Wauja

Noun

akain

1. pequi tree or its fruit, Caryocar brasiliense

   Kalahan, ta-ka-pai yeetsopou, akain taka yeetsopou, punupa pikityeko-je-eu.

   Eh, in days to come, when the pequi [fruit] starts to fall, [in the season when] when it falls, you see… then will your voice be heard.

   Iya onupakona, epetepe papisuntumpa. Wekepe kata akain jouno.

   [They] went to have a look, to visit [the ashes of] their lover. [In that place] was [a] gigantic pequi [tree].

   Ayama ju! Hoona! Iyapai otepo. Onupene otepoga akain! Eh! Ewetemewi, ju! Hokotawi tsiiiii!

   "Let's go [visit the tree] once again, dear!" [the older sister said to the younger]. "All right!" [the younger sister agreed]. [They] went under [the tree]. They saw pequi fruit [on the ground] beneath [the tree]! "Ah! Let's taste it, dear!" [She] cut [it] open: tsiiiii!

   Ka naatsa piya ja akain yiu? uma pakai ipitsi. Katsa ja wa kainyalawapai yiu? uma pa kai ipitsi.

   "Where did you get that pequi [fruit]?" [he] asked it [i.e., the parrot]. "What is that fragrant stuff? [he] demanded of it.

Derived terms

• akaintsaku ‎(“pequi grove”)
• akaintye ‎(“manioc porridge flavored with fermented pequi mash”)

Related terms

• imi ‎(“[pequi] oil”)

References

• "Kalahan, akain" uttered by Itsautaku, shaman and elder, recounting traditional Wauja tale, "The Man who Drowned in Honey" (Paistyawalu). Recorded in Piyulaga village in the presence of his adult daughter, adolescent son, and others, December 1989, transcript p. 32. This brief excerpt from the story refers to a very large frog (Leptodactylus latrans) that can be heard croaking in the season when the pequi fruit falls from the trees.
• "Iya onupakona" (transcript, p. 69), "Ayama ju!" (p. 72), and "Ka naatsa" (p. 77), uttered by Aruta, storyteller and elder, as he recounted the traditional tale, "The Caiman Spirit" (Yakaojokuma). Recorded in Piyulaga village in the presence of assembled elders and others, November 1989.