The Pima Indians/Linguistics/Songs/Rain songs

LINGUISTICS

Songs

RAIN SONGS

Hoahihiûf

[By Kâʼmâl tkâk]

I

Hi-ihiyanaiho-o;
(?) *Nyᴜnyᴜĭ
Song rsânatcona,
commence, hanyᴜnyᴜi
our song rsânatcona;
commence; havatᴜmâhâinamû
pleasing rsânatcota,
commence, hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?) (Repeat
from
*)

Hañgᴜnñgᴜnda
Large onyŏĭ
corn nyᴜitcota,
singing to, vatᴜmâhâinamû
pleasing rsânatcota,
commence, hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?) Hiya-ala
Small onyŏĭ
corn nyᴜitcota;
singing to; vatᴜmâhâinamᴜ
pleasing rsânatcota;
commence; hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?)

Translation

Hi-ihiya naiho-o! Let us begin our song,
Let us begin, rejoicing. Hitciya yahina-a.
Let us begin our song, let us begin, rejoicing,
Singing of the large corn. Hitciya yahina-a.
Singing of the small corn. Hitciya yahina-a.

II

Hi-ihiyanaiho-o,
(?) tcᴜnoñi
blue hononyĭña
evening kᴜsimû
drops kûdavat
in there iañgûta
ceremonial sticks nyᴜĭtco,
sing to, yahaiva
all around monananka
tassels ñiñivâi
waving kᴜna-a,
there, hitciya
(?) yahina.
(?) Tâhaiva
White sia-aliña
dawn kᴜkiva
rises kᴜdavat
there iañgûta
ceremonial sticks nyᴜĭtco,
sing to yahaiva
all around monanaka
tassels ñiñivâĭ
waving kᴜna-a,
there, hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?) Tcᴜtâñi
Blue hononyĭña
evening kᴜsimû
drops kᴜdavat
in there iañgûta
ceremonial sticks nyᴜĭtco,
sing to, yo-onyŏĭ
corn mondanaka
tassels ñiñivâi
waving kᴜna-a,
there hitciya
(?) yahina.
(?) Tâhaĭva
White sia-aliña
dawn kᴜkiva
rises kᴜdavat
there iañgûta
ceremonial sticks nyᴜĭtco,
sing to, ya-ali
squash yahaka
leaves ñiñivâi
waving kᴜna-a,
there, hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?)

III^[1]

Hi-ihiyanaiho-o,
(?) *tcᴜwᴜna
earth mᴜmᴜnai
rumbling, tcᴜwᴜna
earth mᴜmᴜnai;
rumbling; vatciki
we are yoa
basket iwᴜna;
sounding tcᴜwᴜna
earth mᴜmᴜnai;
rumbling; wᴜsikâ
everywhere 1
2
1
2 $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$
$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ noahi
nyoko-o
humming
raining hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?) (Repeat
from
*;
then
repeat
all)

Translation

Hi-ihiya naiho-o! The darkness of evening
Falls as we sing before the sacred âmĭna.
About us on all sides corn tassels are waving.
Hitciya yahina! The white light of day dawn
Yet finds us singing, while corn tassels are waving.
Hitciya yahina-a! The darkness of evening
Falls as we sing before the sacred âmĭna.
About us on all sides fcorn tassels are waving.
Hitciya yahina! The white light of day dawn
Yet finds us singing, while the squash leaves are waving.

Hi-iya naiho-o! The earth is rumbling
From the beating of our basket drums.
The earth is rumbling from the beating
Of our basket drums, everywhere humming.
Earth is rumbling, everywhere raining.

IV

Hi-ihiyanaiho-o,
(?) *Pahangᴜ
Eagle matcᴜvwena
last wing feathers yopanha,
pull out, sia-aliñgû
east tañĭo
direction vayolinha
point out gᴜñgᴜña
large tcᴜwangimᴜta-a,
clouds there, hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?) Pahanga
Eagle vĭñgĭñga
soft feathers yopanha,
pull out, hononyñgᴜ
west tañĭo
directions vayolinha;
point out; ya-ala
small ikomainûka-a,
clouds there, hitciya
(?) yahina.
(?) (Repeat
from
*)
Hamo
There vakĭ
house wᴜtco
below vanoahimᴜ
rubmblilng gᴜñgᴜña
large onyoĭmᴜta-a,
corn there, hitciya
(?) yahina-a.
(?) Hamo
There vakĭ
house wᴜtco
below vanyokonha,
raining, ya-ala
small onyoĭmᴜta-a,
corn there. hitciya
(?) yahina.
(?)

Translation

Hi-ihiya naiho-o! Pluck out the feathers
From the wing of the Eagle and turn them
Toward the east where lie the large clouds.
Hitciya yahina-a! Pluck out the soft down
From the breast of the Eagle and turn it
Toward the west where sail the small clouds.
Hitciya yahina! Beneath the abode
Of the rain gods it is thundering;
Large corn is there. Hitciya yahina!
Beneath the abode of the rain gods
It is raining; small corn is there.

