-------------------- tciitcgaitc -- spotted skunk ----------------------

tciitcgaitc -- spotted skunk (info and photo at the Burke Museum)

Pronunciation:
  Like "CHEECH - giche" (Listen)

Etymology:
  This word is probably shortened from an earlier word koldjii(lh)gaitc, which is no longer used in Cahto but is in most of the other closely related languages.
  Koldjii means "skunk" (of either kind), lhgai means "white", and -tc is the diminutive ("small") suffix. Thus koldjii(lh)gaitc would mean "little white skunk."

Culture:

  Tciitcgaitc occasionally occurs as a character in stories. Tciitcgaitc is the main character in the story Polecat Robs her Grandmother.

  Tciitcgaitc were hunted and eaten by the Naahneesh.
  
Related Languages:

  Lassik: koldjii
  Nongatl: koldjiigaitca
  Southern Sinkyone: koldjiigaitca
  Northern Sinkyone: koldjiilhgaitcii, koldjiigaitca
  Wailaki: koldjiigaitca
  Eel River Wailaki: kooldjiigaitcii
  Hupa: xoljehch

Personal:

  "Tciitcgaitc" is also the name of one of Abbie and my darling guinea pig boys. I gave him the name because of his pattern of jet-black and clear white like a skunk. Most people tend to call him Tciitc (or Cheech) rather than the full word, and seem to think that "spotted skunk" is not a nice thing to call someone you love. :-(
  I happen to think that skunks are interesting and gorgeous, and I hope that Tciitcgaitc is happy to bear the name! Wheek, wheek, wheek!

-------------------------
Sally Anderson
sally@turtlenodes.com
Cahto Language Home Page: http://www.turtlenodes.com/calath/caindex.html