Lushootseed TAPE Index: GNA #220




  1. Name of tape: Nine Categories - GNA Index #220
  2. Date of tape: June 9, 1976
  3. Tape recorded by: Vi Hilbert
  4. Speaker(s) on tape: Martin Sampson
  5. Name of file: Nine Categories: nine-cat.wav (418MB)
  6. Size of file (in minutes): 40 minutes
  7. List of file contents:
     
    The descriptions (translations and explanations) of the items on the tape are provided by Vi Hilbert (5/6/97), who explains that all of the songs on this tape are extracts or samples of each song category. Martin Sampson was asked to perform examples of the songs. The complete song - these are power songs - belongs to a particular person, family, or tribe.
    1.   Introduction 01:20
      Description
      ``At the present time, these white people, these teachers, want to know the culture of the Indian. The way the First People were in the past. These white teachers want to know, so we're going to do this for their benefit today."
    2. Song #1: [tubshadad] 1:20-4:55
      1. Segment 1: Introduction 1:20-1:55
        Description
        [tubshadad] - Black Paint/warrior Upper Skagit. Vocables only, no words. There is drumming.
      2. Segment 2: 1:55-3:10
        Description
        ``Three times this is sung - this much of the phrasing. This fast beat [the drum beat, foot beat/movement]. This is the melody of it."
      3. Segment 3: 3:30-4:55
        Description
        ``Words are not spoken with this." [Even though he just said there are no words, he is putting words to this. He is saying, ``I'm sacred, I'm sacred. I'm from downriver." Martin is interpreting what he hears as the message from this song for the audience.] ``When he [the owner of the song] is finished singing his spirit-power . . . [untranslatable]." ``At the present the people do not voice the words to the song." [I don't think they did long ago either, because you didn't reveal the source of your power, otherwise you weakened it.] ``Just as the explanation I gave before. I am sacred. I'm from up on high." [This means ``from above" or ``from upriver". He said he was from downriver originally.] ``Whatever his power was. Whatever little animal it was. We don't know." Singer comments, ``In other words, the tune is there. That is all."
    3. Song #2: [qwexhwqed] 4:55-6:55
      Description
      ``Now we are going to do another category [qwexhwqed]. This one they say is from upriver. His power comes from upriver. It's new. It's a new category." [I don't know how new it is.] ``This that is ours [Upper Skagit]. This is one variety with our people. I will sing it." ``This is sung three times, this fast beat." [My mother sang [qwexhqed]. This is one of the songs I inherited.]
    4. Song #3: [swadxh] 6:55-8:50
      1. Segment 1: 6:55-7:25
        Description
        ``[unintelligible] another tribe's [swadxh]" [He says this is spirit-power and names two animals. These are spirit-power animals. I don't recognize the animals.]
      2. Segment 2: [tubshadad] 7:25-7:50
      3. Segment 3: [spirit-power from the river] 7:50-8:50
        Description
        [This is the animal I don't recognize. This is the spirit-power from the river. NOTE: Whenever Vi says `the river' she is referring to the Skagit River.] ``This is ours." [He claims this is ours and then says ``[skwunamish]' - This is an actual place on the river.] He sings: ``I am traveling." [He is identifying that spirit-power as belonging to Poison. There was a medicine man whose name was Poison. He [Martin] said ``[ shac'uxw]" which is - ``That finishes that."]
    5. Song #4: [sqayep] 8:50-11:50
      Description
      [Words are not recognized by Vi. She says this is what is sung to be happy.] ``This is what the Swinomish sang. It's what kept them happy until winter." [All through the winter is what he means.] ``This spirit-power...." [He's telling the story - Vi has it transcribed.] ``That ends what I have to say about [sqayep]."
    6. Song #5: Joe Harrison's Shaker Song 11:50-15:50
      Description
