OUR STORIES Traditions of the Caddo as Illustrated by Hasinai Youth Camp 2013
Preface The stories presented here were recorded by anthropologist George A. Dorsey between 1903 and 1905, and were published in Traditions of the Caddo in 1905 by the Carnegie Institution. This valuable work was re-published in 1997 by the University of Nebraska Press. Five stories were selected from Dorsey s collection, and each group of campers was assigned a story. The groups, each named for a different Caddo band, were given one class period to illustrate their story. Their work is included here. The following day, the groups were given boxes of craft supplies and asked to develop presentations for their stories. They could present it as a short play, puppet show, or poster. On the following day, each group made their presentation to the entire camp. I wish I could capture in words the enthusiasm and excitement that the campers had! They embraced this exercise and completely surpassed all of my expectations. Their level of creativity was truly impressive. Each group had the same craft supplies at their disposal, but each used them in very different ways. I believe that the value of this class is immeasurable. The campers experienced being artists, actors, and storytellers. They used the Caddo language in their presentations. They learned to work together as a group and to do so under time constraints and with only the supplies on hand. For their financial support of the Hasinai Youth Camp, I would like to thank the Oklahoma Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Rhonda S. Fair
How the Buffalo Ceased to Eat Human Beings Illustrated by: rca \' 0, IT!\!\\ (; h t \ Ty'~( fj, 1 _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -.~ ~ Caddo vocabulary I 1 I 1 1 1 I I I Tah' nah ha = Buffalo Shoo' we = Man Dah = Deer Noah' = Turkey I Note' tsi = Bear. 1 --------------------------------------------------------
When the world was new there were many wild and fierce animals, and the TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) were among the fiercest, for they at e human beings. In those days the TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) were many-colored and roamed the plains in great herds, and were so numerous that SHOO' WE (men) could not go out on the plains alone for fear of being caught by them.
There was one great SHOO W E (ma n) who received power from AH AH HA' YO (the Father), and he had the power to go right into the midst of these terrible animals and kill them without being hurt. That SHOO WE (man) was Buzzard, and he was the only SHOO WE (man) who possessed such power. All the other people had to live in villages together that they might protect each other and hunt together.
,---------------- - -- -- --------- - -----, r / \'- \ \ \ I One time some SHOO WE (men) went out in the timber alone to hunt NOOH' (turkey) and DAH (deer). They wandered far, and when they started home they found that they had to cross a long stretch of lonely prairie. While they were hurrying across the vast stretch of country they was a black CAH CAH CHE' AH (cloud) arise in the west and come nearer and nearer, until at last they knew that a great herd of TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) was sweeping down on them. They threw the game from their backs, threw away their CHA WEE (bows) and BAH' (arrows), and ran as fast as the HO' TOOH (wind). The TAH' NAH HA (buffalo), dangerous as they were, were not good runners, and so the SHOO WE (men) reached the timber before them and ran into the dense thicket.
jca\/ y~y - @ ;t ~ Q A (2) ~~ J t -''"I'''- I \ After these SHOO WE (men) succeeded in escaping, the people took courage and ventured farther away from home. One time four SHOO WE (men) went out to hunt NOTE' TSI (bear). They went into the timber that lay between two E' NEE eooh (mountains) and there they found fresh tracks of a NOTE' TSI (bear). They trailed it all through the timber and over the E' NEE eooh (mountainl and found it at the edge of the timber at the foot of the E' NEE eooh (mountain). The NOTE' TSI (bear) ran out to the open plain and the SHOO WE (men) pursued and killed it.
I I I I ' l. I, I, I I ~,, While they were cutting it up to carry home they heard a great noise, like CA MIN (thunder), coming across the plains. They looked and saw that the buffalo were upon them. They tried to escape, but it was too late. The TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) caught all but one SHOO WE (man), who succeeded in gaining the t imber and climbing a tall KO DUSH' AH (tree). All day the TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) surrounded the KO DUSH' AH (tree) and tried to butt it down, but could not.
Night came on, then they returned to the plains and the SHOO WE (man) climbed down and ran to his home. He told all the people how the TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) had surprised them and had killed his three companions. The people hastened to the place, but found nothing but a few bones scattered about.
o ~ I ~ 6 d 0 ~ 'd 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 I From that time on the TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) ate many people, until TA' SHA (Coyote) came. Then the people left this dangerous country and went into another. They went through the gate to the new country, and TA' SHA (Coyote) went with them. He was the last to go through the gate, and as he went he shut the gate, so no dangerous animals could enter, and he let through only a few TAH' NAH HA (buffalo) who had never tasted human flesh and so were not dangerous.
