Old Apache Customs, Chiricahua Apache Text :: :: University of Virginia Library

Old Apache Customs, Chiricahua Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

39. Old Apache Customs as told by Lawrence Mithlo

39.1.

Long ago, at a time long before there were many white men,

39.2.

Our grandfathers lived in the dirt, they say.

39.3.

At that time, there were only arrows.

39.4.

The slingshot was also a help, they say

39.5.

Now these were the only weapons of the Indians, they say.

39.6.

The Indians lived a hard life, they say.

39.7.

These were the only knives the Indians had, they say.

39.8.

Long ago, even fire was lacking, they say.

39.9.

Coffee was lacking, they say.

39.10.

At that time long ago, they lived poorly.

39.11.

"My child, one does not curse.

39.12.

Even when the boys [and] girls were twenty five and over,

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

39. Old Apache Customs as told by Lawrence Mithlo

Long ago, at a time long before there were many white men,

(39.1)[1]
'Iłk'idáͅ, inndaaí 'it'ago haͅhé łáͅ daolaahát'édadáͅ,
nDéí 'ił'ango 'ádaahooghéí díík'eh joogobago daahindáná'a.

'Íyaͅaͅda k'adi, Chidikáágo hooghéí 'ásht'íͅ.
Shinndéí, biłnndénshłíͅí, dásídá'át'égo 'iłk'idáͅ daahindáná'aí baanałdaagoshndi.

Long ago, at a time long before there were many white men,
All of the different ones who are called Indians lived poorly, they say.
But anyhow, I am one of those called Chiricahua.
My people, those people with whom I live, I shall tell you exactly how they are said to have lived long ago.

[_]

(39.1) Linguistic Notes

1. joogobago 'poorly'. joogoba 'it is poor, sad, in need of help'. Cf. joo- |...-ba 'to be kind' [imp. neut. intr.].

2. chidikáágo > Chiricahua.

Our grandfathers lived in the dirt, they say.

(39.2)[2]
Daanahitsóyéí dáłeezhíighe'yá daahindáná'a.
Dátł'ohná beekooghaͅshíͅ dá'ádaa'ílaa.
Tł'oh bégoos'eelyá naasjé.

Ch'ide yá'édiͅ.
Beekooghaní yá'édiͅ.
Dooha'shíͅ ła'jóláhát'éda.
'Iban 'ádaat'éí gotł'aazhiͅ k'édaadeesdizná'a.

Naagołtiͅgo, tóí gok'izhiͅ nkeedanlíͅ.
Zas naałtiͅgo, zasí gokázhiͅ naadaałtiͅ.
Hago, dákoͅoͅná daagoch'ide.

Our grandfathers lived in the dirt, they say.
Their houses were made only of grass.[1]
They lay on grass that had been spread out.
There were no blankets.[2]
There were no tents.
None could be secured anywhere.
Things like deerskin were wrapped about them, they say.
When it rained, the water flowed down upon them.
When it snowed, the snow fell on them.
In the winter, only the fire was their blanket.

[_]

(39.2) Linguistic Notes

1. bégoos'eelyá 'that had been spread out'. pass. perf. of 0é-go- ...[si- perf.]-'oł 'to spread out' [act. with go- place object ?].

2. 'iban 'ádaat'éí 'things like deerskin'. -ban 'tanned skin'. Distrib. 3rd person of 'á-ni-...-t'é 'to be so' [imp. neut. intr.].

3. nkeedanlíͅ 'it flowed down'. nkee- 'down'; da- > daa- distrib.; nlíͅ '[water] flows' should read ńlíͅ [ni- perf. neut. intr.].

4. zas naałtiͅgo 'when it snowed'. zas 'snow' plus naałti 'it rains' [imp, neut. intr. with prefix naa- 'down'].

5. hago 'in the winter'. ha 'winter'.

[_]

Ethnological Note 1
The Chiricahua home was of the wickiup type, often thatched with grass.

[_]

Ethnological Note 2
The informant is alluding to the cotton and woolen blankets sold by the white men today. Of course, the Chiricahua used robes of animal skin before white contact. [See the third sentence following.]

At that time, there were only arrows.

(39.3)[3]
'Ádáͅ, dák'aaná.
nDé bik'a' k'aast'áͅ.
'Áí k'aaí bilátahee tséí hiisk'aashgo k'ádaas'áͅ.

