Another of Tek'ic's Yek Songs:
To Call the Spirit, "Child of the Sun" (gAgan-yAtxi)
* Inherited from mentor, Xatgawet
Shamans' Songs
Shamans' songs are supposed to be the voices of their spirits singing. The songs are usually traditional and are known to all the men of the clan, since they must sing for the shaman during his seances. New songs are also said to be acquired when the shaman is in retreat in the woods.
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Teqwedi Shaman's Song: Spirit of Child of the Sun
"Child of the Sun' [gAgan-yAtxi] was purported to be the strongest of the Bear Clan's yek,
and "the sun itself."
Recorded in 1954 by Nick Milton (Teqwedi clan), born Yakutat, 1896; died 1966
This song has Tsimshian words, so Tlingit-speaking Milton did not know their meaning,
but the Tsimshian word Nax'nox [shamanic helper spirit] is clearly present (it is also more
clearly pronounced 'nax nox' in the second version recorded in the same session by
Jenny Jack [de Laguna, 1954, 6-1-A] ).
Foreign Yek of powerful shamanic cultures (Tsimshian) had special
potency and appeal.
This song was first obtained by the Yakutat shaman, Xatgawet
(pp. 679-680, 710-712). Xatgawet obtained this spirit by buidling a canoe of otter skin
& eight copper crossbars. The canoe was called, 'sun child boat' (gAgan-yAtxi yagu). They
came to him, presumably because they found the little skin boat so attractive.
de Laguna, Under Mt St Elias, vol 7, part 2, pp. 710-1
The last Teqwedi shaman to have these spirits was
Tek-'ic, who died about 1890 without a successor.
The song is in two parts: the first has a fast, irregular
tempo; the second is slower and smoother, so that it
sounds like two songs.
Part I (repeats)
A ya hoi', ya-ha wa-i ya-hoi', 'i-hi', 'i-hi',
B ya-ha ha-wa ha-ya hoi', 'i-hi, 'i-hi',
A' Ih'^an-di-hi, Ih^an-di(hi) nax nox yu-wai', Ih'^an-dihi,
(B') Ih'^an di-hi nax nox (huq) yu-wa, 'i-hi, 'i-hi,
B ya-ha ha-w ya-hoi', 'i-hi, 'i-hi,
Part II- Refrain
A 'a ha, 'a-wa-ha, 'a-ya-ha, 'a hi, 'a-ya-ha,
B ya-ya, 'a-wa 'i-hi, 'a-ya-ha, 'i-hi, 'a-ya-ha,
Stanza (sung twice)
A 'a-ha cu-wa-ki-ta, 'a-ni cu-wa, ha,
B na-qa tla-wa yi-hi, 'a-ya-ha, 'i-hi, 'a-ya-ha
Conclusion
X 'a-ha, 'a-hi, 'a-ya
hutca' — "The end!"
-F. De Laguna, Under Mt St Elias, Vol 7, part 3
Shamans' songs are supposed to be the voices of their spirits singing. The songs are usually traditional and are known to all the men of the clan, since they must sing for the shaman during his seances. New songs are also said to be acquired when the shaman is in retreat in the woods.
_______________________________________________________
Teqwedi Shaman's Song: Spirit of Child of the Sun
"Child of the Sun' [gAgan-yAtxi] was purported to be the strongest of the Bear Clan's yek,
and "the sun itself."
Recorded in 1954 by Nick Milton (Teqwedi clan), born Yakutat, 1896; died 1966
This song has Tsimshian words, so Tlingit-speaking Milton did not know their meaning,
but the Tsimshian word Nax'nox [shamanic helper spirit] is clearly present (it is also more
clearly pronounced 'nax nox' in the second version recorded in the same session by
Jenny Jack [de Laguna, 1954, 6-1-A] ).
Foreign Yek of powerful shamanic cultures (Tsimshian) had special
potency and appeal.
This song was first obtained by the Yakutat shaman, Xatgawet
(pp. 679-680, 710-712). Xatgawet obtained this spirit by buidling a canoe of otter skin
& eight copper crossbars. The canoe was called, 'sun child boat' (gAgan-yAtxi yagu). They
came to him, presumably because they found the little skin boat so attractive.
de Laguna, Under Mt St Elias, vol 7, part 2, pp. 710-1
The last Teqwedi shaman to have these spirits was
Tek-'ic, who died about 1890 without a successor.
The song is in two parts: the first has a fast, irregular
tempo; the second is slower and smoother, so that it
sounds like two songs.
Part I (repeats)
A ya hoi', ya-ha wa-i ya-hoi', 'i-hi', 'i-hi',
B ya-ha ha-wa ha-ya hoi', 'i-hi, 'i-hi',
A' Ih'^an-di-hi, Ih^an-di(hi) nax nox yu-wai', Ih'^an-dihi,
(B') Ih'^an di-hi nax nox (huq) yu-wa, 'i-hi, 'i-hi,
B ya-ha ha-w ya-hoi', 'i-hi, 'i-hi,
Part II- Refrain
A 'a ha, 'a-wa-ha, 'a-ya-ha, 'a hi, 'a-ya-ha,
B ya-ya, 'a-wa 'i-hi, 'a-ya-ha, 'i-hi, 'a-ya-ha,
Stanza (sung twice)
A 'a-ha cu-wa-ki-ta, 'a-ni cu-wa, ha,
B na-qa tla-wa yi-hi, 'a-ya-ha, 'i-hi, 'a-ya-ha
Conclusion
X 'a-ha, 'a-hi, 'a-ya
hutca' — "The end!"
-F. De Laguna, Under Mt St Elias, Vol 7, part 3