15

Suti Solo do Bina Bane: A Version from the Domain of Bilba

When I set out to bring poets from different parts of Rote to Bali for recording in 2006, I was entirely uncertain of whom I would be able to attract and, more importantly, what the abilities of these various poets would be. Initially I had to rely on two master poets who were critical to the project from the beginning: Esau Pono from Termanu and Ande Ruy from Ringgou. In turn, they relied on what they could learn about the reputations of other poets in different domains. I insisted that we endeavour to invite poets from all the domains—or at least all the larger domains—thus prompting them to seek out a range of able poets. In the second recording session that I held, we invited some notable poets from Landu and one distinguished elder poet from Bilba, who unfortunately came down with malaria and was able to provide only a limited number of recitations. It was not until the fifth recording session, in October 2009, that I was able to invite another three able poets from Bilba. Among these poets was Kornalius Medah, who turned out to be a poet of exceptional ability: able, versatile and fluent, with a considerable and distinctive repertoire. His recitation of Suti Solo do Bina Bane is the longest I recorded and is certainly one of the most elaborate. Although it resembles, in many recognisable features, recitations of Suti Solo do Bina Bane from Termanu, it is distinctive and remarkable.

The Narrative Structure of Kornalius Medah’s Suti Solo do Bina Bane

Like other versions of Suti Solo do Bina Bane, Kornalius Medah’s narrative recounts a journey. This journey follows a cycle that eventually returns to where it began. The narrative begins and ends in Dulu Oli//Langa Le (‘East Estuary’//‘Headland River’). Suti Solo and Bina Bane leave Dulu Oli//Langa Le, enter the sea and begin their journey in search of a place of ‘certainty and security’ where they hope to be able to find a ‘true mother’ (literally, ‘a birth mother’: ina bongi) and a ‘true father’ (literally, ‘a birth father’: ama bongi). At one point, this sought-after kin attachment is also referred to as a ‘lineage aunt’ (te’o leo) and ‘land mother’ (ina ingu).

On their journey, Suti Solo and Bina Bane experience various ‘encounters’, each of which in the end proves unfulfilling. These encounters are personalised and designated by distinct person/place names. Each name reveals the nature and condition of the encounter. Initially, Suti Solo and Bina Bane find contentment in the sea: the rolling waves and meandering sea (pela oe leleu//tasi oe lalama).

In the sea, the shells experience three encounters:

1.	tele tasi//hamu le	‘sea refuse’//‘river dregs’
2.	engga lima//latu koko	‘Seaweed Lima’//‘Waterweed Koko’
3.	le naluk//lifu loak	‘long river’//‘wide pool’

Only after this sea journey does the girl ‘Tomorrow’s Tide’ and the woman ‘Dawning Sea’ (Meti Balaha//Tasi Dulupila) scoop the two shells from the sea. They, in turn, place the shells within the house, but the shells shift from one place within the house to another:

4.	timi di//nata tuak	‘house post’//‘lontar beam’
5.	bou tua//neka hade	‘lontar vat’//‘rice basket’

When neither of these places proves satisfactory, they shift progressively further from the house to:

6.	tua timu//hade safu	‘east lontar (season)’//‘savu rice (harvest)’
7.	nita lete//dela mo	‘mountain nitas (tree)’//‘field delas (tree)’
8.	tuli tini//kaba osi	‘pigeon pea garden’//‘cotton field’

Figure 18: Kornalius Medah

They then make a decision to return to Dulu Oli//Langa Le and there set forth on a specifically named path (eno//longe) that is identified as that of:

9.

Hena Le//I Lasi

‘Pandanus River’//‘Jasmine Forest’

This path leads them to:

10.

Nilu Neo//Ko Nau

‘The Nilu Neo Tree’//‘The Ko Nau Tree’

Nilu Neo//Ko Nau become their ‘true mother’ and ‘true father’ (ina bongi//ama bongi), where they rest ‘content’ and ‘satisfied’ (tesa teik//tama dalek).

As such, Kornalius Medah’s Suti Solo do Bina Bane is more of a ritual lament about the nature of life than an origin chant. After the departure of the shells from Dulu Oli//Langa Le and until their return, each episodic encounter follows a similar formulaic development that begins with initial contentment but quickly turns to disappointment and leads to a departure in search of yet another encounter.

For presentation’s sake, I have arranged this recitation into separate sections beginning in Dulu Oli//Langa Le, followed in turn by a succession of encounters, concluding with the return to Dulu Oli//Langa Le and the Pandanus//Jasmine path leading to Nilu Neo//Ko Nau.

Kornalias Medah’s recitation begins with the shells in East Estuary and Headland River with both their mother and their father. They wake their parents to seek for peace and well-being (soda-molek), recognising that there are inner satisfaction and heartfelt contentment with both mother and father in East Estuary and Headland River. Yet this condition is neither certain nor lasting.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane in East Estuary (Dulu Oli) and Headland River (Langa Le)

