AM TSUUSXWM G戽ABI GANHL LOG戽OM GYAHL G戽AN(Gitxsan Translation)
Gitxsan translation by: Barbara Harris Sennott, Jeanne Harris and Catherine Blackstock of the Gitxsan Nation
Written by Veselin Jungic and Mark MacLean
Illustrated by Bethani L'Heureux
AM TSUUSXWM G戽ABI GANHL LOG戽OM GYAHL G戽AN
TSUUXWM G戽ABIHL WAY. LAX NIIYHL ANTIMAHLASXW TUN. DIP TSIITS GANHL AGWI TSIITS NIIYHL MAHLASXW LOOY.
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Story Transcript: Gitxsan and English
My name is Small Number. This is a story that Ive heard from my grandmother and that she heard from her grandmother.
WILA WIHL LOG戽AM GYAHL G戽AN JABIS DIP G戽ANIIYEETXWM LAX TSAAHL AKS. GOOHL HLGU G戽AL TSAPM.
It is about an old totem pole built by my ancestors on a beach close to our village.
GIIYHL SA II YUKWT GIIYHL X戽SGYAAKHL WINEEX. IIT GYAHL WII HON TSIM AKS, II WAG戽YT TIP DAWIHLT TSIM AKS IIT MUKWHL HON AHL WII TAAX HLAKST.
One day, the eagle was looking for food. He spotted a huge salmon just below the surface of the water, he plummeted to the river and caught the salmon with his mighty talons.
II AP G戽AL WII TISHL HON TSAA WATS DAXGYATHL KAAXHL X戽SGYAAK II AP AM TSUUSXWHL WILT MIIN BATSIHL HON GOOHL TSIM AKS.
But, the salmon was so big that even eagles strong wings, he could only lift the fish up a little bit in the water.
HLIMOOY HLIMOOY WAAATXWHL X戽SGYAAK.
Help! Help! screeched the eagle.
LAXNIIYHL G戽AAK戽 WIL WAAATXWSHL X戽SGYAAK, II TIP GIPAYKWT IIT GAHLXW HLI SMAXHL HON.
The raven heard eagles cry, so he flew down and he pierced the body of the fish.
SAG戽AYT_DAMG戽ANHL X戽SGYAAK GANHL G戽AAK戽H戽L戽 HON GIX, AP G戽AL AP LUKWIL WII TSIHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TSEEHL AKS WILT MAK戽 DIITHL HON.
The eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon together, but the fish was so big that they only moved the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore
HLIMOOY HLIMOOY II HETSIMO WAAATXWHL X戽SGYAAK.
Help! Help! screeched the eagle again
LAX NIIYIHL SMAX WIL WAAATXWHL X戽SGYAAK, II XSII BAX戽T GOOHL SPAG戽YAT G戽AN, II MIIN HETXWHL SMAX IIT G戽UUHL X戽SGYAAK AHL WII DAX ANONT.
The bear heard the eagles piercing shrill, ran out of forest, and the bear stood up and grabbed the eagle with his huge paws (hands).
DAMG戽ANHL SMAX X戽SGYAAK, GI IIT DAMG戽ANHL X戽SGYAAK GANHL G戽AAK戽 HON, G戽AL AP LUGWIL WII TSIHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TSEEHL AKS WILT MAK戽 DIITHL HON.
The bear was pulling the eagle, and the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, but the fish was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.
HLIMOOY HLIMOOY WAAATXWHL SMAX.
Help! Help! roared the bear.
LAX NIHL GIBUU WIL AA AASXWHL SMAX, II XSII BAX戽T AHL SPAG戽YAT G戽AN, IIT GIIDII GUUHL SMAX HOYITHL XSG戽OOG戽AM HII NIILUXWM SI SEEE.
The wolf heard the bears call, and ran out of forest, stood up and stopped the bear.
