ahtna > Chistochina Advanced Reader

 

Chistochina Ahtna Advanced Reader

Web Version June 2018

Featured Speaker
Lena Charley

Linguistic Transcription
John T. Ritter

Original Illustrations
Susan McCallum

Series Editor
Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D.

A production of
Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium

Funded by
Creation and Printing of Series funded by Grant #90NL0299 from the Administration for Native Americans and Grant #S356A030043 from the Alaska Native Education Program of the Department of Education (DOE-ANE). Web conversion funded by Grant #S356A170083 from DOE-ANE.

Chistochina Ahtna Advanced Reader
ISBN 0-9760483-1-0

This title is part of the MSTC Ahtna Language Series

© 2009 Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. All Rights Reserved

Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium
HC01 Box 357
Gakona, AK 99586
www.mstc.org

This book is based on a design developed by
Yukon Native Language Centre, John T. Ritter, Director 1977-2017

YNLC illustrations and photos used by permission

Cover design and sound by Paula Elmes, ImageCraft Publications & Design

Web design and sound conversion by AE Data, Inc

Sound and web function correction by Frostline Productions, LLC

Continuity from print to web version by Alaska History Projects, LLC

Taa’tl’aa Denae

We are the Taa’tl’aa Denae (Headwater People) of Chistochina and Mentasta, located in the eastern-southcentral interior of Alaska. Our culture is rooted in thousands of years of tradition, family, and cooperation. Our villages are inhabited by Ahtna people who were nomadic hunter gatherers. Our ancestors were the last Alaska Native group to see permanent settlement in their territory, established in the winter of 1898–99 during the Klondike Gold Rush into the Copper River Valley. The Upper Ahtna villages of Mentasta and Chistochina continued their seasonal patterns of subsistence travel until 1957, when the first village schools were instituted.

In today’s changing world, our Elders are the last remaining links to these traditions—to who we once were. Elders have a perspective on life that is closely tied to the land, and Athabascan people have always looked to them for advice and guidance.

 

 

Foreword

You are using a web representation of a title in the Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium’s MSTC Ahtna Language Series (2009), which is further discussed in the Introduction. In 2018, the interactive computer CDs that accompanied six in the ten book series were used in conversion to web design. It is hoped that reformatting these important Alaska Native language educational materials will extend the lessons for self-study to learners who make exclusive use of web-access devices other than computers. A stable Internet connection is required to play selections of the voice recordings without delays.

 

Preface — Lena Charley (1930- )

Lena Charley smiling, looking directly at camera, with braided hair and red coat.

Lena Charley at Yukon Native Language Centre. (Photo by John Ritter 2003)

Lena Charley grew up in the Twin Lakes and Nabesna Bar area of the Upper Copper and Nabesna River Valleys. When she moved to Chistochina with her husband and children in 1960, she spoke no English. By 1999 Lena was teaching her language in the local school, and she has been a regular teacher at the Summer Culture Camp, where she instructs youth in traditional arts and crafts. In MSTC’s Native Language Program (2004), Lena took her granddaughter, Jessica Denny, as her apprentice in teaching the Chistochina Upper Ahtna dialect. Jessica was the first Upper Ahtna person to complete the YNLC Certificate in Teaching Native Language. In 2006, Lena began working with her grandniece, Honalee Sanford, who was the program’s second apprentice language teacher.

From 2003 to 2011, Lena was  a regular visitor to the Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) in Whitehorse, Canada, where she shared her knowledge of the Ahtna language as a teacher, mentor, and linguistic consultant. Lena has been the featured speaker for Chistochina in the MSTC Ahtna Language Series.

 

Introduction

Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium’s MSTC Ahtna Language Series is the first new, classroom-based language material published for study of the Ahtna language since 1975. MSTC’s first editions (2000) of the Language Lessons in all five dialects were a milestone in materials development for in-school programs and adult independent study of the Ahtna language. The Series (2009) represents the first linguistically supported effort to establish literacy materials for the entire Ahtna region, stimulating the first practical efforts at standardizing spelling in order to make the leap from linguistic description to local Native literacy in Ahtna. These materials demonstrate MSTC’s continuing commitment to language and culture preservation in strong Native communities.

Lena’s two Talking Book stories, recorded with linguist, John Ritter, invoke memories of her own life. The first story about a little boy and his family’s daily routine features the name of her first great-grandson, Bjorn Beeter. The second story about a child with his family in fish camp includes lots of detail and new vocabulary. Lena maintains her own fish camp every summer.

Chistochina Ahtna Advanced Reader for the Upper Ahtna dialect is a new title in the MSTC Ahtna Language Series. All titles in the Series use James Kari’s dictionaries (1975 and 1990) and the Alaska Native Language Center’s Ahtna writing system. The two short texts featured the collaboration of speaker, Lena Charley, working with linguist, John Ritter, the founding director of the Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC). Special thanks are due to linguists, John Ritter, André Bourcier, and Professor Siri Tuttle for their generous advice, as well as YNLC computer specialists, Doug Hunt and Sheila Maisson. Recording and production of the MSTC Ahtna Language Series (2003–09) was partially funded by grants, from the Administration for Native Americans and the Department of Education, and by contributions from MSTC, the editor, the Yukon Native Language Centre, and Paula Elmes, graphic artist with the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, and ImageCraft Publications and Design. The YNLC book design for this text is used by permission, including illustrations by Susan McCallum.

Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph.D.
Editor, MSTC Ahtna Language Series
April 2018


 

Stacnel’iita’ Gha Nakolnic
Story About Stacnel’iita

Gaann du’ ciił ggaay nt’ae.
This is a small boy.

Buze’ Stacnel’iita’
His name is Stacnel’iita’.

Ciił ggaay nts’e t’aen?
What is the little boy doing?

