Assiniboine Narratives from Fort Belknap, Montana
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Assiniboine Narratives from Fort Belknap, Montana Stories told by Rose Weasel Part 1. Interlinear Texts Recorded by Douglas R. Parks and Raymond J. DeMallie Transcribed by Linda A. Cumberland and Raymond J. DeMallie Translated by Linda A. Cumberland PRELIMINARY EDITION Supported by NEH Grant no. RZ-51015-09 © American Indian Studies Research Institute Indiana University 2012 Contents 1. Ëktómi and the Ducks 1 2. ËÝâ’s (Smart Boy’s) Travels 8 3. Cactus Saves the People from Starvation (Starving Child) 23 4. Cicuwahe 26 5. Swimming Hawk 35 6. Wašicu Hoksin (White Man Boy) 62 7. Wašícu Pƒahá Šíce (Bad Hair White Man) 81 8. Ptéska Wïyâ (White Buffalo Woman) 93 9. Raised by Buffalo 111 10. Star Child 118 11. Ëktómi Marries Whirlwind Woman 157 12. The Twin Boys (Morning Star and Evening Star) 162 13. The Jealous Sister-in-Law 188 14. Pƒé„oönòka (Hole-in-the-Head) People 211 Acknowledgments The narratives by Rose Weasel in this collection were recorded by Douglas R. Parks and Raymond J. DeMallie at Fort Belknap, Montana, from May to July, 1985. They were transcribed by DeMallie from the sound recordings with the assistance of Mrs. Weasel’s daughter, Josephine Mechance, at Fort Belknap, in 1985. The narratives were reelicited and the transcriptions revised and glossed in English by Linda A. Cumberland with the assistance of Selena Ditmar and Tom Shawl, both from Fort Belknap, in 2008-2009. Cumberland prepared all the free translations. This preliminary web edition of Assiniboine texts is intended for the use of linguists and others who want access to Assinboine language data. A preliminary dictionary is also published on this web site (http://zia.aisri.indiana.edu/~dictsearch/, then choose “Assiniboine” and search selecting either “Indian” or “English”). The preservation of these narratives from the last fluent speakers of the Assiniboine language who were knowledgeable from firsthand experience about traditional tribal culture has been made possible by the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 1. Ëktómi and the Ducks (1) Ëktómi né kakƒíyo yáwøka høštá. (2) Yááka cƒâwóhâ Ëktómi this some direction he was going along it is said he was going woods Ýetám táku naö’ü stéya. (3) InáÝë cƒen akƒíta anáõoptââka. over that way something he heard it seemed he stopped therefore looking he was listening (4) Maõá nécƒápicƒ. (5) “Kwä, kwä, kwä,” eyáákapi. (6) “Ó né ducks they were that kind quack quack quack they kept saying oh these pƒaõütapi. (7) Wëcƒáwaknayëkta.” (8) ßécƒen yu’á’ës„a„ë„ëc„íkcu they are ducks I will fool them so then he pulled him self out of sight cƒén. (9) Katƒánïcƒoö níyuhana papéhâ hïk cƒoõäõicƒ né’ëš kaksá therefore moss a lot he gathered and willows also he cut hïkna Ýén yuõápa hëk ü pƒáöta hïk. (10) K’ï Ýécƒen and then he peeled and using them he tied and he packed it on his back so then mnëcákna yáwøka. (11) “Ëktómi, Ýé tákucƒ, tókƒi ná hé,” beside a lake he was going Ëktómi that what in