Ararahih'urípih
A Dictionary and Text Corpus of the Karuk Language

Julia Starritt: "Tattoos" (1957)

Primary participants: Julia Starritt (speaker), William Bright (researcher)
Date: 1957
Project identifier: WB_KL-87
Publication details: William Bright, The Karok Language (1957), pp. 300-301, Text 87
Additional contributor: Clare Sandy (annotator)


Text display mode: paragraph | sentence | word | word components


[1] pa-'arara-'asiktávaan    uum    ishváak    u-thúkinh-ahi-tih   
the-human-woman    3.SG    chin    3s(>3)-tattoo-ESS-DUR   
The Indian women were tattooed on the chin.

[2] kuyráak    u-sasip-úniih-va    yítha    achipyâach    xás    xákararih   
three    3s(>3)-be.in.line.(pl.)-down-PL.ACT    one    very.center    then    on.both.sides   
There were three stripes running down, one right in the middle and (two) on each side.

[3] hâari    tírih-shas    káru    hâari    vúra    tûupichas    kuynákmahich    p-oo-sasip-úniih-va   
sometime    wide-PL    also    sometime    Intensive    small.ones    three.at.a.time    NOMZ-3s(>3)-be.in.line.(pl.)-down-PL.ACT   
Sometimes they were wide and sometimes they were narrow, and sometimes they were each (composed of) three little ones running down.


[4] xás    asa-yátha    mûuk    pa-kun-ikxúrik-tih   
then    rock-sharp    with.(by.means.of)    NOMZ-3pl(>3s)-mark-DUR   
And they made the design with a sharp stone.

[5] xás    amyiv    káru    athkúrit    ta    kun-íyshar    xás    vaa        kun-iyvúruk    pa-thúkinh-ak   
then    soot    also    fat    PERF    3pl(>3s)-mix.with    then    so    PERF    3pl(>3s)-rub    the-tattoo-Locative   
Then they mixed soot and grease, and they rubbed it on the tattoo.

[6] xás    pa-t-u-'aráriihkanha-ak    xás    pu-'ikxáramkunish-hara    kúnish    ámkuufkunish   
then    NOMZ-PERF-3s(>3)-get.well-when    then    NEG-black-NEG    sort.of    blue   
And when it healed, it was not black, it was sort of blue.


[7] xás    pa-'ôok    va-'áraar-as    pa-mukún-'aav    pu-thúkinhi-tih-ara   
then    the-here    3sPOSS-human-PL    the-3plPOSS-face    NEG-tattoo-DUR-NEG   
And the Indians here didn't tattoo their faces (above the chin).

[8] vúra    páy nanuxákarari    kích    uum    vaa    kun-kupí-tih   
Intensive    country.outside    only    3.SG    so    3pl(>3s)-do-DUR   
Only ones outside of our country did that.
(Bright: "The informant later corrected herself, saying that the Karok sometimes made small marks just above each corner of the mouth.")