The Elder's Truth

THE ELDERS' TRUTH

Miki Maaso

Yoem Pueblo
12/22/87

transcribed, translated, and annotated by
Felipe S. Molina and Larry Evers

Miki Maaso (MM):

Well, you will speak the truth that ________________001
I have spoken to them.
They really will not understand me.
I will tell you. Well, so you will be able to tell them.

Felipe Molina (FM):

Yes
like this says . . .
well, like this we are thinking.
You will say it straight, yes?
The truth, you will say it to them.
Some will understand you
and some will understand pieces but _____________010
will not understand it all.
But later this here that you are recording,
all you will say, will be there.
Later I will
put it in the English language
when I give it to them.
They will read it.
Like that, like that says.
They say it will come out good, straight.

MM:

Yes ____________________________________020

FM:

You will just give it straight in the Yoeme language.

Like that you will know it.

MM:

Yes.

Well, children, we,
the ones who are sitting here, we,
three,
the two or three truths, also, like this, also,
you want it.
And your heart,
your five senses, also, like this, also, ___________030
you want it, you also want this
truth, the poor inheritance, from somewhere in the past
at that time.
You want the elders' truth.
Your heart is in it.
You walk about with your hearts in it,
and you get up in the morning with your hearts in it,
and you go to bed with your hearts in it.

You suffer everything in it, the cold,
everything,
the hunger, the thirst, _____________________040
the sleeplessness, drowsiness, you suffer everything in it.
But you want to know this, the two or three truths, the
elders' truth. Somewhere in the past at that time,
we did not even,
we did not even, we did not even know those elders,
and I did not know them.
At least you,
the two or three truths, also here,
many deer singers
arrive here on this land to you.
They walk about here on this land with you.
Some fathers, _________________________050
over there, from our
Yaqui River, arrive here to you.
Carrying the sacred request they arrive here to you,
come over here.
But knowing this, the poor inheritance,
like this, knowing, they arrive down here to you.
And you also, exactly,
you heard it, the talk
you understood it from them.
But you really wanted to know it. __________060
Over there at my home place
these fathers also came to me, really sought me out
where I was sitting
and where I was walking around.
Really they made the
steps after me,
they sweated for it.
And now the hour of your sacred request is happening, and,
like this is what you said, like this is what you wanted
to hear.
Here in your
village, here where you walk around, _______070
the two or three truths,
you want to know it.
I also, also I, also,
the elders' truth,
where am I going to find the best of
the elders' truth?
But I, also,
To me, this was not told.
Like, the way you are talking now,
like this, nobody said it to me, and like this nobody said
it to me nicely, the two or three truths.
How I could have learned it, ____________080
and how I could have known it?
Didn't say it to me,
but I
heard them, at least I heard the sound like you.
But nobody said to me, "sing it like this, and in this way."
Because then the elders' truth
then, in that time, it was cherished.
It was respected, this, that is lying here
where we are sitting,
the carpet was respected.
And the raspers lying here, the two or three lying here, 090
not just anybody could lay hands on them,
because the elder valued this then.
If someone laid hands on these, already
there would be talk.
Not just anybody could lay hands on it,
walking in from somewhere,
really there would be

If someone picks up our rasper, lays hands on it,
if he is one who does not have the big heart
in the dream world he will see this,
our poor truth here. _________________100
Like this it was said,

"no, father,
no, young man,
don't touch this,
that is lying here.

"You might not sleep," would say,
"because this is the enchanted,
enchanted world."
Like this truth sits.
Like this they valued it, ______________110

this is the enchanted world.
Not just anyone can handle it.
Like this, the elders said it. Like this,
the ones who walked around on this weeping earth
I did not even know them,
and they did not even teach it to me.
Because they used to talk
to me like this, they used to scare me,
not like now, to you the way I am saying it to you.
Nobody said it to me,
and not even my father,
and moreover not even my older brother, 120
said it to me like this.
Nobody taught me.
I just, on the blowing wind, I . . .
I caught it
and put it together in my head.
And maybe God says this,
and from the wilderness world,
the enchanted world, and maybe the . . .
maybe that, like that, the enchanted home says, maybe,
maybe, it gave me this, ____________130
and then I
I, the wind
What they heard, what they have sung, what they have heard,
what they have heard in the beginning, that truth
stayed in my head and in my five senses.
Like that I knew it.
Not like this,
the way I am saying it
to you, nobody said it to me.
Like this, you should pay attention to it,
do you see? I am sitting here saying it to you.
Beautifully, I am sitting here saying it to you. 140
But in the past our . . . this was respected.
Really, the elder deer singer did not give cigarettes
to those behind him.
And the second singer did not give cigarettes
to those behind him.
And the last one who sits with us did not give
cigarettes to those behind him.
And the water drummer also, cigarettes were not requested
from him,
and he could not talk to those behind.
And also the elder deer singer could not even talk
to those behind.
He doesn't answer anybody behind, here.
He doesn't answer anybody behind him,
and does not even really talk at all. _______150
Yes, they talk for it, for the wilderness world,
the flower person.
For that, they talk.
Because like this it sits.
Like this, they said it, the elders' truth.
Like this, they left it when they died, but I did not
see them.
Like this, the wind, the one that is blowing,
Like this, I heard it from them,
over there,
in Pitaya Pueblo.
Like that I heard it from them, __________160
but those elders have died:
Jose Maria Hapachituka'u,
and also, that Galavis,
like this also he said it, and again also that one Yoeme,
the one who is called Luis Chone'ela,
the one who is called Aldamas also said it like this,
really like this that one left it in my hands.
Really, they stood up to it in recent times,
but now the . . . more of elders' truth, they heard it like
this,
But those Yoeme elders did not teach me.
That is why I, on that ________________170
which happened, I, this,
the songs, how I should begin?
But they did not tell me.
But the swirling wind,
is how I received it poorly.
That truth,
but I . . . but I do not even know . . .
but I, the poor inheritance
that was left to me,
the pahkom,

