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Bélgica Dagua, "How an Unwanted Man Became the Spirit-Eye Tree."

From interviews with Tod D. Swanson

Subtitles can be switched to Quichua.

Cite video as:
Tod D. Swanson, "Bélgica Dagua, 'How an Unwanted Man Became the Spirit-Eye Tree.’” Youtube video. 2:09. October 2, 2016. https://youtu.be/-SM-n3Dv2wg

Description

The story is taken from an interview Tod Swanson did with Bélgica Dagua on the Río Tiputini in Ecuador's Yasuni National Park.

English Translation

Bélgica Dagua, "An Unwanted Man Becomes The Spirit Eye Tree" They call this berry the spirit eye tree. This tree see? ​This berry is edible. Its edible. This black one. The man who died had black eyes like this berry. Black? That is why it looks like our eyes. This tree was once human. When he was human he used flirt a lot with a woman when she was weeding her garden. "I don't love you," she used to say. She did not want him. (She was human then but later became the unculu frog). No matter how much he flirted with her she did not want him. But when she told him that he used to say. "No. I love you." So she said "Oh don't bother me. I already told you enough times." So she sharpened a stick into a point like a knife... and poked him in the eye. And his eyeball popped out "tas". And when it popped out it it fell "putun" on the ground. And when it fell that man turned into a tree. He turned into a tree. He said "ouch!" And when she looked over she saw that he had turned into a lovely, lovely, little tree. "You yourself will eat me even though you did not love me while I was walking around." "You did not like me. Now you can eat me. "I will stay growing right here on the edge of your garden," this tree said. They say this is his eye tree. This berry is edible. So they say that that man turned into this tree? Yes it was transformed from a human man.

Kichwa Translation

Bélgica Dagua, Supay Ñavi Muyu Yura Kay mashti muyu, aya ñavi lulun ruya niganaun kay ruyawata riki. Kay muyuga upina man. Kay muyutaga upina kay yana. Chi kay mashti aya ñavi muyu riki yana aujta paywa muyu. Chi raygu ñukanchi ñavi lulun shina yana, kay ruyaga ñaupaga runa aj aska. Chiga pay runa ashkay chiga shu warmita yapachi killachij ashka chagray allimaushkay. Chiga ñukaga mana kandaga munanichu nij ashka chi warmi, mana munashaga payga chagraybi. Chi runa ashka unculuwas warmi, chi imatunus mana munashka ña pay masna killachijpiwas. Chiga nijpiga mana ñukami munani nishashi rimaj ashka, Chiga, "Ay ñukata mana killachiwaychu" nisha. "Basta kanda rimani." nisha. Kay cuchillu, kasna cuchillu shina rikurij inayuta pay pundayachishkata. Cuchillo shina mashtishkawa ñaviybiga takashka chiga ñavi lulunga tashi llukshishka Llugshijga putun shi urmashka, urmajpi chi runaga ña ruya tukushka, ruya tukushka. Chiga rikujpi ayaulla nishashi nishka, chiga rikujpiga ña munay, munay kasna ichillawa ruyawasha tukushka. Kanllatami ñuka puriujpiga upiwangui ñuka. Ñukata mana munaka nishkay. Nishkasha "Kan mana gustashawas ñukata upiwanguimi," nishashi nira. "Kamba chagra chindayllata sakiringarauni," nij asha kay ruyaga rimaj aj ashka pay. Supay ñavi muyu ruya nij aganaun, kay muyuta upina man. Shinajpi chi runashi kay yura tukun. Ah a. Runamanda tukushka.

Spanish Translation

Bélgica Dagua, "Un hombre rechazado se convierte en el árbol ojo de espíritu." A esta fruta dicen árbol ojo del difunto. Es este árbol! vea? Esta fruta es de chupar. Esta fruta es de chupar. Este negro. Es ojo de difunto.. este que es negro es su ojo. Negro? Por eso es negro como nuestro ojo. Este arbol antes era persona. Entonces cuando era persona sabia molestar bastante a una mujer cuando estaba limpiando la chacra. Y ahi le sabia decir esa mujer "Yo no te quiero a tí." como no le queria ahí en la chagra. En ese tiempo el sapo unculu era mujer humano. Y no le aceptaba mor mas que le molestaba. Y cuando dijo eso el dijo "Pero ho si le quiero." Entonces dijo, "Ay no me molestes. Ya te dije." Este cuchillo. .. Afiló un palo como a un cuchillo. Entonces le metió el palo en el ojo como un cuchillo y tak! salió. Y cuando salió cayó putún y cuando cayo ese hombre se transformo en un árbol. Cuando ella miró hacia a el, el dijo "ayau!" Y cuando ella miró había transformado en un muy lindo árbol pequeño. Aunque dijiste que me no me querías tu mismo me chuparas cuando andas (por aquí). "Aunque no me quieras me vas a comer," dicen que dijó. Voy a quedar entre al filo de su chacra. A este árbol le dicen árbol ojo de espíritu. Esta fruta se come. Entonces ese hombre es el que se transformó en este arbusto? Sí. De persona se transformó.

Analysis

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