Ways of mankind II; Life of the Yurok

The life of a you rock. A program in the series ways of mankind presented under the supervision of Walter Goldschmidt anthropologist of the University of California Los Angeles by the National Association of educational broadcasters a series designed to show dramatically how human beings live together in different times and places. The life of a your rock is the first of four programmes prepared to offer you the experience of living as York Indians lived within their stone age culture. Dr. Goldman You rock Indians lived in Northern California along the banks of a beautiful mountain river teeming with salmon A kinds DNA of the products of the forest were also part of their daily fare. They lived in hand plank houses in small villages. These Indians had a way of life in some ways like our own and others different. They sought wealth which was a measure of importance. But this wealth was largely connected with their religion. Men love their wives which they thought which they bought with the shell money

they worked hard for work was a virtue. Like people everywhere they suffered sickness and death and cured their sick as best they could by the magical powers of their doctors religious ceremonials were held to cleanse the world of sin. People have everywhere developed their own way of life designed to meet the needs of human existence that everywhere must be met to meet is where the particular needs of their particular time and place but cultures are not merely a set of odd customs. People live in terms of their culture they love and hate feelings and pride. Born and die we want to understand what it feels like to live the life of the euro along the Klamath River before the whites arrived to understand as anthropologists understand the life of a euro. The sun was straight overhead when I came out of the forest onto the bank of the river. I was

tired from the long morning of hunting and wanted to get home home to the quiet of my sweat house where I could stretch out for awhile and heal the weariness of my muscles. Then to the family house where naman my wife would have food ready for me. I saw boat pulled up on the shore. I eased off the sand jumped in and dug the paddle hard into the green water. I'll take the boat was clumsy and I had trouble making it obey me. I took two strokes before I saw the shadow of the Black Rock. I tried to pull away but the river was too powerful. I felt the boat grind against the teeth of the rock and roll over. Then the icy water pressed the breath out of me. The pain in my side came only an instant before the deep and galloping dark. Yes. Do you want to by the fire name by the fire right over here. Careful. I'll have to get the duct tape that has already been said for here comes. The darkness and away and as I recognize the voice of my wife's name I knew I had

been brought into my family house. I could make out little patches of brightness the slits in the roof where the planks didn't meet a wider opening in the center of the roof where the smoke goes out. The perfect roundness of the entrance door for a few moments I watched a shaft of sunlight as it touched the box where I kept my ceremonial treasures. I put mud over the wound in the Norman side just to stop the blood to shape it can get here. Has he bled much. I'm afraid so. When we found him on the shore the sand was red all around him. He must have tried to cross the river no take. It was a bad place to cross. To me I can't understand. It must be that he couldn't have. I was going to die. I didn't want to die. I'd MISNAME. And I was stunned. I wanted to live. To taste the hot excitement of the hunt to feel again the pleasure of watching a ceremonial dance where the dancers carried Why do skins and Obsidian blades belonging to me to take my place

once more as chief of the Capella fished them. So I would follow the trail down to The Secret River to the place where the boatman was waiting to take me across to the land of the dead or I would join all our people who had ever died and linger forever without flesh or form in the gray confines of the spirit world. It was the fault of both name and he'll have to pay for what happened to me. Oh take knows the law he'll pay. Does your eyesight hurt too much man nobody is our sun hear the guns going upriver to hunt. It would be good if you were home to hear what I have to say. He'll be back tomorrow. Ask him to take good care of my wealth. It will be his now. What do you say. Especially the two obsidian blades. They're the finest red blades I've ever seen. I wish I could be here to watch when t gone learns them for a dance or money don't talk like that. There are things one must talk about while your

brother's here. I want you to have the family house for as long as you live. And the three strings a very large didn't tell you he has to have all the rest of my didn't tell him shelves. My woodpecker crest headbands the four white doo skins and the sweat house and he will take my place as chief of the fish dam Cannick can have my five boats and the rights to my fishing place. You shouldn't be talking like it's a pick coming here but good for a man to know he leaves behind a wife and son who love him who cry a little for his spirit whenever they remember him. You're not going to die. Brother go see what's keeping shape. Alright babe good bye you know. Yeah I've been here in the family house twice a day for meals ever since I was born but lying here it seems I'm seeing it for the first time. I never realized he

gone and I had brought him so much deer meat and so many salmon from the fish DAMN THEY LOOK GOOD hanging up there in the smoke. NEYMAR. Yes but all the corn basket sitting up on the raft you remember it. I remember it I made it the first spring we would marry out of the best hazel twigs I could find. We used it when we went upstream to the family a cordon grounds in the fall of never tasted acorns as sweet as they were there. Everything was sweet. The baskets full of men only I will help you get up on your back. Right. Yeah. Well the acorns are wonderful this year and this is the finest harvest I've ever been to. Does she think so too. And me what does she think should I know what she thinks. That's not hard. I saw the way she's been looking at you.

