SSBMI Language Department

Beeteyihí Husladí      Story Time at Small Time 2023

In August 2023, the SSBMI Language Department and Exhibits & Collections Center hosted a Beeteyihí (Storytime) event at Huslá (Small Time), where we shared Nisenan and Miwok stories with the SSBMI Tribal Membership. We created this webpage in order to share audio recordings of Language Department staff reciting some of the Nisenan-language stories, as well as to share supplementary resources from this year's event.

You can access materials pertaining to six of these stories by following the links below.

Booyéem Mowí K’ut’í Méyt’omatoy (Jackrabbit Gave Antlers to Deer), as told by William Joseph (a.k.a. Bill Joe)

Hiik’í (Big Snake), as told by William Joseph (a.k.a. Bill Joe)

May (Salmon), as told by Tom Cleanso

Mayk Klinsóon Mɨ Etín Ha (Mike Cleanso and His Elder Sister), as told by William Joseph (a.k.a. Bill Joe)

Olén Hilit’ín Ham Lumáyt’omatoy (Coyote and Cougar Made Big Time), as told by William Joseph (a.k.a. Bill Joe)

Hoyyahám Totoyká (The First Chickens), as told by William Joseph (a.k.a. Bill Joe)

Esak’ahá daak’ábe mi c’aykɨ́? (Do you want to know more?)

The title of this year's event is "Beeteyihí Husladí" in Nisenan, which translates as "Story Time at Small Time".

"Beeteyihí" is a word that means 'storytelling' or (more colloquially) 'storytime', being derived from the word "beetéy" 'story; to tell a story' via the nominalizing suffix "-ihí" (which is used to create nouns that refer to the act of performing the base verb). "Husladí" means 'at Small Time', being derived from the word "Huslá" 'Small Time; to celebrate Small Time' and the locative suffix "-dí" 'in, at'.

The phrase "Beeteyihí Husladí" breaks down into meaningful units (morphemes) as follows:

You can listen to an audio recording of the phrase "Beeteyihí Husladí" by clicking below:

Beeteyihí daak’ábe mi? (Do you want to share a story?)

At this year's event, we shared five Nisenan-language stories that were originally told in Nisenan and in English by William Joseph (Bill Joe) and one Nisenan-language story that was told by Tom Cleanso in English and translated into Nisenan by SSBMI Language Department staff, as well as several English-language stories that were told by other Nisenan people like Lizzie Enos and contemporary storyteller Jacky Calanchini. Next year, we hope to be able to share a wider range of stories from other storytellers, including other Tribal Members!

If you have a story that you would like to share, or if you would like to know more about our efforts or have any questions, please contact the SSBMI Language Department at language@ssband.org and the SSBMI Exhibits & Collections Center at ecc@ssband.org.

Kɨɨpetím nisek’é mi! Sitapáy’omís! (We thank you! Take care of yourself!)