The Book of the Nishan Shaman 09

Previous instalments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

[Paweł has now completed the draft translation of the entire book (there will be 22 installments in all), and now the two of us are meticulously going through the translation, word by word, exhaustively investigating every possibility where there is anything strange about the text.  This particular installment proved to be the most challenging so far, especially near the end where we made some interesting discoveries.  Enjoy!  –RA]

baldu bayan hengkixeme hendume wecen i alahangge, geren julen i jorihangge gemu inu sehe manggi saman emge hiyan be jafafi weshume gelabufi yemcen gisun jergi be bargiyafi,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
hengkixeme [kowtowing repeatedly]
hendume [said]

wecen i [shamanistic rite]
alahangge [what said]
geren julen i [whole story]
jorihangge [indicated]
gemu [everything]
inu [right]
sehe [said]
manggi [after]

saman [shaman]
emge [one] dict. form: emke
hiyan be [incense]
jafafi [having grasped]

weshume [stood up] dict. form: wesihume
gelabufi [having regained consciousness]

yemcen [drum]
gisun [drumstick]
jergi be [etc]
bargiyafi [having gathered]

Baldu Bayan kowtowing again and again said, “Everything told during the rite was correct”.  After that, the shaman grasped the incense and stood up, coming out of her trance.  She gathered the drum, the drumstick, and the other things.

baldu bayan dabtan i nade niyakvrafi songgome hendume saman gehe i gosime tuwahangge gemu yargiyan acanambi acanara be dahame gosici beyebe jobobume mini fosihvn boode mini jui i indahvn gese ergen be aitubureo,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
dabtan i [again]
na-de [on ground]
niyakvrafi [having knelt]

songgome [crying]
hendume [said]

saman gehe i [shaman lady’s]
gosime [pitying]
tuwahangge [what saw]
gemu [all]
yargiyan [really]
acanambi [was correct]

acanara be dahame [because (was) correct]

gosici [out of pity]
beye-be [yourself]
jobobume [make worry]
mini fosihvn boo-de [at my modest home]
mini jui i [my son]
indahvn gese [like dog]
ergen be [breath]
aitubureo [revive]

Baldu Bayan knelt down on the ground again, and cried, “The pitiful things you have seen are correct.  Since they are correct, out of pity and distress, please come to my modest home and revive my son’s dog-like life.”

ergen baha erinde enduri wecen be onggoro dorombio, mini beye baiha be dahame basan be cashvlara dorombio sehe

ergen [breath]
baha [got]
erin-de [when]

enduri wecen be [rite of the god]
onggoro [forget]
dorombio [is there a way] misspelling of doro bio

mini beye [I]
baiha be [request]
dahame [since]
basan be [pay] dict. form: basa
cashvlara [turning the back on sth]
dorombio [is there a way] misspelling of doro bio

sehe [said]
manggi [then]

“When he regains his breath, how could I forget about the ritual?  Since I requested this, how could I turn away from paying?”

manggi nixan saman hendume sini boode ere jui i emu inenggi banjiha indahvn bi, geli ilan aniya amila coko, misun jergi amba muru bodoci bidere seme fonjirede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

sini boo-de [at your home]
ere jui i [of this son]
emu inenggi [one day]
banjiha [born]
indahvn [dog]
bi [is]

geli [moreover]
ilan aniya [three years]
amila coko [rooster]
misun [fermented bean paste] this word seems to have something in common with Japanese 味噌 miso
jergi [and so on]

amba muru [probably]
bodoci [if foretold]
bidere [is that so]

seme [saying]
fonjire-de [when asked]

Then the Nishan Shaman said, “At your home, there is a dog born on the same day as your son, a three-year old rooster, and fermented bean paste. If I foretold right, tell me it is so.”

baldu bayan hendume bisirengge yargiyan tuwahangge tondo kai, ferguwecuke enduri saman kai,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
hendume [said]

bisirengge [what is there]
yargiyan [true]

tuwahangge [what (you)  saw]
tondo [right]
kai emphatic particle

ferguwecuke [astonishing]
enduri [god’s]
saman [shaman]
kai emphatic particle

Baldu Bayan answered, “It is true!  What you saw is right!  You are an astonishing, powerful shaman!”

te bi bahaci amba ahvra be axxabumbi ujen ahvri be unume gamaki sembi, bairengge mini jui i ajige ergen be aitubureo serede

te [now]
bi [I]
bahaci [hope]

amba ahvra be [great costume (and paraphernalia)] can be spelled agvra
axxabumbi [make move or shake]*

ujen [heavy, serious]
ahvri be [costume] dict. form: ahvra
unume [carrying]
gamaki sembi [want to take]

bairengge [request]
mini jui i [my son’s]
ajige ergen be [weak life]
aitubureo [revive]

serede [said]

“Now, I hope that you will shake the great costume, that you’ll want to carry this heavy costume, that you will please revive my weak son.”

