A Kewa Dictionary

12.2. WEST KEWA

The following text was told by Ropaasi of the Nemola clan in Usa of
the Kagua Sub-Province area. Ropaasi, who was then around forty years
of age, has seen considerable change and frustration, as well as improve-
ment, in his area. The text is presented primarily to illustrate the
Kewa language, but it is hoped that it will also help the reader to
appreciate Kewa life, as Ropaasi relates it.

The text is not completely edited, but square brackets enclose utter-
ances which are either deleted in the English translation or are rep-
etitions. Each sentence is indexed so that it can be compared with the
English translation. However, the translation is not literal, i.e. every
morph indexed in Kewa cannot be provided for in English.

490

(1) Naaki pOgege maapu , reko^a plrigSima gPare maapu -.-.''eko
^^Ptrl^^sima ^^i^rabu ^^yada ^^uu ^^uu ^glo :^^'iP'i 20^^'

(2) ^Go gP'a^^ i^rabu ^su^para ^yada gOpa^ne lo^^ll^^ 12^^13'"® ik^^^ 15^"

16^' '"'iT^''"^ 18^^''® 19^"20P^^^ 21^^^ 22P" 23^'^"^ 2l+^'25'"^26"^ 27P°^^28^^
2^pabo3Qla 33^lpi32slma.

(3) ^Ni^na ^ame ^so ^raa^para ^pu Qaya^de^^me ^^ada^^^^^is^^ lit^^l5"^
^^yada i^^bini ^^yae^^daa ^qI^oP^^ 21^y^22'^^^ 23^° 2k^^^^ 25^'^^26^^^

(1) oWe „were young ^boys ^and ^weve ^standing in the garden J^ut
xWhen -.0^^ ^^were ^standing in the ^garden ^something ^oame

^Q^20^aying ^^'^uu ^^uu."

(2) sVfhen this happened the things g ^^ ^^appeared ^from the
earth and -,r,we kept ^ looking for it nbut ^ 22^^ looked ^^along the

ground ^^and ^^we ^^came ^^j ^^Q^'umping and 29,30^'^^^^^*

(3) , 2^^ brother ^^who had g ^gone ^up ^into the forest ^^ ^^said
that he looked up and 2_-,saw ^^something which -^^flew and

^Jnad wings and ^^^s he looked ^f^^^ ^i^oame and ^^was oust 23"^
there,

(4) Bini ^yae^daa ^^so epea^daa lo ^go ame iq^^^II^^ 12^^*

(5) -.Go pTabu ^go |^yae re ^aake yapae gkone Qsaa ^Qpiri^^sima [^^''^bu
13^° j^i^yae ^^go ^^yae ^^aake -j^gyapae ^^^kone ^^saa ^^^\r\^^s\ma ^^^^^^

(6) Yada ^meda kopaa i^go pe ^ta„bOga ^sa^^na ^^mo ^^^^a^^^para -Lj^lope
^^sa.

(7) ^Repena ^qo^^e ^ti^sa^ya.

(8) ^Gupa 2P'3^^ l+yae re ^wala ^adSgrna ^pare^^re ^^balusa^^"^ ^^kopaa

(4) oThe brother ^said he j^^saw ^something ^flying^ making ^noise^
coming ^up there.

"^The use of the verb \a 'to talk' in its simultaneous marking form implies that the
action continued on for sometime.

491

(5) ^^^Then ^Qonaerning ^that ^thing ^^we Q^^^thoughtj ^"what can it be"^?"

[12-23, repeated].

(6) ^^He eaid that ^something ^else like ^a wing A>uv8t ^and then

continued to ^^^ fall ■.J-'^^'^o .-.the forest.

(7) 2 3^^^*^ thing was ^seen to ^hit a tree.

(8) Conoerning the ^thing that ^ did this pWe saw it ^again but
20^^ ^PP^^^^d ^^that something ^^like an ^^ ^^airplane -^g^ing had
^/zit and ^fallen down.

