Formula of a Deer Medicine
told by Senaxon
November, 1901
Hoopa Valley, California
Transcribed by Pliny Earle Goddard
Source: Hupa Texts (UCPAAE vol. 1, no. 2), p. 321
- yide'-yima:n'ch'in'-ch'ing'
- Down river across
- ta:kiwh-we:ltsil-q'it-ch'ing'-ch'ing'
- Taikyu:whwelsilkutcintcing
- ch'e'ida'
- he lived.
One lived farther down the river on the other (east) side at Taikyu:whwelsilkutcing.
- hay-de:t
- These
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- persons
- na:dił
- living
- na:'ischwe'n
- he did
- diywho'
- something
- do:-wun-na'way
- he never had done.
- yo:w
- There
- yinuqi-yima:n-ch'in'-ch'ing'
- up river on the other side
- 'e:ng'
- it was
- łing'
- dogs
- whung
- only
- mino:k'ine:yo:t-e:y
- they barked
- whung
- only
- 'e'e'a'
- was there.
Up the river on the west side there was nothing but dogs and their barking.
- hay-'ung'
- And
- hay
- those
- yehyine:yo:t
- drove in by barking
- 'a:de:ne'
- made the noise.
- hay
- The
- k'iłixun
- deer
- 'e:ng'
- it was
- yehyine:yo:t
- they driving in
- 'e:ng'
- it was
- 'a[']de:ne'
- made the noise.
The dogs made the noise when they drove the deer into the river.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- hayo:w
- the one
- yide'-yima:n
- down across
- ts'isday
- he lived
- 'a:ch'ondehsne'
- he thought,
- 'isdo'
- " I wish
- duxo:whe'eh
- something
- 'a:ya:xolah
- could befall them.
The one who lived down river on the other side thought, "I wish something could be done with them.
- dunt
- Who
- xolung
- is it
- mitł'owe'
- its medicine
- na'ischwin'-tehł
- will make
- hay-de:
- these
- k'iłixun
- deer
- do: na:'iłtsun-de'
- they won't find again?
- dunt
- Who
- xolung
- is it
- mitł'owe'
- medicine
- na'ischwin'-te:
- will make
- do:-na'iłtsun-de'
- they won't see them again?
Who will make medicine so they will not see deer any longer?
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- hayo:w
- that one
- yide'-yima:n
- down across
- ts'isday
- he lived
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n-tah-ding
- Indian world
- 'a:k'ił'e:n
- what they do
- 'a'k'ilaw
- he did.
The one who lived below on the east side did what they do in the Indian world.
*The Hupa formerly did not cohabitate at all during the season for hunting. It is believed that the man himself who has cohabitated will not have luck in hunting, and that his bad luck will be communicated to those with whom he mingles.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- yinuqi-yima:n
- up across
- hay
- the
- k'ixinay
- Kixunai
- mixontaw'
- their houses
- xoning'
- his face
- yehch'itehłqe:t
- one after the other he stuck in.
Then he went up across the river and put his face in at the doors of the Ki:xunai's houses.
- xonist'e'
- His body
- nichwe'n-e:
- not good
- ma:n
- reason
- 'e:ng'
- it was
- 'a:ch'idyaw
- he did it.
He did it because his body was bad.
- xutł'e'-dung'
- Next morning
- sahwinde'n
- they started out.
- łing'
- Dogs
- ma:ming
- they coaxed.
The next morning when they started out to hunt they had to coax the dogs out.
- hayo:w
- Those
- łing'
- dogs
- hay
- the
- k'iłixun
- deer
- 'a'ił'in-ne'in
- used to chase
- do:-xohsle'
- was not
- ła'ay-xw
- really.
There was no chasing of the deer by the dogs.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- ła'
- one
- yisxa:n-ey
- day
- site:ch'-xw
- they lay there
- hayo:w
- those
- k'ixinay-ne'in
- Ki:xunai used to be.
Until night the Ki:xunai lay there.
- do:-heh nahsde'tł'-xw
- They could not walk about.
- ła'ay-xw
- Really
- ya:xowinga:n
- they were worn out.
They were so worn out they could not get up.
- dungwhe'eh
- Nobody
- k'ima:w
- medicine
- do:-nahschwing'
- could make
- hayo:w
- those
- k'ixinay
- Ki:xunai.
None of the Ki:xunai could make medicine.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- wha:
- sun
- na:nahwh-dahł-ding
- gone down time
- k'ima:w
- medicine
- ch'iswchwe'n
- he made.
- hayahujit-'ung'
- And then
- yinuqi-yima:n
- up the other side
- na[']ningyay
- he crossed.
When the sun had gone down the one who lived down river on the east side made medicine and then went up to the village on the west side.
- 'unłung-xwe:
- For everybody
- xonłung'
- enough
- na:'ischwe'n
- he made.
He made enough for all, both the Ki:xunai and their dogs.
- hayo:w
- "This
- whitł'ow'*
- my medicine
- de:t
- this
- mił
- with
- 'a:diwundohchwit-te:
- bathe yourselves,"
- ya[']xołch'ide:ne'
- he told them,
- hayo:w
- those
- łing'
- dogs
- tah
- too.
"Rub yourselves with my medicine," he told them, "and the dogs beside."
*The medicine was Douglas spruce.
- xutł'e'-dung'
- In the morning
- sahwinding'-hit
- when they went out
- 'ile:xich
- wonderfully
- łing'
- dogs
- mino:k'ine:yo:t-e:y
- barked
- whung
- only
- wing'a'
- was.
The next morning when they went out the dogs barked wonderfully. There was nothing but barking.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- 'a:ch'ondehsne'
- he thought,
- whe:-ye:
- "I it is
- 'a:whił-ch'ide:n'-te:
- they will talk to.
"I am the one they must tell about," he thought.
- hayo:w
- These
- k'ixinay
- Ki:xunai
- 'e:ng'
- it is
- do: 'a:ya'xołde:n' whung
- they must not talk to.
"They must not tell about these Ki:xunai.