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Songs for Cliildren
This group comprises two traditional songs for children, called "teasing songs" by our
informants. These were also sung as amusing songs at peace ceremonies. There are also a
few "pet songs" for small children, sung by the composers.
One unrecorded "teasing song" involved an accusation of philandering with a member
of one's own sib ("tribe"). The words were quoted as: "I never knew that you're going to
die for your own tribe, and this is the time you're going to die [of love] for your own relation."
The informant (MJ) had heard it up at sealing camp. It was stormy weather and the
people "sat in a tent and sing, sing, sing, the whole night—Jimmy Jackson and B. A. Jack"—
both noted wits.
For other children's songs or lullabies that were not recorded, see pp. 571, 575, 830-831.
Traditional Teasing Song for a Little Boy
1954, 3-2-1; recorded by Minnie Johnson on May 5.
There is an introduction in Tlingit (25 seconds),
translated as: "I just say this is no song, anyhow not
composed by anybody. That's just a pet song and
anybody that loves a chUd, and they used this song.
But these two ladies, friends of mine [FdeL and Mary
Janes Downs], request that I sing for them and I just
start in."
The song lasts 55 seconds:
qa kiyex tlux^A tsak (repeated)—(Like a man?) creep
around
tlayi-ca kAx hedudikAhEtc—For the sitting women,
"it's a dirty shame."
'andat naxaskitc—Always sneaking around town.
"Sneak around the corner, around the house—not
even ashamed of doing it. That's for us a man sneaked
around the house. Not even ashamed of doing it, because
he loved tlayi-ca—that's us [i.e., 'sitting-down
women,' or Raven women at a peace dance, see p. 601].
Sneak around the town. . . . Slip around, tiptoe around
the village, just to get a glimpse of tlayi-ca." (See
Swanton, 1909, Songs 13 and 15, pp. 392-393.)
"That's a pet song for a baby, but they use that in
a peace dance just because it's lively."
When sung to a child, the names of one or more of
his joking-relatives are inserted. If sung at a peace
ceremony, the singer's sib-children are addressed: i.e.,
Kagwantan would sing to or about Kagwantan-yAtxi.
A
B
X
As sung, the words are:
kiyEx lux^Atsa qa [or tsak?]
kiyEx lux'^Atsa qa
Tlayi-ca kAxa
he dudikAheca
'andat naxaskitca 'e 'e
'e 'e na 'a hm hm
These words are repeated three times, with slight
variations. The second time, Phrase B is abbreviated
as:
B/ tlayi-ca kA-xa-kat yatakut6a ha he.
On the third time, the last part of Phrase B is:
'an dat naxaskintca ha he.
The end is:
X/ 'e 'e na 'a detcA hutc 'AWE!—"Indeed that's the end!"
Swanton's Song 13(1909, p. 392), said to be a Kagwantan
cradle song, "used also at feasts," is very
similar:
Kliyi't luxwaca'din Axho'nxo cAt kAX.
Around I always like my brother's wife for.
the house to creep
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