Old Tobi Fishing Song (1)
Patricio Mohorihotimoh
Translated by Felix Andrew
From The Fishing Lore of Tobi
Peter W. Black©1968
| Etai sahah tepamu | You don’t enjoy your life |
| Meheouhemi nohar | The ocean is shining and calm |
|
Etai fisiri hiheyar
|
You were never the “hiyahe” bird (2) |
|
Ngatai manariuor
|
Nor any sea bird |
| Taifiti baotaparar | There is no smell on your fingers, the smell of the sea birds |
| Taimangau reni soubue | You don’t get food from seriyout (3) |
| Etai saso tsanih | You don’t enjoy the taste of fish |
(1) This is a song that men from one end of the island would sing to insult those from the other. It is not really so much about the other men being unenthusiastic fishermen as, in a disguised way, a claim that they are unsuccessful lovers.
(2) We are waiting to learn the identity of this bird.
(3) Seriyout is the name of an area of rough water where two currents come together.