Remember our marriage ceremony when you made a public announcement of all the girls you'd gone within promised you wouldn't be with them again. But I haven't even talked to how many were you know what'll happen if you're caught. You'll have to pay a lot of money to my father's name I swear I haven't looked at another girl since we've been married. I know it's silly. I was just teasing you. You shouldn't joke about money. I'm a little tired. Let's sit here and rest baby kicking again. Yes. You know me. Sometimes I'm afraid of what maybe I'm going to have if I didn't. Would we have to kill them. You know it's bad luck if we don't. Oh don't worry you're going to have just one baby. A nice small one a boy. I hope you're right but the way it feels it'll be a boy and he'll have a fine life. I'm going to do all I can to make a lot of money so he can buy himself a daughter of a rich man for a wife. He will pay even more than I paid for you.

I hope it happens. Naima Did you ever hear of the cave for the treacle one by the sea. We are right here drips from the ceiling. If you go there and let a drop of water fall on you it sure to make you rich. But what happens if you let two drops of water fall on you instead of just one. The entrance to the cave closes and you can't get out but that won't happen to me. Norman don't go there or not you want to be rich don't you. Yes but I let him take me with you. Name a UK you know money doesn't like women a round of money hears a woman's voice it flies away like a bird. Please I don't speak the whole time. I'll def. Cook your food and you can concentrate on money. You can't come into the cave naman you know that. Hey my money's going to come to me now I did it when I was in the cave. I prayed to the creator of the world and it happened just one drop fell on me. Oh I. Was so afraid what were you afraid of. Just wait till the dental Ian walks into our house we'll be rich will be rich.

We know the known. You all right. Here's. The way you were looking at me. It was just remembering the first time I saw you at the deerskin dance at which pick her and you then I was going to marry you. I knew it before I did and I saw where you were who here before when you were helping your father at the pale face stand you looked very important. How could you know you were going to marry me. I spoke to an old woman in our town who knows about such things. She said if I grind acorns for her for three days she'd fix it. When I finished my work it seemed they didn't love drink from something and gave it to me. When I drank it I thought about you. So that's what happened.

You're not angry. After all these years. No I'm not angry. It sounds good to hear you laugh. I could laugh better if my side didn't hurt you. Maybe I should go and see what's happened to shaping you know. No don't leave me. I wish our son hadn't gone away and it would be good if Cannick were here I'd like to see him once more he's my best friend. If. The coyote just like the night Dawn and I were camped in the mountains the night before I took him on his first year. Father he's close what he tried to get us. Don't worry t Go on Mr Keelty he's a coward he won't come any closer. He's so ugly. Would you like to hear how he got his ugly tail. Yes it's a morse ranch is on this for

a long time ago a bunch of animals were waiting for the day when all the beautiful fur and feathers were going to be passed out in the evening before they all went to sleep. Mr. Kiyoshi to know he stuck sticks in his ice to keep awake so he'd be the first to pick out a beautiful tail in the morning. He made fun of the other animals and pointed to an ugly tail saying I pity the one who gets that tail. But towards morning he fell asleep anyhow and when he woke up only the ugly tail was left. Mr. Keogh he sure got what he deserved. How is he gone. Plenty of smoke now. Hand me the both yours and mine. Are we going hunting tonight. No but we have to get smoke from the spruce branches on our bows and on ourselves so the deer won't be able to smell us tomorrow. I hope we shoot a deer to morrow father. A real big one. If the deer wants to be a Q He will. All right to go on we can go ahead now. Why did you stop and say those words when we came

back on the trail father. Whenever you leave a trail you should stop and pay it respect when you step back on. You should always remember that what happens if you forget you will never have any luck hunting trails are like people you should never insult them otherwise they will make trouble for you of us. What's not a father up there through those trees Steve biquad. The winds blowing this way. Let's get closer to walk the way I thought you know. He's getting his head will have to stop here. Still a little far. I don't know if I can have your goddamn father you got a real big deer you got him. Name a watch that Norrish its shape pick. He's putting the hot stone to do is admit this I didn't hear him coming your way sleeping in a moment.

