Haida texts and myths
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY: W. H. HOLMES, CHIEF BULLETIN 29
RECORDED BY JOHN R. SWANTON
WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905
Recorded by
John R. Swanton
The following texts and myths were obtained on the Queen Charlotte islands, British Columbia, during the winter of 1900–01. They comprise all those procured at Skidegate, the more southern of the two towns on these islands still regularly occupied, which is made up of people from a number of towns that formerly existed along the eastern and western coasts, whose speech differed in certain particulars from that of the Haida on the northern coast. Since, however, all now live at Skidegate, their language is conveniently called the Skidegate dialect. For a similar reason the language of the northern Haida is called the Masset dialect, although it is spoken also in three Alaskan towns—Howkan, Klinkwan, and Kasaan. For study and comparison one text in each dialect has been given with interlinear translation, and twelve others with translations on the page opposite. Although the remaining stories were also obtained in Haida, English versions only are given, but they are kept as close to the original as possible.
I have tried to handle the translations in such a way as to assist the philologist without too far obscuring the meaning. Where obscure passages occur the notes will usually clear them up.
My interpreter was Henry Moody, who belongs to the principal family of Skedans, Those-born-at-Qā′gials, and has since become its chief.
For identifications of many of the plants and animals named in these stories I am indebted to Dr. C. F. Newcombe, of Victoria, British Columbia.
During a famine a child asked his mother for something to eat. Then his mother cut off the upper part of a dog salmon for him, and he thought it was not enough. He said it was too small and began to cry.
After he had cried for a while he went out with it. He chewed it up and put it into a swampy place by the beach. Then the dog salmon swelled up there, and there was a great quantity of it. He was sorry at having lost it. Then he began to cry.
Unknown
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CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
INTRODUCTION
TEXTS WITH FREE AND INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION
Moldy-forehead
Qol-qꜝᴀ′lg̣oda-i
Îłdī′nī
Îłdī′nī
STORIES ACCOMPANIED BY TEXTS
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
Raven Traveling
A-slender-one-who-was-given-away
The one abandoned for eating the flipper of a hair seal
Sacred-one-standing-and-moving, Stone-ribs, and Upward
Supernatural-being-who-went-naked
He-who-was-born-from-his-mother’s-side
He-who-travels-behind-us (or Qonā′ts)
He-who-got-supernatural-power-from-his-little-finger
Łᴀguadjî′na or Łg̣añā′ʻogaña
He who hunted birds in his father’s village
The story of him whose sister brought him food from the land otters
How something pulled a row of eagles into the water
The story about him who destroyed his nine nephews
The story of one who saw an eagle town
The one they abandoned because he was the first to spear sea lions
The man who married a killer-whale woman
He who was abandoned by his uncles
The story of those who were abandoned at Stasqa′os
He who married the daughter of the devilfish chief
Those who were fasting to become shamans
Big-tail.
The story of him through whom Łᴀ′gua spoke
Cloud-watcher
Story of the shaman, G̣ᴀ′ndox’s-father
Djila′qons
Story of the House-point families
How the Seaward-sqoā′ładas obtained the names of their gambling sticks
How one of the Stasa′os-lā′nas became wealthy
Stories of the Pitch-people
How a red feather pulled up some people in the town of Gu′nwa
How one was helped by a little wolf
Gunanasî′mgît
Story of the two towns that stood on opposite sides of Nass river
Slaughter-lover.
The woman at Nass who fled from her husband
The rejected lover
He who gathered food for an eagle
Qō′łkꜝē
Two Children’s Stories
A raid on the Tlingit
War between the West Coast and Ninstints Haida and the Gîtî′sda
Raid by the Ninstints Haida on those of the West Coast
Fight between the Kaigani and West Coast Haida
Wars between the Stikine and Sitka Tlingit
Fights between the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał-gîtî′ns and the Middle-gîtî′ns
Fights between the Tsimshian and Haida and among the northern Haida
War between the Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao and the Inlet-rear-town people
Wars with the Niska and Tsimshian and conflicts between Haida families
Fight between Those-born-at-Qā′gials and Those-born-at-Skedans
War between the Pebble-town people and the Slaves
War between the people of Kloo and the people of Ninstints
A fight between the Xā′gi-town people and Sand-town people
Wars between the people of Ninstints and the people of Skidegate
Wars between the peoples of Skidegate and Kloo
Wars between the towns of Kloo and Kitkatla and between the Kloo families
War between the people of Kloo and the Tsimshian
War between the people of Kloo and the Bellabella
War between the people of Kloo and the Gîtî′sda
Colophon
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