My mother, She sang to the Ukumbi for the manioc, so that the manioc would be fruitful, so that the chagra would not get too full of weeds. Now my mother’s chagra would sprout leaves. There was no weeds.. [Instead] the manioc would drop many of its manioc leaves. For these two reasons my mother sang to her Ukumbi.
Ukumbi woman.
When the sun is in the zenith it will grow.
The woman who is there whistling
The chagra with the Ukumbi
There will be no weeds in the garden.
There will be manioc leaves dropping in the chagra.
Ukumbi woman
A woman exactly like a bird
There giving samai
The dear ukumbi in the chagra
Manioc root arms
When she borrows two [manioc] roots
She will be in the Ashanga basket.
The little Ukumbi in the chagra
I give her her food
While she is lying there
Calling [her], calling [her]
Dear Ukumbi woman,
Sunny day mama
She will whistle to her son
The Ukumbi Woman
He will come with his sister
Just to see his mother
The Ukumbi, his own mother,
Will give him [chicha] to drink
As soon as she gives him to drink
In a moment he runs away.
The Ukumbi woman
Will lie there whistling
The Mama is there [too]
Taking her ashang basket
She will go home
When the Ukumbi whistles
Her child loving her
Will will speak to his mama
Little Ukumbi Woman
Little Ukumbi Woman
Right in front of her nose
They will stand
Ukumbi, Little Ukumbi Woman
With her face painted
Watching,
Watching the strangers
Little Ukumbi Woman
Searching, Searching
From her fine basket
Little Ukumbi Woman
Little Ukumbi Woman
She lies calling the \
Far away people
Little Ukumbi woman
People from far away,
All People
She lies following
Little Ukumbi Woman
The one called Manioc Mother
Little Ukumbi Woman
The one called Manioc Woman
On the tip of the manioc branch
Desiring its flowers
She stands drinking
Sinking she will think
Little Ukumbi Woman
When the manioc ripens
When the manioc ripens
Desiring that it will eat
The Manioc fruits
Little Ukumbi Woman
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