1.	Tene-tu ana mak Le Naluk	Hasten the orphan Le Naluk
2.	Ma hae-lai falu ina Oli Loak.	And hurry the widow Oli Loak.
3.	Faik lia nasa-kendu Le Lain	On this day, Le Lain sobs
4.	Ma ledok na nama-tani Oli Dale	And at this time, Oli Dale cries
5.	Sama leo Suti Solo	Just like Suti Solo
6.	Ma deta leo Bina Bane.	And similar to Bina Bane.
7.	Te hu faik lia Suti ma-no ina bongik	But on this day Suti has a birth mother
8.	Ma ledok na Bina ma-no ama bongik,	And at this time Bina has a birth father,
9.	Suti no ina na ma Bina no ama na.	Suti with his mother and Bina with his father.
10.	Hu no tepok lia Suti natane sodak ka	At that time Suti seeks well-being
11.	Ma lelek na Bina teteni molek ka.	And at the moment Bina asks for peace.
12.	Lia na foa kela ina bongi na	He wakes his true mother
13.	Ma lako kela ama bongi na,	And to greet his true father,
14.	Mai de tena neuk Dulu Olin	To descend to Dulu Oli
15.	Ma monu neuk Langa Len, lae:	And go down onto Langa Le, saying:
16.	‘Tesa teik Dulu Oli	‘There is inner satisfaction in Dulu Oli
17.	Ma tama dalek Langa Le.’	And heartfelt contentment in Langa Le.’
18.	Te hu tean tak Dulu Olin	Yet nothing is certain at Dulu Oli
19.	Ma mepen tak Langa Len	And nothing is permanent at Langa Le.

The shells descend into the sea where they continue to find contentment and satisfaction in the rolling waves but they are no longer with their parents. These lines, as is so often the case in ritual language recitations, shift between singular and plural in reference to the shells.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Descend into the Rolling Waves and Meandering Seas

20.	Faik lia dilu liu na neu	On this day, he goes down into the ocean
21.	Ma ledok na loe sain na neu	At this time, he descends into the sea
22.	Neu no pela oe leleu ka	To go with the rolling waves
23.	Ma neu no tasi oe lalama ka.	And to go with the meandering seas.
24.	Neu [no] pela oe leleu ka,	To go with the rolling waves,
25.	Hika boe setele	Laughing loudly
26.	Ma neu tasi oe lalama	In the meandering seas
27.	Eki boe lata-dale.	Shouting gaily.
28.	Lia na lae:	So they say:
29.	Tesa teik pela oe leleu na	Satisfaction in the rolling waves
30.	Ma tama dalek tasi oe lalama na.	Contentment in meandering seas.
31.	Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
32.	Ho tunu-hai leo lia	There is trouble there
33.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
34.	Ho kelo-kea leo na.	There is difficulty there.
35.	Lia na dadi neuk Suti Solo	This happens to Suti Solo
36.	Ma na moli neuk Bina Bane	And this arises for Bina Bane
37.	Ho ina o tak ma ama o tak.	With no mother and with no father.

A storm arises and the shells lose their inner pods. They bob like boa wood and drift like piko wood, speaking and crying to themselves.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane are Carried Away by Storm and Cyclone

38.	Faik lia luli dulu fafae na	On day a storm arises in the waking east
39.	Ma ledok na sangu langa titipa na.	And at one time a cyclone blows at the thrusting head.
40.	Boe ma li sio lasa-ngengeli	Nine waves rage
41.	Ma nafa falu laka-tutulek	And eight crests heave
42.	Pode ketu Suti ate na	Cutting loose Suti’s liver
43.	Ma lui ketu Bina ngi na.	Pulling out Bina’s pods.
44.	Suti bonu-bonu,	Suti bobs and bobs,
45.	Bonu boa no ao na	Bobs like boa wood on his own
46.	Ho nama-tani no ao na.	Crying on his own.
47.	Bina ele-ele,	Bina drifts and drifts,
48.	Ele piko no ao na	Drifts like piko wood on his own
49.	Ho nama-tani no ao na.	Crying on his own.
50.	Boe ma Suti de’a-de’a no Bina	Then Suti speaks with Bina
51.	Ma Bina kola-kola no Suti:	And Bina talks with Suti:
52.	‘Tia Suti nga ko	‘Suti, my friend
53.	Ma sena Bina nga ko,	And Bina, my companion,
54.	Tean o tak ma mepen o tak.	Nothing is certain and nothing permanent.
55.	Pode hini ita ate na	Our liver is cut away
56.	Lui hini ita ngi na	And our pod is pulled out
57.	De bonu boa to ao tala	We bob like boa wood on our own
58.	Ma ele-ele to ao tala,	And we drift and drift on our own,
59.	Tehu ma-uak ka dei	But with fortune still
60.	Ma-nalek ka bali.’	And with luck yet.’

Suti Solo and Bina Bane begin their encounters, the first of which is with sea refuse and river dregs. Rather than being directed to these encounters, each encounter marks the movement of the shells. An encounter begins in optimism and ends with recognition of that encounter’s impermanence and of the need to continue the journey.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Encounter Sea Refuse and River Dregs