(9) ^Abla 29^6^013 ]^pare ^Qupa d^'^^^^ grabu apo ^^kopaa^ de kone no^aa
ll|P' ''•l5Sima -L^rabu ^^no ^gRemo-Ada-Mapu ^^^epaa ^^^a^^t^a 22Simi.

(10) Remo pbali epea .sirnl.

(11) ^Ho 29^0^13 j^pope^slma ^rabu I gtapada^nu j^Qkabe^^j^me pasa ^pasa
^^pua ^^gupa ^^pua i^sa^gna.

(12) ^Lapalapa 20de^ne|^nu cSopo ^t I ™s imi gparaQnu j^^puku ^^^puku ^2P^3la
,^asa,rdaa ,cPaa1a , ^ome, «-s I ma .

(13) j^Remo ^ya^na »kone c'^sima.

(9) J^e 2 J^CLVe still ^seen it Jbut nWhen ^that ^happened, ^^when -.cWe
^^were ^^ thinking about that ^^wing ^ 22*^^^ said J^e has oome
and 20*^® ^„down at the place ^ nRemo-Ada-Mapu,

(10) ^They said the ^Spirit ^whiteman Jnad come.

(11) Afhen ^we sWent ^down to ,^see them it ^Qappeared they ^„were .^going
on 2 -^-^^o^king ^toilets ^^out of ^wild cane.

(12) -lY^e were ^^ ^^frightened ^^about the . smells ^from the x clothes
they ^wore ^and that ^they were ^washing with ^soap.

(13) £^e . thought ^that this ^was the spirits.

(14) Gupa pi sima .rabu iri^rl waru gaya nu pope simi.

(15) ^IrigHU 3waru ^^mo ipa^para odOgba ta j^gPua ^^oropea i2'*"'^^3
^^pi^^simi ^^rabu ^^yau ^Qyau^g]u 20^^21"® 22^^ 23^""^^^^ 2k^'23^^'

LiteraJ-ly, /What plus the uncertainty marker.

492

(16) j^Go ^etaa^nu i^page go ^rabu ruglu ba j^^pope s imi .

(17) -^Gp ^yae aake ^^yapae kone ^i simagre.

(18) ^Wala ^^bia ^go ^mea ipu^lumi rabugre go j^qY^^ 11^^12"^13^°
, inl-mini -,^90 i6^^^l7 ^ ^'"^ *

(14) iWhen ^we ^did ^this [their] ^hair was ^really made to q stick out
by ^^them.

(15) ^^When ^all of the Atair ^really ^^went ^down ninside ^that ^ater*
they ,p ^^Qomhed it and ^^'^^ 17 y^^'^^ (lightened out 2o^P ^^ 21^^^'

(16) At this ^time they went around nWhile carrying their Muns

(17) rr^e c ^thought "What .can these things he?"

(18) ^Now „when ^those who are ^similar , ^oome ^ ^ rr^e . ^want to ^ ^know
2 T 3 3 4,5 0,17 13 Id

^what ->Qit is and -,7^^ -,^look ^^ carefully at -^^:-it [that is ^ we look
around with our eyes. ]

(19) j^Go ^rabu^ri j^remo ^epea ^loa ^sigina^na io'^°^°ll^^ 12°^°13^^l4 ^^^

15^^16^^ ITP'^'iS^^ 19P'20^'"^^-

(20) ^Padane ^^one ^imi^ri ^aa^nu migri aa ^^naaki nOQe^^Q® l3^^li|""

15^^^l6'^ IjP^^lS^^ 19P'20^''"'-

(21) Onagae yomagae nu »nogo-naakl oge^-nu-ri nremo gCpea ^epea -i-iloa

^gkabe i3'"®ii|"'"' -j^^kaledaa ^^plruaa^„ta ^gpi^^sima.

(22) Gupa ^P'oSima i^pare ^aa^nu ona^nu qPutI ^Qpane^^ne^^'*® I3^^°il|^^
15P'l6''"^'-

(19) ^Then y^P^ account of g them ^ saying that the ^spirits had
come we ran away -,n^^ order to Jnide and Remained ^^inside.

