Ayapanec 2

Yomi Ndxe’ Gwo’nh ‘Fish Woman’
told by Isidro Velásquez Méndez

Daniel F. Suslak
Indiana University
The Ayapanec tale Yomi Ndxe’ Gwon’nh ‘Fish Woman’ was narrated by Isidro Velásquez Méndez in San Cristóbal de las Casas during a summer 2002 fieldwork session for the Project for the Documentation of the Languages of Mesoamerica. Don Isidro was born in 1942 and raised in an Ayapanec-speaking household. According to Isidro, this is a true story that was told to him by his grandfather when he was a child. This narrative, like many of the stories Isidro recounts, helps to explain why there is so much poverty in Ayapa today. You can hear the resignation in his voice, but his sly sense of humor also shines through.

1)
speaker		 Pues, más antes…
‘Well, long ago…’
2)
speaker		 pues…
‘well…’
3)
speaker		 yi’k komo jutsinya tu istoorya maj antej.
yi=ʔk como hu¢=inya tu historia más antes
this=REL how how=still one story more before
‘this is like a story from long ago.’
4)
speaker		 Resulta ke tsamyaj tsu’ tsamgü’gwidxa ya maj antej
resulta que ¢am–yah ¢uʔ ¢am•kǝʔǝwe–ta ya más antes
result:3SG:PRES that mature–3PL with mature•VAR–PASS already more before
‘It turns out that the elders from long ago,’
5)
speaker		 ich unoj püüsindxa ndxe’ oba ndüü’
ʔit unos pǝːsin–yah y=neʔ ʔoy–pa nǝh–ǝʔ
exist some man–3PL 3PSR=forRN AUX–INC go–INTR
‘that there were some men who went’
6)
speaker		 mbakyaj mbyatsyaj gwo’nh.
mak–yah y=ma¢–yah woʔŋ
fish–3PL 3A=catch–3PL fish
‘to catch fish.’
7)
speaker		 Pero oba ndüjyaj mbyatsyaj gwo’nh, pwej.
pero ʔoy–pa nǝh–yah y=ma¢–yah woʔŋ pues
but AUX–INC go–3PL 3A=catch–3PL fish well
‘But when they got there they weren’t able to catch much.’
8)
speaker		 Poca cosa oba mbyatsyaj.
poca cosa ʔoy–pa y=ma¢–yah
little thing AUX–INC 3A=catch–3PL
‘They just caught a little.’
9)
speaker		 Entonces… pues…
‘Then… well…,’
10)
speaker		 Despues nüyoya, yoya misindxa kü’tsgwyo’nh, y luego de eso pues.
después nǝ=y=ʔoy–yah misin–yah kǝʔ¢y•woʔŋ y luego de eso pues
later HAB=3A=went–3PL little–3PL baby•fish and then from that well
‘Later they went and caught just a few little fish, and that’s how it was.’
11)
speaker		 Tu tyeempo jejn mi chi gümbakyaj,
tu tiempo heM mi či kǝ=mak–yah
one time there little what PROG=fish–3PL
‘One time they were there fishing a little,’
12)
speaker		 kwandu mapya’tyaj tu
cuando ma=y=paʔt–yah tu
when CMP=3A=find–3PL one
‘when they encountered’
13)
speaker		 tu mandxonh de gwo’nh, pero idxich gwo’nh.
tu manchón de woʔŋ pero ʔit•ʔit woʔŋ
one big.spot of fish but exist•exist fish
‘a fishing hole, but with a lot of fish.’
14)
speaker		 Tsee’ge tsigindxuugi,
¢eːʔke ¢iki•nuːki
mud.turtle painted•turtle
‘mud turtles, painted turtles,’
15)
speaker		 tortuga, mucha clase de animal.
‘turtles and lots of other animals.’
16)
speaker		 I lwego pwej ndü’ü mbyatsyaj.
y luego pues nǝʔǝ y=ma¢–yah
and then well FUT 3A=catch–3PL
‘And then, well, they began to catch them.’
17)
speaker		 Pero ke pasa? Pwej maput…
pero que pasa pues ma=put
but what happen:3SG:PRES well CMP=exit
‘But what happened next? Well, there appeared…’
18)
speaker		 maput tu yooʔmo.
ma=put tu yoːʔmo
CMP=exit one woman
‘a woman appeared.’
