Julia Starritt: "The Shinny Game" (1957)

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[1]	pa-'arara-'avans-éextiivha	uum	yítha	pa-kum-éextiivha	ú-thvuuy-ti	imtháatva
	the-human-man-(athletic).game	3.SG	one	the-3sPOSS-(athletic).game	3s(>3)-be.named-DUR	shinny

One game, of the Indian men's games, was called 'the stick game' (i.e., shinny).

[2]	víri-va	uum	tishrám-niik	pa-kun-íxtiivhi-tih
	and.so-so	3.SG	valley-place	NOMZ-3pl(>3s)-play.(athletic.games)-DUR

They played it on a level place.

[3]

pa-panamnih-imthatváram

uum

vaa

káan

u-kyâasipree-hi-ti

pa-Georgia

mu-tasa-'îikukam

xás

yúruk

pa-xánthiip

u-'iihy-írak

u-'ípanhi-tih

the-Orleans-shinny.field

3.SG

so

there

3s(>3)-begin-ESS-DUR

the-Georgia

3sPOSS-fence-outdoors

then

downriver

NOMZ-black.oak

3s(>3)-stand.(long.object)-where

3s(>3)-extend-DUR

The Orleans stick-game field began there just outside Georgia's (Mrs. Georgia Henry's) fence, and it ended downriver where the black oak stands.

[4]	xás	kun-sáanvu-ti	áhup	ú-thvuuy-ti	imtháatvar	káru	tákasar
	then	3pl(>3s)-carry.(things)-DUR	wood	3s(>3)-be.named-DUR	shinny.stick	also	shinny.tossel

And they carried sticks, they were called shinny sticks and a 'tossel' (i.e., a double ball).

[5]	xás	pa-tákasar	uum	ahup-tunvêech-as	u-nhítunv-ahi-tih
	then	the-shinny.tossel	3.SG	wood-small.(pl.)-PL	3s(>3)-tie.together-ESS-DUR

And the tossel was little sticks, they were tied together.

[6]	xákarari	áxak	pa-'ávans-as	káru	áachip	áxak
	on.both.sides	two	the-man-PL	also	middle	two

There were two men at each end and two in the middle.

[7]	yítha	uum	pa-'ávansa	p-oo-'avíkvu-ti	pa-tákasar
	one	3.SG	the-man	NOMZ-3s(>3)-take.(one.object)-DUR	the-shinny.tossel

One man carried the tossel.

[8]	apmáan	mûuk	u-pára-tih
	mouth	with.(by.means.of)	3s(>3)-bite-DUR

He bit it with his mouth (i.e., held it between his teeth).

[9]	púya-va	xás	kári	tá	kun-ikyâasip
	and.so-so	then	then	PERF	3pl(>3s)-begin

Then they began.

[10]	xás	âapun	pa-tákasar	t-óo	kyívish
	then	on.the.ground	the-shinny.tossel	PERF-3s(>3)	fall.down

The tossel fell on the ground.

[11]	púya-va	xákaan	vúra	pa-tá	kun-xús	kíri	nu-tâat-sip
	and.so-so	with.(one.person)	Intensive	NOMZ-PERF	3pl(>3s)-think	I.wish	1pl(>3)-handle.with.implement-up

Both (men) thought, "Let's toss it!"

[12]	púya-va	yítha	uum	t-óo	tâat-sip
	and.so-so	one	3.SG	PERF-3s(>3)	handle.with.implement-up

And one tossed it.

[13]	yúruk	t-óo	tâat-rupuk
	downriver	PERF-3s(>3)	handle.with.implement-outdoors

He tossed it downriver.

[14]	púya-va	xás	puráan	tá	kun-'ífukiraa	xás	tá	kun-vúunva
	and.so-so	then	each.other	PERF	3pl(>3s)-grab.(pl.)	then	PERF	3pl(>3s)-wrestle

Then they grabbed each other, and they wrestled.

[15]	púya-va	xás	hâari	xákaan	vúra	tá	kun-ithyívish
	and.so-so	then	sometime	with.(one.person)	Intensive	PERF	3pl(>3s)-fall.down.(two)

Sometimes both of them fell down.

[16]	púya-va	xás	uumkun	yu'-kúkam-kam	pa-'ávans-as	tá	kun-ithvíripraa
	and.so-so	then	they	downriver-side-side	the-man-PL	PERF	3pl(>3s)-run.up.from.downriver.(two)

Then the men on the downriver end ran up.