(20) ppj^e had one ^thought ^ concerning you-- „all of the -men^ ^.k^^^
the ^jnen and the ^ ^^young jnen „went nWanting to -^tz^^^ [you].

(21) ^All the little ^children^ ^all the ^old men^ and ^old women
said othe spirits were coming and ^stayed hidden -j^i^^w ^^^

^clumps of ^^wild cane.

(22) ^We ^did it like that ^but ^ ^all the men and women ^^ ^^ho were
aggressive went -.v^to -.o^^^ [them].

493

(23) n Go rabu ri « akore^-nu/'daa „page ^niaa me ^na riaa pSima.

(24) NimUpna ^pamu .ri simi.

(25) ^AdapHu ^page . n i aaj-mez-daa nanpaaQsima,

(26) NimUpna ^pamu .pu j-pati^simi.

(27) -.Goa ppi^simi ^rabu ^go ^akisupa „go gaalugne , ^rogaa, ^tema to^^®!

^Ik^^ 15y^®l6""l7'"'^ 18^' Ip*"^^" 2o''^21^''"^ 22''^''" 23^^P' 24^''^ 25'^^26^^'"^

(23) At that ^time « we also did -^Qi^ot ^^aarry all tine ^oargo -^■J'oip

them.

(24) t-They xoarriec it ^themselves ^while ^walking about,

(25) I c Q^^ ^also ndid „not nmake houses Qfor them,

(26) ^They themselves slept ^about ^while ^travelling,

(27) ^After this the ^handkerchiefs ^ that is the things which
we ^bind ^around our Jteads were ^^given by ^ them ^^ when ^^e

^Qcut and ^^went and ^ gave them ^nbananas and ^^sweet potato,

(28) Ora ap yae.daa go ^yana kone gsua mea ^^saap i ra^^l a i2^'l3^^"™^'

(29) ^Go 2P«3sima ^^pare ^abia ^go ^ipuQlumi ^rabu^Qri j^^nimu^^"^ IS^'lU""
Sana ^kone ^saapij^gma.

(30) Pope simi rabu ,go rupa ^paala omaagde plri^QSima.

(31) j^Aake 2P'a3ne ^^aa^nu^daa ^ipuglumi ^pae j^gkone -j^-lSu.

(32) Ora pmedaa^re ^balusa ^rapa ^rapa ^pe^ gipipSa.

(28) ^^We nthought .that .these things were really something and

10 11^^^^ ^'^ ^<^ them,

(29) Jfe did this .but now when ^they come ^^we hold fast the
^thoughts that we are ^^ ^^their ^^ ^^children.

(30) When they travelled about like^that ^^we ^were ^very ^frightened.

(31) We kept thinking ^about what ^kind of ^ ^men ^these ^were ^who
had come,

(32) Another time ^planes ncame.

Literally, the planes came 'as in flocks'.

^94

(33) j^Rapa ^''^P^ ^PoP^i^sa^re ^go ^aake gp i ^s imi ^^na -L^^pae ^^2*^°"® 13^^^
-Li^P'ra^^ma -^^pare -j^^abia -L3wala ^^kad I p i ^qOu 2ikapumano22nu 23"^ ' ^ ' ^^2^""
2^ipua 25^akea2^1e2Qme 29rabu^Qri ^^no 32yada ^^p i ^j^s i ma .

(34) ^Te2me 3rabu |^yada pi^slmi na gkone go ^^^saap i ^^ma^2^a3 '"13^"'^^
li^saaplj^^ma].

(35) j^Nlaa 2aba re |^niaa na ^ini aancgnu Qpage ^^waru j^j^na^2 ^°'^®i3"3
j^^aake ^^pia^^ne ^^^aa^^gnu ^^pamua go^®'"® 21^^® 22*^°"® 23^^2i+'"^ 25^^*"®*

(33) ^J^e -j^2 ■y^J^'^ought ^^about ^^ what are ^they ^doing in ^ ^groups
like ^that -^^but ^^now the white-men ^^governmentj and _ ^missions

have ^c^ome and ^athey ^ ^ told us [about] the ^2^'^^^^ ^-.down there at
^^that 20^'^'"^ [that is, the Pacific War].