or perhaps it could be a mother, _______180
or perhaps it could be a father,
perhaps like us they could be poor.

 

I continue to stand up with that,
the sacred request that settles in my hands.

Really I walk about, I pity him
the one who carries
the sacred request.
Poorly, the baptized ones,
the saints,
the Eight Pueblos, holy churches, __________190
the ones that are sitting side by side,
when the vespers occur,
those large pahkom,
like this we are accepting them.
Like this we make our steps on them.
Really it has been for this much time.
Like this I, on it, I . . .
the bad
and the good.
Like this I continue to see it on them.
Like this 1, I learned it. _________________200
You also like this will experience this here.
Really it is pitiful.
Really it is a burden.
But you also like this will feel it.
Really in the very beginning He, the Lord God, old father,
really he will not create it this way for you
but like this it is the . . .
Lord God, old father, He will help you.
Your body and your sound,
really nobody will get angry with you. ______210
Really nobody will have evil thoughts about you.
Because it is bad,
because there it does not help us,
the sacred request, the one that was placed in our hands,
does not help us.
The sickness that is there,
it does not help us.
Even the poorest
like this made the sacred request
and we, also, over there _______________220
as a little medicine we will go and give it to him.
He is pitifully sick.
"Let's go over there and see him,"
nobody will be standing there and saying that to you
of course, when you are well and walking around. Then
the good fortune will settle in your hands
then you will really,
while lying there in your suffering, lying there will
give yourself a little water,
or there, __________________________230
lying there without any energy, you will get up.
You will think,
you will think about everything.

When I walk about there in good health,
"anybody could place the sacred request in my hands,"
you will be thinking.
No, but God himself also will help you,
and the person in the wilderness world,
that one also, the flower person, also, will help you
that one also is for us. _______________240
The holy churches
the Eight Pueblos, the holy churches that are sitting
there in the wilderness world
in the mountains
wherever
there in the desert
in the most enchanted world
they are sitting there.
Everything is there.
What you are asking here from us ______250
and what you are asking from me.
Knowing it in this way you also
will go forward and you also will work on it.
I also
also like you, I also
would have liked to learn it in this way,
but I was not given it like this,
and I did not learn it like this.
Knowing it like this
with all __________________________260
your five senses,
all the way to the top, giving it parts side by side,
you will think about it and make steps on it.
And you will lie down with it in the evening

and it will continue to open your eyes.
You will question yourself about it.
You are very young,

not old.
Like this the truth will stay in your hands.
In your senses like this you will study it. _270
On the side where you carry your fingers,
on the right side, you see how you have your five senses?
it is in your . . . your fingers.
It starts, it is there on your right side.
That is in your senses.
Five senses, remember? This is how those elders used to talk
about it, the ones who used to walk about like this.
Really, like this you should know it.
On it you continue to awaken in the morning.
On it you continue to reach the evening.
You young men who are sitting here.
And the flower person, ____________280

the talk,

like this, also, you want it,
and also like this you also want to know it.
On this also later,
when the kanaria begins . . .
not even this was I taught.
They never told me all these things.
Pitifully I sit here.
Pitifully we sit here
with my children _________________290
with the three I sit here.
These, I fathered these, like you
the same way your people . . .
you became people in this way
like this I fathered them.
But even these I
have not told the two or three truths.
But also they also for whatever reason
are also here pitifully.
This one,
even though nobody could attain it, __300
even though nobody had the energy for it,
also, like this, also
maybe what was given to me was also given evenly to them.
Maybe the enchanted world also like this, also, it . . .
the . . . like this, also,

like this, I
on it,
where they will move about, like this, there they were
also given it, maybe.
But really good, also
also little by little they will also continue 310
to stand up to it.
But I, I am here.
When God gives me the days,
I, I, the good truth, also
I, there in my home place,
where I move around, like this I will tell them, I

really, like this, you will know it.
And like this you will know them.
These are my children,
children like you,
here the ones who are sitting facing you:
the one who plays the water, _______320
Julian,

and here the one that is sitting next to me,
Cresencio,

and the one that is sitting on the other side of me,
Ramon.

