Written and Read by Peter Kalifornsky
from: A Dena’ina Legacy, K’tl’egh’i Sukdu. pp. 216-217.
edited by James Kari and Alan Boraas
Alaska Native Language Center: Fairbanks.
USH DUCH’ELASHI | MAKING SNOWSHOES |
---|---|
1.Chuq’eya daghel’ich’i ush ken detghiłk’el. | You [will] cut soft birch into strips for the snowshoe frame. |
2.Yethdi detghishax. | Then you [will] carve it. |
3.Yethdi yust ghu betsik’ghala bedenghiłyesh, | Then you lash the head frame on the front, |
4.ch’u niłkadetghiłyesh. | and you tie the tail together. |
5.Beqats’u batghilał. | You put on the cross braces. |
6.Yethdi deq bak’nitighitsex. | Then you pry the foot end up. |
7.Ghetnalggenda ghesh detghigget. | When it’s dry, you drill the frame holes |
8.Yethdi gesh detghiłtl’il. | Then you lace through the frame holes. |
9.Yethdi ush ghetl ił tghighet. | Then you lace it with leather rope. |
10.Yethdi k’qałen ił hał ghetghiłnen. | Then you lace the footpieces up. |
11.Yethdi k’k’ula banitnitghilał. | Then you put in the footstrap. |
12.Ch’u qaditighildeł, | And then you put them on, |
13.ch’u ba shtutghiyuł. | and go hunting in them. |