61.	Faik lia tele tasi bobonu na	This day the sea’s refuse comes bobbing
62.	Ma hamu le e’ele na.	And the river’s dregs drift by.
63.	Suti tepa noi tele tasi	Suti meets the sea’s refuse
64.	Ma Bina kala noi hamu le.	And Bina strikes the river’s dregs.
65.	Luku no hamu le	Squats on the river’s dregs
66.	Ma sake no tele tasi,	And snuggles with the sea’s refuse,
67.	Hika no setele	Laughing loudly
68.	Ma eki ho lata dale.	And shouting with joy.
69.	Boe ma dua dea-dea	Then the two speak
70.	Ma dua kola-kola	And the two talk
71.	‘Tean nai hamu le so	‘Certainty lies in the river’s dregs
72.	Mepen nai tele tasi so.	And security rests in the sea’s refuse.
73.	De hika boe-boe setele	To laugh out loud
74.	Ma eki boe-boe lata-dale.	And shout out with joy.
75.	Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
76.	Tean tak hamu le	There is no certainty in the river’s dregs
77.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
78.	Mepen tak tele tasi.’	There is nothing lasting in the sea’s refuse.’
79.	Faik lia luli dulu fafae seluk	One day a storm arises again in the waking east
80.	Ma ledok na sangu langa titipa seluk.	And at one time a cyclone blows again at the head.
81.	Boe ma li lasa-ngengeli	The waves rage
82.	Ma nafa laka-tutulek.	And the crests heave
83.	Li tipa hini Suti	The waves push Suti away
84.	Ma nafa sonu hini Bina.	And the crests thrust Bina away.
85.	De bonu-bonu no ao na	He bobs and bobs on his own
86.	Ho nasa-kedu no ao na	While sobbing on his own
87.	Ma ele-ele no ao na	And he drifts and drifts on his own
88.	Ho nama-tani no ao na.	While crying on his own.
89.	Li tipa nini mai	The waves push forward
90.	Ho tipa nini Suti mai	Pushing Suti forward
91.	Ma nafa toko nini mai	And the crest thrusts forward
92.	Ho toko nini Bina mai.	Thrusting Bina forward.
93.	Ma-uak neu Suti Solo	Luck is with Suti Solo
94.	Ma-nalek neu Bina Bani.	And good fortune is with Bina Bane.

The next encounter is with seaweed and waterweed. The shells join with this seaweed but its vulnerability to heat and rain makes it particularly fragile. So, crying to themselves, the shells move onward.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Encounter Seaweed Lima and Waterweed Koko

95.	Faik lia tepa noi Engga Lima	One day they meet Seaweed Lima
96.	Ledo na kala noi Latu Koko.	At one time they encountered Waterweed Koko.
97.	Suti de’a-de’a no ao na	Suti speaks to himself
98.	Ma Bina kola-kola no ao na,	And Bina talks to himself,
99.	‘Dua topa teuk Engga Lima leo	‘Let us two befriend Seaweed Lima
100.	Ma dua tai teuk Latu Koko leo.’	And let us two be close to Waterweed Koko.’
101.	Boe ma luku lo Engga Lima	So they squat with Seaweed Lima
102.	De tesa teik Engga Lima	And are satisfied with Seaweed Lima
103.	Ma sake lo Latu Koko	And they snuggle with Waterweed Koko
104.	De tama dale Latu Koko.	And are content with Waterweed Koko.
105.	Lae: ‘Tean na nai lia so.’	They say: ‘Certainty is here.’
106.	Ma lae: ‘Mepen na nai na so.’	And they say: ‘Permanence is here.’
107.	Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
108.	Ho tunu-hai leo lia	There is trouble there
109.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
110.	Ho kelo-kea leo na.	There is difficulty there.
111.	Faik na uda te Engga Lima	One day the rain spears Seaweed Lima
112.	Ma lelek lia ledo ha Latu Koko.	And one time the sun heats Waterweed Koko.
113.	De tean ta Engga Lima	So no certainty with Seaweed Lima
114.	Ma mepen tak Latu Koko.	And no security with Waterweed Koko.
115.	Uda te Engga Lima	The rain spears Seaweed Lima
116.	De kou heni Engga Lima	Causing Seaweed Lima to disappear
117.	Ma ledo ha Latu Koko	And the sun heats Waterweed Koko
118.	De noe heni Latu Koko	Causing Waterweed Koko to dissolve
119.	Dadi neu te’o leo	To [cease] to become a lineage aunt
120.	Ma moli neuk ina ingu.	And [cease] to be a domain mother.
121.	Lasakedu lo ao nala	They sob to themselves
122.	Ma lamatani lo ao nala.	And cry to themselves.

The shells drift to Long River and Wide Pool where again they recognise the precariousness of their situation.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Encounter Long River and Wide Pool

123.	Boema bonu-bonu lo ao nala	So they bob and bob on their own
124.	Bonu boa lo ao nala	Bob like boa wood on their own
125.	Ma ele-ele lo ao nala	And drift and drift on their own
126.	Ele piko lo ao nala.	Drift like piko wood on their own.
127.	Faik lia noi-tao leo lia	On this day, however one strives
128.	Ho tunu-hai leo lia	There is trouble there
129.	Ma ledok na sanga-tao leo na	At this time, however one seeks
130.	Ho kelo-kea leo na.	There is difficulty there.
131.	Faik lia bonu-bonu no ao	One day bobbing on his own
132.	Na tepa noi le naluk	He meets with long river
133.	Ma ledok na ele-ele no ao	One time drifting on his own
134.	Na te kala noi lifu loak.	He encounters wide pool.
135.	Bina luku no lifu loak	Bina squats in wide pool
136.	Ma Suti tai no le naluk.	And Suti meets with long river.
137.	Boema dua de’a-de’a lo ao nala	The two speak with each other
138.	Ma dua kola-kola lo ao nala.	And the two talk with each other.
139.	Ita tean tak le naluk	Our certainty is not in long river
140.	Ma ita mepen tak lifu loak.	And our security is not in wide pool.
141.	Boe ma noi-tao leo lia	But however one strives
142.	Ho tunu-hai leo lia	There is trouble there
143.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
144.	Ho kelo-kea leo na.	There is difficulty there.