19)
speaker		 Je’ebe’k yoo’mo nindxümaj, niyodoj pwej,
heʔebeʔ=ʔk yoːʔmo nǝ=y=nǝmah–haY nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ pues
DIST=REL woman HAB=3A=say–APPL HAB=3A=speak well
‘That woman tells them, she says, well,’
20)
speaker		 Taa nintsyükta’ ni tu gwo’nh.
taː nǝ=yn=¢ǝk–taʔ ni tu woʔŋ
NEG HAB=2A=touch–12PL NEG one fish
‘ “Don’t touch even one fish.’
21)
speaker		 Porke gwo’nh, gwü ninsyuj ndü’ mbyügünüj,
porque woʔŋ wǝ nǝ=yn=suN nǝʔǝ yn=pǝkǝnǝh
because fish if HAB=2A=want FUT 2A=take
‘ “Because fish, if you want to take some,’
22)
speaker		 pero…
‘ “but…’
23)
speaker		 tyene ke mweaj entregar tu myea, tu nyomaa.
tiene que yn=waT entregar tu yn=maːN tu yom•maːN
have:3SG:PRES that 2A=do deliver one 2PSR=child one 2PSR=woman•child
‘ “you have to deliver a son and a daughter.’
24)
speaker		 U sea mijmo fwyamilya.
ʔu sea mismo yn=familia
or be:3SG:PRES:SBJV same 2PSR=family
‘ “Like from your own family.” ’
25)
speaker		 Lwego mandxüma niyodoj, niyodoj, pwej,
luego ma=y=nǝm–haY nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ pues
then CMP=3A=say–APPL HAB=3A=speak HAB=3A=speak well
‘Then one of them says, he says, well,’
26)
speaker		 mandxüma chyüü’da, Está jodido!
ma=y=nǝm–haY y=tǝːʔta está jodido
CMP=3A=say–APPL 3PSR=companion exist:3SG:PRES fucked
‘he said to his companion, “That’s fucked up!’
27)
speaker		 Pwej, ndü’ü mweaj entregar tu myea
pues ndǝʔǝ yn=wah entregar tu yn=maːN
well FUT 2A=do deliver one 2PSR=child
‘ “If you hand over a child,’
28)
speaker		 ndü’ü tembügünüh gwo’nh.
ndǝʔǝ ten=pǝgǝnǝh woʔŋ
FUT 1A.INCL=carry fish
‘ “we can take fish.” ’
29)
speaker		 I lwego ndxüma, niyodoj pwej, No pues, yo kreo que no porque,
y luego y=nǝm–haY nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ pues no yo creo que no porque
and then 3A=say–APPL HAB=3A=say well NEG I believe:3SG:PRES that NEG because
‘And then he says, he says, “Well, no, I don’t think so because,’
30)
speaker		 son compromisos.
‘ “these are (serious) commitments.” ’
31)
speaker		 Ndü’ü tenhmwata’?
nǝʔǝ ten=waT–taʔ
FUT 1A.INCL=do–12PL
‘ “What are we going to do?” ’
32)
speaker		 I lwego niyodoj, niyodoj pwej,
y luego nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ pues
and then HAB=3A=say HAB=3A=say well
‘And then he says, says, well,’
33)
speaker		 Pwej, será ke taa’ gwaaba. Pwej taa’ gwaaba.
pues será que taːʔ waT–pa pues taːʔ
well be:3SG:FUT that NEG do–INC well NEG
‘ “Well, maybe we can’t do it. Well, it can’t be done.” ’
34)
speaker		 A ver ke ninhgwyata’ kumplir. Luke üts ‘nodoj,
a ver que nǝ=yn=waT–taʔ cumplir lo que ʔǝ¢ ʔn=ʔotoŋ
to see if HAB=2A=do–12PL complete it what 1PRO 1A=say
‘ “Let’s see if you do it. What I would say is,’
35)
speaker		 nimbyügünüj de luke mits ninsyunda’,
nǝ=y=pǝkǝnǝh de lo que mi¢ nǝ=yn=suN–taʔ
HAB=3A=take of it what 2PRO HAB=2A=want–12PL
‘ “you take what you want,’
36)
speaker		 sea gwo’nh, sea animal de koncha, pero en kaso de ke
sea woʔŋ sea animal‿de‿koncha pero en caso de que
be:3SG:PRES:SBJV fish be:3SG:PRES:SBJV shellfish but in case of that
‘ “maybe fish, maybe shellfish. But perhaps’
37)
speaker		 mbii’ma ndü’ü mbyügünda’.
miːʔma nǝʔǝ yn=pǝkǝnǝh–taʔ
all FUT 2A=take–12PL
‘ “you will take it all.’