(3^) J^hen ^^hey ^told us ^they were , fighting -,-,^& ^Jtave ^thought
^2^bout git.

(35) 2 -^^fore » our ^eyes and „ ^ears were j^-J^ot ^^really ^^^pen
2^but 2\^e 22 ^J^y^ought ^^ ^^"what is this ^^which the ^^men walk
about telling us?"

(36) Goa 2^ua Sana |^so murubu ^yagi ^ada gmeda ^aba ^^epea iiP'i2'"'

13''l4'"'-

(37) -jGo 2t>alusa o^apa |^rapa ^iP'^sa „puagre Qwa 1 a lo^^ll"^' 12''^'l3^^*

(38) -|Pi2'"' 3^'lt"™' 5'"3bu ^so PawaUgpara Rutupa ^Qlaapo^^me ^^^a^u
^^karubi .^^pe ^^laapo^^nu ^^pereware -^gPua -L^rama 20P" 21"^®^ 22^® 23^'2l+'"'*

(39) -.Go Murubu ainaire niaa^na „yada getaa grai -.qP^ ll'"" 12'^ ' ''^13'"^'

(40) [ Muruba 2y39' o^da .epaa ainare]

(36) We went on like this and ^^they said that -^2^^^^ ^^^ ^^oome and
were in ga ^grass „house xup in Jdendi.

(37) Jfhen ^ formations of the planes ^oame and went -^^^^^y ^2^^'"^
10,11^2/ ground.

(38) When .they said "they are here" then ^i^'^hey ^^s aid that ^^hoth

Pawola ^and Rutupa^ [as well as] ..others brought Karubi [corydyline
7 o 9 2i -^--^

leaves] and oWent turning and ^n^^^^^ ^^^ Rama [dance].

495

(39) *While they were at ^Mendi^ ^^we ^^^^q on tinned fighting.

(40) I grass houses ^had been made in Mendi~\

(41) Go ada nu |^gc Malue^nu „pabo gtu niaa ^^taaj^^bo ^2^^^^^13^^'

(42) Goa ppuaa^rima.

(43) j^Abia wala Kagua ^^epaa pira^a „rabu - gripiaQre ^^sopo ^^Wapl
^^epaa ^^pira^^^a - [^^Wapl ^^epaa ^^plrua] ^^8^^"^ 19^^^^ 20^° gl*"^'^^
22P"23'*' 24^^ g^'^^^ua 26®P^^ 2t''^ '' ' ^28^ •

(44) Go pTabu nla^^me yada^para piraQma rabUj^^ri ^^n i aa^^^'^^^'^P"^^
^3epaa ^^^mu j^aa^^ria.

(45) ^Aake ^^a^ina^^aa ^pa ^pe ^loa gla^ma^Qna.

(41) At these p jplaoes and ^at ^places on Malue [mountain] ^we
gathered together and ^ept g -^^fighting and ^^burying,

(42) We ^went on like this.

(43) When .they reoently ^oame ^again to ^Kagua - Qat first it was
-^Qsaid ^2 13^^"^^ ^^^^ 10^^ ^^Wabi - ^^after ^^they had ^^^^^broken camp
they /went and built ^ Kagua [station].

(44) At that time^ the time ^we continued ^fighting, ^.G^hey ^^aame

for us and -[h-lS^^^^ "^ ^^ ^^^ail.

(45) ^We „ Qsaid "What have ^we ^done to ^deserve ^this?"

■^Literally, ^^e -y^oit Jiolding ^our J:)ows and arrows and axes,

^The verb forms are 3rd og referring to *the government* as actor-referent. To 'break
aamp' is literally 'to let loose of and then to go'.

Franklin, Karl J., Joice A. Franklin, and Yapua Kirapeasi, compilers. 1978.
A Kewa dictionary, witti supplementary grammatical and anthropological
materials. Pacific Linguistics C, 53. Canberra: Australian National University,
xi, 514 p