*Perhaps “shaking the costume” refers to the shaman dancing in the costume.

nixan saman injeme hendume ajige eberi saman ainaha icihiyame mutebure mekelen bade ulin menggun fayambi tusa akv bade turgin jiha wajimbi, gvwa mutere saman sabe baisu, bi serengge teni taciha saman tesu bahara unde, ice taciha saman ilban bahara unde, aibe sambi serede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
injeme [laughing]
hendume [said]

ajige eberi saman [weak, inferior shaman]
ainaha [why]
icihiyame [manage]
mutebure [can]

mekelen bade [in vain] can be spelled mekele
ulin [money, treasures]
menggun [silver]
fayambi [spend]

tusa akv bade [with no benefit] tusa [benefit, interest]
turgin [wages] dict. form: turigen
jiha [money (copper coins)]
wajimbi [end]

gvwa mutere saman sa-be [other skilled shamans]
baisu [ask]

bi [I]
serengge [what said]
teni [mere]
taciha saman [student shaman]
tesu [locally]
bahara [get]
unde [not yet]
ice taciha saman [newly learned shaman]
ilban [service] misspelling of alban
bahara [get]
unde [not yet]
aibe [what]
sambi [know]

sere-de [when said]

Laughing, the Nishan Shaman said, “How can a young weak shaman manage? You will spend a fortune in vain, you will lose your money with no benefit.  Ask other, skilled shamans.  I am a mere student shaman.  I have not yet achieved the basics.  I am a novice shaman.  I have not passed my service yet. What do I know?”

baldu bayan niyakvrafi hengileme gosiholome songgome bairengge saman gehe mini jui i ergen be aitubuci aisin menggun alha gecuhuri akta morin ihan honin jergi adun be dulin dendeme bufi baili de karulambi sehe manggi

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
niyakvrafi [having knelt]

hengkileme [kowtowing]
gosiholome [being distressed]
songgome [crying]

bairengge [request]
saman gehe [shaman lady]
mini jui i [my son’s]
ergen be [breath, life]
aitubuci [if revive]

aisin [gold]
menggun [silver]
alha gecuhuri [variegated, many coloured brocade or satin with dragons or flowers depicted on it] dict. form: gelcuheri
akta morin [geldings]
ihan [cattle]
honin [sheep]
jergi be [other goods]
dulin [half]
dendeme [dividing]
bufi [having given]

baili de [for mercy]
karulambi [repay]

sehe [said]
manggi [after]

Baldu Bayan knelt, and kowtowing in distress he cried, “Please, shaman lady! If you bring my son back to life, I will divide my gold, silver, many coloured fabrics, geldings, cattle and sheep, and other goods, and I will give one half of them to you, as repayment for your mercy.”

nixan saman arga akv hendume bayan agu ilii

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
arga akv [could do nothing about it] lit. (there was) no way
hendume [said]

bayan agu [wealthy friend]
ilii [stand up] dict. form: ili

The Nishan Shaman could do nothing about it and said, “Stand up, my wealthy friend!”

bi bai emu mudan geneme tuwaki, jabxabuci inu ume urgunjere ufarabuci inu ume usahara, ere jergi gisun be getuken i donjihao sehede,

bi [I]
bai [only]
emu mudan [once]
geneme [go]
tuwaki [will see]

jabxabuci [if have good luck]
inu [even]
ume urgunjere [do not rejoice]

ufarabuci [if fail]
inu [even]
ume usahara [do not be angry] dict. form: ushara

ere jergi gisun be [these and other words]
getuken i [understandable]
donjihao [hear?]

sehe-de [when said]

“I shall go and see only once.  Do not rejoice even if I am lucky.  Do not be be angry even if I fail.  Do you understand what I said?”

baldu bayan ambula urgunjeme ubaliyame ilifi aname dambagu tebume baniha bume wajifi uce tucime morin yalufi