Like this you also will know it.
These are the ones that are bringing forward
the talk about the wilderness world,
the enchanted world
that is in the mountains, __________330
the elders' truth in the mountains,
where they used to move about.
The stick,
the plants,
the mountains, the rocks, the water, everything
like this they talk about it, where the animal
used to walk about.
The animals,
where they came together at a spring,
they searched for the water.
Like this also they talk about it. ___340
Like this they all know it equally.
And that is why from there on, fathers,
the two or three truths,

the kanaria,
because you want to hear
and because you want to know it, like this

where it came from,
and where it is coming from,
and what time it comes out,

like this you want to hear everything. 350
The talk,
like this, you want it,
and like this you want to hear it.
From here on
you want to hear the two or three truths from me.
That is why you invited me here.
We made our steps over here.
With all my children grouped together
we arrived here,
here in your home place. ________360
But like this, also, we, the two or three truths,
where am I going to find it,
more of the elders' truth,
what they walked around with?
They are not here.

Poor,
they are blowing as dust.
They passed away in the past.
They are grains of sand,
we will not even see them anywhere.
Really we will be looking for them with candles.
Even looking for them with candlelight, 370
we will not see anyone anywhere.
But like this the truth stayed in my hands.
The Eight Pueblo Holy Churches side by side
in which I work,
they did not leave it in my hand.
The sound, what they said,
like this also stayed in my head.
That,
that which is in the Eight Pueblo Holy Churches
that are side by side,
I have said it.
And I am pointed at for it _______380
and I am known because of it.
Like this also you will know it,
young men who are sitting here,
this the two or three truths.
Like this, also, more in the beginning,
Lord, Our Father,
it stayed in God's right hand,
and in Our Mother Mary's most holy
right hand it stayed,
and later like this also it stayed in your hands. 390
Did you hear me talk about it like this, fathers,
young men, throughout, the two or three truths?

FM:

Yes.

MM:

Really it is good.

And now
you want to listen to the beginning songs.
But more in the beginning, with your good permission
lords, my fathers,
the baptized ones that are here,
but more in the beginning, with your good permission, 400
fathers,
throughout
like this it stayed in your hands.

FM:

Yes.

MM:

Like this you will know it.

FM:

Yes, bless you strongly.

Song 1

aaaa ________________________407

Aa over here, we, we sit out,
two or three, on the flower mat,
we sit out.
Over here, we, we sit out,
two or three on the flower mat,
we sit out.

Aa over here, we, we sit out, ______410
two or three, on the flower mat,
we sit out.
Over here, we, we sit out,
two or three on the flower mat,
we sit out.

Aa over here, we, we sit out,
two or three, on the flower mat,
we sit out.
Over here, we, we sit out,
two or three on the flower mat,
we sit out.

Over there, from the flower covered enchanted dawn,
Here, we, in enchanted flower person's flower flower patio,
with these, our enchanted raspers,
not flower overturned, we, we sit out.
Over here, we, we sit out
two three, on the flower mat,
we sit out.

You see, like this, it says, fathers, the
beginning song. Like this you will know it, fathers.
This one begins first.
Later, after it, the ______________420
deer wants to go out. Also, the flower person, also
like this, also, begins
in the wilderness world, in the world, where it came out
there, this . . .
Like this, also, you will know it.

 

Song 2

aaaa

Ai flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Ai flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Ai Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Aa flower covered fawn went out, ________________430
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Aa flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Aa flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Aa flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Aa flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

Over there, from the flower covered enchanted wilderness grove, 440
the flowered covered fawn out,
Flower covered fawn went out,
when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn,
with that the flower covered fawn went out.

 

Song 3

aaaa

Ai as you are walking out there,
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.
As you are walking out there,
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.

Ai as you are walking out there,
from the enchanted opening,
you are walking out.
As you are walking out there,
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.

Ai as you are walking out there,
from the enchanted opening,
you are walking out.
As you are walking out there,
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.

Ai as you are walking out there,
from the enchanted opening,
you are walking out.
As you are walking out there, ___________________450
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.

Ai as you are walking out there,
from the enchanted opening,
you are walking out.
As you are walking out there,
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.

Over there in the flowered covered
here in the enchanted flower patio, patio,
you saw, you are walking out.
There as you are walking out,
from the flower enchanted opening,
you are walking out.

 

Song 4

aaaa

Ai who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Ai who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Ai who is running down like that _________________460
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Aa who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Ai who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Aa who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Aa who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

Over there from the flower covered enchanted wilderness grove 470
as you are walking with flowers all over your antlers
running down in the enchanted water,
Who is running down like that
in the enchanted water?