[17]	púya-va	pa-yítha	p-eeshnaaních-haak	uum	píshiip	t-u-'úum	pa-tákasar	u-phíriv-irak
	and.so-so	the-one	NOMZ-light-when	3.SG	first	PERF-3s(>3)-arrive	NOMZ-shinny.tossel	3s(>3)-lie.(two)-where

If one was swift, he arrived first where the tossel lay.

[18]	púya-va	xás	uum	píshiip	t-óo	tâat-sip
	and.so-so	then	3.SG	first	PERF-3s(>3)	handle.with.implement-up

So he tossed it first.

[19]	káruk	t-óo	p-tâat-roov
	upriver	PERF-3s(>3)	ITER-handle.with.implement-upriverward.from.here

He tossed it back upriver.

[20]	xás	uumkun	káru	ka'kúkam	tá	kun-ithvíripvarak
	then	they	also	little.upriver	PERF	3pl(>3s)-run.downriver.(two)

Then the ones on the upriver end ran down.

[21]	púya-va	pa-tákasar	t-óo	kyívishri-haak	púya-va	t-óo	tâat-sip
	and.so-so	NOMZ-shinny.tossel	PERF-3s(>3)	fall.down-when	and.so-so	PERF-3s(>3)	handle.with.implement-up

When the tossel fell, (one of them) tossed it.

[22]	káruk	t-óo	tâat-roov
	upriver	PERF-3s(>3)	handle.with.implement-upriverward.from.here

He tossed it upriver.

[23]	xás	pa-yu'-kúkam	uumkun	káruk	tá	kun-ithvíriproov
	then	the-downriver-side	they	upriver	PERF	3pl(>3s)-run.upriver.from.here.(two)

Then the ones on the downriver end ran up.

[24]	púya-va	hâari	vúra	pu-'ikyívivrath-tih-ara
	and.so-so	sometime	Intensive	NEG-fall.into.sweathouse-DUR-NEG

Sometimes (the tossel) didn't fall over (the goal line).

[25]	púya-va	hâari	uum	pa-yu'-kúkam	pa-'ávans-as	píshiip	t-u-'úum	pa-tákasar	u-phíriv-irak
	and.so-so	sometime	3.SG	the-downriver-side	the-man-PL	first	PERF-3s(>3)-arrive	NOMZ-shinny.tossel	3s(>3)-lie.(two)-where

Sometimes the men on the downriver end arrived first where the tossel lay.

[26]	púya-va	yúruk	t-óo	tâat-rupuk
	and.so-so	downriver	PERF-3s(>3)	handle.with.implement-outdoors

So (one of them) tossed it downriver

[27]	púya-va	pa-yu'-kúkam	tá	kun-tâat-ivruk-ahaak	púya-va	kári	tá	kun-kôokha	pa-yúruk	va-'ár-as
	and.so-so	NOMZ-downriver-side	PERF	3pl(>3s)-handle.with.implement-down.over-when	and.so-so	then	PERF	3pl(>3s)-win.at.gambling	the-downriver	3sPOSS-person-PL

If the ones on the downriver end toss it over (the goal line), then the downriver people won.

[28]	káru	uumkun	pa-ka'kúkam	vúra	kun-kuph-eesh
	also	they	the-little.upriver	Intensive	3pl(>3s)-do-FUT

Those on the upriver side would do it also.

[29]	vaa	uum	pa-paaxkív-tih-an	uum	p-eekpihan-'íshiip	káru	p-eeshnanich-'íshiip
	so	3.SG	NOMZ-win.(game)-DUR-Participial	3.SG	the-strong-most	also	the-light-most

The winners were the strongest and the swiftest.

(Bright: "Regarding this game, see Goddard, pp.60-61, and plate 19, figures 3 and 4. Evidently each of the three pairs of players described in the present text consisted of one man from each team. After the middle pair had put the tossel in play, the other pairs would also wrestle, each man trying to keep his opponent from reaching the tossel. In sentences 27 and 28, the terms payu'kúkam 'the downriver side' and paka'kúkam 'the upriver side' evidently do not refer to the pairs of opponents at downriver and upriver ends of the field, but to the downriver and upriver teams, respectively. The course of play is not necessarily, of course, the exact one described in the present text.")