Iatmul – Traditional Life

Told By: Amos Sakat (Korogu village)

Collected by: Dr. Gerd Jendraschek (Original version with translation here)

Kan gepmana ti’bli’kwabli’, taba gwaatdu buchelili’ja yaa ni’na nya’ikdu, yaa babla ni’na nya’ikdu babla ni’nkak buchelijaan, dunana ti’li’kwakwa, ta’kwana ti’li’kwakwa, ki’pmâ li’kiyaguk waa buchelili’di.

Du, gabi nyigaba kwaa waakuka, gukai yaakuka, nakubi nau tabakka, gekoba yika, li’kano ki’ka, lugwamatta yaa, tukwiabu ayiba wadi. Yika jukuji’vwa kukka, yaa li’kiyami’n, waa waali’di.

Ta’kwa, gabiba gi’li’k waa waakuka, gaainana ki’ji’m yaakusadaka, au adi’kava kukka jagika, kukka yaa gaaiba lakalaa, wuba sak wega ayiba.

Sak yika, naami’i vi’ka, kakka vi’ka, ki’ki’da kwattaa, ak lugwamattaa, nyaan o laankak nau sauka, ki’ki’da kukka, ki’ka ki’sa ti’kiyanyi’n, waa buchelili’di.

Du, gaai gekoba yika li’kano ki’laa lugwamattaa yaa, gekavana si’lailakwai da kukka, tukwiabu ayiba waali’di. Yika tukwiabuba, mi’na jukuji’vwa kukka, yuwi kukka yakika, mi wuli’ka yika yakika, nya’in si’ka kumayan, o kalak si’ka kumayan, laavu tamayan, gwi tumayan wupmâ ali’ba wali’di.

Ti’ka yika batdu ni’bundu ti’kiyawun wamayan, gaai o ki’pma o ali’pma ti’bawun wamayan, yaki atuba wali’di. Yaki tulaa, ni’bundu ti’kiyami’n wali’di.

Ta’kwa, gaai o ki’pma o li’kiyawun wanyayan, batnau laakaba, wa’vinyaaka akupba waali’di. Di’vwa yakwaiba waali’di. Apmâ buchelijananan, babla, batdu ni’bundu ti’kiyawun waikiya nyaan, wan vaak ichada vi’kadi’, yaki tukadi’. Ta’kwa batnau yakwaikali’.

Ki’tavaak ki’tavaak, wupmâ ti’kiyabi’k, waali’di. Apma buchelili’ja vaaknanan kan taba wupmâ yadi’. Batdu ni’bundu ti’vaak yimayan, yaki tuka, abukava akkupba, gaai akupba. Vaala aviyaba. Ta’kwa sak wega yikali’, yivuk si’ka, kukka kiyaali’.

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