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1258 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY VOLUME 7
For a different version of the song, see Swanton
(1909, Song 17, p. 393).
In the group version (b) of the song, Nick Milton
sings and beats the drum. The women attempt to sing
different parts. FdeL can be heard calling "tcule
(again)," and the song is repeated. There are also raven
caws.The recording lasts only 55 seconds (pp. 1262-1263).
The following words of the song (as sung) were
dictated by Mary Thomas and checked with the tape:
A 'aha°! 'aha°!, xa-di-da yi-dJA-yi (repeated)
B
C
yeli xusiti ka-yulicu,
yel kelk'e-hAs, tsAna' tsAna'
As spoken, these woiUd be:
'aha"! 'aha°! iat-da yitcAyi—Ah, ah, [snipes] that
fly around the island,
yel xusiti kAyuhcu—Raven's footsteps are foUowing
3^el kelk'-has,—Raven's nephews.
tsAna' tsAna'—Rotten fish! Rotten fish!
"The little island snipes. Raven's nephews, follow in
Raven's tracks. Rotten fish!" (Raven's favorite food.)
Funny Peace Dance Song: Raven Steals Daylight
1954, 7-2-J; recorded by Minnie Johnson on May 31.
This is a humorous song referring to Raven's theft of
Daylight, and one which would be used at peace ceremonies.
The words were sung over to me many times
and carefully dictated. The refrain was omitted in the
recording because the singer saw that there was little
tape left on the reel and wanted to be sure to get all
the words onto the tape. The two stanzas (each sung
twice) last 1:33 minutes. SyUables dictated, but not
sung, are in brackets [ ].
A
B
C
Stanza I (sung twice)
tcAs WA 'E ['AJgi 'ik'^q'^Ana—You aren't the only
one going to die,
ya-di yel-a 'a ya 'a-na—You Raven,
ye tcuc kAxadigaxa—Why do you beg so much
[qAxya] (as dictated) [not to be harmed]?
D c Ay Adi yel 'a ha 'e-ya 'a-ne 'a—You [little
Raven.
A
B
C
D
Stanza II (sung twice)
tcus gun tude 'awdit—Right in his bosom he
carries
du qe 'ayi ya di yel-a—His daylight, the Raven.
da 'icanx ya 'i gutci—Take pity on all your Wolves,
cAjAdi yel 'a ha 'e-ya 'a-ne 'a—You (little) Raven
[and give them the Daylight],
'a-ne gugu waaaa' [at end]—All cry waaa!
The singer gave this cry at the end because she said
she had made a mistake. The cry "waaa!" would be
given at a real peace ceremony in order to calm the
'deer' and to remove any bad consequences that might
result from a mistake in the singing.
Funny Peace Dance Song: Raven Loses His Nose
1954 7-2-K; recorded by Minnie Johnson on May 31.
This amusing song refers to the story of how Raven
lost his nose (bUl) when he was stealing bait from the
fishermen and got his nose caught on a hook. In order
to recover it, he disguised hunself with an artificial
nose, and went through all the houses of the town until
he finally found it. Then he asked to have the smokehole
opened so he could see this strange object better,
and flew off with it (see pp. 871-873).
Swanton (1909, Song 1, p. 390) records almost the
same song, but reports that it is a "song about Raven's
travels through the world, used at all kinds of dances."
Our informants specified that it was used for dancing
at a peace ceremony, not at a potlatch. Once, when
Minnie Johnson was singing the song, she ended it
with a loud "kaw!" although this is not part of it. For
the recording, she omitted the refrain and sang the
three stanzas through without repetition (58 seconds)
As sung, the words are:
A
B
C
D
Stanza I
dAlAx tudAtsEn ceheyAdi yel—"His mind is so
unsettled," that Raven,
hayi de tcA 'a(wu)gud[in]—Down below [under
water] he went
'ai-[cougf)]-tA du hiwu—Just then his nose
tcA kewudusiyeq 'a 'ani 'eyi—^They puU up ('a
'ani etc.)
Swanton renders this:
Del yAx wudAtse'n ceye'l.
A big fellow like must have that raven.
been
Hayide'
wugudfn.
Down underneath he went.