XML version dated February 14, 2024. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.

109

Bestowing a Personal Name

(Version 2)

Ella P. Waters

wetatunaaʾiitíštA tsu ačitaánuʾ sáhniš niinata-
Now I am going to relate but tribe Arikara what our
nuunaahnaateehuúNU tákuʾ nakuhIšáxku.
traditional way is to name someone.
tiraawaákAx.
There is a traditional way of saying.
kaakíʾ číkuʾ AhnoonakuwaawaákA – tinaaríčI– tikukooxee- šaáʾA.
One can not just say anything: – "This one– this is what he'll be named."
– kaakíʾ.
– No.
tiraawaákAx.
There is a way of saying it.
– tatanuunaah- naateehuúʾU tákuʾ niinakuhIšáxkA
– We have a traditional way when one names someone,
tákuʾ niiwenakuuWIskáʾA škuuxIšáx čituúʾuʾ tinakuwakaraanawaawáNA.
when someone wants it: "You name me!" all when one prays to these various ones.

nawáh atipakunakúsuʾ naRAhkatetwaawáNA wekohniiNItkhaaniwiítIt.
"Now Grandfather Stones ones who are on the hillsides they must be listening.
– anoó – čituúʾuʾ – áskAt awaaháxuʾ wekohniiNItkhaaniwiítIt.
– There – all – above the Elements they must be listening.
atináʾ tineekakawiʾuúhAt wekohnit- khaaniwiítIt.
Mother this river bank she must be listening.
tsu neešaanuʾ tinačitákUx wekohnuhneesiíšuʾ niiwenuutAxtáNIt niiwenaraawaakAxtáNIt.
And The Chief Who Sits Above he must know what is going to be," what is going to be properly said.

tiweneetuxwaákoʾ tiraawaákAx.
Now I have said this: there is a traditional way of saying it.
tiraateeWAhuúNIt.
There are certain traditions.
tiraateehuúʾU – niinakuwaákA.
There is a traditional way – what to say.
Axtóh kawenaraatawéʾ – atináʾ šiNIhkunuhnunaanaʾiiwaníkA.
Truly the way is not among us – Mother (Corn) when they shook the earth for her.
– čituúʾuʾ wetatakuunaahnaa- hunuuwaáhAs.
– All we have lost the ways.

natsú tinaraákUx – nikunuxwaakahUxuúkuʾ – atí- ʾAx –
But this way – he used to be the one who told me – my father: –
nikiišaahwaákoʾ tákuʾ nakuhIšáxkA.
"This is what you'll say when one names someone.
– na taanikutiwaákoʾ.
– And this is what one says.
čituúʾuʾ tiraawakaraanawaáWA anuú áskAt atináʾ tinakakawiíhAt.
All one prays to the various ones there above, Mother this river who passes."

na – wetatuxwaákoʾ– wekaakiraatawéʾ atináʾ šiNIhkunuhnunaanaʾiiwaníkA.
And – I have said– the tradition is not among us Mother when they shake the earth for her.
natsú neeraa- tawéʾ.
But there is a tradition among us.
neeraanáWA – naaníšuʾ – na neečoot- šakaáwa
There are various ones – societies, – and there are churches
číkuʾ niinakuhneštatatoóhAt -- tákuʾ súxtIt kuNAhúx
for one to help in some way -- someone an old woman, an old man
tákuʾ niinakuutAsškaapaatštirakoóčI číkuʾ niinakoosš- teerátA.
for you to take pity on him for him to be thankful for something.
tatuhnaanaʾíhkuʾ.
I mean it.

wah nikuwetataraapakaanúxtA takú niinakuhIšáxku.
"Now this is what we're going to say (ie call him)," what someone is to be called.
nikuwetataraapaakAhnúxtA.
"This is what we're going to call him.
tičé weNAxuutaawaanúʾ.
What are you doing now?"
neešihIšáx niiwenakuWIskáʾA kuʾaataaxaáNU.
You do name him what he wants 'that I be named.'
tičé NAxuutaawaanúʾ neeraákUx číkuʾ niinakuhneštatatoóhAt
"What are you doing? There is a tradition a way to help someone."

tatanuuNUxtaahnaawaaRUxtiíʾIt noohunaačituúʾ niiniisuuxU- huunaawaanú–
We had sacred ways all the ways what they used to do–
šahniš – ačitaánuʾ.
Arikara – tribe.
tákuʾ tiwekaneenuhneswaawiíšuʾ.
No one now knows the ways.
čituúʾuʾ – nuuwenaaNItkaanaʾíWA – niiniisuxteswaaWIšú.
Everything – now the dust has blown over – what they used to do.
wah tsu NIhúhtš niinakuhneesšú na tuhneesiíšuʾ.
Now but a little what one knows, and he knows it.

wah taanikutiraawaákAx.
Now this is the way of saying it.
tiiháʾI tičé NAxuu- taawaanúʾ.
"Here what are you doing?
tiweneeraákUx číkuʾ niinakuhneštatatoóhAt.
This is the custom to offer some help.
naaníšuʾ – tineeraanáWA – číkuʾ niinakuutaakIštata- toóhAt.
Societies – there are various ones here – to offer them some help.
– tiweneetuxwaákoʾ – tákuʾ súxtIt kuNAhúx
– I have said this: – someone an old woman, an old man,
tákuʾ číkuʾ niinakoosšteerátA nakooštatatoóhAt.
to make someone thankful to help him."

anuú AxtaanunaWIhíniʾ noošiteewaáhAs táWIt.
There at the ankles then one presses them (du) three.
niišinakaaxaahkáWI neešuutuuníkut.
Where the hips (du) are you take hold of him.
neešeewaáhAs táWIt.
One presses it three (times).
AxtaanunaWIhíniʾ šiišuutAxkAsuuníkUt na áskAt neešištaaNIskaweereétIt.
At the ankles you take hold of the ankles and upward you raise your hands upward.
táWIt tuutaáwa.
Three one does it.

nikutiraawakuúʾU.
That is the wording of it.