Slaying the Monsters By Fire Illustrated by: De {\l'e 1-~ ~ -tlcj~~ l-i \t. Y\ 4- e r.. afij W\\)ljrs 1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - -.~ ~. Caddo vocabulary 1 1 1 1 1 1 Nee' cooh = Fire Coo' cah cha' ah = Sky 1 Sic ooh = Rock 1 Keeh seeh = Corn 1 1 Coo ah sue' ah = Nose ~._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.1
In the ol+n times the world was full of alllsldd~ of wild animals who ate people and tame animals. In those times TA' SHA (Coyote) called all the people together to a council to see what could be done with the wild animals, because they were getting so bad that the people could not go away from their KEE WUT' (homes) to hunt food or to visit each other.
/ At the council they decided to fire to all the HOUT (grassl which was as high as CA AH NE SWAH' CHA (treesl and so burn the wild animals and everything on the E' NAH WAH' DUT (earth). They chose White-Headed-Hawk and Crow, because they were the swiftest of all the people, to fly to some bright TSU' CUS (Star) and tell the TSU' cus (Star) that they were coming to his KEE WUT' (home) to live. The TSU' cus (Star) told them that there was room for the people in the COO' CAH CHA' AH (sky) if they could get there. The messengers returned and reported to the people.
They decided to make a long rope out of soapweed and go to COO' CAH CHA' AH (sky) on that. They began to gather soapweed and twist it into a strong rope. The rope was finished; then White-Headed-Hawk and Crow took it and again flew to the COO' CAH CHA' AH (sky). They gave the end of the rope to the TSU' CUS (StarL who put one end of it under a big SIC' DOH (rock) and let it hang down. It was so long that it reached the E' NAH WAH' OUT (earth), and the people saw it hanging ready for them to crawl up when the time came.
They appointed two SHOO' WE (men), Gray KEE' eah (Snake) and Black KEE' eah (Snake), to carry the NEE' eooh (fire) over the E' NAH WAH' OUT (world). One was to carry the NEE' eooh (fire) to the east, then to the south; the other was to carry it west, then to the north. Soon the people noticed a cloud of smoke, and then the SAH COH (sun) began to fade and leok dim, and a great noise of all the wild animals arose.
The people saw the NEE' eooh (fire) coming nearer, and so they began to cl imb the rope. After all the people were on the rope and had climbed up a little way the wild animals came and began to climb up. They people saw the animals coming up, and so they appointed Bat to cut the rope just above the wild animals, and they gave him sharp teeth to cut the rope with.
Bat began to fly around as though looking for a place on the rope to stay. Finally he asked the first wild animal to let him in by him, and he did. After a while the animal noticed that Bat was eating something, and he asked him what it was, and Bat said that he was eating a parched grain of KEEH SEEH (corn) that his E' KAH (grandmother) had given him. He kept on chewing the rope when the animal was not looking, and finally the rope broke and let all of the wild animals down and many were killed.
, Bat went down to make sure that all were killed or burned. He saw an immense animal on the ground and all the other animals crawling into it to escape the NEE' COOH (fire). Bat went into the animal's COO AH SUE' AH (nose) and pulled out some hairs. This made the animal sneeze and blow all of the other animals out and they burned to death. Bat flew up to tell the people that all the wild bad animals were killed, and so they all came down the rope again.
Rabbit and the Dancing Turkeys I.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.~~- Caddo vocabulary i Do' ooh = Rabbit Wah' dooh' = Wildcat Ko hout = Grass Nooh' = Turkey Nooh' cah 0' shun nah = Turkey Dance._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.1
One time while WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat) was out hunting we came upon DO' OOH (Rabbit) in the tall KO HOUT (grass). DO' OOH (Rabbit) and WAH' DOOH (Wild Cat) were enemies, and so they began to fight.
Soon WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat) had DO' OOH (Rabbit) down and was about to kill im, when DO' OOH (Rabbit) said: "How would you like some nice NOOH' urkeys) to eat?" "That is just what I have been looking for," said WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat). "Well, I know where there are some, and I was just about to catch some when I met you. Now, if you kill me they will all get away. You had better spare my life until I show you how to catch t H' (T eys); then you may do what you please with
WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat) agreed, and so DO' OOH (Rabbit) told him to stand still while he sang the NOOH' CAH 0' SHUN NAH (Turkey dance) song. After he had sung a little, he told WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat) to lie down and pretend to be dead; that he would tell the NOOH' (Turkeys) that he had killed WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat), and wished them to dance around him with closed COO AH CHUN' AH (eyes). While they danced, WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat) was to jump up and grab all he wanted.
Soon the NOOH' (Turkeys) heard the s ng and ~a me t o see what it was about. DO' OOH (Rabbit) told them that he had killed t he great Turkey-Eater, WAH' DOOH (Wild-CatL and that he wanted them t o dance a vict ory dance around him. DO' OOH (Rabbit) continued his song, and as he sang t he NOOH' (Turkeys) danced.