At this point, Tomorrow’s Tide (Meti Balaha) and Dawning Sea (Tasi Dulupila) are introduced by their ritual names. They prepare their scoop-nets and then set out to fish for two required ritual fish—in this case, Moka Holu and Kuku Lake. Meti Balaha and Tasi Dulupila scoop up Suti Solo and Bina Bane from the middle of Long River and Wide Pool. The shells beg Meti Balaha and Tasi Dulupila to be their mother and father to protect and shelter them.

Tomorrow’s Tide and Dawning Sea Scoop-net Suti Solo and Bina Bane

145.	Feto Meti Balaha na	The girl Tomorrow’s Tide
146.	Ma ina Tasi Dulupila na	And the woman Dawning Sea
147.	Ane bubui ho seko	She braids and twines a scoop-net
148.	Seko bui na fepa deak	A scoop-net of heavy lontar leaf
149.	Teli kokono ho lai	She strings and twists a fishnet
150.	Lai ke na kabak dok.	A fishnet with cotton thread.
151.	Dua leu lama-seko totoko	The two go to cast their scoop-net
152.	Ma dua leu lama-lai lalano.	And the two go to throw their fishnet.
153.	Leo seko sanga Moka Holu	Scoop-netting for Moka Holu
154.	Ho kelak seko la Moka	To scoop forth Moka fish
155.	Na Moka la-holu ao.	For the Moka protects itself.
156.	Leu lai tunga Kuku Lake	Fishing for Kuku Lake
157.	Ho kelak lai la Kuku	To fish forth Kuku fish
158.	Na Kuku lasa-lake ao.	For the Kuku guards itself.
159.	Faik lia loe neuk metik	One day they go down to the tidal shore
160.	Ledok na dilu neuk namo	One time they descend to the estuary
161.	Tehu tepa lo noi Suti Solo	But they meet with Suti Solo
162.	Ma kala lo noi Bina Bane	And they encounter Bina Bane
163.	Bonu-bonu no ao na	Bobbing on his own
164.	Ho nai lifu loak ka dale so	In the middle of wide pool
165.	Ele-ele no ao na	Drifting on his own
166.	Ho nai le naluk ka dale.	In the middle of long river.
167.	Tek lai na neu	To be scooped into the fishnet
168.	Ma suma seko na neu.	And lifted into the scoop-net.
169.	Feto Meti Balaha	The girl Tomorrow’s Tide
170.	Mo ina Tasi Dulupila	And the woman Dawning Sea
171.	Lai neni Suti Solo mai	Fish and take Suti Solo
172.	Ma seko neni Bina Bane mai.	And scoop and take Bina Bane.
173.	Suti de’a-de’a no na	Suti speaks with her
174.	Ma Bina kola-kola no na:	And Bina talks with her:

Figure 19: Woman with scoop-net

‘The girl, Tomorrow’s Tide

And the woman, Dawning Sea

Fish and take Suti Solo

And scoop and take Bina Bane.’

175.	‘O, feto mama-seko nga ko	‘Oh, girl, scoop me up
176.	Ma o ina mama-lai nga ko	And oh, woman, fish me up
177.	Muni au ia Suti Solo	Take me here, Suti Solo
178.	Ma mini au ia Bina Bane.	And take me here, Bina Bane.
179.	Tehu ma-sulu au	But shelter me
180.	Sama leo au ama bongi	Like my birth father
181.	Ma ma-hapa au	And protect me
182.	Deta leo au ina bongi.’	Like my birth mother.’

Meti Balaha and Tasi Dulupila carry the shells to their house, placing them at the timi post and lontar beam. At first, they feel satisfied and content but then realise the impermanence of their new location and seek again for another mother and father.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane are Placed on the Timi Post and Lontar Beam

183.	Dua leni nana mai	The two carry them forth
184.	Fua neu timi di	Place them on the timi post
185.	Fe Suti no timi di	Allocate Suti to the timi post
186.	Ma bati Bina no nata tuak.	And assign Bina to the lontar beam.
187.	Tesa teik timi di	Satisfied at the timi post
188.	Ma tama dale nata tuak.	And content at the lontar beam.
189.	Hika ho boe setele	Laughing out loud
190.	Ma eki ho boe latadale.	And shouting with joy.
191.	Dua de’a-de’a lo ao nala	The two talk to themselves
192.	Ma dua kola-kola lo ao nala:	And the two speak to themselves:
193.	‘Ita nai na-sulu uda te ka	‘We are sheltered from the piercing rain
194.	Ma ita nai nahapa ledo ha ka.’	And we are protected from the scorching sun.’
195.	Dua boe de’a-de’a lo ao nala	The two again talk to themselves
196.	Ma dua boe kola-kola lo ao nala.	And the two again speak to themselves.
197.	Lae: ‘Tesa teik.’	They say: ‘[We are] satisfied.’
198.	Ma lae: ‘Tama dale.’	And they say: ‘[We are] content.’
199.	Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
200.	Ho tunu hai leo lia	There is difficulty there
201.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
202.	Ho kelo kea leo na.	There is trouble there.
203.	Faik lia uda te timi di	One day the rain spears the timi post
204.	De sengi heni timi di	It snaps the timi post
205.	Ma tepok na ledo ha nata-tua	One time the sun heats the lontar beam
206.	De pulu heni nata tuak.	It splits the lontar beam.
207.	Suti de’a-de’a no ao na	Suti talks to himself
208.	Ho nasakedu no ao na	While sobbing to himself
209.	Ma Bina kola-kola no ao na	And Bina speaks to himself
210.	Ho namatani no ao na:	While crying to himself:
211.	‘Tean tak timi di	‘No certainty in the timi post
212.	Ma mepen tak nata tuak.	And nothing lasting in the lontar beam.
213.	Ta ina teu bea bali	No mother for us to go to
214.	Ma ta ama teu bea dei	No father for us to go to
215.	Mai teu teteni seluk ina bongi ka	Let us again request a birth mother
216.	Ma teu tatane seluk ama bongi ka.’	And let us again ask for a birth father.’

