In Our Languages: Western Mono
In Our Languages: Western Mono
The Journey of Sahtnee and Pahnish
By Carly Tex
This is an excerpt and translation of an original story that I wrote for creative writing when I was in fifth grade. It is about a grandmother and granddaughter who make a five-day journey across the Sierra to see relatives on the other side of the mountains. The story was based on the traditional walk that still occurs to this day between Yosemite Valley and Mono Lake, and my experience in making that journey several times as a child. The characters in the story stop along the way at areas that we now know as Snow Creek, Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, and Mono Pass, eventually ending at Mono Lake. Each night they have different meals of acorn, freshly caught fish, dried meat, and berries—the story was a glimpse into my childhood knowledge of cultural traditional foods as I imagined how we might have lived off the land. Over the years, the story evolved to include a walking song and creation stories embedded within the story. This excerpt is only the first part of the journey and there is more to come.
Sahtneena sibitɨm anakat.
Sahtnee heard the crow.
mahubo’ miheet,“ɨɨpu’a, Panish awanatsi kamadɨ. kimana, yaba’ish!”
he said: “Your uncle, “Panish’s little brother is sick, come, hurry!”
Sahtnee nohi poyohat.
Sahtnee ran very fast.
“ihutsi! ɨɨwana’a kamadɨ!” Sahtnee ineet.
“Grandma! Your little brother is sick” Sahtnee said.
“togisU!” Panish ineet. mahu ekibIna atsi’widodɨ.
“Alright!” Panish said. She was stirring acorn mush.
“hiipaasa nɨɨnoopitiwai” Sahtnee ineet.
“What should I pack?” Sahtnee said.
“nobihana ɨɨpigasuwi iyes tukamaibi iyes tai’apo, iyes natɨsu’upi” Panish ineet.
“Pack your bag, and food, and our baskets, and medicine,” Panish said.
Sahtnee tu’ihiipɨna anobihat.
Sahtnee packed everything.
ainobina apimaatat, iyes nɨmɨpoyo’ma anɨwit.
They left home, and walked on the Indian trail.
abidaa, anish‘a hubiyat: (Song)
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
Later, Panish sang: (Song)
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
anohi toiyabina anɨwit. tɨniseenobidu’it.
All day they walked up the mountain.
They made camp.
Sahtnee pakwina tsa’noot, iyes Panish akumayat.
po’i iyes pakwina tɨtukat.
Sahtnee caught fish, and Panish cooked it.
They ate mushrooms and the fish.
tazinopɨduhet tɨ’uwit.
They slept under the stars.
Sahtnee kadu’ uwit. mahu hubiyana atɨtɨbiyut.
Sahtnee could not sleep. She asked for a song.
Pi’nas, Pahnish hubiyadut:
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
Again, Pahnish sang:
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
ho wa ha na we ya ha a we ya ha a we ya ha
Sahtnee’a nohi kadu’ uwit.
Sahtnee really could not sleep.
tatsuwi sɨsɨna Sahtnee atɨtɨbiyut.
Sahtnee asked for the seven women story.
“i’inee tatsuwi sɨsɨ”, mahu ineet.
“Tell me about the seven women,” she said.
Panish atɨwagakɨt, tatsuwi sɨsɨ togopaatu iyes tatsuwi nana togopaatu.
Panish told the story of seven women above and seven men above:
tatsuwi sɨsɨ nohi pedisitukat.
The seven women ate too many wild onions.
mahuwɨ nohi pihikwanat.
They really smelled rotten.
aiguwawɨ kadu’ ahoi aqatɨt.
Their husbands did not want to stay with them.
iyuuta mahuwɨ namiyat.
They left away from there forever.
mahuwɨ togopatu wobokit.
They jumped into the sky.
(mowa, takwa “Pleiades” ainaniyat.)
(Now, we call them “Pleiades.”)
aiguwawɨ atunaus iyes azaaninaamat.
Their husbands were by themselves and felt bad.
mahuwɨ ainodɨkwa wanɨwit togopaweetu yotsit.
They chased their wives up above they flew.
tazinopɨ’a mahuwɨ maip
They became the stars.
(mowa, takwa “Taurus” ainaniyat.)
(Now, we call them “Pleiades and Taurus.”)
“ano’otU,”Pahnish ineet.
“That’s all,” Pahnish said.
pɨdɨs, Sahtnee uwit.
Finally, Sahtnee slept.
heno tabezibuhit, Sahtnee iyes Panish nɨwiqatɨdɨ.
When the sun rose, Sahtnee and Panish continue walking.
mahuwɨ tahani’ipaa ewatu tabewano miyagoiwai,
They will go a long distance, far away and for many days.
Panish hubiyaduqatɨt, ahubiya nanaqawiyakɨdɨ.
Panish continued to sing, her song fading in the distance.
ano’otU
That is all.
