Bélgica Dagua, "A bitter flower helps girls make strong chicha."

From interviews with Tod D. Swanson

Description

Not available

English Translation

These pintón flowers, our elders told the women that they were useful. So that the chicha would ferment well and become strong, they chewed these flowers. As if they were an old woman, they smeared them around their mouth while chewing them. These flowers were chewed until they were well ground, very fine, just like some elderly women prepare strong chicha. In the same way, they rubbed the flower around their mouth. This flower is bitter, strong. It is very bitter. Very bitter? “That’s why, so that the chicha would turn out very strong, they would give them this flower to chew and the elderly women would rub their mouths with it.” “So that the chicha would become very strong, it came out more bitter, and that way they would get drunk faster.”

Kichwa Translation

Kay pitun sisata, ñukanchi rukuguna nik anura kay pitunda warmi wawata. Pay urtita asuwachu nisha, kayta mukusha ruku apamama kwinta barakchik ashkawna kay muyuta mukusha. Kay panga imashti sisawa chita sumak ñututa mukusha, chi apamama maykan urti asuwa. Apamata payunaga barachik ashkawna shimita pay mashi urti. Kay ayak ajam ayak man kayga ajam Ayak man ayak? Chasna akpimi chi ayakta asuwachu nishaga payguna kayta mukuchisha. Apamama gunata barachisha ashkawna mm chi pay urtita asuwak tukuchu nisha ajam. Chi asuwaga mas ayak masta machachingawa a, ña.

Spanish Translation

Estas flores de pintón, nuestros mayores les decían a las mujeres que servían. Para que la chicha fermentara bien y quedara fuerte, ellas masticaban estas flores. Como si fueran una anciana, se las embarraban en la boca mientras las masticaban. Estas flores se masticaban hasta quedar bien molidas, muy finitas, tal como algunas ancianas preparan la chicha fuerte. De la misma manera, se frotaban la boca con esa flor. Esta flor es amarga, fuerte. Es muy amarga. ¿Muy amarga? “Por eso, para que la chicha saliera bien fuerte, les daban a masticar esta flor y las ancianas les frotaban la boca con ella.” “Para que la chicha quedara muy fuerte, les salía más amarga, así se emborrachaban más rápido.”

Analysis

Not available