Caskey Russell

Author of the Raven and Eagle Series

GLOSSARY FOR THE DOOR ON THE SEA
(W/ Original Tlingit Meanings)

  1. Aaní: A name for the people of the sea.  (Tlingit: land. Haa Aaní = Our Land)
  2. Aankaawu: the civilian leader of a Aaní village—like a mayor (Tlingit: Chief; man of wealth)
  3. Ach: A Yahooni exclamation of frustration or acquiescence (made up by author)
  4. A káx yan aydél wé tlátgi: the Aaní Islands Elders Council.  There are twenty main Aaní Islands in Éil’ with large, permanent villages.  Each of those twenty islands has an elder who is charged with the health, care, and maintenance of all living things on that island.  Each of those elders has an apprentice.  As important as the human elders, each of those twenty islands is the Shukáhit to a bird or animal.  A shukáhit is the ancestral island that belongs to a certain animal clan.  It was where that animal’s first ancestor was created long before humans inhabited Éil’.
  5. At.óow: An inherited thing—tangible or intangible property owned by a clan and its members (an important part of Tlingit cosmology and the Tlingit thought-world).
  6. Atx’aan Hídi: Yearly Longhouse of Service and Trade competitions in Aaní villages across Éil’.  (Tlingit: At x’aan hídi = smokehouse).
  7. ax xoonx’iyán: Silence-sharing friend.  The measure of a close friend in Aaní culture is the ability to share long spells of silence. 
  8. Bandeyaeni: a Yahooni weapon; wooden club
  9. Chaatl: Halibut (Tlingit: halibut)
  10. Daadzi: An Island next to Samish Island (Tlingit: firestone)
  11. Deikeenaa: The Aaní’s closest allies (Tlingit: Haida)
  12. Deshu: A village on Kéet Island (made up by author’s son—though it is similar to the traditional Tlingit name for Haines, Alaska.  Kéet is Tlingit for orca whale and also the Tlingit name of one of the author’s sons).
  13. Dláa an exclamation of frustration meaning enough! (Tlingit: Enough!)
  14. Dzanti: The strange weapon of the shapeshifting Kóoshdakáa. (Tlingit: flounder/sole fish)
  15. Eesháan: Poor thing! (Tlingit: Poor thing!)
  16. Eiiiiiiii: An exclamation of excitement 
  17. Ei haaw! An exclamation of excitement and surprise
  18. Éil’ The Aaní name for the world (Tlingit: salt water, ocean)
  19. Goox: The name of a Yahooni character lethally injured when the crew comes across his after the battle at Xoots Jin (Tlingit: slave)
  20. Gluuchu: a ball game played by the Aaní (made up by the author)
  21. Gunalchéesh: Thank you. (Tlingit: Thank you)
  22. Gunyak: Naasteidi’s canoe maker (An actual canoe Tlingit canoe maker from the village of Klawock in the late 18 and early 1900s).
  23. Haa Kusteeyí: Book of famous Aaní warriors; Elān’s favorite book.  (Tlingit: our culture.  Also, the name of an important book in the Dauenhauer trilogy).
  24. Haa Shúka: A line from an Aaní death song.  (Tlingit: ancestors and ancestral inheritance; an important concept in Tlingit cosmology and the Tlingit thought-world.  Also, the name of an important book in Dauenhauer trilogy).
  25. Hits’aati: The leader of an Aaní village’s Longhouse of War and Diplomacy (Tlingit: Leader of a Clan House)
  26. Jánwu: An Aaní Island Elder (Tlingit: Mountain goat)
  27. Jinahaa: A Deikeenaa Island in Éil’.  Jinahaa is just north of Latseen’s Line and the closest Deikeenaa island to Botson Bay on the mainland.
  28. Jishagóon: An Aaní navigation device for use on the open ocean (Tlingit: tool)
  29. Kals’aak: An island in Éil’.  (Tlingit: Squirrel)
  30. Kóoshdakáa Shapeshifters invading the Aaní world (Tlingit: Land Otter Man)
  31. Kooyu Kwáan: The author’s ancestral village on Kuiu Island, Alaska. (Tlingit: Kwáan = people from a village, region)
  32. Kugíinaay: A Deikeenaa village on Wuskóowu Island.  (Haida: bell sound).
  33. Kusaxakwáan: The land of the cannibal giants (Tlingit: cannibals)