You see, like this, it says, fathers,
the two or three truths,
what you wanted to hear.
The Kanaria,
like this, began, and, like this, ended.
The animal,
in the wilderness world
the one who is helping itself
truly, went out from here, _____________________480
went out on its flower road.
Truly, as he is walking toward there, like that, it says.
As he is walking toward the enchanted water, like that, it says.
But, he went out with this.
But, this, also, fathers,
you also,
it,
on it, vigorously, like this, also, you will question it.

Those,
they, the elders ____________________________490
that are in the wilderness world,
those
deer bulls,
two or three together, those who arrive,
truly, arrived there together like that, they talk together.
Again, the deer,
he who will dance for them
in the wilderness world,
the flower people and the
flower people _____________________________500
as they arrive together,
like this, it says.
They sang for it
in the wilderness world,
they, those who move about.
Truly, this, the elders' inheritance stayed in their hands.
Those elders, they saw what is there in the wilderness
world, the animal.
They saw that.
Like that they say in the very beginning, those elders,
the ones that used to move about in the wilderness world, 510
the ones that used to search for it in the wilderness world,
like this, they say it.
But those bull deer, the ones that come together like this,
as they worked on it,
like this
they studied it.
Like this they gained their knowledge of it.
And we, the following generations of the Yoeme,
the
elders' truth as it is called, we,
that we just work on it piece by piece, fathers, __520
piece by piece, we . . .
But maybe because we are going to get punished for it
we were given this truth.
And the animal
maybe is also going to be punished by it.
Maybe God is punishing us like this with it.
Even if God doesn't punish us with it,
over there in the wilderness world, in the mountains,
they are also holy churches.
Truly in the future when we leave this weeping earth behind,
we might not . . .
our holy churches
there, under, _____________________________530
maybe not rolled in a white sheet.
The one that truly owns it like that,
over there, maybe, the enchanted world
he might enter
at the time
when he is called.
Truly like this it will stay in your hands, fathers.
Truly like this it has it, fathers.
Like this you will continue to know it.
You can not say that the holy church is your mother.
Saying it's your mother, you should not make yourself 540
secure in relation to that,
because this does not have any truth over there, fathers.
This work that we are doing,
that also has holy churches over there,
the ones that are called the enchanted homes exist there.
They learned it from them, the elders' truth.
But we did not see them in the very beginning.
Like this also it stays in your hands.
The deer that went out, fathers, like this you will know it
like this it stays in your hands.

Audience:

Yes. ____________________________________550

Yes.

MM:

After this it will start, fathers,
That which you wanted to hear,
the songs that go with it.
Like this it says, fathers.
Like this you will know them.

 

Song 5

Aaaa

Ai as you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Ai as you are going above the enchanted water, ___560
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Ai as you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Ai as you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Ai as you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Over there under the flower covered enchanted mountain,
here above the enchanted waters I am going,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Ai as you are going above the enchanted water, ___570
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

Over there under the flower covered enchanted mountain,
here above the enchanted waters I am going,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.
As you are going above the enchanted water,
the one who is blowing, enchanted green, cool.

You see, like this, you will know it, fathers.
So, this started first, fathers.
This goes with the
beginning songs.
Like this says the brazil wood,
the one that we have our hands on here,
on it our . . . ______________________________580
the one that is lying here.
Like this says the one we are sitting before
this is . . .
begins first, fathers.
Like this you will know it,
and knowing it like this,
you will question yourselves, fathers.
You are growing,
young men, the ones who are sitting there.
Again, also, another song, ___________________590
like this says, again, also, that goes with it.
Like this you will know it, study it by hearing it, fathers,
young men

 

Song 6

aiii

Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding?

Ai who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding? 600

Ai who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding?

Ai who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding?

Over there, from the flower covered dawn
I am sounding.
Here over the enchanted water I am floating,
brown, in the enchanted water sounding.
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding? 610

Ai who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding?

Ai who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding?

Over there, from the flower covered dawn
I am sounding.
Here over the enchanted water I am floating,
brown, in the enchanted water sounding.
Who is over there in the enchanted water sounding?
Who is enchanted over there in the enchanted water sounding? 620

You see, like this, it says, fathers,
the one you wanted to know
the gourd, the water drum sticks.
It also sings for itself like this, fathers.
Like this you will know it, young men.
Like this knowing it,
you will question yourselves on it.
Like this says the water drum stick.
The gourd also sings for itself also.
Like this the elders have sung it. _______________630
Like this you will know it, young men.
Like this it stayed in your hands.
Again, also, after it, also, toward here the other, also . . .

