Kata-Kata ma pasalan Duyung
A Sama Tale of the Dugong (Sea Cow)
Bay waktu jaman eꞌ, hatina bay waktu kamattoꞌahan, aniyaꞌ kissa pasal manusiyaꞌ tahinang duyung.
Na, aniyaꞌ konoꞌ dakayuꞌ maglakibini, jari taga anak sigām. Landuꞌ kinalasahan eꞌ maglakibini ondeꞌ inān pagka anak tunggal du. Sagoꞌ ya kabilahiꞌan anak sigām inān subay na paꞌin amandi ma tahik. Na nirūlan eꞌ inaꞌna maka mmaꞌna ondeꞌ inān amandi ma tahik sabab mbal sigām bilahi apꞌddiꞌ atayna. Ya, sadja makasallaꞌ bang makapagpandi ni tahik ondeꞌ itu, min subu-subu giꞌ sampay ni kakohapan.
Dakayuꞌ llaw, amandi na isab ondeꞌ inān ni tahik. Pagka abay-kohap paꞌin boꞌ halam giꞌ makatandan ondeꞌ heꞌ, angalingan na inaꞌna maka mmaꞌna.
Yuk inaꞌ maka mmaꞌ inān, “Arung, patandan na ka.”
Na yuk sambung ondeꞌ-ondeꞌ heꞌ, “Bilahi giꞌ aku amandi.”
Na pinasagaran na heꞌ inaꞌ maka mmaꞌna. Song paꞌin pasꞌddop llaw, hatina magkakan na siga, angkan niꞌingannan pabalik anak eꞌ.
Yuk inaꞌna, “Dai na ka sabab magkakan na kitabī maka pasꞌddop na llaw. Ya aniyaꞌ bang aniyaꞌ kaitan, maraiꞌ kineket ka.”
Na mbal ameya anak-anak eꞌ, hatina bilahi na paꞌin iya amandi. Palabay paꞌin daka pila minutu, aniyaꞌ takale heꞌ maglakibini itu magkulesek
mareyoꞌ lumaꞌ angkan magdaiꞌ-daiꞌ sigām pehēꞌ patandaw. Na pagꞌndaꞌ sigām, ma ondeꞌ-ondeꞌ eꞌ waꞌi palangi sala alembo angkan patugpaꞌ magtuy inaꞌna maka mmaꞌna minaꞌatay saga alembo. Ai sa ka itu, pagꞌndaꞌ sigām, ya na anak-anak eꞌ palangi magkulesek, hatina nggaꞌi ka na ondeꞌ-ondeꞌ sagoꞌ tahinang na duyung.
Palangi na paꞌin sigām angapas ondeꞌ heꞌ sagoꞌ gom paꞌin palangi isab ondeꞌ heꞌ ni kalawakan sampay halam na tandaꞌ mataꞌ sigām. Hatina, waꞌi na palangi ni dilaut. Pagka buwattēꞌ palangi na amoleꞌ maglakibini inān ni lumaꞌ maka eꞌ sigām anangis.
Ya hēꞌ angkan aniyaꞌ salsila bay min kamattoꞌahan pasal duyung itu. Ya duyung konoꞌ itu bay manusiyaꞌ. Na mahēꞌ na sadja lapal eꞌ.
English Synopsis
A child’s parents are trying to convince him to come inside after a full day of play. No matter what they say, he still wants to keep swimming in the ocean. They threaten him with sharks, they call him and tell him its time to eat. Eventually, they go out to him, thinking that he has drowned. They discover that he has turned into a sea cow*. They chase after him, but the child that has turned into the sea cow swims far from their reach.
* Originally my interpretation was that the child turns into the sea cow, a creature that is known to share many human characteristics. There are also stories of sea cows being eaten only for the consumers to realize they were eating their relative who had turned into the sea cow. Most of the people I have asked have sense informed me they believe this particular story refers to a mermaid. Mermaid and sea cow are both called duyung. (Edited on 5-24-2016)
Sama Cultural Insights
Drowning is a fear that many Sama parents have for their children. Many Sama children have the tendency of wandering all about their habitats playing from morning till evening. This story serves as a warning that parents can give their children that they need to listen when asked to come inside and that it is important that they don’t get to far off from their parents for fear of what might happen to them.
I enjoyed reading the kissa about the origin of the sea-cow. I am not a marine biologist so I really don't know the difference between a manatee and a sea-cow. However, I have always thought that the more proper term for the duyung is the sea-cow. I have seen a duyung when I was growing up in Siasi. I have also seen it butchered because it was dying and the people wanted to make use of the meat. It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my childhood.
all the while I thought it was "dugong." Ignorant me
all the while I thought it was "dugong." Ignorant me
You are correct Sir Tan. I guess dugong may be the English word for the species but it is sometimes called sea cow. I will make the appropriate changes.
"Dugong" is Cebuano, Tibo'. "Duyung" is Tausug and Sinama.
aniyak lagi story saddi itu bai ni kissa hek enggok ku….kissa na batitu.
bai jaman kamatoahan aniya manglaki bini..iya c denda hek abottong iya c lalla hek sab ni relaut ameha kinakan hal hinang na na jari niyak dikayuk allau hek c lalla ni relaut ameha kinakan iya jari aniyak tabakna buah unas asal buah hek hal tabak mareom laut tabbah hajjak…jari ni bowah na buah insini d buwanan handana…jari takkak sajja lella hek ni lumak tui ni buwanan nh hannda na jari hannda na magan na buah insini..katas magan mareom atai si denda hek bilahi lagi iya sabab hap asah nah buah hek sogok ambal ni hakaan nh hallana sabab tokonan hek na halla na amalek subay na sagom embok iya paluas kanddi na….jari sagom na c lalla hek wa inna tuli jari paluas iya agak busai ni relaut iya ameha buah unas….jari sampai na allau batinaan hallam na molek ni lumak…sogok bai tandda hek a'ah kampumh dendda hek sogok tapek na sali daing….
Ahāp kissa nggoꞌnu! Duwa hatina duyung. Ya duyung "sea cow" maka ya duyung, "mermaid" bang ma English. Magsukul ma kissa.