  34. Kwalk: A yearlong service to another Aaní village after graduating from the Aaní Longhouse of Service and Trade.  It marks a non-warrior’s coming-of-age and also keeps good relations between Aaní villages (Idea made up by author; word made up by author’s son)
  35. Naasteidi A village on Samish Island where Elān and Latseen (Tlingit: the author’s ancestral village on Kuiu Island in Alaska; the village was abandoned in the 1860s due to smallpox)
  36. Naaxiin a robe of distinction (Tlingit: Chilkat blanket)
  37. Quintus Kwáan: Clan territory of the wolves (Quintus was made up by the author’s son; Kwáan is Tlingit for people from a village)
  38. Saaw Island in Éil’ where the shapeshifting Koosh come from (Tlingit: crab)
  39. Samish Island The main island for the characters in the novel (also, an Island in the Salish Sea of Washington State)
  40. Seet: The distance an average ocean-going Aaní canoe can travel in a day under sail in steady wind.  (Tlingit: shallow canoe)
  41. S’eek Kwáan: Clan territory on Samish Island of black bears and their human cousin caretakers.  Area where Hoosa comes from.  (Tlingit: Black bear village)
  42. Sháa: Elān’s mother (Tlingit: woman)
  43. Shaada: A Deikeenaa island in Éil’ east of Xoots.
  44. Shaatlein The mountain above the village of Naasteidi.
  45. Shaatleingagi The meeting place on Samish Island for the Aani Island Elders’ Council
  46. Tas: An Aaní instrument similar to a guitar but with four strings (Tlingit: Thread)
  47. Tináa: A miniature copper shield engraved with a symbol on it that acts like a passport in the novel (Tlingit: copper shield)
  48. Tláa: The Aaní word for “mother” (Tlingit: mother)
  49. Tsedi: Yahooni village on the mainland
  50. What in Yéil’s name?: An Aaní exclamation used often in surprise, frustration, or confusion (Tlingit: Yéil means raven)
  51. Waka: The name of Elan’s canoe (Māori word for canoe)
  52. Xoots / Xoots Jin: Xoots is an island in Éil’ and the Xoots Jin are a series of small islands just north of Xoots.  The islands are on the border of Aaní and Deikeenaa territory but are not claimed by either.  The Aaní and Deikeenaa protect the seas around the islands while the islands themselves are inhabited by a large clan of massive bears who kill any human visitor. Rumor among the Aaní and Deikeenaa is that the island is used to exile criminals.  (Tlingit: Xóots = grizzly bear; Jin = paw).
  53. Yaakw: One fifth of a seet.  (Tlingit: boat; canoe)
  54. Yaabel / Yaabel’s: Yahooni word for Kooshdakáa 
  55. Yahooni: the traditional enemy of the Aaní.  There are Mainland Yahooni and Island Yahooni. (Made up by the author).
  56. Náa Goosh: A landing place for canoes (also, author’s favorite fishing hole near the village of Klawock, Alaska)
  57. Heeni: The name of a famous battle led by Elān’s grandfather Latseen involving the Aaní and Deikeenaa against the Yahooni.
  58. Shanaax: The name of an island in Éil’.
  59. Naakw: The name of a big village on Shanaax Island.  Naakw is where Kwa did her kwalk.
  60. Lookaana:  The name of an island in Éil’.  It’s also known as Teew’s Island.
  61. Sheet’ka: A big Aaní village on Lookaana Island (Teew’s Island).
  62. Sú: a large, whip-like kelp.  (Tlingit: bull kelp.  Author’s note: the Tlingit diet includes a lot of kelp, and bull kelp is one of the most delicious).
  63. Shéiyi: a type of spruce wood.  (Tlingit: Sitka Spruce).
  64. Choosh: A large Deikeenaa village on Kasaan Island.  Choosh is a multistory village carved into a massive cliff over the ocean.
  65. Kasaan: A Deikeenaa Island in Éil’.
  66. Kaltask: A Deikeenaa Island in Éil’
  67. Xaax’w: A type bottom fish in Éil’. (Tlingit: ling cod).
  68. Ishkeen: A type bottom fish in Éil’. (Tlingit: black cod).
  69. Kanata: A Deikeenaa Island in Éil’ famous for its blueberries.  (Tlingit: kanat’á = blueberry).
  70. Xuut: A Deikeenaa warrior and captain of the Choosh Sea Guard.  She was in the battle of Heeni.
  71. Klatseen: An Aaní word exclusive to warriors to help them prepare for and face battle (made up by author).