SONGS 293

was: munmuisumnimotnu st-xwottdimutnudja | xwas-idsqilixaoats

you are the prey of misfortune, you unmarried mother; | you are Ssqili(d), you
women

xwad téfye-ya-lusats Anéna Yumtcaia Somtcaia

who pretend to be virtuous(e). | Alas(f)! Iamashamed, | I am Som(g).

[WORDLEss cHoRUus]

désboititsélotskidsaix
is the little boy’s nose

B Qénmaxwilxs-alotskidax
Exactly similar

940 ofdistindbsutix”
to that of the round-headed

Somicaia
lam Som.

Yumtcaia
I am ashamed,

atyaoyagolosdidai Anéna
Qolosti(h). Alas!

[WoRDLEss cHorus]

C The third part, if it ever existed, has been forgotten.

(2) This differs from most Haiyékam songs in that Som was an unmarried mother,
not a faithless wife. She was held up to scorn by the men of Kimsquit and this
song composed for her by a certain Blo-qwas.

(4) Recorded as song VII D 38a, National Museum of Canada; singer, Jim
Pollard.

(c) It is said that women, even of slave blood, used to endeavour to increase
their importance in the eyes of their children by boasting, falsely, of ancestral
history.

(2) A term of opprobrium, difficult to translate. It is said to imply slave
ancestry, but is more probably a mere epithet, referring to the female organs.

(e) This is addressed to women in general.

(f) An expression of pain or sorrow, used under all circumstances.

(g) The theme is here changed as if it were Som herself speaking. This is a
common device in all kinds of songs.

(4) Qolosti was supposed to be the father of Som’s child.

Movurnine Soncs

Mourning songs excel all other Bella Coola compositions
in length, complexity, and wealth of detail. Especially those
composed for mighty chiefs contain numerous references to the
ancestral history of the deceased and mention incidents re-
ferred to in origin myths, a source of pride to the survivors
and of envy to those who listen.

Song Used for Qowi when Mourning his Son, Qwinao(a)

A Stimalma | waxilikdatoms | itétinaxwao | Sénébsultpai
Why has my son done so(4)? Come, ye who are residents of foreign lands(c)