The Pima Indians/Linguistics/Songs/Puberty song

LINGUISTICS

Songs

Woaka NyՈĭ, Puberty Song

[By Virsak Vaĭ-ĭ]

I

Âika
Hurry
pisorsanymhᴜ,
come out,
âika
hurry
piworsanymhᴜ;
come out;
*hᴜkia
already
tocatcoma
been me
yondohonyᴜ
go down
katcokañi
that night
rsarsavaikimᴜ.
echoing.
(Repeat;
then
repeat
from
*.
Sing
all
four
times)

II

Tcovak
Virgin
mohof(i),
woman,
*tcovak
virgin
mohof(i);
woman;
kâsiñgᴜ
sleepy
pivayᴜ
not
rsᴜmatcona
indifferent
hamᴜkai
there
nyᴜnarsᴜna-a
wake
hamᴜkai,
there,
nyᴜnarsᴜna-a
wake
tcokañgĭk
night
yâĭtaimᴜ.
think about.
(Repeat
all;
then
repeat
from
*)

Translation

Come hurry forth, hurry forth.
Already the echoing sounds
Of darkness are heart around.

The Virgin is not sleepy,
She is wakeful through the night.

III

Harsany
Giant
yâmainañgᴜ,
cactus broken,
*harsany
giant
yamainañgᴜ;
cactus broken
kadomia
there
woissimᴜ
piled
kᴜdañgᴜ
in there
nahana
feathers
miawoitañgᴜ
drop
wᴜvᴜtcimᴜ
laying
yovaiya
raise
mᴜmᴜhᴜk
higher
Mâtcipant
Ma-atcpat
yaihi.
close to.
(Repeat
as
above)

IV

Hali
Small
pᴜñgᴜ
that
kâvânyᴜk
rubling
vany
I
pᴜitcokimᴜ
carrying
itali
this
yoof(i)
woman
kakayakᴜ
heard
vapikâkârsâ
they not sleep
itany
this
tâtaʇan
on feet
kokokana
there points
hotc
nail
hairsa,
broke,
hairsa.
broke.

V

Tcokañgi
Night
mamahanga
branch
woisi,
thrown
down,
tcokañgi
night
mamahañga
branch
woisi;
thrown
down,
konyi
I
sᴜka
in
wᴜtcâ
under
miñgi
there
worsa,
gone past,
konyisᴜka
I in
wᴜtcâ
under
miñgi
there
worsa
gone past
nyahanᴜ
my feathers
maikomia.
cut off.

Translation

The Saguaro lies there broken;
And my fallen feathers rise
O'er the top of Table mountain.

The boy stirred the rumbling stones;
The woman heard and could not sleep.
And my toe nails are broken.

The branches of darkness fell,
Cutting my feathers as I passed.