TASADAY CAVE TAPES

TAPE 1, SIDE 1

Part 1. Sentences 001-101

 

Acknowledgments. The individuals whose names appear below in bold font assisted in the transcription and interpretation of all or part of this tape. Their invaluable help is hereby gratefully acknowledged. I am also indebted to Pascal Lays for reading through and commenting on the transcriptions of each of the tapes. I wish to express my gratitude also for the assistance of the late Manual Elizalde Jr. in providing me with a copy of the original tape.

 

KEY to Abbreviations

Ad
Adug
Ll
Lolo’
Be
Belayem
Lo
Lobo
Da
Dafal
Ma
Mahayag
Di
Dina
Od
Odo’
Dl
Dula
Ok
Okon
Du
Dul
Sa
Sasa’
Gi
Gintuy
Si
Sindi’
Ig
Igna
Sk
Sikey
Ke
Kelis
Ss
Sius
Ku
Kuletow
Ud
Udelen
Le
Lefonok
   

 

 

Be
... 1. Henak, Mahayag ... siya pedu ta ok mese’unut ... 2. Tuwegan siya usa ... 3. Ngadan ba’elan si duma ta tumesek?
... 1. It’s mine, Mahayag .... our thoughts (fn. 1) if united ... 2. Roast the pig ... 3. What are our companions taking photographs of?
Du
... 4. Enda’.
... 4. No.
Be
5. Tumudug da pa, siya enda’ liku’ da, liku’ da ok tumudug. ... 6. Ya kena’ di sa igkani sa taman si Kakay, si Kakay Mapoko’, si Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 7. Muwang amuk pinede’isek de kehidu di kenita, kowa, (fn. 2) Leponok.
5. They are still sleeping, they did not return, they will return after sleeping. ... 6. That is why today, Friend, (fn. 3) Friend Short-One, (fn. 4) [and] Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday (fn. 5) were less [than we expected]. 7. It’s too bad if he has already reduced his love for us, what do you say, Lefonok.
Le
8. Oho’!
8. Yes!
Be
9. Enda’ tumudug di diya’ sini ilib sini amuk de’isek kehidu di kenita. Sindi’, Sindi’ mangay da’ini. ... 10. Enda’. <coughs>
9. He would not have slept here in the cave if his love for us was small. Sindi’, Sindi’, come here. ... 10. No.
Si
<unclear> ..... 11. Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday.
...... 11. Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday .
Du
12. Kediyu pedu di. 13. Maké’ me’edup pedu di. <cough>
12. His thoughts are far away. 13. His feelings are lukewarm.
Be
14. Ma’en ko kelu’ku’? 15. Ubus kag ka’en ubud Kakay Leponok? ... 16. Ya kena’ di, kowa, Sindi’ hi!
14. Why are you coughing? 15. Did you already finish eating the palm pith, Friend Lefonok? ... 16. That is why, Sindi’, hey!
Si
17. Oho’.
17. Yes.
Be
18. Sini du nita na kowa, Sindi’, sini sinasawa ko de aken Belayem. 19. Aken sawa ko Sindi’, Belayem. 20. Sini kowa Ponok hiyé?
18. As for us, Sindi’, you already married me, Belayem. 19. I, Belayem, am your husband, Sindi’. 20. Isn’t this so, Lefonok?
Le
21. Oho’.
21. Yes.
Be
22. Kowa, Lobo.
22. Lobo.
Lo
23. Oho’.
23. Yes.
Be
24. Ya kena’ di mesawa ké de, Sindi’, dana’ Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday.
24. That is why we are already married, Sindi’, because of Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday.
Lo
25. Oho’.
25. Yes.
Be
26. Muwang kalé ok de’isek pedu di, kehidu di kenita, Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 27. Enda’ ipesawa di kenita Sindi’ tebay i Kakay Mapoko’, Sindi’ tebay i Kakay Mapoko’. 28. Ipesawa i Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. <unclear> 29. Ya kena’ di, Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday, enda’, enda’ de tigesa di.
26. Even though his thoughts [for us] are small, he loves us, Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday. 27. He would not have married us, Sindi’, sister (fn. 6) of Friend Short-One; Sindi’, sister of Friend Short-One. 28. Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday married [us] ... 29. That is why, Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday, he is not different [from us].
Du
30. Kuwa ko sadu kayu!
30. Get some [fire]wood!
Be
31. Kowa, Leponok?
31. Lefonok?
Le
32. Oho’.
32. Yes.
Be
33. Kuwa di igkani. <noise> 34. Ha! ... <scaring children away>
33. He got some today. 34. Hey! ...
Si