Daagok'a' dá'áíbee, naagojinłdzoo.
Dá'áíbee, biͅiͅ, náa'tsíli, dáhaadí daajiyáͅí, beenaadaajiłtsee.

At that time, there were only arrows.
The Indians' arrows were feathered.
Those arrows had sharpened stones set into their tips.
With just those arrows of theirs, they went to war.
With those only, deer, cattle, [and] anything that they ate, they killed.[3]

[_]

(39.3) Linguistic Notes

1. k'aast'áͅ 'they were feathered'. k'aa 'arrow' plus the pass. perf. of ...[si- perf.]-t'áͅ 'to feather an arrow' [act. tr.].

2. hiisk'aashgo 'sharpened'. Pass. perf. of hi-|...[si- perf.]-k'ash 'to sharpen' [act. tr.].

3. k'ádaas'áͅ 'they were set in'. Distrib. pass. perf. of k'á- |...[hi- perf.]-'aa 'to set a round object in' [act. tr.]. k'á- ?. The text form has the si- perf. because of the distrib. prefix. Note that the text form lacks the -d- classifier.

[_]

Ethnological Note 3
The reference is to wild cattle which seem to have been present in the territory before the white men had arrived in any appreciable numbers.

The slingshot was also a help, they say

(39.4)[4]
Tsébeeshdiłtł'íͅdéí 'iłdóͅ 'ijoondeená'a.
Tséghe'si'áͅí 'iłdóͅ 'ijoondeená'a.
'Íláͅáͅhdéí dáditsiͅí dásíntł'izí 'indaa beedaajóóshiizhná'a.

The slingshot was also a help, they say[4]
The stone axe was also a help, they say.
They fought the white man with spears which were [made of] very hard wood, they say[5]

[_]

(39.4) Linguistic Notes

1. tsébeeshdiłtł'íͅdé 'slingshot'. tsé 'stone'; bee- 'by means of it' [?]. No further analysis.

2. 'íláͅáͅhdé 'spear'.

3. beedaajóóshiizhná'a 'they fought with them'. bee- 'by means of them' plus the 3a person distrib. perf. of hi- |...[hi- perf.]- zhish 'to spear, stab with a spear' [act. tr.].

[_]

Ethnological Note 4
The Apache sling is a diamond-shaped piece of rawhide, made pliant or partially perforated down the center. A thong is tied to each side. One of these thongs only is looped at the end. The stone is placed on the diamond-shaped piece of-rawhide and the rawhide is folded over it. The thongs are held in the hand, a finger being passed through the loop to hold the one cord. The sling is whirled around the head once and then thrown forward. The unlooped cord is released at the same time, so that the rawhide may unfold and allow the missile to fly.

[_]

Ethnological Note 5
Mountain mahogany was one of the woods used.

Now these were the only weapons of the Indians, they say.

(39.5)[5]
K'adi díídíí dá'ákohégo nDé bik'a'ná'a.
'Indaanałíͅí goostáńdiłtałí hah'áálgo díík'ehnyá nDédáłeendasijaaí beenaał'a'áłádáͅ.
'Ágołdishndí:

"Naał'a'ánahałaaí nahí Chidikáágo hongéí doobaayándziͅda. Han k'aa nahá'ágólaaná'ań 'áńá yaayáńziͅhálí. 'Ákoo, dííjíͅ. 'indaanałíͅí 'íłtíͅ 'ił'ango daadiłtałí tsiͅníntsaazí bééshntł'izí dá'áída díík'eh ghádaaniidágo nahá'ájílaa. 'Ákoo, nahí Chidikáágo hongéí, k'aa nahá'ájílaaní 'it'ago biyeeshxahyá doołi'nahá'ánáájídlaada."

Now these were the only weapons of the Indians, they say.
You who are white men could at that time make slaves of a whole camp of Indians anywhere by means of the six-shooters you carried.
I say thus to them:

"We who are called Chiricahua are not ashamed of the fact that you made us slaves. Perhaps whoever is said to have made arrows for us is ashamed.[6] Then, today, they have made for you who are white men different kinds of guns that shoot and pierce everything, even big logs and hard metals. And, [for] we who are called Chiricahua, nothing else has been made besides the arrows that were made for us in the past."

[_]

(39.5) Linguistic Notes

1. bik'a'ná'a '[were] their weapons'. -k'a', poss. of k'aa 'arrows, weapons'.

2. goostáńdiłtałí 'six- shooter'. goostáń 'six'. diłtał, also heard diiłtał, imp. of di-|...[si- perf.]-tał 'to burst, pop, explode' [act. intr.; di-| noise].