particular where you go Q ecíyapi. (12) “Hä, né mïš nécƒi tƒéhâ mëcƒopi cƒén mnácƒ.” they asked him ah these me this place far away they invited me therefore I go (13) “Ïš Ýé tákucƒ ána hé,” ecíyapi. (14) “Háá, né and those that in particular you take Q they said to him ah these owácƒicƒ wéc’ë. (15) Né nécƒi tƒéhâ wacƒípikta cƒén, né are dances I am carrying these this place far away they will dance therefore these mïcƒopi,” eyá kaya. they invited me he said they say (16) ßécƒén yáwøka. (17) Pƒiyéniš eyáš pƒaõüta néyaš so then he was walking along nonetheless then ducks this way kakƒíyo kƒó maníya hïk. (18) “Ïhyü, Ïktóm, økícaõam all over also walking and come on Ëktómi make it for us wa’ücƒipik[ta].” (19) “Háá, tókƒen wayácƒipikta hé.” (20) we will dance ah how you all will dance Q “Wa’ücƒipitka[cƒ?],” (?eyá). we will [just] dance (they) said (21) ßécƒen eyáš Ëktómi né iníyuktâ tƒâka wâÝí káõa cƒén. (22) [right then ] Ëktómi this [dance hall ] one he made therefore ROSE WEASEL Ëktómi and the Ducks / 2 ßécƒen nétu watƒánëcoõa iyúha ókšâ [ecƒø].1 (23) Pƒaõüta né tƒâkán so then here moss a lot all around he did ducks these outside iyáyapi cƒéyakešë iyúha ózipa hïkna Ýécƒen tƒiyópa né cúsina. (24) they go could not all he erected it and that way door this it was small ßén wâÝí ïš kákƒen éknâkëktacƒ. (25) ßécƒen eyáš “Waná kúwa there [another one] over there he would put [right then ] now come here pó, Misükapi. (26) Waná waknúštâ nó,” eyá. IMV-PL Younger Brothers now I have finished DCL he said (27) Ëtú eyáš écƒen eyáš iyúha këyäyâ én ahí. (28) just then this way then all flying toward they arrived ßécƒen, “Hënäkam, hënäkam!” eyá. (29) Nína wëcƒáya yutƒätƒâ [hä]ta. so then wait wait he said very on them he felt around ? (30) Tukté šëtƒøpihâ, “Høktá, nén tƒin iyá,” ewïcƒakiyaaka. (31) Né whichever they were fat leave here inside go he kept telling them this wâÝí hústaka hâta, “Hiyá, nipáwâkapik[ta]. (32) Niyéš óyapƒëktešë.” one skinny whenever no they will knock you down not you you can't join in (33) Šëtƒüpi häta, “Tâyäö.” they were fat whenever very good (34) Néyaš oÝú wëcƒáya cƒén, iníyuktâ tƒäka káõe né. (35) ßé’ecƒ this then full with them therefore [?dance hall] he made this that one waná Ýécƒan akƒé. (36) Táku, tƒatƒókana cƒá cƒen, nén hiyáya. now then again something antelope maybe therefore here he went by (37) ßé’ëš ëtƒó ëtázipa é... éknaku hëk a’útƒa hïkna. that (other) one got the idea bow it was he took his and he shot it and (38) Tƒaníõana Ýé eyák„iyéya hïk. (39) Cƒä né„ëš yuktä hïk little tripe that he quickly took it and wood also he bent and kamúpina wâÝí okáö„iyéya ?né/kné. (40) Tƒïöa né yuskú hïk little drum one hequickly made [indistinct] intestine this he pulled out and kamúpina Ýécƒø hïk. (41) Akƒé cƒetƒí hïkna ináöniyena sakyá. (42) little drum he made it and again mde a fire and hurriedly he dried it Kamúmu iyútƒaka eyáš, *Túk túk túk,* eyá nécƒen há. (43) Eyáš, drumming he tried it out then tap tap tap [sounded this way] ? so Ýé kamúpi. (44) “Hiyú pó, Misükapi, waná wayácƒipik[ta]. that