35. Sini du kuwa ko, sini guwa’en di kulipus. 36. Ha’a yu sa tumalun.
35. Get that thing, that firewood that she [Dul] asked for. 36. Watch out for the things that are running away.
Be
<unclear> 37. Oho’.
37. Yes.
Si
38. Ngadan siya metepu’?
38. What is that broken thing?
Be
39. Medo’o sakit si medo’o duma ta tawé. ... 40. Ula’an ok du’en kulinsung ..... 41. Mapi’on siya dakel kulinsung.
39. Many of our companions have problems.(fn. 7) ... 40. It’s no use if there is a flashlight [that has no batteries] .... 41. The big light is good.
Ud
42. Ugpa’ da’ niko. 43. Enda’ iseg di mepi’on siya dakel kulinsung, meda’et siya. .....
42. It’s the one that is with you. 43. The big light isn’t really good, it’s bad [for hunting for frogs at night].
Be
44. Diya’ é igkani, Sindi’.
44. [Come] here, now, Sindi’.
Si
45. Ya inigsa’ ko Belayem. 46. Siya.
45. That is what you are asking, Belayem. 46. That’s it.
Be
47. Oho’.
47. Yes.
Si
48. Tu’u menda’a siya kagi.
48. Those words are really true.
Be
49. Kani Sindi’, sinasawa’ di kita si Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 50. Ya ketanda’ ketu’u, enda’ de’isek kehidu di kenami Tasaday, kuna tebay Kakay Mapoko’ Tasaday. 51. Sini igkagiyen ku tigtu si egoh di sini. 52. Aken Belayem, kuna Sindi’ ka. 53. Kuna Sindi’ ka, aken Belayem. 54. Na, diya’ nita, umema’ ka ma niko Sindi’, diya’ si Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 55. Na kumakay ka ma niko Sindi’. 56. Kakayen ko Kakay Mapoko’. 57. Kumakay ma Belayem, kakayen i Kakay Mapoko’. 58. Umema’ ma Belayem Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 59. Sak igkani kowa, Leponok.
49. Now Sindi’, Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday married us. 50. The sign that it is true, that his love toward us Tasaday is not small is you, the sister of Friend Short-One Tasaday. 51. What I am saying is true now. 52. I am Belayem, you are Sindi’. 53. You are Sindi’, I am Belayem. 54. As for us, you [should] consider Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday as your father. 55. You [should] also treat [someone] as your older brother. 56. Treat Friend Short-One as your older brother. 57. Belayem will also consider [someone] as his older brother, [he] will treat Friend Short-One as [his] older brother. 58. Belayem will also treat Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday as his father. 59. That [is what we will do] now, Lefonok.
Le
60. Oho’.
60. Yes.
Be
61. Igkani ula’an da’a amuk mesetipon ki powé.
61. Now it’s too bad, if only we were all together [since some have gone out].
Le
62. Tu’u.
62. True.
Si
63. Langun duma ta.
63. All of our companions.
Be
64. Taman si Kuletow, Udelen, Mahayag, Bilengan, amuk mesetipon ki. 65. Ngadan mi ba’elan ta sini, ngadan ini kagiyen ta sini, amuk mesetipon ki?
64. If we come together, there will be only Kuletow, Udelen, Mahayag, Bilengan. 65. What will we do, what will we say, when we are all together?
Si
66. Uloy umugpa’.
66. Simply to stay [here together].
Be
67. Enda’ mesetipon ki. 68. Sini nanam meseseba’en .... <cough> 69. Sini nita keteginapan ta keba’al ta keteb. 70. Sini nita keteginap keba’al ta tupil, keteginapan keba’el ta belatik, keteginapan ini kesakul, keteginapan ini kumali biking. 71. Kowa, Leponok!
67. We are not together. 68. Wanting to become united .... 69. What interests us is the making of noose traps. 70. What interests us is the making of monkey traps, the making of spear traps, the making of palm starch, and digging yams. 71. Lefonok!
Le
72. Oho’.
72. Yes.
Be
73. Ini, Sindi’, sinawa ko aken, Belayem. 74. Belayem i ngadan ku. 75. Sak Belayem etaw tegekali biking, tegekali biking. ... 76. Ya kena’ di, seba’en da’a Sindi’, kena’ di kehapun pedu ta, i pedu ta Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 77. Seba’en da kowa Leponok kena’ di kehapun pedu ta Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. ..... <cough>
73. This, Sindi’, you married me, Belayem. 74. Belayem is my name. 75. Belayem, a person who digs yams, digs yams. ...