3. ndédáłeendasijaaí 'a whole camp of Indians ['a whole camp of People'--MEC]. ndé 'Indians' [This edition translates the term as 'People', see linguistic note to Chiricahua text 6.3, §2--MEC]; dáłeen 'just one time'; dasijaa 'a mass or clump lies upon' [3rd person si- perf. neut. with prefix d1h- 'on'].

4. beenaał'a'áłádáͅ 'you could make slaves of them by means of it at that time'. bee- 'by means of it'; naał'a 'slave, he is sent about', pass. imp. of naa-|...[si- perf.]-ł-'a 'to command, send for'; 'áłá, 2nd person dual of 'á-...[? perf.]- lá 'to do, make' [act, tr.]; -dáͅ 'at that time'.

[_]

Ethnological Note 6
The reference is probably to the culture hero, Child of the Water.

The Indians lived a hard life, they say.

(39.6)[6]
Góghégo nDé gólíͅná'a.
Díík'ehí yá'édiͅná'a.
Béésh yá'édiͅná'a.
Bee'itseełntsaaí yá'édiͅná'a.
Bee'itseełbizáͅáͅyéí yá'édiͅná'a.

Dátsédeendíná gobeedaa'itseełná'a.
Dátsédeendíná daagobézhená'a.
Biͅiͅda jiyałhééłgo, tséíbee ńdaajił'ahná'a.
Tséí biyeeshxahyá, bééshdáha'deendíí gólíͅná'a.
'Áí goghooíná'a.
'Áí 'itsiͅiͅ beedaajiłghałná'a.

The Indians lived a hard life, they say.
Everything was lacking, they say.
There was no metal, they say.
There were no big axes, they say.
There were no small axes, they say.
Only sharp stones were their axes, they say.
Only sharp stones were their knives, they say.
When they killed a deer, they butchered it with stones, they say.[7]
Besides the stones, there was an even sharper knife, they say.
That was their teeth, they say.
They ate meat with them, they say.

[_]

(39.6) Linguistic Notes

Literally, the first line of this passage reads: "Being difficult [or dangerous] / Indians [this edition translated as 'The People'--MEC] / it was, it is said."

2. bee'itseełntsaaí 'big axes' and bee'itseełbizáͅáͅyéí 'small axes'. bee'itseeł 'axe'; bee- 'by means of it' plus the 3rd person imp. with indef. obj. of ...[hi- perf.]-tseeł 'to chop' [act. tr.].

3. dátsédeendíná 'only sharp stones'. dá-...-ná 'just, only'; tsé 'stones'; deendí 'it is sharp' [no analysis].

4. daagobézhená'a 'their knives'. -bézhe, poss. form of béésh 'knife'.

[_]

Ethnological Note 7
Flint knives were used for the purpose.

These were the only knives the Indians had, they say.

(39.7)
Díídíí dá'ákohégo nDé bibézhe gólíͅná'a.
'Áí nahí doobaayándziͅda.
Háń 'ághát'égo nahángóńhóń'áͅná'ahálíń 'áńá yaodlodaná'ahálí.

These were the only knives the Indians had, they say.
We are not ashamed of that.
Only he who is supposed to have made it so for us probably laughs at us.

Long ago, even fire was lacking, they say.

(39.8)[8]
'Iłk'idáͅ, dákoͅoͅda yá'édiͅná'a.

Ditsiͅ naaki łi' niiyá sitáͅgo łi' bikáshíͅ 'óó'ágo baa'nádaa'shdiłhisgo beekoͅoͅhanádaaji'áná'a.

Ditsiͅ 'áłts'oͅoͅségo daajiyaak'ashí dá'áí 'itsiͅiͅsbéézhí beehadaajindííłná'a.
'Itsiͅiͅí tsíghe'yá jiłt'eesgo 'iłdóͅ dá'áíbee nábé'ijiyałtsiná'a.

Ditsiͅ dáha'á'áłtsoͅoͅséí bighe' hadaa'jich'iishí dá'áí gobee'nłndédíná'a.

Ditsiͅntsaazí 'idaas'áí nanshíͅgo ditsiͅdijoolí baadahnaas'áͅí bighe' hadaa'jiłndií dá'áí daago'ide'ná'a.

'Ikałí 'iłdóͅ daago'ide'ná'a.
Dákí gostł'ish 'isaa 'ádaajilaí beedaa'jiłbéézhná'a.