Song 7

aiii

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness,
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Aa green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness,
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters, __________________640
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Over there on the flower covered ____________650
sitepolo's cool branch,
as I was standing,
Green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Ai green coolness,
green coolness
is red, crawling.
Green coolness, __________________________660
green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Over there on the flower covered
sitepolo's cool branch,
as I was standing,
Green coolness
is red, crawling.
From the enchanted waters,
enchanted green coolness
is red, crawling.

Now it is singing in the enchanted world.
That is what the animal is listening to
as he is walking about somewhere over there,
as he is walking about in the wilderness.
Also he wants to go out to visit toward the enchanted water,
also this is the way he heard it.
Like this you will know it, fathers, ______________670
like this it stayed in your hands.

FM:

Yes.

MM:

This is the kanaria.
Like this it begins.
Like this it ends.
The tampaleo and the harpist answer each other with this
talk.
They will answer with this talk,
the people of San Luis.
the one who dances deer.
This answers the tampaleo's
and the harpist's talk. Like this talk answers. _____680
Truly they do not leave each other behind.
Like this you will also know it, young men.
Like this it stayed in your hands.

FM:

Yes.

MM:

This is the two or three truths.

FM:

Yes.

MM:

In the very beginning, in God's hands, Our Mother,
later it stayed in your hands.
Bless you strongly, fathers.

Audience:

Yes, yes, . . .

[Trudie Narum steps out of the audience and approaches the deer singers.]

FM:

This mother is walking up here. _______________690
She wants to bless you.
She is from another nation.
She wants to donate something to you.

MM:

Yes, that's really good.

It is in her hands . . .

[She blesses the deer singers with corn pollen while saying something in the Jemez Pueblo language.]

Yes, bless you strongly.

FM:

He said, "thank you."

Now is ah . . .

MM:

Yes.

FM:

Now what goes next? _____________________700

MM:

Well, we will sing a little more
of what they want,
maybe even three parts.

FM:

Three?

MM:

Because it finishes there,
well...
the alavansas
finished there.
That which was started, the kanaria.

FM:

Yes. ___________________________________710

MM:

Here

we will shorten it.
That which goes after it,
the two or three . . .

FM:

He is going to sing three deer songs and the deer will go out.

And then the deer will go?

MM:

Yes,
when we finish these three.

FM:

Yes.

 

Song 8

aaaa ____________________________________720

This seems like an enchanted, enchanted day,
in the distant enchanted world
it left us, this enchanted, enchanted world.
This seems like an enchanted day,
in the distant enchanted, enchanted world
it left us, enchanted world.

This seems like an enchanted, enchanted day,
in the distant enchanted world
it left us, enchanted, enchanted world.
This seems like an enchanted day,
in the distant enchanted, enchanted world
it left us, enchanted world.

This seems like an enchanted, enchanted day,
in the distant enchanted world
it left us, enchanted world.
This seems like an enchanted day,
in the distant enchanted world
it left us, enchanted world.

Over here from the flower covered dawn,as it reached upward,
Here where the enchanted sun goes down,
it left us, enchanted, enchanted world.
This enchanted, enchanted world,
it left us, enchanted distant world,
it left us, enchanted world.

This seems like an enchanted, enchanted day, _____730
it left us in the enchanted distant world,
it left us, this enchanted, enchanted world.
This seems like an enchanted day,
it left us in the enchanted distant world,
it left us, enchanted world.

Over here from the flower covered dawn,
as it reached upward,
Here where the enchanted sun goes down,
it left us, enchanted enchanted world.
Enchanted world,
it left us, enchanted distant world
it left us enchanted world.

You see, like this, you will sing it, children,
the day
the hour
the alavansa.
Like this, also, you will know it.
This is the . . . _____________________________740
just the day.
Like now, how do you see it?
Where is the day?
After the morning?
The day,
the one who carries the light, the old father who is
sitting above us,
like this the sun calls.
Look where it is setting.
Look where it is setting there.
Going out from here, _______________________750
like that it says.
Halfway, as it is going,
it is turned down.
It is five o'clock,
or more,
at this hour he is speaking.
Three o'clock in the afternoon or
four o'clock in the afternoon, like this, talks.
Like this also you will know it.
Like this it will stay in your head, _____________760
and like this you will put it together in your head.
Like this, it says, young men, like this, also you will know it.
Like that it stayed in your hands.
Again, also, after it, also, like that
says again, also, one song.

Song 9

aiii

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn, _____________________770
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Over there on the flower covered
light blue earth I am walking.
Loving the enchanted cool turning of the sun,
I am walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn, _____________________780
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Ai little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

Over there in the flower covered
light blue clearing I am walking.
Loving the enchanted cool turning of the sun,
I am walking about in the grove.
Little fawn, little fawn,
walking about in the grove,
walking about in the grove.

You see, like this, also you will know it,
young men, who are also sitting here.
Like this it says. ___________________________790
This goes after it, all goes
one after the other, fathers,
young men.
Like this the songs follow themselves.
Like this you will know it.
You will work on it in the future.
Like this it stays in your hands.
Even though it is a lot,
but also in the future God himself will give you . . .
Just the talk,
will teach it to you in the future, fathers. _________800
Again, also, like this it says, also.