76. That is why, it is only one [thing], Sindi’, our thoughts, our thoughts should always be on Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday. 77. It is only one [thing], Lefonok, our thoughts should always be on Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday.

Ke
78. Tila, tila.. 79. Sit! ... 80. Aken polo (fn. 8)... ya pa’is metepu’.
78. Later, later.... 79. Wow! .. 80. I’ll be the one [to get it] ... the broken bolo.
Be
81. Ngadan sini hagda ba’elan si medo’o duma ta? 82. Si Ponok owoy si Inay Pana. 83. Yoko ba’elan iya ... 84. Enda’ taka’ mipanaw. 85. Loso’ ta mipanaw ok liku’ de si Momo’ Dakel.
81. What are all our companions (fn. 9) doing? 82. Lefonok and the Mother (fn. 10) of Fana. 83. Don’t do that ... 84. Let us not keep going out. 85. When Big Uncle goes home then we can go out.
Si
86. Ya de ma igke’iyapan pedu hé Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 87. Enda’ du’en liyu di ema’ iyu. 88. Iya da’a ya Dakel Lawa.
86. That is also what we like about Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday . 87. Your father is not [emotionally] far from us. 88. It is only he, Big Body.
Be
89. Maka tegisa ma aken i du Sindi’. 90. Lemen kagda medo’o duma ku tagaken da aken kowa, kowa ... 91. Tumimbul da medo’o duma ku sumakul, umugpa’ a de aken.
89. You know, I’ll also be different, Sindi’. 90. It doesn’t matter if all my companions leave me ... 91. [While] all of my companions go out to get food, to pound palm pith, I will stay [here, in the cave]. (fn. 11)
Si
92. Aya, luma!
92. That’s for sure!
Be
93. Aya da’a, kowa Leponok. 94. Amuk diya’ nak idu tigtu, Sindi’, na maké kita da’a, Leponok, umugpa da’ini pelawa.
93. Just that, Lefonok. 94. If it is up to me, that is truly [what will happen], Sindi’, even if it is just us, Lefonok, we will surely stay here.
Ma
95. Oho’.
95. Yes.
Be
96. Taka’ iyu tumaling pelawa niyu, abungan Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday. 97. Beken ok enda’ ha’uwen di aken, beken de aken, enda’ du’en angayan ku. ... 98. Tembu’ ma tumudug da’ini ilib sini, Momo’ Dakel Diwata’ Tasaday, enda’ ma du’en ngayan ta.
96. You should keep on going out to prepare for Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday. 97. It’s no good if he doesn’t see me [here, when he comes], not me, I will not go anywhere. ... 98. In case Big Uncle Master of the Tasaday [comes] to sleep here in the caves, we will not go anywhere.
Si
99. Ya kuwa ko Lobo.
99. You get [some], Lobo.
Be
100. Kumuwa ki libuted miku’ ki. 101. Kumali ki biking ok miku’ ki.
100. We will go and get wood grubs [in the daytime], and we will return. 101. We will go to dig yams, as long as we return.

NOTES

1 Literally, gallbladder. The term is variously translatable as thoughts, ideas, feelings, emotions, heart.

2 kowa is a frequently occuring hesitation form meaning "who’s-it", and will not be translated.

3 Literally, older brother. The term is freely applied to males and females, old and young.

4 The term generally used for the Tboli leader, Mai Tuan.

5 The name the Tasaday were told to call Manual Elizalde, Jr. The term Diwata’ means "God" in some languages of the Philippines, but seems not to have been used with that connotation by the Tasaday, who use the Manobo term Nemula for "God". In Tasaday, the term appears only in this context, and is therefore translated as "Master".

6 Female relative.

7 Lit. sickness, troubles, problems of any kind.

8 Said to be speaking to the child, Sasa’.

9 Literally, our many companions. Whether the reference was to the visitors, or to the Tasaday who were staying overnight in the forest is not clear.

10 Referring to Sindi’. Being childless, she was given an imaginary child, Fana.

11 Belayem is supposedly reassuring Sindi’ that he will not leave her alone, and that they will wait in the caves while Elizalde and his companions are visiting.

 

GO TO: Part 2. Sentences 102-201

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