Long ago, even fire was lacking, they say.
They customarily made fire with two sticks one of which lay on the ground while the other stood erect and it and was twirled in it, they say.
They took out boiled meat [from the pot] by means of a slender stick that had been pointed, they say.
With that also they turned over the meat they were broiling in the coals, they say.
Their spoons were somewhat slender sticks in which they had made a hollow, they say.
Their cups were ball shaped protuberances which lie on the side of large growing trees which they had hollowed out inside, they say.[8]
Their dishes were also [of] dried hide, they say.
They cooked in clay pots which they had made themselves, they say.

[_]

(39.8) Linguistic Notes

1. The second line of this passage is literally as follows: "Sticks / two / one / on the ground / it lying / the other / from on it / it standing / they customarily twirling it into it / they customarily took fire out by means of it, it is said."

2. baa'nádaa'shdiłhisgo 'they customarily twirling it into it'. 3a person distrib. iter. with indef. obj. of 0aa-'i-di-...[hi- perf.]- ł-ghéés 'to twirl in something' [act. tr.]. aa- 'to'; 'i- 'away, in'; di- ?.

3. beekoͅoͅ hanádaaji'áná'a 'they customarily took fire out by means. of it'. bee- 'by means of it'; koͅoͅ 'fire' plus 3a person distrib. iter. of ha- |...[hi- perf.]- 'aa 'to take out around solid object' [act. tr.].

4. 'itsiͅiͅsbéézhí 'boiled meat'. -tsiͅiͅ 'meat' plus hiisbéézhí 'it has been boiled' [3rd person si- perf., act. intr.].

5. nábé'ijiyałtsiná'a 'they turned it over'. 3a person prog. of ná- 0é-'i-|...[si- perf.]-ł-tsi 'to turn over' [act. intr.]. The theme: 'to cause a long pointed object to move'. ná- 'around'; é- 'against'; 'i- | ?. See linguistic note to Chiricahua text 17.1, §6.

6. hadaa'jich'iishí 'that which they had hollowed out'. 3a person distrib. imp. with indef. obj. of ha-|...[hi- perf.]-ch'iish 'to hollow out' [act. tr.; ha- | 'out'].

7. gobee'nłndédíná'a 'their spoons were'. bee'nłédí, an archaic relative of ee- 'by means of it' plus the 3rd person imp. with indef. obj, of ni- ...[si- perf.]-ł- ndé 'to eat soup or mush- like substances' [act. tr.].

8. A literal translation of the sixth sentence of this passage follows: "Trees that are big / that stand erect / being from [their] sides / wood that is ball-shaped / that which juts out from them here and there / its insides / that which they hollow out / just that / their cups, it is said."

[_]

Ethnological Note 8
Protuberances on the trunks of oak trees especially, were utilized in this manner.

Coffee was lacking, they say.

(39.9)[9]
Gahée yá'édiͅná'a.
'Ádáͅ, 'ik'aneída, gołkaͅaͅdeída, bihóóleída, díídíí díík'eh, yá'édiͅná'a.

K'adi, dá'át'égo nahidáń gólíͅí beenndá'ádáͅí baanáágoshndi.
Díídíí:

'Inaada,
goshk'an,
nshch'íͅ,
'ighe'éłtsoi,
gołchíde,
chíłchiͅ,
hoshjishóhé,
ndáazhin,
tł'ahtso,
tł'ohgahée,
'inaadáͅáͅ',
dziłdaiskáné,
niigoyáhé,
gahbindáa,
naastáné,
hanóósan,
'iigaa'e,
dzé,
madááya,
gołndiihi,
'ináshtł'izhee,
tsiłndáá'łtsoi bito'í,
tséłkanee,
digodé 'it'aͅaͅ,
deek'oshé dach'iizhé,
diłtałé,
diłtałétso,
náa'tsíli,
biͅiͅ,
jilaahé,
yóółndáhé,
dziłátaazhe,
tsinaasdo'é,
dáłdáné,
ts'ijishgahe,
chííshgagee,
diłt'oshe,
tsiidee,
lóó'stso,
dlóͅí,
gah,
góóchi dá'ákodeyáí,
téjółgayé,
tsandeezé,
łíͅ,
náa'tsílidiłhiłí,
dibéhé
dá'ákodeyáí,
ts'isteeł.

'Ádíídíí díík'eh nahidáń.

