Sweat-Lodges

In the Klamath Lake Dialect by Minnie Froben. Obtained by A. S. Gatschet.

É-ukshkni lápa spû´klish gítko.

The lake people two (kinds of) sweat-lodges have.

Ḵúḵiuk ḵĕlekapkash spû´klishla yépank käíla;

To weep over the deceased they build sweat-lodges digging up the ground;

stutílantko spû´klish, käíla waltchátko.

are roofed (these) sweat-lodges with earth covered.

Spû´klish a sha shû´ta kué-utch,

(Another) sweat-lodge they build of willows,

kítchikan’sh stinága=shítko; skû´tash a wáldsha 3

a little cabin looking like blankets they spread

spû´klishtat tataták sĕ spukliá.

over the sweating-lodge when in it they sweat.

Tátataks a hû´nk wéas lúla, tatátaks a híshuaksh tchímĕna,

Whenever children died, or when a husband became widower,

snáwedsh wénuitk, ḵû´ḵi ḵĕlekátko, spû´klitcha

(or) the wife (is) widowed, they weep for cause of death go sweating

túmi shashámoks= lólatko; túnepni waítash tchík

many relatives who have lost; five days then

sa hû´uk spû´klia. 6

they sweat.

Shiúlakiank a sha ktái húyuka skoilakuápkuk;

Gathering they stones (they) heat (them) to heap them up (after use);

hútoks ktái ḵá-i tatá spukliû´t’huīsh.

those stones never having been used for sweating.

Spúklish lúpĭa húyuka; ḵélpka a át,

Sweat lodge in front of they heat (them); heated (being) when,

ílhiat átui, ḵídshna ai î ámbu, kliulála.

they bring (them) inside at once, pour on them water, sprinkle.

Spû´kli a sha túmĕni “hours”; ḵélpkuk 9

Sweat then they several hours; being quite warmed up

géka shualkóltchuk péniak ḵō´ḵsh pépe-udshak

they leave (and) to cool themselves off without dress only to go bathing

éwagatat, ḵóḵetat, é-ush wigáta.

in a spring, river, lake close by.

Spukli-uápka mā´ntch.

They will sweat for long hours.

Shpótuok i-akéwa kápka,

To make themselves strong they bend down young pine-trees

skû´tawia sha wéwakag knû´kstga.

(they) tie together they small brushwood with ropes.

Ndshiétchatka knû´ks a sha shúshata. 12

Of (willow-)bark the ropes they make.

Gátpampĕlank shkoshkî´lχa ktáktiagi

On going home they heap up into cairns small stones

hû´shkankok ḵĕlekápkash, ktá-i shúshuankaptcha î´hiank.

in remembrance of the dead, stones of equal size selecting.