Oirata recording: part 1

Recording of a text transcribed by de Josselin de Jong (1937: 70-73),
as read by a speaker from Kisar in 1996.

Listen to part 1

Apna-Apha pai to ina'a leene lapai o'o umajauele ita'uthelere.
'The Creator caused the large Sky and the Earth to become one.'

Leen lapai neene Maukou, umajauele tie neeneta Huimau.
'The name of the large Sky was Maukou, the name of the Earth was Huimau.'

Wadu wanat tina'a ete-modo tarumodora tie onhali
'In those times no plants were living yet'

ha horia o'o nunu tapu lapai ta lause.
'except the parna and the waringin with big seeds.'

Uma ono koune kemene.
'The earth was still in darkness.'

Asa riunu salini tirii no onhali.
'There was not yet a multitude of birds.'

Una'a wadu tina'a Raata ma'u nunu iamiire,
'The Eagle came and alighted on the waringin,'

Waluru ma'u horia iamiire.
'Pigeon came and alighted on the parna.'

Poje asapoje aramudumiire, Kaharlaini nunutarana namiire.
'Weed-bird sat down in the weeds, Magpie sat down on a branch of the waringin.'

Kaharlain ie Ráta asile íne: Rátei!
'Magpie said to Eagle: Eagle!'

Apte uma dedemana soli to ate umare wísare to apte uma aran aun soli.
'We are living in the dark, so you first give your pronouncement, that we may
live in the light.'

Tetu Ráta wísare le íne: dedemana pitu, iri uma aranie pitu tono uma ali lauare!
'Then Eagle pronounced thus: seven nights, seven days, then again darkness!'

From: de Josselin de Jong (1937: 70, 1-17)