Surviving Through the Days

by Luthin, Herbert W.; Wilson, Darryl Babe (CON); Bommelyn, Loren (CON); Perry, Jean (CON); Lang, Julian (CON)

• ISBN13: 9780520222700
• ISBN10: 0520222709
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-06-01
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

This anthology of treasures from the oral literature of Native California, assembled by an editor admirably sensitive to language, culture, and history, will delight scholars and general readers alike. Herbert Luthin's generous selection of stories, anecdotes, myths, reminiscences, and songs is drawn from a wide sampling of California's many Native cultures, and although a few pieces are familiar classics, most are published here for the first time, in fresh literary translations. The translators, whether professional linguists or Native scholars and storytellers, are all acknowledged experts in their respective languages, and their introductions to each selection provide welcome cultural and biographical context. Augmenting and enhancing the book are Luthin's engaging, informative essays on topics that range from California's Native languages and oral-literary traditions to critical issues in performance, translation, and the history of California literary ethnography.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	xiii
List of Tables	xv
Acknowledgments	xvii
Pronunciation Guide	xix
Song from the myth ``Kukumat Became Sick'' Quechan	3	(2)
General Introduction	5	(16)
Making Texts, Reading Translations	21	(36)
PART I. SELECTIONS
``Creation Songs,'' Cupeno	57	(2)
Kwaw Labors to Form a World
Atsugewi, 1996	59	(6)
NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA
Doctor dance song, Yurok	65	(2)
Test-ch'as (The Tidal Wave)
Tolowa, 1985	67	(10)
``The Young Man from Serper'' and Other Stories
Yurok, 1951, 1985-1988	77	(13)
Coyote and Old Woman Bullhead
Karuk, circa 1930	90	(8)
The Devil Who Died Laughing
Karuk, 1950	98	(6)
``The Boy Who Grew Up at Ta'k'imilding'' and Other Stories
Hupa, 1963-1964	104	(11)
The Bear Girl
Chimariko, 1921	115	(10)
NORTH-CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Spell said by a girl desirous of getting a husband	125	(2)
Northern Yana
How My Father Found the Deer
Achumawi, 1970	127	(12)
Naponoha (Cocoon Man)
Atsugewi, 1931	139	(13)
A Story of Lizard
Yahi, 1915	152	(26)
A Selection of Wintu Songs
Wintu, 1929-1931	178	(14)
Loon Woman: He-who-is-made-beautiful, She-who-becomes-loon
Wintu, 1929	192	(27)
Four Songs from Grace McKibbin
Wintu, circa 1982	219	(16)
How I Became a Dreamer
Nomlaki, 1935	235	(13)
Mad Bat
Maidu, circa 1902	248	(12)
Creation
Eastern Pomo, 1930	260	(51)
The Trials of Young Hawk
Southern Pomo, 1940	311	(13)
The Woman Who Loved a Snake
Cache Creek Pomo, 1988	324	(10)
The Dead People's Home
Lake Miwok, 1980	334	(11)
SOUTH-CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Excerpt from ``The Ciq'neq's Myth''	345	(2)
Ventureno Chumash
Two Stories from the Central Valley
``Visit to the Land of the Dead'' Chawchila Yokuts, 1931
``Condor Steals Falcon's Wife'' Yowlumni Yokuts, 1930	347	(16)
The Contest between Men and Women
Tubatulabal, circa 1932	363	(19)
The Dog Girl
Ineseno Chumash, 1913	382	(17)
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Excerpt from an account of ``The Soul'' Quechan	399	(2)
The Creation
Serrano, 1963	401	(10)
A Harvest of Songs from Villiana Calac Hyde
Luiseno, 1988-1992	411	(10)
From ``The Life of Hawk Feather'' The Bear Episodes
Cupeno, 1962, 1920	421	(15)
In the Desert with Hipahipa
Mojave, 1902	436	(25)
An Account of Origins
Quechan (Yuma), 1908	461	(32)
PART II. ESSAYS ON NATIVE CALIFORNIA LANGUAGES AND ORAL LITERATURES
``When I Have Donned My Crest of Stars'' Kiliwa	493	(2)
A Brief History of Collection	495	(16)
``Women's Brush Dance Song,'' Luiseno	511	(2)
Notes on Native California Oral Literatures	513	(30)
Funeral speech, Quechan	543	(2)
Notes on Native California Languages	545	(28)
Maps	573	(6)
Bibliography	579	(26)
Acknowledgments of Permissions	605	(4)
Index	609