Formula of a Deer Medicine
told by Robinson Shoemaker
June, 1901
Hoopa Valley, California
Transcribed by Pliny Earle Goddard
Source: Hupa Texts (UCPAAE vol. 1, no. 2), p. 319
- de:t
- This
- ninis'a:n
- world
- mine:jit
- middle
- na'tehłdichwe:n
- grew
- k'ixinay
- Ki:xunai
- ninis'a:n
- world
- ne:ji-xw
- middle time
- sile'n-mił
- nearly after.
A Ki:xunai lived in the middle of this world. He came into existence just before the coming of Indians.
- 'a:ch'ondehsne'
- He thought,
- duxwe:t-gya'awh-ne'
- "How will it be
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- Indians
- na:na:nde'tł'-de'
- when they come to be,
- k'iłixun
- deer
- wun-na:'usya'
- they hunt?"
- hayah-mił
- And
- ts'isiłwe
- he killed one
- ne:jit
- while
- mingk'il'e:n
- mingkilen
- xola:n
- with him
- k'iwinya'n
- ate.
"How will it be," he thought, " when Indians come into existence and a minggkilen eats of the venison they have killed!"
- xok'iłixun'
- His venison
- tah
- some
- yiwingya'n
- she ate it.
Then it happened that a woman in such a condition did eat of venison which he had killed.
- xutł'e'-dung'
- In the morning
- ch'e'ningyay
- he went out.
- wilwe:tł'
- Until night
- ch'iqa:l-xw
- he walked
- do:-wiltsa:n
- none seen.
He went out to hunt and walked about until night without seeing a deer.
- 'a:xoł-ch'ide:ne'
- He said to him,
- mingk'il'e:n
- "Mingkilen
- 'e:ng'
- it was
- nila:n
- with you
- yik'iwingya'n
- ate."
He heard someone say to him, "It has happened because a mingkilen has eaten of your venison."
- de:-xw
- Around
- na'te:ng'e'n
- he looked.
- xa:lchwin-xola:n
- Growing up he saw
- tse:-łitsow*
- blue-brush.
When he looked around he saw buck brush growing there.
*Ceanothus integerrimus.
- hayahujit
- And then
- hay
- that
- ch'iwintsit
- he pounded.
- hay
- That
- mił
- with
- 'a:diwun'diwinchwit
- he rubbed himself.
He took some of the leaves and tender shoots, pounded them up, and rubbed them on himself.
- xutł'e'-dung'
- Next morning
- ch'e'ningyay
- he went out.
- k'iłixun
- Deer
- mich'ing'
- toward him
- nahx
- two
- ch'isehłwe:n
- he killed.
When he went out to hunt the next morning two deer came toward him. He killed them.
- 'a:ch'ondehsne'
- He thought,
- hayi-q'
- "This way
- xolun-tehł
- it will be
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- Indians
- na:na:nde'tł'-te:
- when they come to be
- hay
- who
- whinist'e'
- my body
- ch'o:xo:ndehsne'
- know.
"This way it will happen to that one of the Indians who shall know my medicine.
- hayi-heh
- Anyhow
- ła:n
- many
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- people
- do:
- not
- whinist'e'
- my body
- ch'o:xondehsne'-whung
- shall know.
Not many of them shall know my medicine.
- niwho:ng
- Good
- hay-de:t
- this one
- whinist'e'
- my body
- ch'o:xondehsne'
- knows.
It will be well with the one who knows it.
- łah-xw gya'
- I wish
- do: xoł me:tsah-xowinsin'-whung
- he may have no trouble
- hay
- who
- whinist'e'
- my body
- ch'o:xondehsne'
- knows."
I wish that he may have no trouble in killing deer."