DAMG戽ANHL GIBUUHL SMAX, DAMG戽ANHL SMAXHL X戽SGYAAK, IIT DAMG戽ANHL X戽SGYAAK GANHL G戽AAK戽H戽L戽 HON, II AP LUGWIL WII TSIHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TSEEHL AKS WILT MAK戽 DIITHL HON.
The wolf was pulling the bear, the bear was pulling the eagle, the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, but the fish was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.
HLIMOOY HLIMOOY WAAATXWHL GIBUU.
Help! Help! howled the wolf.
LAX NIIIHL TSIMILX WIL WAAATXWHL GIBUU, XSI BAXT GOOHL TSIM AKS, IIT GIIDII GUUHL GIBUU HOYTHL AHL ANONT.
The beaver heard wolfs cries, ran out of the river, and grabbed the wolf with her hands.
DAMG戽ANHL TSIMILXHL GIBUU, DAMG戽ANHL GIBUUHL SMAX, DAMG戽ANHL SMAXHL X戽SGYAAK, IIT II DAMG戽ANHL X戽SGYAAK GANHL G戽AAK戽 HON GIX, II AP G戽AL WII TISHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TSEEHL AKS WILT MAK戽 DIITHL HON GIX.
The beaver was pulling the wolf, the wolf was pulling the bear, the bear was pulling the eagle, the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, but the fish was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore
HLIMOOY HLIMOOY WAAATXWHL TSIMILX YUKWT YATS KUUKWT TSIM AKS.
Help me! Help me! the beaver cried as she hit the water with her tail.
LAX NIIIHL G戽ANAAW WIL WAATXWHL TSIMILX, II XSI BAXT TSIM AKS, IIT GIIDII GUUHL TSIMILX AHL SISEET.
The frog heard beavers call, ran out of the river, and grabbed the beaver with his legs.
DAMG戽ANHL G戽ANAAW TSIMILX GI, IIT DAMG戽ANHL TSIMILX GIBUU GI, DAMG戽ANHL GIBUUHL SMAX GI, DAMG戽ANHL SMAX X戽SGYAAK, IIT DAMG戽ANHL X戽SGYAAK GANHL G戽AAK戽 HON GIX, IIT SAGAYT XSI DAMG戽AN DIITHL HON GOOHL LAX XSIIP.
The frog was pulling the beaver, the beaver was pulling the wolf, the wolf was pulling the bear, the bear was pulling the eagle, the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, and together they heaved the salmon on to the shore.
GIDAG戽ASXW: GWI GAN WIHL STIP X戽SGYAAK, GANHL G戽AAK戽, GANHL SMAX, GANHL GIBUU GANHL TSIMILX DIM HLIMOO DIITHL TSUUSXWM G戽ANAAW DIM NII DAMG戽ANHL HON AHL LAX XSIIP
Question: Why did the eagle, the raven, the bear, the wolf, and the beaver need help from a little frog to pull the salmon on to the shore?
Credits and Acknowledgements
Written by Veselin Jungic, 間眅埶AV, and Mark MacLean, UBC
Illustrator: Bethani L'Heureux from the Cree First Nation
Gitxsan translation by: Barbara Harris Sennott, Jeanne Harris and Catherine Blackstock of the Gitxsan Nation
Voice: Jeanne Harris of the Gitxsan Nation
Music: Gary Georege of the Wet'suwet'en Nation
Producer: Veselin Jungic, 間眅埶AV
Director: Andy Gavel, Ryerson University; and Aidan Wright UVic
Special Thanks To:
Tom Archibald, 間眅埶AV
Pam Borghardt, 間眅埶AV
Ozren Jungic, University of Oxford
Department of Mathematics, 間眅埶AV
Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia
The IRMACS Centre, 間眅埶AV
Faculty of Science, 間眅埶AV
Department of Linguistics, 間眅埶AV
Office for Aboriginal Peoples, 間眅埶AV
Pacific Institute For Mathematical Sciences;
This story is an adaptation of the Russian fairy tale "The Giant Turnip" inspired by west coast First Nation's traditions and art.