38)
speaker		 Y que caramba pues.
‘ “And what the heck?’
39)
speaker		 Traj ke je’ebe’k yoo’mo
tras que heʔepeʔ=ʔk yoːʔmo
after that DIST=REL woman
‘ “For that woman’
40)
speaker		 mbe’ teje’ kwalkyera.
meʔ teheʔ cualquiera
DET NEG whichever
‘ “is not just anyone.’
41)
speaker		 Tu…tu sireena, yomi ndxe’ gwo’nh.
tu tu sirena yomi y=neʔ woʔŋ
one one siren owner 3PRS=forRN fish
‘ “She’s a siren, the owner of the fish.” ’
42)
speaker		 Entonces.
‘Then.’
43)
speaker		 Pwej, chi magwatyaj pwej?
pues ti ma=wat–yah pues
well what CMP=do–3PL well
‘Well what did they do?’
44)
speaker		 Jejn matsyakmbakyaj
heM ma=y=¢ak•mak–yah
there CMP=3A=leave•fish–3PL
‘They stopped fishing there’
45)
speaker		 maxabichyaj.
ma=šapiT–yah
CMP=return–3PL
‘and went home.’
46)
speaker		 Taa chi mapinye’tsyaj porke
taː ti ma=y=pinyeʔ¢–yah porque
NEG that CMP=3A=bring–3PL because
‘They didn’t bring back anything because’
47)
speaker		 tamagweatyaj rejgar tsijiyaj tu yomaa,
ta=ma=y=waT–yah riesgar ¢iʔ–haY–yah tu yom•maːN
NEG=CMP=3A=do–3PL risk give–APPL–3PL one woman•child
‘they didn’t want to risk having to give up a daughter,’
48)
speaker		 ni tu jyaymbea,
ni tu y=hay•maːN
NEG one 3PSR=male•child
‘nor a son,’
49)
speaker		 ni ni mijmo fwyamilya, sino ke
ni ni mismo y=familia sino que
NEG NEG same 3PSR=family rather that
‘nor anyone from their own family.’
50)
speaker		 makuʔtsinyaj matsünhgünhyaj
ma=ku–¢ǝŋ–yah ma=y=¢ǝŋ•kǝʔŋ–yah
CMP=ELSE–scare–3PL CMP=3A=scare•frighten–3PL
‘It scared them.’
51)
speaker		 Entonces pues, más definitivamente,
‘Then, well, definitively,’
52)
speaker		 magwiskondüjyaj mbakyaj los pokito tyempo, taa mi chi mambyatsyaj.
ma=wisku•nǝh–yah mak–yah los poquito tiempo taː mi ti ma=y=ma¢–yah
CMP=REPET•go–3PL fish–3PL the:PL few time NEG little that CMP=3A=catch–3PL
‘they went back to fish again a bit later, but didn’t catch anything.’
53)
speaker		 y luego puees,
‘And then, weell’
54)
speaker		 pwej maxabichyaj taa mi chi masyabichyaj.
pues ma=šapiT–yah taː mi ti ma=y=šapiT–yah
well CMP=return–3PL NEG little that CMP=3A=return–3PL
‘they returned home without anything.’
55)
speaker		 I lweego magwiskoxabij.
y luego ma=wisko•šapiT
and then CMP=REPET•return
‘And then they went back again.’
56)
speaker		 Xabichyaj mbakyeaj ta magwiskopa’tyaj mbe’ yoo’mo.
šapiT–yah mak–yah taː ma=wisko•paʔt–yah meʔ yoːʔmo
return–3PL fish–3PL NEG CMP=REPET•find–3PL DET woman
‘They went back to fish and they encountered the woman again.’
57)
speaker		 Niyodoj, niyodoj, Gwü ninsyunda’ gwo’nh
nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ wǝ nǝ=yn=suN–taʔ woʔŋ
HAB=3A=say HAB=3A=say if HAB=3A=want–12PL fish
‘And she said, “If you all want fish,’
58)
speaker		 pwej ninhwyata’ kumplir luke üts kün’xuj,
pues nǝ=yn=waT–taʔ cumplir lo que ʔǝ¢ kǝ=ʔn=suN
well HAB=2A=do–PLU complete it what 1PRO PROG=1A=want
‘ “well, do what I want,’
59)
speaker		 nimbigünü gwo’nh de luke mits nsyuj.
nǝ=yn=pǝkǝnǝh woʔŋ de lo‿que mi¢ yn=suN
HAB=2A=take fish of what 2PRO 2A=want
‘ “and you can take any fish you want.” ’
60)
speaker		 Bweno niyodoj, niyodoj pwej,
bueno nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ nǝ=y=ʔotoŋ pues
good HAB=3A=say HAB=3A=say well
‘Well he says, he says,’
61)
speaker		 Taa porke kompromiso.
taː porque compromiso
NEG because commitment
‘ “No, because there’s a catch.’