      [He is bringing himself to talk about Joe Harrison and the way the spirit-power used to be on this earth. He will give examples by talking about what Joe Harrison sang. When the practice of our original spirit-power was being practiced. After we were forbidden to practice our spirituality - he's still protecting the practice of hiding our spirit-power songs - he is going to sing an example of how Joe Harrison sang even after the practice was forbidden. NOTE: Martin sings Joe Harrison's song before it converted to a Shaker song.] ``Then when somebody died, Joe Harrison's father died, his wife died, then his child died - everybody died - Joe Harrison became a Shaker and his spirit-power song changed to this....." [NOTE: Martin sings Joe Harrison's Shaker song.] [Not everyone has a spirit-power song. It comes when a person has been isolated. Sometimes parents will discipline a member of the family by putting them in the hands of the longhouse people to learn discipline. In the beginning, if you were from a family with the old teachings you would be expected to seek your spirit guide when you were a child, before puberty, around ten or eleven. Parents would say you have to isolate yourself. Here is where you will go and you will place this marker there so we will know. You will ask for your help. If they (the child) are lucky within ten days, they might have some evidence that the spirit guide would accept them - the initiate. Sometimes, when a person became ill because a spirit was wanting to be interpreted through them they would have to go into the longhouse and sing this so they would no longer be sick. Some members of old families are following the old teaching by isolating and cleansing themselves in the mountains to prepare for a spirit guide. They haven't been sent. They are returning to the old ways - an isolated few.] ``...people have turned to the Shaker church, their spirit guide changes also, converts, becomes Shaker."
    7. Song #6: [slehal] - Bone Game Song: Snoqualmie 15:50- 17:40
      ``...an example from Snoqualmie. Every tribe had their own Bone Game Song." Martin sings. ``...That's one - one example."
    8. Song #7: [slehal] - Bone Game Song: Upper Skagit 17:40-18:15
    9. Song #8: [slehal] - Bone Game Song: Tribal origins unknown. 18:15-19:20
      Description
      ``...going to sing Johnny Makai's song. Don't really know what tribe he belonged to. He was in Puyallup when he sang this Bone Game Song."
    10. Song #9: [slehal/c'ayq] - Bone Game Song: Upper Skagit 19:20-22:05
      Description
      [Upper Skagit Bone Game Song doesn't come from the Bone Game. Originally, it came from spirit guide song. This is spirit-power category, but can be made into a Bone Game Song by the owner.] NOTE: at time 19:50-20:45 Martin tells the story of the origin of the Bone Game Song. From 21:10-21:30 Martin sings Bone Game Song ``Old Louisa". [It originated somewhere other than the Upper Skagit but is still sung there today.]
    11. Song #10: Doctoring Song: Upper Skagit 22:05-29:25
      Description
      ``...belonged to one of my uncles" [He is telling the story of his uncle and giving a description of what a Sasquatch is.] ``This is ours too." [He feels relieved that he's almost through and good about future generations having this to help them understand.] ``The spirits come and ask why you (Martin) are calling me (spirit guide)."
    12. Song #11: [syew'd] 29:25-34:00
      Description
      [[syew'd], takes care of the home, this spirit.] ``This is sacred...women had power...." ``...pray for a better living...way of life." [People do not dance to [syew'd] or Bone Game Songs.]
    13. Song#12: Hop Picking Song (Love Song) 34:00-35:25
      Description
      [Love songs can be sung outside of the longhouse. They are not necessarily a personally owned [sqelalitut]. Love songs in Lushootseed refer to songs that express a wide range of deep feeling. Expressing feelings is most important to human beings. If you cannot express feelings you get sick.]
    14. Song #13: Marriage Dance/Proposal (Wedding Song) 35:25-36:30
    15. Song #14: Salmon Ceremony 36:30-40:00
      Description
      [Martin couldn't recall a song for the Salmon Ceremony. He just talks about it. Sings a snatch of song.] ``...maybe something like this."

sndrec01.tex/GNA Index #220 (5/97)

back to project contents