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
ambula [greatly, very]
urgunjeme [rejoicing]
ubaliyame [looked around]
ilifi [having stood up]

aname [pushing]
dambagu [tobacco]
tebume [filled up (a pipe)]
baniha [thanks]
bume [giving]
wajifi [having finished]

uce [door]
tucime [went out]
morin [horse]
yalufi [having mounted]

Baldu Bayan looked around rejoicingly and stood up. He offered her a filled pipe of tobacco, went out the door, and mounted his horse.

boo baru jime uthai  ahalji bahalji sebe hvlafi hahilame giyoo sejen morin jergi be belhefi saman be ganareo serede

boo baru [towards home]
jime [came]
uthai [then]

ahalji bahalji se-be [Ahalji and Bahalji]
hvlafi [having called]

hahilame [hurrying]
giyoo [sedan chair] dict. form: kiyoo
sejen [chariot]
morin [horses]
jergi be [other things]
belhefi [having prepared]

saman be [shaman]
ganareo [bring] lit. go and get

serede [said]

He rushed home and immediately called Ahalji and Bahalji: “Hurry up, prepare a sedan chair, chariot, horses and other things, and go and get the shaman!”

uthai gemu teksin yungkiyan tohome belhefi ahalji bahalji se geren be gaime saman be okdonome yabume goidahakv nisihai birai dalin i nixan saman i boode isinafi

uthai [immediately]
gemu teksin [everything]**
yungkiyan [completely] dict. form: yongkiyan
tohome [saddled]
belhefi [having prepared]

ahalji bahalji se [Ahalji and Bahalji]
geren be [everything]
gaime [took]
saman be [shaman]
okdonome [going to meet]
yabume [went]

goidahakv [before long] lit. not enduring
nisihai bira-i [Nisihai River’s]
dalin i [bank]
nixan saman i [the Nisan Shaman]
boo-de [to house]
isinafi [having come]

Immediately, completely saddled up and having prepared everything, Ahalji and Bahalji took everything and went to meet the shaman.  Before long, they came to the house of the Nisan Shaman on the bank of the Nisihai River.

**Dictionaries don’t have this term, but Norman has gulhun teksin [neat, orderly] (gulhun alone means “complete, intact”.  teksin means “even” or “level”, so we can take gemu teksin to mean “completely everything”.

saman be acafi elhe baifi weceku guise jergi be ilan sejen de dendeme tebufi saman giyoo de tefi jakvn asihata tukiyeme deyere gese dartai andande yuwan wai i boode isinjifi

saman be [shaman]
acafi [having met]
elhe baifi [having asked after health]

weceku [spirits] or more accurately [placings for spirits]
guise [chests] from Chinese 櫃子 guì zi
jergi be [other things]
ilan sejen de [on three chariots]
dendeme [divided]
tebufi [having put]

saman [shaman]
giyoo de [on sedan chair]
tefi [having sat]

jakvn asiha-ta [eight youths]
tukiyeme [raised]
deyere [flying]
gese [like]

dartai andande [in a moment]
yuwan wai i [landlord’s]
boo-de [house]
isinjifi [having come]

Having met the shaman, they asked about her health. They divided her spirit-placings, chests, and other things and put them on three chariots. The shaman sat on the sedan chair, and eight youths raised it and, as if flying, they came to the landlord’s house in no time.

baldu bayan okdome dosimbufi weceku guisebe amba nahan i dulin de faidafi dere yasa obofi hiyan dabufi ilan jergi hengkilefi

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
okdome [greeting]
dosimbufi [having admited]

weceku [spirits]
guise-be [chests]
amba nahan i dulin de*** [in the middle of the great kang]
faidafi [having arranged]

dere [face]
yasa [eyes]
obofi [having washed]

hiyan [incense]
dabufi [having lit]

ilan jergi [three times]
hengkilefi [having kowtowed]

Baldu Bayan greeted and admitted the guest, arranged the spirit-placings and chests in the middle of the great kang***, washed his face and eyes, lit incense, and kowtowed three times.