Drink this. Yeah drink it. Now look at the wound now. Is it very bad. Of course it's bad I have to steam some more did Russia heard shaper talked about payment. Yes I stream didn't he a man too would pick a crisp had been. So fair price. I'm afraid you can hoping no man he's a good dead doctor people call for him as far away as rec with me and you'll jump like a salmon when I pour this steady. Yeah I just got it. Well I'll be going now. I'm going to take your payment. What book are you treated Nomen didn't you. Look Mema I'm a man of skill not words I have to be blunt I can't take payment if I don't heal my patient. But if he's alive in the morning.

Yeah you know there's nothing more I can do. But my moment. Goodbye Sherry perk. He's got to be. I thought of the day my father died. It was a big funeral. Twenty paid mourners in my father's best friend as funeral chief. His body was in the family house in this very spot. The family and the paid mourners cried as my father's body was washed with branches of Wormwood. So no one's hands would have to touch the dead. The mourners filed past me blowing their noses as a sign of their grief. Then a door was broken through the side of the house. Since the dead are not allowed to leave by the regular door they carried him out on a redwood plank all the utensils and dishes he'd been using to even the ground he lay on. When these were burned my father was buried with large stones at the

head and foot of the grave. I sat by the side of the grave and wept. That night an herb doctor made me drink a grief potion to blunt the edge of my sorrow. I inherited the family house sweat house and all my father's money as well as a choice of fishing place and his position as chief of the Capella fish dam. Yeah grief is a powerful thing. Name it washes away all the important things of life. Money and the Knowledge of Good and Evil. None of these things matter while grief lasts. I'm not going to let you go. Once a man followed his wife down the trail of the dead and coated justice she was getting into the boat across the river. The men snatched the boat and brought his wife back. Oh do that for you. Follow you and bring you back just the way the men that happened in the

days when people knew you were at the entrance to the trail of the dead waters for a long time now nobody has known where it is. I'll have to go alone and there will be no coming back. I know there are things to be settled. I want a big future. With everything done properly. I want 20 paid mourners just like my father had. And I want to connect to be the funeral chief because he's my best friend. Don't put anything valuable in my grave except to dental insurance and name. Yes the gun is to collect the money from old take for letting his boat cause my death. At least two strings of dental insurance. And some woodpecker crests. And maybe one of the large obsidian blades I know or take hairs. Always been a man who collects and pays his debts

I've tried to teach my son to be the same way and I think he's learned. Yes I think he learned very young to respect property. I remember the day I first knew he had to learn. I was sitting outside my sweat house when I saw him running toward father. So you go on don't run so hard What's the matter. Then from Hope they've been spitting savage at your fishing place. Well that's nothing to get excited about They'll find out who the place belongs to and bring me the tales of all the fish they catch but they won't. They've already started to walk upstream. Are you sure. Yes. I watch them from behind a tree. I mean the other four that caught a lot of fish father. Well follow them but don't let them see you and we'll catch up with you. There they are. Look at all those fish Cannick. They must have caught 20 of them.

For a moment that one in the back. He's got his fishing spear handy. Something you want those fish you've caught. You catch them around here. Suppose we did you caught them at my fishing place and went away without giving me the tails. Who says we caught them at your place. My son he saw you. You want to be careful how you make accusations. There are four of us. We could kill you two pretty quick. Why don't you go back home and forget all about this. Those fish are out of my waters. I'm not leaving till I get paid what's coming to me. I warned you you're not getting anything except maybe a fish spear through your neck. Wait a minute. Do you know who this man is who cares. Whose house is my moment. And he's chief of the fish time. He has a powerful family living up and down the river. You kill him and there soon won't be one man

alive in any of your families. The gnome another well why didn't you say so. We'll be glad to give you your Fish Tales roadway. You will have to pay more than Fish Tales now. Why I want a string of dental iam from each man. Oh no wait that's too much to pay for a few fish but not for an insult to a rich man. How about it. Are you going to pay. Of course of course we'll pay you pays. You know there's a Bernie if I could have some water. I hear you. Thanks. That's better.