The shells go next to the lontar vat and rice basket but again realise the impermanence of their situation. (Lines 244 and 245 are translated as they were spoken. These lines, however, would make more sense if they were not in the negative. Without the negative ‘tak’, they might read: ‘Let us go where there is certainty and let us go where there is permanence.’)

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Shift to the Lontar Vat and the Rice Basket

217.	Dua dilu leu	The two go down
218.	Ho dilu leu bou tuak	Go down to the lontar vat
219.	Ma dua loe leu	And the two descend
220.	Ho loe leu neka hade.	Descend to the rice basket.
221.	Dua de’a-de’a lo ao nala	The two talk to themselves
222.	Ma dua kola-kola lo ao nala:	And the two speak to themselves:
223.	‘Tean nai bou tuak so	‘There is certainty in the lontar vat
224.	Ma mepen nai neka hade so.	And there is permanence in the rice basket.
225.	Lole tama-hena	Let us well hope for
226.	Neu ina bongi ka leo	A birth mother
227.	Ma lena taka-bani	And let us fondly expect
228.	Neu ama bongi ka leo.	A birth father.
229.	Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
230.	Ho dadi neuk te’o leo	For someone to become a lineage aunt
231.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
232.	Ho moli neuk ina ingu	For someone to be a clan mother
233.	Ho bengu bafa ka dadi	Word of mouth reports
234.	Ma lali ma ka moli	And wagging of tongues reveal that
235.	Soke sasau neka	Scooping and ladling the basket
236.	Soke sau basa neka hade	Scoops and ladles all the rice from the basket
237.	Ma kola lului tua	Drawing and draining the lontar syrup
238.	Lui heni basa bou tua.’	Drains all the lontar vat.’
239.	Suti nasakedu seluk	Suti sobs again
240.	Ma Bina namatani seluk.	And Bina cries again.
241.	‘Tean tak ma mepen tak.	‘No certainty and no permanence.
242.	He, tia Suti nga ko	He, my dear friend Suti
243.	Ma he, sena Bina nga ko,	And he, my dear companion Bina,
244.	Ita teu bea tean tak	Let us go where there is (no) certainty
245.	Ma ita teu bea mepen tak.	And let us go where there is (no) permanence.
246.	Teu teteni bea balik	Let us go ask for someone again
247.	Ho lia dadi neuk ina bongi	Who may become a birth mother
248.	Ma teu tatane bea dei	And let us go request someone once more
249.	Ho na moli neuk ama bongi.’	And who may be a birth father.’

In the next lines, the shells move out of the house and into the fields where the lontar palm is tapped and rice is harvested. The time for tapping and harvesting with its accompanying celebrations is brief and thus also impermanent so the shells are left to themselves to cry and sob.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Shift to the East Lontar Season and Savu Rice Harvest

250.	Teu tateni tua timu	Let us go ask the lontar-tapping season
251.	Ma teu leo tatane hade safu	And let us go request the Savu rice harvest
252.	Ho tua timu lesu ngi	Lontar palms put out their inflorescences
253.	Na dua ngata dadi tasafali ao	Let us two renew ourselves
254.	Ma hade safu tona kale	And Savu rice bends at the head
255.	Na dua ngata moli tasafali ao tala.’	Then let us restore ourselves.’
256.	Faik lia leu	One day they go to
257.	Tua timu lesu ngi	The budding lontar inflorescences
258.	Ho kiki tua la-dopo	Where the tapping of the cleaning brush
259.	Na dadi neuk koa tua	Gives rise to great celebration
260.	Ma nesu ingu langu	And mortar’s heavy pounding
261.	Ho manu ingu na	With its squabbling chicken
262.	Dadi neu ngia sina.	Gives rise to great exuberance.
263.	Luku lo nesu ingu	Squatting with the great mortar
264.	Ma sake lo tua timu	And snuggling with the lontar tapping
265.	Hika ho setele	Laughing out loud
266.	Ma eki ho latadale.	And shouting with joy.
267.	Lae: ‘Tean liak so.’	They say: ‘Something certain is here.’
268.	Ma lae: ‘Mepen liak na so.’	And they say: ‘Something lasting is here.’
269.	Tehu ledok esa nai lia	But then at one time
270.	Na lengu heni nesu ingu	The great mortar is cast aside
271.	Ma faik esa nai na	And on one day
272.	Na hulu heni tua timu	The lontar season comes to an end
273.	Hu uda te tua timu	Because the rain spears the lontar tapping
274.	Na tua lama loe suma.	The lontar baskets are lowered.
275.	Te tean tak ma mepen tak.	Nothing certain and nothing permanent.
276.	Dua boe lasakedu	The two sob again
277.	Ma dua boe lamatani.	And the two cry again.