Ho-onyi NyՈĭ, Corn Song^[2]

[By Kâʼmâl tkâk]

I

Hi-i-lo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Tâ-âma
Who wᴜs
all sinyᴜĭna
seeing yali
that kak
two aonyoĭ
corn vworsanyᴜ
standing tâ-âma
who wᴜs
all sinyᴜĭna
seeing siko-oholĭ,
younger brother. hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Tâ-âma
Who wᴜs
all sinyᴜĭna
seeing yalĭ
that kâk
two alĭ
squash worsanyᴜ;
sounding; tâ-âma
who wᴜs
all sinyᴜĭna
seeing siko-oholĭ,
younger brother, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Ta-atûkam
Ta-atûkam hᴜtama
that onyoĭ
top corn vworsanyᴜ,
standing, tâ-âma
who wᴜs
all sinyᴜĭna
seeing silo-oholĭ,
younger brother, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Ta-atûkam
Ta-atûkam hᴜta-ama
that ali
squash vworsanyᴜ
standing tâ-âma
who hᴜs
all sinyᴜĭna,
seeing siko-oholi,
younger brother, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) (Ended
by
singing
hi-ilo-o
woihɐ)

Translation

Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! He who sees everything
Sees the two stalks of corn standing;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a!
He who sees everything, sees the two squashes;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a!
On the summit of Ta-atu>kam sees the corn standing;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a!
On the summit of Ta-atûkam sees the squash standing;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o woiha!

II

Hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Ta-atûkam
Ta-atûkam hᴜ
that tânâvañgᴜ
mountain tatamana
topmost tcᴜvwakĭ
clouds rsaika-a
suspended amâñᴜs
there make sikai-ĭtamᴜ
very loud toahimᴜ,
rumbling, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Ta-atûkam
Ta-atûkam hᴜ
that tânâvangû
mountain tatamana hikom
top above clouds hᴜ
that rsaika-a,
suspended, amâñᴜs
there makes sikai-ĭtama
very loud tcokona,
raining, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Tcᴜ-ᴜnañgi
Blue hᴜvwatcona
bluebird tcᴜwaki
cloud yokanyĭ
holding sanâvwᴜ
there rsaika-a
suspended amâñᴜs
there makes sikaĭtamᴜ
very loud toahimᴜ,
rumbling, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Sâ-â-ham^[3]
Yellow hᴜ
there vanyokoña
bird hikom
clouds ha
that yokanyĭ
holding sanâvwᴜ
there rsaĭka-a,
suspended, amâñᴜs
there males sikaitama
very loud tcokona,
raining, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?)

III

Hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) I-itâi
Elder Brother vahimoʼĭna
breathe out hᴜwᴜndᴜka
wind kahoñᴜ;
over there; Ta-atûkam
Ta-atûkam hᴜ
that ta-ama
above tcᴜwakĭ
clouds vo-orsa
very vasitᴜmâhâĭtamᴜ
pleasant to appear toahimᴜ,
rumbling, hi-ilo
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) I-itâi
Elder Brother vahimoĭna
breathe out hᴜwᴜndᴜka
wind kahoñᴜ;
over there; Ta-atûkam
Ta-atûkam hᴜ
that ta-amᴜ
above hikomᴜ
clouds rsaika
suspended vasitᴜmahâĭtama
pleasant appear tcokona,
raining, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Hami
There yᴜna,
in, sami
there yᴜtda,
in, hamanyĭ
there me yolihina
stay kanyᴜ-ᴜ
sing vasitᴜmahâĭta-amᴜ
very pleasant appears toahimᴜ,
rumbling, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) Hami
There yᴜna,
in, sami
there yᴜtda,
in, hamanyi
there me yolihina
stay kanyᴜ-ᴜ
sing vasitᴜ-mahaita-ama
very pleasant appears tcokona,
rumbling, hi-ilo-o
(?) ya-a-a.
(?) (hi-ilo-o woihɐ)

Translation

Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Over Ta-atûkam
Rise the clouds with their loud thundering.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Over Ta-atûkam
Rise the clouds with their loud raining.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! The Bluebird is holding
In his talons the clouds that are thundering.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Yellowbird is holding
In his talons the clouds that are raining.

Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! See Elder Brother
Breathe out the winds that over Ta-atûkam
Drive the clouds with their loud thundering.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! See Elder Brother
Breathe out the winds that over Ta-atûkam
The welcome storm clouds are suspending.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! In the great rain clouds
Let me sing my song of rejoicing.

↑ Song not accompanied with dancing.
↑ The first songs ever sung to bring rain. Ho-onyi was the name of the Corn god who left the Pimas for many years and then returned to live at the mountain north of Picacho, Ta-atûkam, whence he sang as above.
↑ Sâ-â-ham from Sâ-am, is a Sonora Papago word.

[1] Song not accompanied with dancing.

[2] The first songs ever sung to bring rain. Ho-onyi was the name of the Corn god who left the Pimas for many years and then returned to live at the mountain north of Picacho, Ta-atûkam, whence he sang as above.

[3] Sâ-â-ham from Sâ-am, is a Sonora Papago word.

[1]

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