There are so many things I wanted to tell to you go on you to be chief of the comparative fish DAM No. I'd like to go over the ceremony with them again. You've taught him well and know me and I wish I could live for just one more season one more time to see the salmon come into the traps. One more deer skin dance after the fishing is over. Name. Do you remember the year we almost couldn't hold the ceremony. I remember that connect came to me in my sweat house. He was worried. I don't know if you will be able to hold the ceremony this year. Why not connect. It's rogue he hasn't paid the morning has he hired for his sister's funeral this past year and they say they won't let the dance be 0 2 lead paid the right. Did you talk to rollback. He's not to this house hasn't been for weeks. I think he's heard I'm looking for him. Can't anybody tell you where he is. This morning I heard he was down stream at

night you know it's easy go ask him to pay up. But Norman you know how real God is. I feel better if you came with me. The dance is only a few weeks off. We'll go find him right away. I didn't see you coming. I was just going into the sweat house Rog I suppose you know why we've come after you. Should I. You haven't left our town in 20 years. Why did you go away you know. Can I ask how did you know I was here not you. Some people told us people who are anxious to have the dance ceremony it's compelled this year I don't see what that has to do with me. There's a little matter of some mourners who haven't been paid. Oh yeah. I intend to take care of it. Wayne there's not much time you know can they I mean amen. OK. I can't afford to pay those miners the full price. You're not a poor man. How about me paying half this year and half next. That's a fair

deal. The price gets the law may be three quarters of the price so see why everybody is trampling on me I've got responsibilities my son sure a gun might want to get married soon and I have to play bridge wife. I'll write tomorrow tomorrow. You're like yes can make. What are you going to call me. Come on Connect call me what you want to do can I go ahead you had something to say just make sure you pay those mourners tomorrow. Thanks for taking me away when you did I almost sold and you would end up having to pay him more than he always the mourners. Keep what you have to say the last day of the dance you can call them anything you want that nobody is allowed to feel insulted. I can hardly wait. Last year was the best of the Cupola damn I remember everybody worked hard building the dam and there were no arguments. The stakes and poles all held in the current and the

two groups working from either shore met in the middle of the river right on schedule. The salmon were bigger that year than they've been before since they filled the 10 traps constantly and the women were kept busy smoking and drying the fish. When the ten days of fishing were over we open the traps to let the people upstream have fish. Then we held our white deer skin down spraying that all sin would be removed from the world. On the last day of the dance people called each other names without fear of having to pay for an insult. Kenneth had a particularly good time spending most of the day close to your eye. My eyes are rolled back and your father only paid one Daily Show for your mother after the ceremony. Everybody went home. Only my son Tikhon and I were left. It was our job to watch the damned to live first rains came on the rising rivers swept the dam away. We waited patiently for three months. Father you think they'll pass over like the ones last week.

They've been overhead all day and they're heavier than any we've seen so far. It's been a long wait. It always is. You forget from one year to the next how long it is. Father. Has it always been in our family to be chief of the dam. Not always. A long time ago the chief of the dam died with no sun to take over the position. He gave the honor to his friend your great grandfather. I hope I have a son so he can be chief of the dam someday. It is the best thing you can wish for. Father. It's raining. It's MORNING. Yeah. Soon we'll be able to go home. You're.

Like to me. How I must have been dreaming. Sleep again if you want to use it almost morning. The night's just begun. I was hoping it was morning just to see one more sunrise. I've always had a feeling about Dawn like she was a girl. And when I'd see her freshness she'd say. I like that man. I hope he'll live to be over. He always looks at me. I. Think. That's right. No sleep

can make. I'm still glad to hear he's been asking for you. I was away. I came as soon as I heard I was asleep. He's dead. You know me you were my dearest friend. I only wish I could have heard your voice once more. Because I was your friend. I shall make myself unclean by being chief of your funeral. Because you loved us. You will not stay in our world and become a monster. It will leave us and go to the spirit land. When you were alive you did all the right things. You went after wealth so you could perform ceremonies and help keep the world pure. You worked hard and denied yourself pleasure. You took care of your family. Now it is time to tell you good bye dear friend. You lived a full life.

May the life of your son be filled with the same richness. In series ways of mankind presented under the supervision of Dr. Walter Goldschmidt associate professor of anthropology and sociology of the University of California Los Angeles. You have heard the life of a your rock. The first of four programs designed to offer you the experience of living as Europe Indians lived within their stone age culture. The consultant was Dr Alfred Kroeber professor emeritus of anthropology of the University of California. The script was by Charles Israel and was produced by Andrew Allen in the studios of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Toronto. These programs are presented by the National Association of educational broadcasters

and are made possible under a grant from the fund for adult education an independent organization established by the Ford Foundation. This program was distributed by the national educational radio network.