'Áí nahí doobaayándziͅda.
Dá'ághát'égo, nahidáń nahá'ájílaaná'a.
Jooba'éndéłáͅí yee'isdahóóka.

Coffee was lacking, they say.
At that time, even flour, sugar, and beans, all of these, were lacking, they say.
Now, I'll also tell what food there was upon which we lived at that time.
These:

Mescal,
yucca fruit,
pinons,
acorns,
prickly pears,
sumac berries,
cactus [sp.],
spurge,
dropseed,
lip fern,
corn,
mountain plants,
wild potatoes [sp.],
wild potatoes [sp.],
mesquite,
stems of yucca,
flowers of tree yucca,
chokecherries,
pitahaya cactus,
honey of the ground bee,
honey [var.],
honey of the bumble bee,
mulberries,
angle-pod,
salt,
berries [sp.],
berries of the one seeded juniper,
berries of the alligator bark juniper,
wild cattle,
mule deer,
antelopes,
white tailed deer,
wild turkeys,
doves,
quail,
squirrels,
robins,
slate colored juncoes,
song sparrows,
wood rats,
prairie dogs,
rabbits,
peccaries,
burros,
mules,
horses,
buffaloes,
mountain sheep,
[and] turtles.

All of these [were] our food[9].
We are not ashamed of that.
In that way, they made our food for us, they say.
Many poor people lived by means of it.

[_]

(39.9) Linguistic Notes

1. bihóóleída 'even beans'. bihóóleí > Spanish frijole 'beans'.

2. Only those of the names of the plants and animals mentioned in this passage which can be analyzed are discussed below.

'ighe'éłtsoi 'acorns'. 'ighe'é 'seed' plus - łtso- bound form of łitso 'it is yellow' and -i a relative ?.

chíłchiͅ 'sumac berries'. chí- ? plus the theme - ł-chiͅ 'to give off an odor'.

hoshjishóhé 'cactus' [sp.]'. hosh 'cactus, thorn' plus -jishóhé ? [perhaps related to -ł-zhó 'to sweep, brush'].

ndáazhin 'spurge'. ndáa 'eye'; -zhin 'black' [related to łi-ni-...zhiͅ 'to be black'?].

tł'ahtso 'dropseed'. tł'ah- bound form of tł'oh 'grass'; - tso compounded form of ni-...-tso 'to be big'.

tł'ohgahée 'lip fern'. tł'oh; 'grass'; gahée > Spanish café 'coffee'.

dziłdaiskáné 'mountain plants'. dził 'mountain'; daiskáné ?.

gahbindáa 'wild potatoes [sp.]'. gah 'rabbit'; bindáa 'his eyes'.

madááya > Spanish pitahaya.

[tsiłndáá'łtsoi bito'í Hoijer provides the following analysis of this contruction, but he does not provide a gloss for construction as a whole--MEC] tsiłndáá' 'bee'; -łtso > łitso 'it is yellow'. bito'í 'its juice', -to' poss. form of to' 'water'.

diłtałé 'juniper berries [sp.]', archaic relative of diłtał 'it bursts, explodes' [3rd person imp., act. intr.].

diłtałétso 'juniper berries [sp.]'. -tso 'big'.

náa'tsílidiłhiłí 'buffalo'. náa'tsíli 'cattle' diłhiłí 'it is black'.

[_]

Ethnological Note 9
A better account of Chiricahua Apache food plants may be found in E. F. Castetter and M. E. Opler, The Ethnobiologyof the Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache [University of New Mexico Bulletin, Biological Series, Vol. 4, No. 5, 1936.]

At that time long ago, they lived poorly.

(39.10)[10]
'Ádáͅ 'iłk'idáͅ, joogobago daajindáná'a.
Ndah nDéí 'isdzáͅáͅyóí biche'shkéne gózhóͅgo yaahihndíná'a.

Biche'shkéneí ndédaahaleeł ndah, keekéͅyóí 'isdzáńdaahaleeł ndah, díík'eh bik'ehnaakaná'a.

At that time long ago, they lived poorly.
But Apache women taught their children well, they say.
Even when their children became men, even when the young girls became women, all of them were obedient, they say.

[_]

(39.10) Linguistic Notes

bik'ehnaakaná'a 'they were obedient'. bik'eh 'in accordance with it, by reason of it' plus naaka 'several move about, live' [3rd person cont. imp. of -ká 'several move' with prefix naa-| 'about'].

"My child, one does not curse.