WAH' DOOH (Wild-Cat) peeped and saw one big one da nciq.&.near him. He 'umped to get it, and as he grabbed the NOOH' (Turl(ey), DO' OOH (Rabbit) ran way through the KO HOUT (g rass), and so escaped from VVAH' DOOH (Wil d-cat).,
A young SHOO' WE (man) had a DEET SE (dog) which he always took with him whenever he went to hunt. When he was at KEE WUT' (home) he did not pay much attention to the DEET SE (dog), and the DEET SE (dog) acted like any other DEET SE (dog), but when they were off alone the DEET SE (dog) would talk to his master just as if he were a SHOO' WE (man). He had the power of a prophet and could always tell what was going to happen.
One time, when they were out hunting, the DEET SE (dog) came running back to his master and told him that they were about to come to a very dangerous place. The young SHOO' WE (man) asked where the place was, and the DEET SE (dog) said that he did not know just where it was, but that he knew it was not too far away.
In another instant the DEET SE (dog) scented a DAH (deer) and started out on its trail, and the SHOO' WE (man) followed. Soon they came upon the DAH (deer). The SHOO' WE (man) shot it, but only wounded it, and it continued to run until it reached the CAH CAN E' SAH (lake), and then jumped into the KOOK OH (water).
The DEET SE (dog) jumped in after it and soon caught it, because he could swim faster than the wounded DAH (deer). He held it while the young SHOO' WE (man) threw off his clothes and swam to his assistance. Soon, they killed the DAH (deer), and the SHOO' WE (man) put it on his shoulders and started to swim to shore.
_ -Ai.~ or, * i ---... ',- '"1 All at once the DEET S (dog) cried out, "Look out!" There before them and all around them were all kinds of poisonous and dangerous water animals. The SHOO' WE (man) thought that they would surely be killed, for the animals were so numerous that they could not possibly swim past them.
"- He began to pray to the spirits to help him, and as he prayed the KOOK OH (water) leaped up and threw them on the shore. The young SHOO' WE (man) felt so grateful to the spirits who had saved his and his dog's lives that he cut some of the flesh from the flesh from the DAH (deer) and threw it into the KOOK OH (water) as a sacrifice.
Then he and the DEET SE (dog) decided that they would not stay longer in this dangerous world, and so they went to the COO' CAH CHA' AH (sky) to live. There they can be seen as BIT (two) bright TSU' CUS (stars) in the south. The one to the east is the young SHOO' WE (man), and the one to the west is the DEET SE (dog).
The Old Woman Who Kept All the Pecans '\( filustrated by:, /'IV\Kj J, 1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -.~ ~ Caddo vocabulary 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Nah he' yah = Pecans Sah yah ti = Old woman Tsah toeh = Rat 1 Ta' sha = Coyote 1 1 Cut' = Knife.. _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. _._._._._._._._._._.1
There lived a SAH YAH TI (old woman) who was E' NAH (mother) to all the pecan trees. She owned all of the trees and gathered all the NAH HE' YAH (pecans) herself. When people went to her CAH HA NE SAY' AH (house/lodge) she would give them a few NAH HE' YAH (pecans) to eat, but would never allow them to take any away. The people were very fond of NAH HE' YAH (pecans) and they wanted some for their own use, but the SAH YAH TI (old woman) would not let them have any.
One time the people were very hungry and the SAH YAH TI (old woman) had everything in her CAH HA NE SAY' AH (house/lodge) filled with NAH HE' YAH (pecans), but she would give them only a few when they went to see her and she made them eat them before going away_ This made the people angry and they decided that something must be do
iu There was in the village an old man who had four littl 0 were very troublesome and meddlesome. The people-they we TOEH (Rats)- thought that these four little boys would be the right ones to go over to the old woman's house some NUP' BAH (night) and try to steal some of the nuts. They chose the HEE WE (four) boys both because they were small and quiet and sly and because they were such a nuisance around the village that they would be no great loss to the people if the old woman killed them. The Rats were willing to go because they were always glad to be meddling.
" r. They chose one to slip over and make sure that the SAH YAH TI (old woman) was asleep. He went to her CAH HA NE SAY' AH (house/lodge) and peeped in through a small crack and saw that she was still at work. He waited until she finished her work and went to bed; then when he heard her snore he ran back home to tell his brothers to come.
When he went inside his father's CAH HA NE SAY' AH (house/lodge) he saw a stranger sitting there. The stranger was TA' SHA (Coyote). He had come to tell the Rats not to trouble about stealing NAH HE' YAH (pecans) from the SAH YAH TI (old woman), for he was going over the next day to kill her. TA' SHA (Coyote) was afraid to trust the Rats. He wanted to go himself, so he could get the most of the NAH HE' YAH (pecans).
The next morning he went over to see the SAH YAH TI (old woman) and acted very friendly. The SAH YAH TI (old woman) gave him some NAH HE' YAH (pecans) and he sat down and ate them all up. Then he asked her for some more, and as she turned around to get them he pulled out his stone CUT' (knife) and struck her on the KUN' TSI (head).
She died, and ever since then the pecan trees have grown everywhere and belong to all the people.