by Dr. Laurence Goldman
Informant: Gurubugu -previous headman of Koma
Text: Recognised as part of the speech made to Koma clan enjoining them to collect compensation for the two men shot by Sinclair in 1957: Damba Bi
At Kelote we used to plant the fig tree
(Ira Keloni po pogoli wiagaru)
At Kelote we used to plant the Taiyali tree
(Kugunu Taiyali wiagaru)
On the banks of the Tagari river, on the banks of
Lake Kopiago, on the banks of Kapi(Pureni)
(Iba Tagali ange ange, Iba Kapiago ange ange, Iba
Kiabo ange ange)
I am killing the Dali Tele, Hea Hali and Huringidi
10> marsupials
(Dali Tele, Hea Hali Hurungidi udu barogo)
I When they have been killed then Hogai’s sons,
Dataligo’s sons(Kobiya), Baro Baroaba sons(Pureni)
you will go and gather the things I am carrying
(Ogoni balu O Hogai igini, Dataligo igini, Baro
Baroaba igini un1 igini mo mogo bule pu ina hanarogo)
I am fetching these{pigs) like the young Godane
bamboo, like the Galuni bamboo, like the Tirane
bamboo, like the Hengedane bamboo
20>(Iba godane aleru, galuni aleru, tirane aleru,
Hengedane aleru hamberogo)
With the Ibi Laya leaves(fam.Orchidaceae) I am making
a lid
(Ibi laya po bero)
With the Mayu leaves(solanum torvoideum fam.solanaceae)
I am making a lid ·
(Mayu laya po bero)
With the Gundu Walu leaves(Commelina) I am making a
lid
( 30> undu walu po bero)
Those ones will be eaten you stay down there
(Uru nalu udura hole pu lagago)
We used to shout and kill and turn the people over
(Ha lareria bo ya dindi ha)
If they said “ke” we killed and turned them over
(Ke lareria bo yaraga haga bialu)
If they said “te” we killed and turned them over
(Te lareria bo yaraga haga bialu)
Like this we killed the Dali Tele, Hurungida and Hea
40> Hali marsupials
(Ani bialu Dali Tele bariba, Hurungida bariba, Hea
Hali bariba)
On Mt.Ara fetch the water of Wabu
(Hari Arani iba Wabu hambiabe)
You pick the pandanus nuts
(Pogo mundia unguabe)
You pull the stones from Wabu lake
(Iba Wabu tole duguabe)
I have seen the Mirila(Duna) with their head caps
50 > I Mirila hendene tumbudu tangi biruli)
With a front-apron of pandanus-nut leaves
(Anga ba dambaleru)
With their bodies rubbed in oil
(Mbagua yoleru)
With the cassowary feathers on
(Ega malunguru)
You are all Huli Gomaiya with bauwa(casuarina) __ ,
leaves as a tangett
(I unu Huli Gomaiya bauwa payabu bidago)
60> With Bai tola leaves as a tangett
(Bai tola payabu bidago)
With yellow everlasting flowers on a wig bound with
rope , ·
(Aulai do manda deneru henedago)
My mind is straight
(I mini tiga tiga)
I used to plant the Habono(Rapanea fam.Myrsinaceae)
(Ira Habono pu larogoli)
(An extract from Talk Never Dies: An Analysis of Disputes Among the Huli. A thesis submitted by Laurence R. Goldman for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University College, London. February, 1982., p. 474-475.)
(Photo courtesy of Eric Lafforgue)