image: traditional Tujia brocade


Play All)Songs and sayings: Short Songs

This page contains a varied collections of songs: some are sung whilst working in the fields, some whilst caring for children, and others are sung to the accompaniment of the dongdongkui flute.

Contents

6.2.1: Traditional Song
6.2.2: Song about Tufei Bandits
6.2.3: Love Song
6.2.4: Duologue
6.2.5: Children's Song 1
6.2.6: Children's Song 2
6.2.7: Dongdongkui Flute Song 1
6.2.8: Dongdongkui Flute Song 2

6.2.1: Traditional Song

Lu Yunhua, Tasha Rural Township, Longshan County
recorded on 30 January 2003

01 bi2zi1ka3 luo4 yo wei, da4 bo3 ca2 luo wei, ku2bi1 bao1bao1 ga3 ong3-bo3-la1 yo wei, se3ke1 pe2ti1 jie3-xi2 xie2 luo wei.
The Tujia are good to one another, sitting on Kubi Outcrop, we have our own fields and land.
02 la2 long1 ri1-lie3 qie4 duo3 xie2 luo wei, ang2 da4 ai1ka2se1pa2 ri1 ya, se1pa2 ri1 yo wei.
A year's work gives us all we need, we work in the fields together, work in the fields.

6.2.2: Song about Tufei Bandits

Lu Bangzhen, Tasha Rural Township, Longshan County
recorded on 30 January 2003

01 xing2di1 suo1 pai3zang3 la2 hu3 xie2 o dui2wu1 jie3-xi2 zi2 guo2 ge4 le
In Xindi there was a man called No.3 Platoon Leader, All the troops were in fear of him,
02 long3sang1 xian2 zeng2hu1-nie3 ga2me1 me guo2 pa3qie2 xian1zang1 dang1 a dui2wu1 ang2 ge3 eng3zi3 ge4 o
An official in the Longshan County government appointed him village head, The troops didn't dare come to our area.

6.2.3: Love Song

Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 June 2002

01 da4 li3-nie3 nie1 ze2 ze2
A love song in two parts
02 Boy: a2da1 a2da1 nga2 ni2 jie3, hi2 ze2 jie3 duo3 ti2-bu1ce3. kei2di1 sa3 ga3 me3ga2-lie3, la1bai1la1bai1 ngo1 bo3 ze2.
Boy: My sister, my sister, I was calling you, ten times I called without reply. Why are you angry with me - tell me from beginning to end.
03 Girl: a3kuo1 a3kuo1 hang2 ta4 li3, nie3ba3 cu1 xie2 ti2-ta1ti1. qi2du1 nie3ba3 cu1 tai2-zu2, zi4si3 wu4-bo3 ni2 ba4-di2.
Girl: My brother, my brother, don't speak so, my parents were at home and I could not reply. When my parents are not at home, I will go out to gather pigweed and visit you.

6.2.4: Duologue

Peng Nanjing & Peng Nanyan, Pojiao Rural Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 July 2002

01 pa3tai1 pa3tai1 ka1pu1 ta4 a! nga2 se2 cuo4ni3 li4hong1 ga4
Listen to the sound of weaving! I'm digging the fields at the back of your house.
02 a! a! nga2 ze2ga3 le li2a4 a! a! ni2 nga2 ong1ga3 ga2-xi2 you jie3-da2!
Oh! I'm thirsty and hungry, but you haven't called me over for lunch.
03 ai1me1 a1guo1! nga2 me zeng1di1hua1 ni2 you yi3-da2, ni2 me nga2 ta1nie1 jiu1 li4hong1 ga4.
Now, my brother! I'm telling the truth; I couldn't see you, you were digging behind me.
04 ni2 hang2la4la3 jiu1 ze2ga3 la, qi2mo1 you nga2 la2 ze2 jie3-ta1.
If you were thirsty, why didn't you call over to me?

6.2.5: Children's Song 1

Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 June 2002

01 ao2luo1luo3, ao2luo1luo3, nga2-nie3 bo1li3 nie2bie1-duo3. ao2luo1luo3, ao2luo1luo3, nga2-nie3 bo1li3 sa3 ru3-duo3.
Aye-lo-lo, aye-lo-lo, my child needs to sleep, Aye-lo-lo, aye-lo-lo, my child must be good.
02 lao2zi1 mi2nie4 wu2 ka4-duo3, wu2 la2 ka4-lie3 ka3 la2 wo3, cu1-nie3 ye3-die1 ri1-ta1-duo3.
In future he must look after our cow, look after our cow and fetch firewood, the household chores are not for him.

