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Tendoy-Huerito Dialogue
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The following
conversation took place at
Washington in April, 1880, between
Tendoy, chief of the Shoshoni and
Banak Indians of Idaho, and Huerito,
one of the Apache chiefs from New
Mexico, in the presence of Dr. W.J.
Hoffman. Neither of these Indians
spoke any language known to the
other, or had ever met or heard of
one another before that occasion:
Huerito.—Who are you? |
| Place the flat and
extended right hand, palm forward,
about twelve inches in front of and
as high as the shoulder, then shake
the hand from side to side as it is
moved forward and upward—question,
who are you? Fig. 304. Tendoy.—Shoshoni
chief.
Place the closed right hand near the
right hip leaving the index only
extended, palm down; then pass the
hand toward the front and left,
rotating it from side to side—Shoshoni,
Fig. 305; then place the closed |
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 |
hand, with the
index extended and pointing upward,
near the right cheek, pass it upward
as high as the head, then turn it
forward and downward toward the
ground, terminating with the
movement a little below the initial
point—chief. Fig. 306. Huerito.—How
old are you?
Clinch both hands and cross the
forearms before the breast with a
trembling motion—cold—winter, year,
Fig. 307; then elevate the left hand
as high as the neck and about twelve
or fifteen inches before it, |
| palm toward the
face, with fingers extended and
pointing upward; then, with the
index, turn down one finger after
another slowly, beginning at the
little finger, until three or four
are folded against the palm, and
look inquiringly at the person
addressed—how many? See Fig. 302.
Tendoy.—Fifty-six.
Close and extend the fingers and
thumbs of both hands, with the palms
forward, five times—fifty; then
extend the fingers and thumb of the
left hand, |
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close the right,
and place the extended thumb
alongside of and near the left
thumb—six. Fig. 308. Huerito.—Very
well. Are there any buffalo in your
country?
Place the flat right hand, pointing
to the left, with the palm down,
against the breast-bone; then move
it forward and slightly to the right
and in an upward curve; make the
gesture rather slow and nearly to
arm's length (otherwise, i.e., if
made hastily and but a short
distance, it would only mean
good)—very good, Fig. 309; place
both closed hands to their |
respective sides of
the head, palms toward the hair,
leaving the forefingers
curved—buffalo, see Fig. 298, p.
477; then reach out the fist to
arm's length toward the west, and
throw it forcibly toward the ground
for a distance of about six inches,
edge downward—country, away to the
west; then point the curved index
rather quickly and carelessly toward
the person addressed—your.
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Tendoy.—Yes; many black buffalo.
Pass the closed right hand, with the
index partly flexed, to a position
about eight inches before the right
collar-bone, and, as the hand
reaches that elevation, quickly
close the index—yes; then make the
same sign as in the preceding
question for buffalo; touch the hair
on the right side of the head with
the palms of the extended fingers of
the right hand—black; spread the
curved fingers and thumbs of both
hands, place them before either
thigh, |
| pointing downward;
then draw them toward one another
and upward as high as the stomach,
so that the fingers will point
toward one another, or may be
interlaced—many. Fig. 310.
Tendoy.—Did
you hear anything from the
Secretary? If so, tell me.
Close the right hand, leaving the
index and thumb widely separated,
pass it by the ear from the back of
the ear downward and toward the
chin, palm toward the head—hear, see
Fig. 316, p. 492; point to the
individual addressed—you; close the
hand again, leaving the index and
thumb separated as in the sign for
hear and placing the palmar surface
of the finger horizontally across
the forehead, pointing to the left,
allow the thumb to rest against the
right temple; then draw the index
across the forehead from left to
right, leaving the thumb touching
the head—white man; then place the
closed hand, with elevated index,
before the right side of the neck or
in front of the top of the shoulder;
pass the index, pointing upward, as
high as the top of the head; turn it
forward and downward as far as the
breast—chief; pass the extended
index, pointing up ward and forward,
forward from the mouth twice—talk;
then open and flatten the hand, palm
up, outer edge toward the face,
place it about fifteen inches in
front of the chin, and draw it
horizontally inward until the hand
nearly touches the neck—tell me.
Huerito.—He told me that in four
days I would go to my country.
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| Close the right hand, leaving
the index curved; place it about six
inches from the ear and move it in
toward the external meatus—told me,
hear, I heard, Fig. 311; with the
right hand still closed, form a
circle with the index and thumb by
allowing their tips to touch; pass
the hand from east to west at arm's
length—day; place the left
hand before the breast, the fingers
extended, and the thumb resting
against the palm, back forward, and,
with the index, turn down one finger
after another, beginning at the |
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little finger—four; touch
the breast with the tips of the
finger and thumb of the left hand
collected to a point—I; drop the
hand a short distance and move it
forward to arm's length and slightly
upward until it points above the
horizon—go to*; then as the arm is
extended, throw the fist edgewise
toward the ground—my country.
Tendoy.—In two days I go to my
country just as you go to yours. I
go to mine where there is a great
deal of snow, and we shall see each
other no more.
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| Place the flat hands
horizontally, about two feet apart,
move them quickly in an upward curve
toward one another until the right
lies across the left—night, Fig.
312, repeat this sign—two nights
(literally two sleeps hence); point
toward the individual addressed with
the right hand—you; and in a
continuous movement pass the hand to
the right, i.e., toward the south,
nearly to arm's length—go; then
throw the fist edgewise toward the
ground at that distance—your
country; then touch the breast |
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| with the tips of the
fingers of the left hand—I; move the
hand off slowly toward the left,
i.e., toward the north to arm's
length—go to*; and throw the
clinched hand toward the ground—my
country; then hold both hands toward
the left as high as the head, palms
down, with fingers and thumbs
pendent and separated; move them
toward the ground two or three
times—rain, Fig. 313; then place the
flat hands horizontally to the left
of the body about two feet from the
ground—deep; (literally, deep rain)
snow—and raise them until about
three feet from the ground—very
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deep—much; place
the hands before the body about
twelve inches apart, palms down,
with forefingers only extended and
pointing toward one another; push
them toward and from one another
several times—see each other, Fig.
314; then hold the flat right hand
in front of the breast, pointing
forward, palm to the left, and throw
it over on its back toward the
right—not, no more. Explanatory
Note.—Where the asterisks appear in
the above dialogue the preposition
to is included in |
| the gesture. After
touching the breast for I, the slow
movement forward signifies going to,
and country is signified by locating
it at arm's length toward the west,
to the left of the gesturer, as the
stopping-place, also possession by
the clinched fist being directed
toward the ground. It is the same as
for my or mine, though made before
the body in the latter signs. The
direction of Tendoy's hands, first
to the south and afterwards to the
north, was understood not as
pointing to the exact locality of
the two parts of the country, but to
the difference in their respective
climates. |
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Sign Language
Among North American Indians Compared with
that Among Other Peoples and Deaf-Mutes,
1881
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