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1260 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY VOLUME 7
Funny Song: Raven and the Mussel People
1954, 5-1-F; recorded by Nick MUton (with drum),
Katy Dixon Isaac, Louise Peterson, Mary Thomas,
and Susie Abraham.
This funny song was described as a "popular song"
sung by the K'^acliqwan after a potlatch to thank their
hosts. I am not sure whether it was sung at peace
ceremonies.
Before the recording, the song was rehearsed by the
group. When they came to sing for the tape, however,
they were laughing so much that the recorded version
was not as good as the rehearsal. The song starts with
Louise Peterson caUing "guk (begin), grandma," to
Katy Isaac. The old lady starts the song, but soon
drops out. It has two stanzas (about 1:50 minutes),
and ends with crow calls by Nick MUton and Susie
Abraham. The text was checked with several informants
(Emma EUis, Mary Thomas, Louise Peterson, and
Mrs. Frank Dick).
Stanza I
y^kalenm 'ax tuwu sAgunutc—At low tide I'm
always happy
yixut 'an xalgEnin—When I'm looking around at
yak qu hani—The Mussel People.
Stanza II
dak daqad^nm—When it's high tide
'ax tuwu wanik''—I feel sad
tcatlek lik'^qatini—Never again to see
yak qu hani—The Mussel People.
It is evidently Raven himself who is singing. The
words are shghtly different as sung:
A
B
C
D
Stanza I (sung twice)
ye kalenin 'ax tuwu sAgu yak qu hani,
yixut 'anqalgEn-ni {or tci) yak qu ha-
-ni ya 'aha'^ 'a 'i ya 'eni 'a
'i ya ha 'a 'a 'i ya 'a
Stanza II (sung twice)
A dak daqadenin 'ax tuwu wanik, yak qu hani,
B tea tlek lik'^qatini yak qu ha-
C -ni 'aha^ 'a 'iy 'a 'a 'a
D 'i ya 'a 'a [tcuye! (first time)] 'a 'i
(D 'i ya [song dissolves in gales of laughter on repeat]
Funny Dance Song: How Raven Became Drunk on Whiskey
1952, 1-1-B; recorded by Charley White (song leader).
Jack Reed (drumming on banjo), Jenny White, and
Minnie Johnson on June 21.
This song was composed by Dry Bay Chief George
(1850 ?-1916), and is said to be "a dance song for
parties." It would be suitable for guests to sing after
a potlatch.
The recording is introduced by Charley White who
teUs in Thngit how the Russians offered whiskey to
Raven. At first it did not seem to affect him. They
gave him more, and finaUy he felt good and tapped
his feet. The introduction lasts 4 minutes.
The song has two stanzas, separated by a refrain,
each stanza being sung through twice, and the whole
lasting 2:30 minutes. During the singing, Charley White
tapped his foot to imitate Raven and also caUed out
"hede!" (to the beginning) at the end of the refrain,
and "tcuye!" (again) after the first singing of the
second stanza. No text was recorded at the time, but
was later transcribed from the tape. The song is followed
by a few additional remarks in Tlingit by Charley
White (12 seconds), and by an explanation in English
by his sister, Minnie Johnson (see p. 873).
When Charley White was asked in 1954 about the
words for the song, he dictated the following, for which
his daughter supplied a translation. (They could not
be fitted, however, to what was heard on the tape):
Yel q^wucu—"Raven was drinking"
deqAdet qutuyex du 'ix—"(For) everything he don't
care"
dEkAt dA gutci wunqagXx—"The wolf says 'take pity' "
As heard on the tape, the words are:
Stanza I (sung twice)
A tcAldAkAt 'At gutc tuye—AU it (?) the wolves (wolf)
tcuye (on repeat)
xa-xi ia-ga-ti—-?- cried
B ye yel qa-WAcu qwa-ya—The Raven was drinking
hAS det-ya-ka—-?-
ha tlAlsa du gutci tcu—Our-?-his Wolf indeed
C :^Aga[x] qonya di yeli 'aya—Cried-?-the Raven
'aye ya 'a 'u
D 'ahe 'a ha 'ahe 'ahu haya
'ani 'a ye-e
8 Falsetto raven cries on the repeat at this point.