6.2.6: Children's Song 2

Tian Xintao, Daba Township, Yongshun County
recorded on 05 August 2002

01 wu2 la ka4 le ka3 la wo4! cu1-nie3 sa3-die1 ri1-aduo3.
Graze the cow! Fetch the firewood! Do the household chores.

6.2.7: Dongdongkui Flute Song 1

Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 June 2002

01 dong3dong3kui1, dong3dong3kui1, long3tou3 gai1sang1 ge3ci2-xie2, bao1jing3 gai1sang1 ra3 ha3-xie2,
Dongdongkui, dongdongkui, let's go and play in Longtou,
02 ying1seng3 gai1sang1 ye3 lu3-xie2, seng3zou1 da3-bo3 ye3 ha3-xie2.
let's go and kick shuttlecocks in Baojing, let's go and sell things in Yongshun, or head down to Chenzhou to trade.

6.2.8: Dongdongkui Flute Song 2

Peng Wugen, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 20 July 2002

01 ...wu2 pa1re1long3 ka4-i, ka3 ka3 la2 wo3 wo4-i, ...ba1lie3 ca3cei1 si1lie1ong3, si1lie1ong3 le
I'm going to Parelong to graze the cow, I'm going to fetch a load of firewood, At Balie my sister-in-law is in confinement with a new-born child,
02 guo2duo3 ong3, ra3lie3 nie1 bu2 ta2-bo3 heng. ...sa1mi1 la2 su1 za1-bo3 heng!
There she sits, cooking her two fried eggs to eat, ...steep a bowlful of 'tangsa' rice cake for her!

 

 

 

 

 

n: Tujia minority n: person part: (excl) part: (excl) advm: all, together part: (IO) vi: to be good part: (excl) pn: (name of a place) n: projecting place n: on vi: to sit vsuff: [stative] vsuff: [continuous, repetitive] n: (irrigated) field n: field (non-irrigated) vt: to shout, call vsuff: [that which] vt: to have num: one cl: year vt: to work, do vsuff: [past] pron: what advm: all pron: we n: agricultural work part: (excl) n: farm work pn: Xindi (village in Tasha rural township) num: three n: platoon leader cl: (for people) part: (excl) n: troops advm: naturally pron: he vt: to fear part: (new topic marker) pn: Longshan (county in Xiangxi Prefecture) n: county n: Government suff: ['s] n: official part: (topic marker) vt: to send n: township head vt: to serve as part: (excl) pron: this vi: come! vt: to say num: two cl: mouthful, sentence vt: to tell -: - n: elder sister pron: I, me pron: you num: ten vt: to answer vsuff: [not have] pron: what n: words, matters vi: to be angry advm: methodically pron: I, me -: - n: elder brother advm: like this neg: don't n: parents n: home vsuff: [can't] pron: when vi: to not have suff: [then] n: pigweed (fodder for feeding pigs) vt: to pull up vt: to look at vsuff: [come] onom: (sound of weaving) n: flower vt: to weave pron: you (pl) n: back yard n: field vt: to dig (the fields) vi: to be thirsty vi: to be hungry n: lunch vt: to eat, bite part: (excl) vsuff: [not] conj: then n: elder brother expr: true words, truth vt: to see n: back conj: then advm: like this part: (excl) pron: how vsuff: [won't] expr: (excl) n: child vi: to be asleep vsuff: [want] vt: to hear advt: tomorrow advt: day after tomorrow n: cow vt: to guard n: firewood cl: load n: thing nsuff: [plural] vt: to carry on the back vsuff: [want] n: 'dongdongkui', a traditional small flute pn: Longtou (township in Longshan County) expr: on the streets vi: to have fun vsuff: [come] pn: Baojing (county in Xiangxi Prefecture) n: hen vt: to hit pn: Yongshun (county in Xiangxi Prefecture) vt: to sell pn: Chenzhou vt: to go down pn: (name of a place) vsuff: [irrealis] pn: (name of a place) n: sister-in-law n: confinement (in childbirth) pron: (him)self n: hen's egg cl: (for compact round items such as eggs, stones, millet, firecrackers, and for events of brief duration) vt: to fry; to dry in the sun part: (excl) n: deep-fried puffed glutinous rice cakes cl: bowl(ful) vt: to steep


Copyright (C) 2004 Philip & Cecilia Brassett