Song 10

aaaa

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger, ___________________810
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Over there, I, from the enchanted wilderness,
enchanted grove, I am walking.
I love this cool turning
of the enchanted sun, flower badger.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Ai flower badger, flower badger, _____________820
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

Over there I, from the flower covered enchanted
wilderness grove I am walking.
I love this cool turning
of the enchanted sun, flower badger,
...
Flower badger, flower badger,
enchanted, I love this enchanted sun.

You see, like this, it says, fathers,
young men.
This also is the badger.
Evening,
the sun has set there.
Like this it says. ________________________830
Like this you will sing it in the future.
All these, the alavansas, go one after the other.
Like this it says, fathers.
Like this you will know it, young men.
Like this it stayed in your hands

With this went,
with this,
the deer went to enter the wilderness.
Not to return, he went.
Like this, also, you will sing it. _____________840
We want to sing this to you.
Because we want to rest for awhile, fathers,
out, throughout

Audience:

Yes.

 

Song 11

aiii

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother, ____________________850
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

Over there, we, in the flower covered elders' flower patio,
there we have our hands flowered over.
Let's pick up, little brother.
Let's go, little brother,
these our enchanted flower raspers,
let's pick up, little brother.

 

Song 12

aiii

Ai flower covered little fawn did go,
flower covered little fawn did go.
Flower covered little fawn did go,
flower covered little fawn did go.

Ai flower covered little fawn did go, _________860
flower covered little fawn did go.
Flower covered little fawn did go,
enchanted little fawn did go.

Ai flower covered little fawn did go,
enchanted little fawn did go.
Flower covered little fawn did go,
enchanted little fawn did go.

Ai flower covered little fawn did go,
enchanted little fawn did go.
Flower covered little fawn did go,
enchanted little fawn did go.

Over there in the flower covered dawn,
looking out toward the opening did go.
With flower clustered antlers did go.
Enchanted little fawn did go,
flower little fawn did go.

You see, like this, you will know it, fathers.
Like this says the . . . _____________________870
the one with which it is completed.
Like this you must know about it and get through the night.
Young men, like this it stayed in your hands.
God bless you strongly.

Audience:

Yes, yes, . . .

LINE NOTES

A note on the transcription. We transcribed this performance from audiotapes we made with the assistance of John Crouch. Copies of the tapes are available to readers of this translation. Roosters, barking dogs, children at play, trucks and farm machinery, adults buzzing in the kitchen, not to mention airplanes overhead, all will be very present to those who listen to the audiotapes, but we did not try to represent any of them in this transcription and translation. Likewise we did not attempt to transcribe, or otherwise represent, the sounds of the instruments, the deer dancer or any of the other features of the varied soundscape of Yoem Pueblo.

During the last twenty years, an extraordinary amount of scholarly attention has been devoted to the challenges posed by transcribing oral performances into print form. Brian Swann's collection, On the Translation of Native American Literatures (1992), provides a representative selection of this work. The necessity of "truth in packaging" seems to be a lesson to be learned from all of it. Don't assume that the practice of various transcribers and translators is all one thing; try to be self aware and to describe your own practice as clearly as possible.

Our practice in transcribing Miki Maaso's talk is as follows. We transcribe his speech into lines because we think that better represents the rhythm of his talk than paragraphs, and we think it results in a more readable translation. A line break indicates a pause on the tape. Longer pauses get a double line break. What we heard as we listened to the tapes is what we set down on the printed page. Our ears were our guides. We listened to the tapes several times, together and individually. In some places it was a tough call for us. We felt the transcribing could go either way. Was that really a pause or not? longer line or new line? Playing questions like these out has led some to stopwatches, computers, and other electronic devices to validate their decisions (see, for example, Sherzer in Swann 1992). That kind of science is not our interest in this project. We listened, listened again, made a decision, and went on.

In any case, each new line is represented flush left. If the transcribed line runs beyond the right margin, we indent and complete the line, block style for the talk, stepped style for the songs. Thus the line numbers that we provide for convenience of reference count only those lines starting flush left. In the case of the song texts we followed much the same procedure: a pause indicates a new line, aided by Felipe's sense of the line as a practicing deer singer. The stepped indentation of long song lines is intended to reflect a descending contour. The first line of the concluding stanza ( tonua ) was the one place where questions arose: one long line or two? We went by what we heard on the tape but recognize that there is more to work on here. Suggestions for better solutions are welcome.

027 woi vahi: literally, two three; two or three, in the sense of several.

034 eme act hiapsek: Your heart is in it. Painter notes that " Hiapsi means the heart of a living person and the soul of a dead one" (87) and that "complete fulfillment of an obligation with consequent divine favor cannot be accomplished without faith, love, and devotion. This is more important than carrying out correctly the details of the ritual. Tui'i hiapsimak (with good heart) and chikti hiapsimak (with whole heart) are phrases often heard in sermons and among the people" (Painter 97).