The shells move further afield to find a place with mountain nitas tree and the field delas tree. Both are large trees that have a marked flowering season. They join with these trees but when the rain puts an end to their flowering period, the shells are left to themselves as orphan and widow.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Move to the Mountain Nitas Tree and the Field Delas Tree

278.	Dua leu lateteni seluk	The two go in search again
279.	Lateni neuk nita lete	In search of the mountain nitas tree
280.	Ma dua leu latane seluk	And the two go in quest again
281.	Latane neuk dela mo.	In quest of the open field delas tree.
282.	Leu dei,	They go,
283.	Laneta lo nita lete	They encounter the nitas of the mountain
284.	Nita lete nabuna	The mountain nitas is in bloom
285.	Ma latonggo lo dela mo,	And they meet the open field delas,
286.	Dela mo napena	The delas is flowering
287.	Dadi latafali ao na	Renewing itself
288.	Ma moli laleo ao na.	And restoring itself.
289.	Dadi leu koa tua	These things give rise to great celebration
290.	Ma moli leu ngia sina.	And give forth great exuberance.
291.	Sake lo nita lete	They snuggle up to the mountain nitas
292.	Ho lo nita lete buna na	And with the blossoms of the mountain nitas
293.	Ma luku lo dela mo	And they squat with the field delas
294.	Ho lo dela mo pena na	And with the field delas’s flowers
295.	Hika ho setele	Laughing loudly
296.	Ma eki ho latadale.	And shouting for joy.
297.	‘Tia Suti nga ko	‘My friend, Suti
298.	Ma sena Bina nga ko	And my companion, Bina
299.	Tean tak nai ia	There is nothing certain here
300.	Ma mepen tak nai ia.’	And there is nothing lasting here.’
301.	Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
302.	Ho tunu-hai leo lia	There is difficulty there
303.	Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
304.	Ho kelo-kea leo na.	There is trouble there.
305.	Tean bei tak	There is yet nothing certain
306.	Ma mepen bei tak.	And there is yet nothing permanent.
307.	Faik lia timu lasa-lua dulu	One day the monsoon widens in the east
308.	Ma ledok na fa lasa-fali langa.	One time the west winds return to the head.
309.	Ani dulu fifiu	The east wind blows
310.	Lefa heni nita bunan	Letting drop the nitas blossoms
311.	Ma uda te dela pena	And the rains strike the delas flowers
312.	Kono heni dela pena.	Letting fall the delas flowers.
313.	Tehu be ana ma	But what of the orphan
314.	Ho ana ma lasakedu lo ao	The orphan sobs with himself
315.	Be ina falu	What of the widow
316.	Ho falu ina lamatani lo ao na.	The widow cries with herself.
317.	Dua de’a-de’a lo ao na	The two talk to each other
318.	Ma dua kola-kola lo ao na:	And the two speak to each other:
319.	‘Tean tak nita lete	‘No certainty with the mountain nitas tree
320.	Ma mepen tak dela mo.’	No permanence with the field delas tree.’

The shells move on again, this time to the pigeon pea garden and cotton field, whose harvest is late in season and affected by the wind and rain, leaving them alone.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Shift to the Pigeon Pea Garden and the Cotton Field

321.	Faik lia lae:	One day they say:
322.	Dua leu teteni leo	The two go to seek
323.	Ma ledok na lae:	And one time they say:
324.	Dua leu tatane leo	The two go to quest
325.	Leu de tepa loi tuli tini	They go to meet the pigeon pea garden
326.	Ma kala loi kaba osi	And to encounter the cotton field
327.	De luku lo kaba osi pena	Snuggling with the cotton field boll
328.	Ma sake lo tuli tini buna.	And squatting with pigeon pea garden flowers.
329.	Hika ho setele	They laugh out loud
330.	Ma eki ho latadale	And shout with joy
331.	Luku lo kaba osi	Snuggling in the cotton field
332.	Ma latadale neu tuli tini.	And happy in the pigeon pea garden.
333.	Tehu bei tean tak	But there is yet no certainty
334.	Ma bei mepen tak.	And yet no permanence.
335.	Faik lia uda te tuli tini	One day the rain strikes the pigeon pea garden
336.	Ma ledok na ani fiu kaba osi	One time the wind blows the cotton field
337.	Kono heni tuli buna	Letting fall the pigeon pea flowers
338.	Ma lapu heni kaba pena.	And lifting away the cotton bolls.

Suti Solo do Bina Bane come to recognise the uncertainty and impermanence of the world. They recognise that the human condition is to be orphaned and widowed. They resolve therefore to return to where they began at East Estuary and Headland River and there follow the Pandanus River and the Jasmine Forest.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Follow Pandanus River Road and Jasmine Forest Path