(39.11)[11]

"Shishke'é, doo'jódziͅda. Doháń k'eshíndiida. Doháń bich'iͅiͅlójigoda. Doháń baajadloda. Dohyáabaajó'iͅiͅlee'át'édań goshinsíͅ. Yóósń Tóbájiishchinéń bichiͅiͅ'itédahdlii. 'Áń dá'gobíłk'eh gok'ehgodaanndá. Niigosjáńí yáí 'ágoił'íͅ."

daayiiłndíná'a."

"My child, one does not curse. One hates no one. One behaves foolishly to no one. One laughs at no one. One treats with respect those to whom one can do nothing.[10] Pray to God [and] Child of the Water. We live because of those two. They made the earth [and] the sky."

they said to them, they say.

[_]

(39.11) Linguistic Notes

1. doháń bich'iͅiͅlójigoda 'one behaves foolishly to no one'. do-...-da negative; -ch'iͅiͅ 'toward' plus 3a person of ló- ...-go 'to be crazy, foolish' [imp. neut. intr.]. This verb is derived from Spanish loco [see 38.21].

2. Yóósń 'God'. yóós- > Spanish Diós; -ń relative.

[_]

Ethnological Note Ethnological Note
[For the same reason cited in Ethnological Note to Chiricahua text 19, note 5, this sentence has been modified from the original version. In the original, this sentence is translated: "One worships those to whom one can do nothing."--MEC]

Even when the boys [and] girls were twenty five and over,

(39.12)[12]
Jeekéͅyóí, 'itł'áyóí naadin 'anshdláánshíͅ ndásá beenádaa'nat'íͅíͅł ndah, bitaaí bimaí gózhóͅgo daa'yéłts'áͅná'a.

'Indaanałíͅí, dákogo, díídíí 'iłk'idáͅ ndé doo'ikóńziͅdaí gólíͅ ndah, dá'át'égo kooghaͅ gótóͅóͅyéí goos'áͅí bighe'yá dá'át'égo gózhóͅgo biche'shkéne yaahihndíí, nahí doobégonasiͅda.

Danghéí, chindáí, gok'azí, goosdoí, joobaí, díík'eh goniińłt'é ndah, Yóósń Tóbájiishchinéń goche'shkéneí beebich'iͅiͅyájiłti.

Bikooghaͅí baajoogobááyéégo naagoos'áͅ ndah, bighe'shíͅ saanzhóní híndínzhóní yeeyádaałti.

Yeenaatsékees.
Yee'aahihndíná'a.

'Ádíídíí díík'eh dáándí.
Dálóó'stso téjółgayé daahiiłghał nałdishndíí dásí'ághát'égo dáándí.

Even when the boys [and] girls were twenty five and over, they listened well to their fathers [and] mothers.
You who are white people, then, do not realize that even though these ancient people knew nothing, they taught their children in a good way inside their poor camps.
Though hardship, hunger, cold, heat, poverty all overmastered them, they talked to their children about God [and] Child of the Water.
Though their camps were everywhere poor, they inside of them spoke by means of good words [and] good thoughts.
They thought by means of them.
They taught by means of them.
All of this is true.
It is true just as that which I told you [about] our eating wood rats [and] burros is true.

[_]

(39.12) Linguistic Notes

1. jeekéͅyóí, 'itł'áyóí 'the girls, the boys'. jeekéͅ 'girl'; 'itł'á- bound form of 'itł'áń- 'boy'. -yó plural suffix [see linguistic note to Chiricahua text 20.4, §3].

2. naadin 'anshdláánshíͅ ndásá beenádaa'nat'íͅíͅł 'they were twenty five and over'. naadin 'twenty' [cf. naaki 'two'; -din '-ty']; 'anshdláá- bound form of 'anshdlááí 'five'; - n 'times'; -shíͅ 'from'; ndásá 'farther on'. beenádaa'nat'íͅíͅł, distrib. prog. of 0ee-ná-'i-ni- ...[si- perf]-t'áͅ 'so many years have passed with one' [act. intr.]. ee- 'with'; ná-?i- ?; ni- terminative. The theme alone: 'to grow'.

3. goniińłt'é 'they overmastered them'. 3rd person of 0-nii-di-ni-...-ł- t'é 'to get the best of, to overcome' [imp. neut. intr.]. nii- ?; di-ni- adj. [?].

4. yeenaatsékees 'they thought by means of them'. yee- 'by means of them' plus the 3rd person imp. of naa-tsé- ...[si- perf.]-kees 'to think' [act. intr.].