1. Dla'wagis
The first of the Da’naxda’xw lived at Berry-Place.
Dla’wagis was their chief. A woman was his sweetheart. She poled
up the river [on the upper part of the river] of Place-Place to pick
berries. Then Dla’wagis followed his sweetheart, along the river.
Night came, and he heard cries. Dla’wagis went at once into a
pond and rubbed his body with hemlock-twigs. When he finished he
started once more. He continued to hear cries and he went again into
a pond. Then he finished and started off again. Now the cries were
close to him. He heard the cries two more times and each time he went
into the water again and when he came out the cries were closer to him.
The final time he saw a woman with a large head as soon as he
emerged. Her hair was matted, her face scratched. Dla’wagis went
and embraced her. As soon as Dla’wagis embraced the woman, they
fainted at the same time. Dla’wagis was the first to recover,
but he just embraced the large-headed woman more closely.
The large headed woman recovered, and spoke, “I am the one who
is called Cause-of-Weeping [woman]. Let me go! This thing that makes
it easy to acquire property shall be your magic gift. Now it will be
easy for you to obtain all kinds of property.”
Dla’wagis just embraced Cause-of-Weeping more closely. Cause-of-Weeping
spoke again, “This thing which causes property to accumulate
shall be yours.” Dla’wagis only embraced her more closely.
Cause-of-Weeping said, “This water of life shall be yours. Now
let me go.”
And still Dla’wagis only embraced her more closely. Cause-of-Weeping
said, “Now let me go. You shall take my name. Your name is now
Pulling-off-Roof-Boards. Now this apron, that burns everything shall
be yours.”
Then Dla’wagis let go of Cause-of-Weeping, and Cause-of-Weeping
disappeared at once leaving behind he four magic gifts.
Dla’wagis took his magic gifts and started out again. He tried
his apron, (swinging it) towards the trees of the mountains. The
trees caught fire at once, and therefore the mountains of Eulachon-Place
are burned at this time.
Dla’wagis was glad. He hid his magic gifts under a cedar tree
and continued on his way. When he finally arrived at the place where
the house of his sweetheart stood she asked, “Why did you not
come sooner?” Dla’wagis replied, “I lost the
trail.” Night came, and they lay down and played.
Then somebody poked him, reaching through a hole in the wallboards of
the house. Dla’wagis arose, and went out to see who it was. As
soon as Dig’wagis went out of the door, his face was covered,
and he was led away by a man. Dla’wagis did not dare to speak or
to ask questions.
Dla’wagis noticed that they went three times up a mountain, but
his face was never uncovered; and he again noticed that they went
three times up a mountain. Then he heard cries “Hap, hap, hap!
Hau, Hau! Ga’o, gao!”
The man spoke, “Oh my dear! Don’t be afraid. I just wish
you to obtain magic gift from me. It’s my house that you heard.
I am Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World. Just look at everything
in my house.
Then they entered the house of the Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World.
Now Dla’wagis’ face was uncovered. Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World
said, “look friend! You shall have my name,
Swallowing-Everything, friend. Now you will be Cannibal. Now watch
the dance of the Cannibal.”
He heard the sound “Hap, hap, hap! Hau, hau! Ga’o,
ga’o!” Then the mouth of the Raven painted on the fount of
the sacred room of the winter dance house opened. Out came the
Cannibal, vomited by the Raven. When he danced Dla’wagis did not
see the singers. After the Cannibal had danced to one of the songs,
he went back.
Then Haxwhakw came out and danced. After Huxwhukw had danced to one
of the songs, he went back. The Raven came and danced; and after the
Raven had danced to one of the songs, he went back. Then the Cannibal
came again, carrying in his arms a corpse, which he ate. He ate the
entire body then danced again and went back. The Cannibal had four songs.
“Now take him for your Cannibal. This will be your name,
Swallowing-Everything and Swallowing-Whole and He-who-is-heard-eating
and Eating-Everywhere. Do not forget the head mask of the Huxhukw,
and the head-mask of the Raven and the sacred room and its painting.”
Dla’wagis was called to see the hole in the floor in the rear of
the house. Dla’wagis went and saw the hole in the floor.
Something like a rainbow stood up in the hole.
Dla’wagis looked down and saw all kinds of animals and fishes.
The man said, “This is the Cannibal pole of the winter dance
house. Take this for your magic gift; but be careful, friend!”
Then they taught him the song, and it is this:
“Are you the true Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World, to
whom we look up? Is this the way of the true Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World?
Oh, they cannot live before the true Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World,
The little ones who came out of the woods.”
Now Dla’wagis had learned the one song of the Cannibal. Then
Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World said how should have the
second song:
“O great magician! You are looking for food;
O great magician! You are looking for food
O great magician! You are looking for men;
O great magician! You are looking for men
O great magician! You take off whole pieces of flesh, trying to eat.
Everybody trembles before you when you go to far to the other side.”
Then they finished singing and Dla’wagis was called by Cannibal-of-the-North-End-of-the-World.
Dla’wagis was asked, “Don’t you want this
harpoon-shaft, which does not fear anything? Now it is yours, and
also this cedar bark dyed red, and this fire-bringer, and this water
of life, and this quartz death-bringer.” Then Dla’wagis
went home. That is the end.
Source: Adapted from F. Boaz by William Wasden Jr.