339.	Dua de’a-de’a lo ao na	The two talk with each other
340.	Ma dua kola-kola lo ao na:	And the two speak with each other:
341.	‘Teu teteni ina bongik ka leo	‘Let us go in search of a birth mother
342.	Te tean tak dae bafok	For there is no certainty on earth
343.	Ma teu tatane ama bongik ka leo	Let us go in quest of a birth father
344.	Te mepen tak batu poik ka.	For there is no permanence in the world.
345.	Teu tatane	Let us go in search
346.	Teu bea o tean tak	Let us go where there is no certainty
347.	Ma teu teteni	And let us go in quest
348.	Teu bea o mepen tak.	Let us go where there is no permanence.
349.	Ita dua dadi ana ma	Let us two become orphaned
350.	Ho ana ma Le Lai	With the orphan Le Lai
351.	Tasakedu to ao tala	That we may sob with each other
352.	Ita dua dadi falu ina	Let us two become widowed
353.	Ho falu ina Oe Bolo	With the widow Oe Bolo
354.	Tamatani to ao tala	That we may cry with each other
355.	Tasakedu to ao tala	Let us sob with each other
356.	Ho nai Dulu Oli	In Dulu Oli
357.	Ma tamatani to ao tala	And let us cry with each other
358.	Ho nai Lange Le.	In Langa Le.
359.	Au ia, ana mak Suti Solo	Here I am, the orphan Suti Solo
360.	Ma au ia, falu ina Bina Bane.	And here I am, the widow Bina Bane.
361.	Falu ina ko fali	I am a widow going back
362.	Ma ana ma ko tulek.	And an orphan returning.
363.	De ana ma teteni	The orphan quests
364.	Ho Suti Solo mu teteni	Suti Solo, you go in quest
365.	Ma falu ina tatane	And the widow searches
366.	Ho Bina Bane mu matane	Bina Bane, you go in search
367.	Teteni Hena Le	In quest of Hena Le [Pandanus River]
368.	Ho tabu tunga Hena Le	Treading along Hena Le
369.	Ma tatane I Lasi	In search of I Lasi [Jasmine Forest]
370.	Ho nama tunga I Lasi enok.	Following the I Lasi path.
371.	Nama osok maketu na	Hold on without letting go
372.	Ma molo Hena Le eno	And step on the Pandanus River road
373.	Molo osok mabasan.	Step along without stopping.
374.	Teteni Hena Le eno	Seek the Pandanus River path
375.	Ma tatane I Lasi dala	And quest for Jasmine Forest road
376.	Ho kelak molo tunga Hena Le enon	To step along Hena Le’s path
377.	Ma nama tunga I Lasi dala.	And follow along I Lasi’s road.

The shells arrive at East Estuary and Headland River and then begin to follow the steps and ladder that lead up the Pandanus River road and Jasmine Forest path.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Arrive at East Estuary and Headland River

378.	Ita dua tena Dulu Oli	So that we two arrive at Dulu Oli
379.	Ma ita dua monu Langa Le	And we two enter Langa Le
380.	Fali seluk Dulu Oli	Come back again to Dulu Oli
381.	Ma tulek seluk Langa Le.	And return again to Langa Le.
382.	Teu dulu	Let us go east
383.	Lada edak losa nateke na	The ladder leads upward
384.	Ma teu langa	Let us go to the head
385.	Ho nasalai kakae losa nabasan	The steps lead to the top
386.	Molo tunga Hena Le eno	Step along the Pandanus River road
387.	Ma nama tunga I Lasi longe	And follow along the Jasmine Forest path
388.	Molo na tak nabasa na	Step upward without stopping
389.	Ma nama na tak naketu na.’	Hold on without ending.’
390.	De’a-de’a lo aon na	They talk to themselves
391.	Ma kola-kola lo ao na.	And they speak to themselves.

This is a symbolic return: a return to mother and father, who are represented by the Nilu Neo tree and the Ko Nau tree, the same two trees—the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and the bidara or Indian plum tree (Ziziphus mauritana)—that Suti Solo and Bina Bane find shelter with in Ande Ruy’s recitation from Ringgou.

Suti Solo and Bina Bane Come to Rest at the Nilu Neo Tree and the Ko Nau Tree

392.	‘Fali seluk leo ina bongi ka teu	‘Going back to the birth mother, we go
393.	Ma tulek seluk leo ama bongi ka teu.	Returning to the birth father, we go.
394.	Ina bongi lia Nilu Neo	To the birth mother, Nilu Neo
395.	Ma ama bongi lia Ko Nau.	And to the birth father, Ko Nau.
396.	Nai tema sio dei	In the fullness of nine
397.	Ma nai bate falu dei	And in the abundance of eight
398.	Ko Nau naboa nai na	The Ko Nau fruits there
399.	Ma Nilu Neo napetu nai na	And the Nilu Neo sprouts there
400.	Teu ho ketu kolu	Let us go to pick and pluck
401.	Ho tesa teik nai na	Inner satisfaction is there
402.	Ma teu ho hele hao	And let us go to choose and eat
403.	Ho tama dale nai na	Heartfelt contentment is there
404.	Ho kelak losa do na neu	That goes on forever
405.	Ma kelak sekunete na neu.	And that does not end.

Kornalius Medah’s Recurrent Use of Refrain

No less than Ande Ruy, Kornalius Medah relies on the use of a distinctive refrain and counter-refrain to move his recitation forward. His use of one particular refrain based on the dyadic set tean//mepen is emphatic. This set is used no less than 20 times in the course of the recitation: positively to express Suti Solo and Bina Bane’s vain hope and more frequently to announce the failure of all such hopes.

The dyadic set tean//mepen is difficult to translate. It has a concrete and specific sense while connoting a more general quality or condition of being. Tea(n) can mean ‘hard, strong, firm’ and most frequently applies to the hard, inner core of a tree; mepen (seemingly related to the verb nepen) means ‘to hold tight, to grip, to fix’. Together the set denotes what is ‘hard’ and ‘held tight’ and, by extension, what is ‘certain and lasting’. This set is, in some ways, the equivalent in Bilba’s ritual language to the recurrent dyadic set used in Termanu based on tetu//tema.