***amba nahan – great kang, the kang facing the entrance of the house

amala saman dere obofi buda belhefi jeme wajifi usihin fungku i dere mafulafi yemcen belhefi

amala [after that]
saman [shaman]
dere [face]
obofi [having washed]

buda [meal]
belhefi [having prepared]

jeme [eating]
wajifi [having finished]

usihin fungku i [with wet towel]
dere [face]
mafulafi [having wiped] dict. form: mabulafi

yemcen [drum] dict. form: imcin
belhefi [having prepared]

After that, the shaman washed her face, and prepared and ate a meal. She wiped her face with a wet towel and prepared her drum.

weceku de yayame baime yemcen tungken forire de emu gaxan de bisire ilan duin saman sa dahalame yemcen forici gemu mudande acanarakv ojoro jakade

weceku de [to the spirit]
yayame [mumbling]
baime [seek, ask, summon]

yemcen tungken [drums]
forire de [beating]
emu gaxan de [in village]
bisire [being, residing]
ilan duin saman sa [three or four shamans]
dahalame [following]
yemcen [drums]
forici [when beaten]

gemu [all]
mudan-de [rhythm]
acanarakv ojoro jaka-de [when could not fit]

Mumbling, she summoned the spirit. Three or four shamans from the village beat their drums trying to follow her, but they could not fit the rhythm.

nixan saman hendume ere gese teksin akv oci absi hanilambi serede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

ere gese [like this]
teksin akv [uneven]
oci [if is]

absi [how]
hanilambi**** [go to the Underworld]

sere-de [when said]

The Nishan Shaman said, “If it is so uneven, how can I go to the Underworld?”

****hanilambi (hanalambi) – this word can’t be found in any of the dictinaries we know. At first our hypothesis was that it was a variant of hailambi, MaChMo:不受享 bù shòu ​xiǎng ​​“to not enjoy, to not accept an offering” (the second sense confirmed by Norman). However, Kawachi claims that it means 死の世界に行く – “to go to the Underworld”, making reference to Shirokogoroff’s “Psychomental Complex of the Tungus“, p308. This seemed a bit suspicious until we found out that the verb most probably is a loan from Chinese 觀落陰 (观落阴) guān ​luò​ yīn , a Daoist ritual of entering the spirit world, still popular today. You can read more about it here, and even watch a short video.  Daoism and Chinese Folk Religion influenced each other heavily early on.

yuwan wai jabume meni emu tokso de yargiyan mutere niyalma akv oho, saman gehe de daci dahalaha da jari bici alafi ganabuki sehede

yuwan wai [landlord]
jabume [answered]

meni emu tokso de [in our village]
yargiyan [truly]
mutere niyalma akv oho [there are no skilled people]

saman gehe de [shaman lady de (see note following bici)]
daci [formerly]
dahalaha [following]
da [main]
jari [shaman’s helper, assistant] from jarimbi [to chant prayers (of a shaman)]
bici [if was] the construction “X-de Y bi” means “X has Y”

alafi [having said]
ganabuki [will be brought]

sehede [said]

The landlord answered, “Truly, there are no skilled people in our village.  If you had had an assistant before, tell me and he will be brought.”

nixan saman hendume meni gaxan de tehe nadanju sede ujihe emu nara fiyanggo bihebi,

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

meni gaxan de [in my village]
tehe [living]
nadanju se-de [seventy year old]
ujihe [born]
emu nara fiyanggo [a Nara Fiyanggo] lit. Nara the Youngest, dict. form: fiyanggv
bihebi [there is]

The Nishan Shaman said, “There is one Nara Fiyanggo, seventy years old, living in my village.

ere niyalma cingkai dahalara be dahame yemcen geyen jergide gemu ureshvn gese ere niyalma jici yargiyan i joborakv xaxun ijishvn bihe serede

ere niyalma [this man]
cingkai [completely]
dahalara be [following]
dahame [submitting]

yemcen [drum]
geyen [chanting] dict. form: geye, this term corresponds to Sanskrit gāthā
jergide gemu [everything else]
ureshvn [familiar]
gese [like]

ere niyalma [this man]
jici [if come]

yargiyan i [really]
joborakv [not worry]

xaxun [shred, piece]*****
ijishvn [obedient]
bihe [is]

serede [said]

This man submits to me completely, and he can beat the drum and chant and is familiar with everything else.   If he comes, I will not worry.  He is obedient in everything.”

***** The meaning of the word xaxun found in dictionaries is [1. tinder, small pieces of wood used to start a fire 2. shred, piece 3. meat or fish paste], which made me think that xaxun ijishvn might mean every shred obedient, but there is no evidence to prove this hypothesis. Durrant interprets it as a loan-word from Chinese 孝順 (孝顺) xiào​shùn filial piety, but the dictionary form of this word is hiyooxun (and it appears several times in the text in this form).

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