Tukano myth translated to Quechua
// May 5th, 2010 // Uncategorized
(English translation at the end…)
“Piruámanta rimay” por Tukano Runakuna
Ñawpa pachaka, Pamurí-mahsëka achpapi chayaxka. Achqa maqlluj wiwakunaka piruá xina xamuxka. Piruákunaka mayomanta atun amarukuna kaxpami chawlakunata kamachin. Kanchis umayuk amarupix chayaxka. Kay amaruka xöq kuytza tukuj wambratami k’uyarka. Ampijpix uchilla achqopix chay wambrapak malokapimi karkakuna. Wambrata amaruka quyuchina pitmixka k’ipa, malocamanta runakunata makanata yuyarka. Payka xöq umuwan rikurixpami, paykunata ña tukuyta mikunkapak karka.
Ampijka payta ch’imbapurarixpa kaspiwan payta makarka. Achqoka amarupak ukkuta kanirka. Ampijwan achqowan paykunapura umata llikirka. Kutin muxoq uma llukxrika, chaytapix xinallatak rurarka. Kanchis uma lluqxinkaxkaman xina rurarkakuna. Icha payka xöq sapalla amaru karka! Puchukaypi payka wañuxka karka. Ampijka yantata apamuxpami atun ninata ruraxka. Payka amaruta rupachirka. Amaruka alli rupaxka tukyarirka. Payka achqa kurpitapix kuxnitapix rurarka. Kuxnika atun yana p’uyu tukuxpami Milky Wayman sikaxka. Wayrami mamaqochaman payta urmachirka. Chay k’ipa, tamiajpimi, amaruka kutin wacharirka. Chaymanta pachami, amaruka xöq atun mayopi mamaqochapi tiyan.
And the original myth, translated to English by Reichel-Dolmatoff:
“In the days of the Creation Pamurí-mahsë arrived on earth. With him came many dangerous beasts such as piruá, the large snakes of the river that are the progenitors of fish. Also a snake arrived that had seven heads. This snake was in love with a girl who was at puberty. In the maloca of the girl there was a payé and a little dog. After trying to seduce the girl, the snake decided to attack the people of the maloca. He appeared with one head, ready to devour them. The payé confronted him and hit him with a stick. The dog bit its body. Between the payé and the dog they shattered the head. Another head came, and they did the same to it. They kept on until the seventh head; but it was one single snake! At last it was dead. The payé went and brought firewood and built a large bonfire. He burned the snake. When it was well burned, the snake burst. It made a loud noise; it produced smoke, a large black cloud that rose up to the Milky Way. The wind carried it down to the sea. Then it rained and the snake was reborn. Since then, it exists in the sea, in a large river.” (255)
