Flute Playing
by Elaine Strangeowl
1. Ts�t�he hetane Ma�h�ahnot��a �ohk�hestohe.
This man, Big Buffalo, he was called.
2. ���hov�nee�e.
He is already gone (=dead).
3. �eveman�h�no �h�stahe.
Scabby Place (Birney), he was from.
4. �ohkem�haen�m�ne.
He used to sing.
5. T�hpenono �ohkev钚en�men�noto.
Flutes he sang with them.
6. Naa ts�h�stov�n�m�n�se ts�hm�etan�t�v�se hev�ohestoto
And the reason why he sang: when he remembered his relatives
naa m�to h�va ts���hov�neeh�tsese t�tseha h�va vo��stane
or someone dead long ago, like, a person,
ts�hm�etan�t�v�se h�va hetane naa m�to h�va k�sov��he
when he remembered him, maybe a man, or a young man
m�hken�men�h�he t�hpenon�va.
he would sing by means of (his) flute.
7. Naa m�to h�va hee�haho taasev�ots�tses�stse
And also maybe (for) his son whenever he went on a journey
m�hk�h�nemen�h�he ho�hose.
he would sing on a hill.
8. M�hken�meot�hohev�he hee�haho h�va taasev�otsets�se
He would sing for his son, like, when he went on a journey,
naa m�to h�va ts�hnoo��hts�haa��se hev�ohestoto ts�hm�etan�t�v�se
or when they left him, his relatives, when he remembered them
��hk�ho�henones�stse ho�hose t�hpenon�va.
he would be heard singing on a hill with a flute.
9. E��hkepop�h�venon�sesto k�sov�aheho naa h�va ma�h�hk�seho hetaneo�o
They would sing well, the young men and, like, the old men, men,
h�ov�tse ts�het��hahese.
of various ages.
10. �ne���ho�henone t�hpenon�va ��hk�h�sesto.
He was heard singing with a flute, they said.
11. Naa vo��stane ts�em�etan�tov�vos�stse h�va ts�m�hotovovose
And someone when they remembered (people), like, those they loved,
hee�h�h�v�ho hev�ohestovev�ho ��hke�en�he�en�men�sesto ho�hose
their sons, their relatives, they thusly sang on a hill,
naa m�to h�va ts���hov�neehets�stse hev�ohestovev�ho.
or those who had died, their relatives.
12. �h�ono�otse.
He was lonesome.
13. �ho�henone.
He was heard singing.
14. ɒ�hk�hen�v�n�se.
That is what was said.
15. H�p�e m�hne��hken�he�en�men�hev�he t�hpenon�va.
Likewise they sang in that way with a flute.
16. ɒ�hkepop�h�venon�sesto hetaneo�o naa k�sov�aheho n�sta �vaveto.
They sang well, men, and young men, previously long ago.
(4) Note: The verb stem -n�mene refers to making any kind of music. Perhaps it originally referred just to singing. In this text it is not clear when it refers just to making music with a flute or to singing, as well, if it ever includes the latter here.
(7) Note: It seems reasonable that the verb stem -v�otse initially referred to going on a warpath, as some people still translate it, but was extended to refer to going on a journey, especially a long journey. When Elaine translated this text to English she only translated this verb with the meaning of going on a journey or a long journey.
This text was first published in the book Cheyenne Texts: An Introduction to Cheyenne Literature, copyright 1980, used here by permission.
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