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IN THREE PARTS APPENDIX 1299
Dry Bay Chief George's Love Song to a Young Girl
1954, 7-1-C; recorded by Mrs. Chester Johnson on
June 10.
Qawusa or Qusun (he was known by both names)
was born at Dry Bay about 1850, the son of Qatan, a
Kagwantan man. He was the chief of the Tl'uknaxAdi
of Dry Bay, but died and was buried at Situk in 1916.
He was the younger brother of Dry Bay George, who
apparently never was chief. By one wife, CxAnsi, a
CAnkuqedi woman, he was father of Frank Italio
(1870-1956) and Maggie, Mrs. Frank Dick (1897-
1964); by her sister and co-wife, Tusdex, he was father
of Sam George (1890-1947).
Dry Bay Chief George composed two Tl'uknaxAdi
mourning songs, both probably for his potlatch at
Dry Bay in 1909 (1952, 1-1-A; 1954, 2-1-G; pp. 1162-
1164), as well as the potlatch 'Song for the Frog Screen'
(1954, 2-2-A and 6-2-A; pp. 1164-1165). He also composed
the guest's peace song about Kardeetoo, probably
in 1910, but perhaps later (1954, 1-1-B; p. 1244).
The 'Love Song to a Young Girl' is unusual in that
there is a refrain, and a single stanza (sung three times).
There is no mention of sib-chUdren, although the
composer refers to himseK as 'your Raven' and to the
girl as a 'Wolf.' The text involves a play on words,
since wudAcan (wu-da-ca-na, as sung) means both
'the old man' (Qawusa himself), and 'old age.'
There is a short introduction in Tlingit (19 seconds);
the song itself lasts 2:08 minutes, The words were
translated by Helen Bremner and, as dictated, are:
wA'Etc qu 'age yiqe^aq wudAcan—^By you why is
refused the old man?
lisA. 'ixAnde quqagut wudAcan—Soon to you wUl
come old age.
"You can't refuse old age. Some day it will come to
you."
A
B
C
D
As sung, the words are:
Refrain
'e yu he na 'a yu he na,
'e yu he na 'a yu he na 'e yau 'a ya,
'a yau 'e yu he ha 'e-ni 'a-ya 'e,
ne 'au 'e ya, 'au 'e 'e ye 'a 'u-um,
Stanza (sung three times)
A WA'Etc qu 'age yak- [or yi] -qiSaqa—^By you
why is refused
B' wudacana hede gutca ya—The old man? That
Wolf
'i yeh 'Ate 'isiti—Your Raven by it (carries??)
C'-f- 'aya liyisi XA 'i>i:Ande—Then soon (>CA?) to you
qaguta, wudacana—WUl come old age.
D' 'e ye ye 'a 'u 'e ye ya 'e ye
E 'a ye yu hu ya, ya 'a-ni 'a^-ya,
(On the second time:
D' 'e ye ye 'a 'u 'e ye ya ha 'u, 'e ye,
E/ ya 'a^ni 'ay-ya,)
D'
(On the third and last time:
'u 'e hutc!^["the end!"])
The structure is thus:
Refrain: A B C D
Stanza (1): A B' C'+ D' E
(2): A B' C'+ D' E
(3): A B' C'+ D7
Unrecorded Songs by Dry Bay Chief George
Dry Bay Chief George is said to have composed a
sad song to Teqwedi-chUdren, one that probably contains
the words: "I hate to leave you, but come let
me love you a little before I die" (cf. 1954, 3-1-E;
p. 1295).
Another song was sung and the text dictated by
Emma EUis, but since no electric current was avaUable,
it was not recorded.
Stanza 1
tsuyat tuwunik^—Still (already?) sad
genyAx qatunfenin—EasUy -?-
(niya axawe)—?-
djasa kiuA? qu'a—Just from above -?-
yi]natitc-de—^Let it be!
qa tuwunik"—Sorrow
(nigu -eye) [as sung]
Stanza II
tcaya wds 'ayd,—But why is it
dja xat nasn6tc—Just 1 always
tcu yayi Avtidjiin—If again now dreaming
Teqwedi-yAtii—Teqwedi-chUdren
I'ex 'a? tuwu—Very much my mind
tbaVe ('AC ?) 'unaxfltc—Then is scarcely troubled.