoxXq,
Only one stanza was sung, although there were said
to have been three in aU, The words are very simUar
to the version sung by Frank Itaho. There was a short
introduction in Tlingit by Mrs. Chester Johnson (27
seconds), a refrain, and the first stanza (sung twice), the
whole song lasting 1:33 minutes. Mrs. Chester Johnson
beat the drum. She later dictated the words, and these
were afterward translated by Helen Bremner,
Refrain
. . . 'aha huwa (etc). . , 'ahuwe'ehuwa (etc.)
Stanza I (sung twice)
t6a XAt 'uhticta—It always makes me lonesome
di xetl qAdu'Axin—When I hear the thunder.
'ax 'ik 'unxadjitca—My brothers I always think of
[imagine]
di xetl qAdu'Axin—W^hen I hear the thunder.
Stanza II (omitted)
This was said to refer to a dead uncle (see 1952, 2-1-F).
Either this song to the Thunderbird Blanket, or the
following (1954, 5-2-F), was sung by Mary (Mrs.
Lituya Bay George), mother of the singers, when she
was taken as a peace hostage in 1907 (see Case 12,
p. 604).