The Mescaleros' Prophecy, Mescalero Apache Text :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Mescaleros' Prophecy, Mescalero Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

9. The Mescaleros' Prophecy as told by Fred Pelman

9.1.

When the earth had been made, Killer of Enemies put us down right here in the vicinity of White Mountain.

9.2.

Then there were only Indians scattered over the country.

9.3.

Long ago there were no white men.

9.4.

Then:

9.5.

These of the past did not speak incorrectly.

9.6.

In spite of that, [the Indians now] go the way of these white men.

9.7.

The Indians of long ago said that we would go the way of the white men.

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

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These of the past did not speak incorrectly.

(9.5)[5]
'Áíní doołi'haodzída.
'It'ah 'itédandzíínégo, dá'ágháhndá.
K'adi dá'ághát'éndah, dá'ághát'égo 'ánahíͅlaaná'a, Yóósń.
'Áíí dooyáadaahit'íͅdago 'ánahíͅlaaná'a.
'Áíí 'it'ah dá'ághánt'égo hoͅoͅka.

These of the past did not speak incorrectly.
Still poverty-stricken, we live just so.
But then, God has created us that way.
He created us without anything.
We still go on in that way.

[_]

(9.5) Linguistic Notes

1. 'áíní 'those of the past'. 'áí 'those'; -n past tense enclitic; -í relative.

2. doołi'haodzída 'they did not speak incorrectly'. Negative of the 3rd person perf. of ha-|...[hi- perf.]-dzii 'to speak' [act. intr.]. łi'- 'incorrectly' [?].