mc_nafsan_lelep

And that stone is called Lelep. That's what they made a 'potut' (altar) out of. They built it up there.

Me faat nen ga taos rusoso ki nana, faat Lelep a? Tenen kin rupreg potut ki. Rutfagi pak elag.

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Other stones aren't hard, but this one is really hard. This one you cut with your [kraus] axe it cuts badly and the stone stays as it was before.

Faat p̃rakot nen pato ita kerai mau, me tenen ga ikerai top. Tenen kutaiki kraus kram gaag itai sa me ga ipitkaskei ito.

It is hard. There are three of these stones, you see two over there at the tree? I got those from Aneityum, because we don't have it here.

Ikerkrai. Ipitlak faat nen itol, kulek inru rapato nlak nkas sanpen to? Tenen aslati Aneityum, nlaken akit tutiki esa.

Aneityum.

Aneityum.

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It was on the river's edge. This is a rock that came out of a river, it is not from any ground. That's where I got it from.

Ipato natik nai a? Ga ipi faat nen kin ipaakor nai, ga ita paakor ntan p̃rakot mau. Ga wankin aweslua wes.

But that stone is different. There is that one which is to do with food.

Me ga ipi faat, ne ipi, faat ipi msal. Ipitlak tenen kin ipi teni nafnag.

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When they plant yams, you put them in the garden when yams start to grow and you turn it, it falls.

Taosikin rulao nawi kupan psi talm̃at, kupsi talm̃at, malnen kin ina iwel nawi rustat pak elag, go kunrea itarp̃ek.

Before you would stand up a rock like this. Oh it is heavy! [JK lifting the rock] You stand it up. Now the food would go on and on, and you turn the stone over.

Me malpei, kupan lao kulaoki, kulao kipi tu ntan. Kala, imten! Kulaokin itu leg tu. Malnen nafnag ina ipan panpan kuleka go kunrea ipan tarp̃ek.

Now, the food would be good. Too much food. There was a rock for yams, for banana, for taro, whatever you wanted they had a rock for it.

Nafnag rutu wi. O, nafnag itop. Mm. Ipitlak faat ni nawi, ipitlak faat ni nanr, ipitlak faat ni ntal, teni apregnrogo rupitlaken.

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That's it.

Gawankia.

Long ago, in the time of idols, there was one idol, I don't know, bulldozers have worked up there.

Malpei, mal ni natap, ga, ipitlak natap iskei, ga atap tae mau puul ruto wok elag.

They make him an idol, he is a person, and he is open. When it rains you see the sand is piled up.

Gar rupreg ipi natap ga ipi natam̃ol, go imaag teflan to. Malen us iwo, kulek nawen ip̃ur

This bird that they call owl, it comes and stands on it and drinks until it satisfies its thirst. It flies off again but it is a stone.

Man iskei kia rusosoki oknait, sokfal, ga ipan laotuwes tu ne ito min nkanron pan ga inrogo namanrewen inom. Kimer nrir pa me ip̃ur tu, me ipi faat.

A big stone. I saw it, but today bulldozers have worked there and damaged it. It's at the place calle Em̃elfat, right at the end. A big stone, but it is a man.

Faat p̃ur. Kineu aleka me mees nen puul iwok kulekor pregsakir. Itu san rusosoki Em̃elfat nametp̃agon leg. Faat p̃ur me ipi natam̃ol.

You see this devil, you see it and run away. But now you aren't scared, you go close, "But is it a man or what?"

Kupan leka ntwam me kuleka kumtak kusef. Me malnen kuta mtak mau, kofo pak m̃eltig me natam̃ol ko nafte?

You find that it is an idol (natap) standing there. What they call an idol.

Ko wan p̃afam̃ori na natap kin ruilaotu. Tewan rusosoki natap kia.

Natopu is different, it is what God made and put on the Earth. He is a man but a different spirit.

E, natopu tep̃tae. Natopu, ga tenen kin ga ilakor pi tenen na Atua ga kipe preg ito emermen to. Ga ipi natam̃ol me ipi spirit p̃otae. Ipi naaten p̃otae.

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The idol is different. People made the idol.

Natap ga imsal. Natam̃ol ki na ipreg natap.

God makes the spirit, different spirits, and if you do wrong he will punish you, eh?

Me Atua kin ipreg naaten, naaten p̃otae, naaten nen kin ipi naaten nen kin iwel ag kurog, go kefo watgik, a?

God can't hurt you, he gives the spirit that to do. You go to one.

Atua ikano mai watgik mai tu natap tu na natap, naftemena, natopu nag kin to. P̃afan iskei.

And he will make bush medicine for it. Some of us know. Some people know. When you feel you are getting sick, this man will make leaf medicine for you.

Me ipo mer preg nalkis kenen, Iwel. Komam tete utae. Tete naat rutae. Malnen kin kuna kumsak go natam̃ol nen kin kefo gaag preg naul nkas taos meresin.

You drink it and he will say, "You go today, the natopu is there."

Kumingi kefo nrikin na, "Ag kupan mes, e, mau ni na, natopu nen pato. Kukraksm̃anri imaetki kia kefo sm̃anri.

He takes away your sickness. You are alive. That is his work. It is the Melanesian way.

Ale imer puetlu kuler ta msak mau kumer m̃ol tkanwan nawesien ipanki. Or, teni nanre ni Melanesian, a, gawanki

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Natopu, natap (idol) and potut (altar), they are all different. They are not the same.

Natopu, natap, go potut go rumsal. Rumsal ruta pitkaskei mau...