62)
speaker		 Kü’nxuj ‘mats mbe’ gwo’nh pero libremeente.
kǝ=ʔn=suN ʔn=ma¢ meʔ woʔŋ pero libremente
PROG=1A=want 1A=catch DET fish but freely
‘ “I want the fish, but freely.” ’
63)
speaker		 Entonsee magwiskoxabichyaj. Taa chi mambyatsyaj.
entonces ma=wisko•šapiT–yah taː ti ma=y=ma¢–yah
then CMP=REPET•return–3PL NEG that CMP=3A=catch–3PL
‘Then they returned again. They didn’t catch anything.’
64)
speaker		 Lwego magwiskoxabichyaj, mbakyaj a loj pokito diyaj.
luego ma=wisko•šapiT–yah mak–yah a los poquito días
then CMP=REPET•return–3PL fish–3PL at the:PLU few day:PL
‘Then they returned once more to fish a couple of days later.’
65)
speaker		 Lo mijmo, taa chi mambyatsyaj.
lo‿mismo taːs ti ma=y=ma¢–yah
the.same NEG that CMP=3A=catch–3PL
‘Same as before, they didn’t catch anything.’
66)
speaker		 Mandxüma chyüü’da,
ma=y=nǝm–haY y=tǝːʔta
CMP=3A=say–APPL 3PSR=brother
‘He said to his brothers,’
67)
speaker		 Pwej ya matendoo’goyüj tu kontenido porke
pues ya ma=ten=toːkoy–ǝʔǝy tu contenido porque
well already CMP=1A.INCL=lose–CAUS one content because
‘ “Well we already lost a quantity because’
68)
speaker		 tamansyuj mweaj entregara tu nyaymbea tu nyomaa.
ta=ma=yn=suN yn=waT entregar tu yn=hay•maːN tu yn=yom=maːN
NEG=CMP=2A=want 2A=do deliver one 2PSR=male•child one 2PSR=female=child
‘ “you didn’t want to deliver your son and daughter.” ’
69)
speaker		 Pweeej…bea usted ke jejn ma…
pues vea Usted que heM ma=
well look:3SG:PRES:SBJV you that there CMP=
‘ “Well…look, there, …’
70)
speaker		 tentoo’goyüj tu mbirtud, kyere desir.
ten=tookoy–ǝʔǝy tu virtud quiere decir
1A.INCL=lose–CAUS one virtue want:3SG:PRES say
‘ “we lost our virtue is what this means.” ’
71)
speaker		 Luego pues,
‘Then well,’
72)
speaker		 no ay maj nuu’ga ndü’ü tentsakta’ tembakta’.
no hay más nuːʔka nǝʔǝ ten=¢ak–taʔ te=mak–taʔ
NEG exist more now FUT 1A.INCL=leave–12PL 1S.INCL–fish–12PL
‘ “For now we just have to quit fishing.” ’
73)
speaker		 Axta jejn
hasta heM
till there
‘That’s where’
74)
speaker		 maxuk.
ma=šuk
CMP=end
‘it ended.’
75)
speaker		 Mbe’k mbako taa m…
meʔ=ʔk mak–o taː
DIST=REL fish–NOM NEG
‘Here the fishing…’
76)
speaker		 taa mi chi nütenmats tanütenxabij chi gwü tenxabij teme’. Tentoo’goyüj tyempo.
taː mi ti nǝ=ten=ma¢ ta=nǝ=ten=šapiT ti wǝ ten=šapiT ten=meʔ¢ ten=toːkoy–ǝʔǝy tiempo
NEG little that HAB=1A.INCL=grab NEG=HAB=1A.INCL=return that good 1A.INCL=return 1A.INCL=look 1A.INCL=lose–CAUS time
‘ends because we’re not catching anything and we’re not going to return here to look (for shellfish). It’s a waste of time.’
77)
speaker		 Y es cuando.
‘And that’s it.’