Irma Sandoval
The Paw Print
On Feb. 1, Adams State College had the pleasure of hosting a lecture by Music Composer Craig Corey. Corey a former music instructor at the University of Alaska in Anchorage, gave a presentation on traditional songs of the Dena’ina tribe from southwest Alaska. Corey’s presentation focused on his journey to publish the songs and the meanings behind the songs.
Corey’s research began with his father John Corey in 1954. While living in Alaska, John Corey decided to record the songs of the Inland Dena’ina natives from Lake Clark to send them back to his friends and family in California. The timing of the tapes was especially important because the tribal leaders that were alive during the recordings were the last of the traditional style of leaders. If he had not made the recordings, these songs and the history could have been lost.
The family kept the recordings and in 1976 Craig Corey used the recordings in his own compositions. In 1990 the Lake Clark National Park requested copies of the tapes so that the they could be translated. Craig Corey had become so passionate about the recordings that he decided he wanted to help translate them. During this time of translation Corey and the project team learned more about the Dena’ina. Corey also learned that these recordings were the earliest and best quality in existence.
While translating, James Kari discovered that the songs had four different languages included in them. Some of the songs had a dialect similar to Slovik Russian spoken in the sixth century. While the songs were being recorded, Gabriel Trefon became Chief informant for John Corey in the 1950s. At the end of each song, Trefon explained the meaning behind each song. These descriptions helped the translators better understand the meanings behind the songs. Because the language is dying not all of the words could be translated, so some songs do not have all of the words.
Although it was a process, about 20 songs were translated and made into a book. Craig Corey wrote sheet music for some of the songs, most were difficult considering the tone of the songs. The recordings were published with the consent of the Nondalton tribe and with help from the Lake Clark National Park. Heritage Preservation Fund Grant provided all of the funding for translation and publication. After the book was finished, Corey and other translators went to five tribes with Inland Dena’ina influence and gave them free copies. The book is now for sale through the Kijik Company.
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