In cultural strength we find resiliency. Dorothy Ramon’s reflection about a sacred song from ancient times in which people's eyes "open up to see a bright future" also speaks to our hearts about the struggles, resiliency, and hope in saving and sharing the Native Inland Southern California culture and language of the Serrano people. Ernest Siva (Cahuilla-Serrano), president of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, shares this Serrano cultural memory from his aunt Dorothy Ramon:
Translation:
Always Believe (1)
By Dorothy Ramon
Family photo of Dorothy Ramon.
“Pata' werrafkt qac chaav. Those lyrics are in a song.
Xhiit 'ama' parhervit 'awerrafka' pata'. Its words are sacred.
'Icham cheewerrafp werra'n. It is said in our language.
'Ama' 'awerrafka' key huwa'ik. Its lyrics are a little different (due to archaic pronunciation).
Patay werrafktti' huwa'ikim key. They pronounce some words differently.
'Ani' pana' chaacu' Taaqtam ki' 'amay werrafktti' chaav. The Serrano people sing these lyrics in the song.
Huwa'cim qay' 'enan maqayeewp huwai'pemeka'. Some of the lyrics people don’t understand because they (the words) are unfamiliar to them.
Huwav werrafp, pata' yawa'. It’s another language, that word yawa' (‘believe’.)
Huwa'i' werrafkt kiti'. The language is slightly different.
Warrêngk huwammu' mamc. But some people understand it.
Huwamimu' 'enan hamin keyvu' 'ama' werrafkt. Some knew what the lyrics said.
'Ama' 'ivi' howpk werrafkt' 'ama' yawa' keym, 'ama' yawamin, key Maarrênga'yam. For instance one word (in the song) is yawa' which in Serrano is yawamin, ‘believe’.
Yawa' 'ama' xhiit parhervit 'awerrafka. 'Amay yawa' key chaac.
Yawa' is a sacred word (for believe). The song says yawa'.
Pana'vu' teer Paneep 'uviht. That is the way their Lord said it long ago.
Huwam Taaqtam pana' 'enan 'amay. Some Indians know about that.
Qay' txami' patay 'enan 'amay' necamqana': 'amatunga' 'anin wi'wan xhiiti' nehaktii'. I don’t think anyone knows today: that’s why I want to talk about this.
'Ip 'uushanif qac. It’s now (preserved) in this book. (2)
Hiitin teerhaqa' pana'nyaawnk. That’s why I’m going to talk about this thing.
'Ami' patay werrafktti' kwa' 'enan: 'ani' kwa' 'enan. If they knew their language, then they would understand.
Maqayeewp tum haypa'n 'i'pa'n haypa'n hami' 'ivi' kwa' kece' 'enan 'ivi'.
That way (i.e., preserved in this book) perhaps someone may learn about this sometime.
'Enaac kwa' 'enan. They can find out about it.
'Ami' huwac qac waha' werrafkt. The language (of the song) is different.
Wayta' keymu' hawayt, 'anim key. They would say wayta' for hawayt, ‘always’.
Hawayt kwana' yawaminaqam 'amay xhiit Dyoosti', Peenepi'. They were always supposed to believe in God, their Lord.
'Apya' penu' hye'ch, key. They are supposed to become enlightened from there (the lyrics), it (the song) says. …
Powva' 'aarnk hye'kam tum hiiti' 'a'aye'ci' peepamkw.
Their eyes open up to see a bright future.
Key kwenevu', teer pata' chaac. That’s what the song said.
Pata' chaac meer'm chaac pata'. That song is the sacred bundle song. (3)
Mu' 'uvya' 'ichu'kina'qam xhinyim, mu' 'ichu'kinaqam 'aam xhinyim teykamanqam. When they were going to make those things, when they were going to make the images.
Patay kwana' chaacu' 'ayee'. They would sing it then.
Pata' chaacu' 'ama' peyika'. That song is for it (for making images.)
Teykaman chaac. It is an image-making song. 'Ama' 'ayee'. That’s all.”
Family members Ernest Siva and Carolyn Horsman have read “Always Believe” and other Dorothy Ramon cultural memories at the Learning Center’s annual Native Voices Poetry Festival. (Carlos Puma Photo)
Notes
1. Ramon, Dorothy, and Eric Elliott, 2000, Wayta’ Yawa’: Always Believe. Malki Museum Press, Banning, California, pp. 150-152, reading no. 121, “Always Believe.”
2. The book, Wayta' Yawa': Always Believe.
3. The sacred bundle was important in Serrano traditional sacred ceremonies, while image-making was part of the annual weeklong mourning ceremonies for the dead. During the mourning ceremonies, the images, which represented those who had died, were burned. See William Duncan Strong’s Aboriginal Society in Southern California, 1929, University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 26 (Malki Museum Press, Banning, California, 1972).
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This News from Dorothy Ramon Learning Center follows up on requests from several readers to share more of our own Southern California languages. Thank you! We welcome your ideas and contributions to News from Dorothy Ramon Learning Center: EMAIL. Pat Murkland, Editor. Dec. 16, 2020.
Dorothy Ramon Learning Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that saves and shares Southern California Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts. Join us at dorothyramon.org and Dorothy Ramon Learning Center on Facebook.