The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-20
Eskimo Love Poetry.

Two interesting specimens OF the erotic
literature OF the Arctic Eskimos of Alaska
have been collected and translated by the
enterprise Of the United States Government.
and are published at the nations expense.
To appreciate the beautiful tenderness OF
these songs OF passion, it must be remem-
bored that the lover who sings them is, as
officially described by the United States
Government, q short. stumpy gentleman
with coarse black hair, or, more frequently,
bald from scrofulous eruptions." He has
black eyes, high cheek bones, and a face
that "habitually wears q grin OF tendish
glee as at having circumvented an adverse
fate" He has short moustache, perhaps,
and q very scanty beard, and he 'devotes
otherwise idle hours 10 pulling out the hairs"
The lady to whom the verses are addressed
wears ivory earrings and has a tattooed
chin. She wears her hair in two rolls
forward OF the ears, with small pigtail
behind. Her front teeth, owing to the prac-
tics OF employing them in drawing bolts.
untying knots. shaping leather boot soles,
stretching and tanning skins, and other
domestic offices. are generally worn away to
the stumps." Such swain Is officially re-
ported by the United States Governme mt as
singing to such sweetheart:
my little KAvANA my pretty KLvANA.
Higher mounts tho sun in It's aerial ride,
And winters darkness will soon be Ron0
win you be now my own bonny bride!
Not for a day. but forever and day.
know very well have loved = hest
(And who has not I'd like to knowO
OF beautiful girls up and down the coast
my dearest one, my beloved one.
Very soon tho birds will DO here
Perhaps with the next Southerly gale
To usher in our Arctic Now Year.
Accept me dol for love You true;
You have hunted and mated with dozens before
And plighed you say, to another man
Then wo are even why heatato moro'
my darling girl my own dear girl.
Wen soon leave our underground home
To pitch tent some inland creek.
once more, my dear. will you, will you come
What, mine at last Suspense is past;
Mine you are, for OF for veal.
Now. my wife. I'm hungry \ gull
on with your cloak and skin that seal -
The italics are ours, and are intended to
call attention to the fact that the Eskimo
poet, like tho sweet singers OF warmer
climes. is subject to what may be called
swoons OF the Imagination; precipitating
him. as in this instance, from a high plane
Of passionate fancy to grossly material
and unpoetic conclusion. Nevertheless,
the use OF such expressions as
Higher mounts the sun on Its aerial
ride" and Usher in our Arctic
New Year" and Suspense is past; mine
you are. for woe or for veal" shows that the
Novatok, tho Kangoot, tho Koovuk, and
Kikiktowruk poets, to an extent not prevl-
ously suspected have been close students OF
other and older lteratures than their own.
The second poem we exhibit IL a simple lyric |
with a refrain that sets the feet a-tapping:
"AhketuCky, lucky tab.
Ahketucky. lucky tab, |
OoSISrI has a handsome face. |
Lovely form and wnsome grace; |
An arrant hrt coQuette
Easy to court but hard to get
Ahketucky. lucky tab.
AhketuCky. lucky tab.
-ALLUSGow is slave to work.
Toll all day and never Bhirk;
But any girl that / we'd
Works or break her head.
AELstucky, 4G
"RfcHoNL, by angels given
From the faireSt band In heaven
Beautiful nymph, blessed ever
AdUre always marry never
AhketucEy Gc"
The Kiliktowruk bard who wrote that
stanza had read CONGREvE and WYCHERLY.
We continue, oven to the unspcakably base
conclusion o: this musical essay In matr-
monial philosophy:
"OErOGTO, OF noble mind,
Honest, upright and kind
Exalted Incompatible virtues;
But goodness brings no revenues
AhGotucky &c
-ANAGcnO IL little CHOU
For punder yields her very soul
And she sinai be the wife
TO snare my lot In life
Ahkeucky, lucky tab
AhketuGky turky tab"
These specimens Of u literature OF which
the world has known 50 llttlo, bearing as
they do tho Official certificate OF the United
States Government as 10 tho accuracy OF tho
versions, will occasion profound astonsh-
ment among scholars and phIlologists every.
where. VINO would have believed 1t OF the
EskimoI Yet here 1t Is In Circular OF Infor- !