047 maso bwikleom huevenakai: many deer singers. The reference is to the deer singers from the Yaqui villages in Sonora who come frequently to the Yaqui villages in southern Arizona to perform at various ceremonies.

053 waka uhbwanta: the sacred request. From the noun uhbwani : sacred request (and the verb, bwaana : to cry or to weep). A special request that is made by the sponsors of a pahko , who are called the pahkome , to the church group ( maehtom, kopariam, temahtim, matachinim ) or the deer dance group ( moro , deer singers, deer dancer, pahkolam and their respective musicians). Formal speeches are given as a part of the request and other customs followed. For example, to request the services of the deer group the pabkome go to the moro ya'ut, the lead moro. After he agrees that he will get the performers together, the pahkome lights a cigarette and passes to the moro ya'ut . This seals the agreement. The moro ya'ut then carries the sacred request to the performers, taking along cigarettes provided by the pahkome . Once accepted, this agreement cannot be broken.

062 inime achaim: these fathers. The reference is to the sponsors of this event: Larry Evers, Joseph Wilder, and particularly Felipe Molina and Ignacio Amarillas Sombra who walked all around the Vicam Potam area looking for Miki Maaso in order to give him the sacred request to come to southern Arizona.

089 wa karpeta yo'oriwan: the carpet was respected. Traditionally the deer singers put down a hipetam , a mat woven from carrizo (a native cane, arondo donax ). It is now common for singers to sit on a small rug or blanket as they perform. Miki Maaso uses karpeta , from the Spanish carpeta , to refer to this space, which is reserved only for the deer dancer and singers and their helpers.

098 waka bwe'um hiapsekame tenku aniapo: one who does not have the big heart in the dream world. Felipe: In order to pick up the deer singers' instruments, a person must have the power, the ability, or else he will have bad dreams. Or perhaps he will get sick with diarrhea. Many singers have a dream that tests their courage. Perhaps a big snake or large animals threaten them. If they are brave and do not fear what appears to them, they will gain the power to sing or dance the deer songs.

111 yo ania ini'i: this is the enchanted world. The enchanted world and the enchanted homes are places in the wilderness world that surrounds the Yoeme villages. They are a source of knowledge and power. The deer singers' instruments, the raspers and other instruments, contain the powers from the enchanted world. No one outside the deer group should handle them. See Yaqui Deer Songs regarding enchanted world, wilderness world, dream world.

142 viva: cigarette. During a pahko , the sponsors are expected to provide cigarettes for the pahkolam to distribute to the audience. It is thought that when people smoke together there is a feeling of unity, of agreement and harmony. Miki Maaso explains that it is not the proper role for the deer singers to give out these cigarettes. They should not chat and banter with the audience the way the pahkolam do, but rather should only talk for the wilderness world and the flower person during the pahko.

151 sea yolemta: the flower person, the deer.

221 ili hittoata: little medicine.

285 waka kanaria: the Kanaria.

369 tua to kantelammak haiwakka huni'i: Really we will be looking for them with candles.

414 seyewailo: flower covered. We continue to translate both seyewailo and sewailo with this phrase but see our more extended discussion of the word in Yaqui Deer Songs , 51 52.

415 sewa sewa: flower flower. Repeating words or syllables, reduplication, is a common feature of deer songs, one that gives beauty to the songs. Repetitions such as this one, or yoyo : enchanted enchanted, emphasize the quality described, in the sense of "doubly flower" or "doubly enchanted."

ka sea momovela: not flower overturned. Felipe: The Yoeme always place a hat upside down when they take it off in order to collect flowers. Perhaps the reference here is to the gourds used in deer singing, the ones they have just placed down, overturned in front of them to play on. But notice also that one of the last songs Miki Maaso sings uses momovela (see the next to last song, song 11, line 861). There the idea seems to be connected with the concept that flowers have gathered, accumulated, clustered on the singers, the instruments, and the maso during the pahko . Here at the beginning, perhaps the flowers, the blessings of the pahko, have not yet fallen on them.

426 ika yo taa'ata yo vali kuakte: when this enchanted sun makes an enchanted cool turn. Felipe: When the sun is low in the sky, it has less heat and we feel the coolness over the earth.

440 For some reason, the singer does not use siika in this, the first line of the concluding stanza, u tonua . This is but one instance of a kind of slight variation that occurs in the repeated lines of the songs throughout.

After this song concludes, Miki Maaso says something to one of the other deer singers. It is not transcribed because we can't understand it on the tape.

443 fayalia: from pa'aria , a clearing, an opening in the desert vegetation, a place that linked the song equation to the space where the deer performs in the flower world, which later in this song is called the yo sewa tevatevachiapo : the enchanted flower patio patio (in the doubled language of the song), and, of course, to the space in the pahko rama where the deer dancer performs.