Tsets dandelyae.
He is carrying in wood.

Nohtezk’aats.
It’s turning cold, getting to be fall time.

C’et’aan’ nadaex.
The leaves are falling.

Tsic’uus nelkon’o nidel’aan.
He’s wearing a warm hat.

Tsets katneghiłdok.
The wood is stacked full (in the box).

Stacnel’iita’ nts’e t’aen?
What is Stacnel’iita’ doing?

Tuu naatkaał.
He’s packing in some water.

Ndi’i da yiłt’aesi?
What is he cooking?

Segele łt’aes.
He’s cooking grayling.

Taeł ‘eggat kadezniic.
A rug is down on the floor.

Stacnel’iita’ utsucde nt’ae.
This is Stacnel’iita’s grandmother.

Utsucde nts’e t’aen ?
What is his grandmother doing?

Utsucde nancnekaan’.
His grandmother is sewing.

Kentsiis nanekaan’.
She is sewing moccasins.

Natl’edze tiił dazkaan.
A beads container is sitting there.

Utsucde natl’edze ne’aes.
His grandmother is stringing beads.

Utsucde tse’ nek’unestl’uun.
His grandmother is wearing a head scarf.

Bedi’i nt’aenn ?
Who is this?

Buze’ Naneniłnaan.
Her name is Naneniłnaan.

Ciił ggaay udaedze’ nt’ae.
She is the little boy’s younger sister.

Udaedze’ ztaen.
His younger sister is sleeping.

Ciił ggaay ulic’ae’ ztaen.
The little boy’s dog is sleeping.

Ulic’ae’ Naneniłnaan k’anełta’.
His dog is looking after Naneniłnaan.

Ulic’ae’ lggey taeł k’eztaen.
His white dog is sleeping on the rug.

Konax yii hwnelkon’.
It’s warm inside the house.

Gaann ‘en bedi’i nt’aenn?
Who are these people?

Gaann ‘en du’ Naneniłnaan unaan ‘en nt’ae.
These are Naneniłnaan’s parents.

Nts’e tket’aen?
What are they doing?

Tsaey ketnaan.
They’re drinking tea.

C’ekeyaan.
They’re eating.

Nahwkolnic.
They’re telling stories.

Ciił ggaay uta’ staxacdetiis.
The little boy’s father is going hunting.

Tsenii ce’e zkaan.
A big teapot is sitting there.

Dezk’aan’e yizkaan.
A lamp is sitting there.

Stacnel’iita’ uta’ tsic’uus zu’ nidel’aan.
Stacnel’iita’s father is wearing a nice hat.

Xonahaan!
That’s all!

 

Ben Nełgha’aa Delyaan Gha Nahwkolnic:
Story about Twin Lakes

Ciił ggaay nts’e t’aen?
What’s the little boy doing?

Ciił ggaay tabaaghe nadzen.
The little boy is standing at the shore.

Ciił ggaay segele uka nacnełgets.
The little boy is fishing for grayling.

Taagga segele tabaa zdlaa.
Three grayling are lying on the shore.

Tsic’uus delt’eli nidel’aan.
He is wearing a red hat.

Saen kulaen.
It is summer.

Uta’ boat yizdaa.
His dad is sitting in the boat.

Tehbiił yii tsabaey zdlaa.
There are fish in the net.

Uta’ tehbiił yii tsabaey kalae.
His dad is taking the fish from the net.

Men yii tehbiił tinilaa.
He has the net set in the lake.

Udaedze’ tsabaey sax.
His younger sister is gaffing fish.

Udaedze’ tuu yii nadzen.
His younger sister is standing in the water.

Udaedze’ denc’ii tsabaey tabaa zdlaa.
His younger sister has four fish on the shore.

Udaedze’ kae ułkaedi yii del’aets.
His younger sister is wearing rubber boots.

Unaan nin’ k’ezdaa.
His mom is sitting on the ground (moss).

Unaan tsabaey tse’ kant’aas.
His mom is cutting off the fish heads.

Uyats’e’e’ tsabaey ghalaeł.
Her daughter is carrying the fish.

Dzaenn nakatna’.
They worked all day.

Ciił ggaay bak’eye tsabaey t’aas.
His auntie is cutting fish.

Udaedze’ ggaay dak’eye nghał’aen.
His younger sister sees her auntie.

Tsabaey tse’ ts’aac yizdlaa.
The fish heads are in a dish.

Badae ba’ nidelae.
His older sister is hanging the fish up.

Udaedze’ tsets tsedilae.
His younger sister is putting wood in the fire.

Łet ut’aax desget.
There’s a smoke underneath (the fish).

Łuk’ae ts’aac yizdlaa.
There are salmon in the dishes.

Dastaann k’et ba’ nidelae.
There are dry fish hanging on the rack.

Bunghae tsets nadedluus.
His older brother is dragging in some wood.

Bunghae gets’ yidelniic.
His older brother is wearing gloves.

Bunghae deghaec zu’ nidelniic.
His older brother is wearing a nice shirt.

Bunghae kentsiis zu’ yidel’aets.
His older brother is wearing nice moccasins.

Gaann du’ ciił ggaay ulic’ae’.
This is the little boy’s dog.

Ulic’ae’ ni’ k’ezdaa.
His dog is sitting on the ground.

Ulic’ae’ lggey.
His dog is white.

Ulic’ae’ dece’ łts’aas.
His dog is wagging its tail.

Ulic’ae’ ditsiin.
His dog is hungry.

Ciił ggaay dzaenn nac’atna’.
The little boy worked all day.

Ciił ggaay taghatnak.
The little boy is tired.

Kanaałyighiłt’ak.
He fell asleep.

Tets kulaen.
It is night time.

Xonahaan.
That’s all.