Guroush (Curlew)

A Wiyot story told by Jerry James in 1922

Adapted from Reichard, Gladys A. 1925. Wiyot Grammar and Texts. University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 22(1):1-215.

1. Goujewilh galu wutsuwetguk.
Long ago, the tide did not run out.
2. Sayughurr, lhugayughurr.
Wind blew from one direction, the southeast wind blew.
3. Gawu wulh da’louy.
People began to talk about it.
4. Daghurrel dou wadagh vou duwuku lughilh.
They were starving, famine came.
5. Gitga rradughu’n va lu ve’lurr.
They decided to go buy wind.
6. Guroush hi lughilh gitga.
Curlew decided to go.
7. Guroush hi lughilh.
Curlew went.
8. Hirra lhetsuvou’ wou da dou laluplhamu’n.
Along the way, he was given sea plants.
9. Jouwa wulh hi’ rou luwouy’.
He took them all.
10. Da Gachuwayawik da qhi youwilh.
He arrived at Trinidad Cove.
11. Hi yililh, “Wikut wulh hanou.”
He said, “I come from the south.”
12. “Rra’dughu’n hu va wulhi lal.”
“I came about the wind.”
13. “Galu vutsuwetguk, jouwa wulhi lou’w.”
“The tide does not run out, that is why I came.”
14. “Va lu veluvu’ gitga.”
“I’m going to buy it [wind].”
15. “Wi yutsuvous pijoul.”
“I will give you dry kelp.”
16. “Va luqhsous gutsoulighulhwat, pishoudulhwat.”
“I’m going to give you growing kelp and live giant kelp.”
17. Hi yituwani’l, “Ka louluwu’gh gitga.”
He was told, “You will not take it [wind].”
18. Hi yililh, “Rrawulh louluwu’.”
He said, “I want to take it with me.”
19. “Wi wulut. Gou chge lughilh, gitga bi’k gou lughiyu’m, ya dou dawilhat wiwulut.”
“You will see.   Go back first, and when you’ve gone halfway, look back and then you will see.”
20. Hiyu wulilh.
He saw it.
21. Hiyu wudavi’milh.
He was glad.
22. Da’ dalilh.
He went on.
23. Gawu loulhidurrayuqi’l.
The wind began to get stronger.
24. Rrakut hi lalhulim.
It blew him away toward the south.
25. Ga gou rralhelilh.
He did not get up again.
26. Hi lalhulim plhutqhaqh.
It blew him against a rock.
27. Hi dalou’ dalilh.
It blew him through the air.
28. Hi lhwalhelim.
He was blown through it.
29. Da hinuqh.
He died.
30. Rra’dughu’n hi lughilh.
Then the wind went on.
31. Hi da louwilh shwouri lugaw’.
It came southeast.
32. Hiyu vutsuwetguk.
Then the tide went out.
33. Houlhi hi gawu jaqulu’wurr.
People began to dig clams.
34. Gawu gaqawou’m.
They did not know.
35. Chviyuwan gas gaqawurr da huwurruk.
Much later, they found out that he died.

Comments about this lhatsik from Amos Riley & Birdie James (interviewed by linguist John P. Harrington in 1942):

Amos Riley: 

“Steam Boat rock is by the curlew place.”

“Then next after Cape Mendocino was: Qurou’s Du Lhbalhduni’,* now called the Devil's Gate, m[eanin]g. the curlew was blown through that big hole or opening there. 3 m[iles] s[outh] of Cape Mendocino.”

"2 m[iles]. s[outh]. of Sikyout [aka Cape Mendocino] is a place cald the Devil's Gate in Eng[lish].  There used to be before the Whitepeople came a great big hole in there facing n[orth]., & there was always a big draft of wind going through there, it blows so hard n[orth]w[est]. wind.  We call that place Guroush Du’ Lhvalhuni’e *...There was an Ind[ian]. trail over the hill & Ind[ian]s. c[oul]d if they wisht go around it, but the wind w[oul]d just suck them in there & so often the Ind[ian]s. w[oul]d go through that hole."  … "The curlew did not want to go through there but the wind suckt him right in just the same."

Birdie James:  “Guroush Da’ Lhvalhuli’,* m[eanin]g. where the curlew blew through”

*NOTE: The different spellings above reflect different pronunciations at different times & by different speakers: “Curlew” is pronounced variably as Qurou’s and Guroush, but Guroush seems to be the most frequent pronunciation, and is how Jerry James pronounced it in this lhatsik. The place name (“Devil’s Gate” in English) also has some variation in the pronunciation of the word translated as “blown through” (see line 28 of the lhatsik, where the verb is pronounced lhwalh):

  • Jerry James (in field notes related to this lhatsik): Guroush Da Twalhili' (twalh/twulh = “to fall”)
  • Birdie James: Guroush Da' Lhvalhuli' (lhvalh = “to fall through”; probably a combination of lhv- “through” and twalh/twulh “fall”)
  • Amos Riley:
    1. Guroush Du’ Lhvalhuni’e (lhvalh = “to fall through”)
    2. Qurou's Du Lhbalhduni' (lhvalh = “to fall through”; lhbalh is an unusual pronunciation)