453 vivichaka weyeka: you saw, you are walking out. The singer uses both tenses: vivichaka is 2nd person sing. past tense; weyeka , 2nd person sing. present.

470 kokomala: all over. The flowers are not just omola , on the side, but kokomala , all over.

493 mah torom: deer bulls

522 kahtikaroavawaka: punished. Felipe: For the first Yoeme this was not so hard, but for us who come after it is hard: staying up all night, being hungry, getting sleepy, being cold, and being hot. We suffer all those things, but the first Yoeme knew how to take care of themselves.

530 vetuku'u humaku'u: there, under. Felipe: He means underground in the graveyard in front of the church; ordinary people would be there wrapped in a white burial sheet ( savana ) but those who have dealt with the wilderness world will not be there but in the other world, the enchanted home.

532 atteakame: the one who owns, in this case, his deer songs, because of the enchanted world.

541 ini: this. That is, the practices of the deer group, deer songs and singing and dancing. Felipe: He's saying the two should be kept separate, we never sing in the churches, we might go in, but we never sing there; the deer dancer goes in with the drum and the flute, but we never sit down and sing in there. There are a lot of ways to see this, but maybe it is too sacred for the church, or maybe the church is too sacred for it. People will see it in different ways.

623 hiponreom: drumstick. Felipe: I would say hiponiam , but he was in a hurry and said hiponreom , which could mean the water drum players, the men rather than the drumsticks.

635 sia: green, from siari

vo'osime: crawling. Regarding the meaning of this word in another deer song Felipe wrote: "In the song it says he is vosime . That is not exactly like crawling in English. In Yaqui we say that babies or even drunks wakate, crawl. They can't walk, so they crawl. But vosime means that you are lying, moving, or crawling because you want to be, because you have the ability." Yaqui Deer Songs 102 3.

650 sitepolo: no translation. A form of the word siteporo or sitepoa , which is a plant. Felipe: It must be a big one because the deer is standing under it. He and Richard Felger will try to identify it as part of their Yoeme ethnobotany.

665 ian vea yo aniapo bwiika: Now it is singing in the enchanted world. We don't know what is being described here, what "is singing in the enchanted world" in this song.

675 inia mak emo nok yopna wa tampaleo into wa aapaleo: The tampaleo and the harpist answer each other with this talk. "Answer" in this context has a very special meaning. As we noted in Yaqui Deer Songs (85 86)

The pahko proceeds in repeated sequences of music and dancing. The violin and the harp players play together and begin each sequence, and, when they do, each pahkola takes a turn dancing to their stringed music. There is a break during which the pahkolam may joke with the crowd or among themselves; then one of them may call for the tampaleo , the flute and drum player, to begin.... Once the tampaleo has begun his song, the pahkolam each take a turn dancing to his music, this time with their masks covering their faces. It is as the pahkolam begin to dance to the music of the tampaleo that the deer singers finally begin. Usually a deer song is sung two or three times. When the deer dancer has performed and the deer song is over, everything stops. There is a more extended break. The violin and the harp players begin a new song and the sequence is begun again. So it goes throughout the pahko . As it is the violin and the harp players who begin each of these sequences, they are said to vata weiya , carry it first. In addition to the temporal order of the sequence, this means that the violin player chooses the songs, the alavansam . If the violin player chooses an alavansa titled, say wichalakas , cardinal, then the tampaleo is supposed to follow with a cardinal song on his flute and drum, and the deer singers in their turn should choose a cardinal song from their own repertory as well.

If all goes well, as Miki Maaso notes here, "truly they do not leave each other behind."

693 enchimmeu limohnavaetia: she wants to donate something to you. Trudie Narum is a Jemez Pueblo woman, Tucson resident and director of Tucson Indian Alliance. She has hosted Felipe and other Yaqui deer singers when they performed by invitation during jemez Pueblo feast days. She came forward from the audience at this time to bless the deer singers and to give them a donation, as is appropriate in her tradition.

720 aaaa: Those who listen to the audiotape will note the distinctive rasping style that Miki Maaso uses in this song; the second and third deer singers provide long strokes, Miki Maaso adds a double time stroke. If this style has a name, Felipe doesn't know it. But he and his brother Steve have noticed and talked about this style of playing. Felipe suggests that there are probably many nuances in the practice of various deer singers that he does not know. As an example, he mentioned that one deer singer told him recently that early in the evening the singer should play or use only the notches on the left end of the raspers, then as the evening and the pahko proceed the deer singer should increase the length of his stroke in order to use notches in the middle, and finally, toward the end of the pahko , the far right end of the rasper.

728 vichakasu: ? Felipe: This is what I hear but vichausu means toward, maybe that is what he meant. In this song the other singers seem to be singing different things at some times.

872 yeu machusakane: get through the night.