it was a drum come IMV-PL Younger Brothers now you will dance 1s22 -ecƒü ƒhe did’ This is not audible in the recording. It may have been added by Mrs. Mechance when she assisted with the original transcription in 1985. ROSE WEASEL Ëktómi and the Ducks / 3 (45) Iyúhana ëštókmus wayácƒipik[ta],” eyá kaya. everyone eyes closed you will dance he said they say (46) ßécƒen eyáš, eyáš waná nowä. (47) [Singing:] “Paõüta tƒäka [right then ] then now he sang ducks big ëštókmøkmøs wacƒípó. (48) Pƒaõüta tƒäkana pƒaõü ëštókmøkmøs eyes tightly closed dance-IMV-PL ducks big ducks eyes tightly closed wacƒípó,” eyá kaya. (49) *Pám, pám, pám.* eyáka (50) “Aúuu, dance-IMV-PL he said they say boom boom boom it went whoo! aúuu, aúuu.!” (51) “Õupá koskóÝam” eyá. whoo! whoo! wings flap them-IMV he said (52) ßécƒen ecƒüpi häta, Ýé’ecƒâ tƒahú wëcƒáyupemni hëk nécƒi that way they did it whenever meanwhile necks he wrung them and over here tƒâkán kƒë?ëwëcƒáyáákes’a. (53) Ah, akƒé Ýécƒen kamúpi iyákiöpaya outside he kept throwing them ah again that way drum he grabbed it up hïkna, Ýécƒøøka. (54) Ëknúhânaö2 né, šiyákana wâÝí naömána and he kept doing that all at once this one mud hen one secretly tƒín’iyáya cƒén. (55) Ëštá sânína awïcƒakƒita, “Tøwäpišim,” eyé he went inside and then eye one side he looked at them don't look-IMV-PL he said Ýé’ écƒ. (56) ßé„écƒa wäwïcƒayaka né Ëktómi né. (57) Tƒahú [even though] how it was he saw them this Ëktómi this necks wëcƒáyuksa áya né, you know, tƒahú wïcƒáyupémni. (58) “Häti pó!” [he was breaking theirs ] this you know necks he was wringing them scram IMV-PL eyá. (59) “Né Ëktómi nëcásotapi nó!” eyá hïk. (60) Nén he said this Ëktómi he is wiping you out DECL he said and here tƒâkán nâpƒé Ýécƒen Ëktómi né kƒuwá áya. (61) Áá, këyäpi outside (they) fled so then Ëktómi this [he chased them] ah fly okíhipišë. (62) ßé táku šiyáka ewïcƒakiyapi. they weren't able those things mud hen they are called (63) Waná miní nén iyóhikte écƒen nëté akán naötáka. (64) now water here it would reach there then lower back on he kicked 2ëknúhânaö Normally this is glossed as ƒall at once’ but Mrs. Mechance’s interpretation was ƒpretty soon’. ROSE WEASEL Ëktómi and the Ducks / 4 É-he-hé’ nëté akán naötáka cƒén, sihúna neyós ecƒén kiknüka.3 oh no! lower back on he kicked therefore leg bones both this way he dove in (65) ßé’épi ëštécapi cƒén kiknükapis’a. (66) ßécƒen they are the ones they are ashamed therefore they always dive so then kúúka cƒen. (67) “Häti pó. (68) Tuwéni wacƒïnëkƒiyapišë cƒa he came back therefore scram IMV-PL no one [forced you to dance ] (69) Né mïš imátukƒa cƒen wacƒícƒicƒiyapicƒ.” this me I was hungry therefore I had you dance (70) ßécƒen cƒán’ówa yuwéöweõa cƒen eyáš. (71) OÝú so then a lot of wood he bent and broke therefore then full akí’ø hïkna Ýécƒen. (72) Eyáš iyúhana kákƒen éwëcƒaknaka hïk, ?started a fire and ? then all over there he put them and [?cƒâyá óta], cƒaöóta awïcƒakahi iyúha. (73) ßécƒø hëk akápƒatâhâ [indistinct] ashes he covered them up all he did that and on top of eyáš ëcƒétƒi.