Thursday, August 23, 2018

KÅNTAN BUTLEA



This is an example of the kassi (teasing) or butlea (mocking) side of our humor, which goes all the way back to pre-European times. Early visitors to the Marianas describe our ancestors teasing and ridiculing each other in word and song.


Kada hu atan i matå-mo
amariyo kalan mango'.
Ya maolek-ña na un mamatai
ke ni un låla'la' gi tano'.


Every time I look at your face
it's yellow like ginger.
And it's better that you die
than for you to live in this world.









Mango' or Yellow Ginger imparts a yellow tinge (and flavor) to food

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