Thus, early in the recitation (lines 18–19), Kornalius Medah sets the scene for the departure of the shells from Dulu Oli//Langa Le:

Te hu tean tak Dulu Olin	Yet nothing is certain at Dulu Oli
Ma mepen tak Langa Len.	And nothing is lasting at Langa Len.

A more literal translation might be: ‘But nothing holds firm at Dulu Oli and nothing holds tight in Langa Len.’

Kornalius used this set in separate lines and, often as well, in single lines. Thus, in lines 54, 241 and 275, the set tean//mepen is used in a single line:

Tean o tak ma mepen o tak.

Nothing is certain and nothing permanent.

Combined with this steady refrain is a further equally distinct and idiomatically difficult set of lines. These lines in their full form recur six times (lines 31–34, 107–10, 141–44 and 301–04), each time following a phrasing of the major refrain:

Tehu noi-tao leo lia	Yet however one strives
Ho tunu-hai leo lia	There is trouble there
Ma sanga-tao leo na	And however one seeks
Ho kelo-kea leo na.	There is difficulty there.

They also appear in truncated form as, for example, in lines 75/77 and 128/130:

Tehu noi-tao leo lia …	Yet however one strives …
Ma sanga-tao leo na.	And however one seeks.

This refrain is composed of the double dyadic sets noi-tao//sanga-tao and kelo-kea//tunu-hai. Noi-tao//sanga-tao indicates a ‘striving, struggling or searching’. In Termanu, the near equivalent combines the terms sanga//tunga. Kelo-kea//tunu-hai, on the other hand, connotes ‘difficulties, problems, setbacks’. Its closest equivalent in Termanu is toa//pia.

The use of these particular dyadic sets serves as Kornalius Medah’s key signature, and the interweaving of complementary refrains is an expression of his mastery of Bilba dialect.

An Analysis of Kornalius Medah’s Ritual Language Usage

This recitation by Kornalius Medah, in Bilba dialect, has 405 lines and is composed of 107 dyadic sets. Bilba’s dialect belongs to Dialect Area II, which falls between Ringgou and Landu in the east and Korbaffo and Termanu in the central-west of Rote. As a dialect, it is closer to the language of Termanu than to the language of Ringgou. For Termanu speakers, it presents less of a challenge than Ringgou’s dialect.

The majority of the dyadic sets in Bilba’s ritual language are sets shared through most of the island. Some examples of sets that are identical to those in Termanu are the following: 1) bafa//ma (‘mouth’//‘tongue’); 2) dela//nita (‘delas tree, Erythina spp.’//‘nitas tree, Sterculia foetida’); 3) deta//sama (‘like’//‘as’); 4) eki//hika (‘to scream, shout’//‘to laugh’); 5) -hapa//-sulu (‘to protect’//‘to shelter’); 6) loak//naluk (‘broad’//‘long’); 7) liun//sain (‘ocean’//‘sea’); 8) luli//sangu (‘storm’//‘cyclone’); 9) li//nafa (‘wave’//‘wave crest’); 10) molo//tabu (‘step’//‘tread’).

There are, however, a number of sound changes that distinguish Bilba’s dialect from Termanu’s. Most notably, initial ‘nd’ in Termanu becomes ‘l’ in Bilba (as opposed to ‘r’ in Ringgou). Similarly, initial ‘ngg’ in Termanu becomes ‘ng’ in Bilba (as opposed to ‘k’ in Ringgou). Medial ‘d’ in Termanu becomes ‘nd’ in Bilba. These sound changes yield the following transformations of shared dyadic sets:

Table 15: Termanu–Bilba–Ringgou Dialect Comparisons

Termanu	Bilba	Ringgou	Gloss
na//ndia	na//lia	na//ria	‘this’//‘that’
ndui//sau	lui//sau	rui//sau	‘to ladle’//‘to scoop out’
ndai//seko	lai//seko	rai//se’o	‘to scoop’//‘to net-fish’
ndano//toko	lano//toko	rano//to’o	‘to throw’//‘to thrust’
-nggeli//-tulek	-ngeli//-tulek	–	‘to rage’//‘to heave’
-kedu//-tani	-kendu//-tani	-edu//-tani	‘to sob’//‘to weep’

Bilba has a range of specific sets with terms that distinguish these sets from those of Termanu and Ringgou or Landu. For example, Bilba has a different set of terms for house post and beam (nata-tuak//timi-di) than Landu (or Ringgou) (balo-tua//timi-di) or Termanu (lungu-tua//timi-di). Similarly, Bilba has the set hamu-le//tele-tasi, whereas Landu has hambau//tere-tasi. The verbs teteni//tatane (‘to seek’//‘to quest’) are distinctive in their use in Bilba dialect.

There are other distinctive usages. For example, in lines 38–39:

Faik lia luli dulu fafae na	One day a storm arises in the waking east
Ma ledok na sangu langa titipa na.	And at one time a cyclone blows at the thrusting head.

The density of these lines is notable. Whereas generally poetic lines may contain three or four dyadic sets, these lines contain five dyadic sets: faik//ledo, lia//na, luli//sangu, dulu//langa and fae//tipa, which occurs in reduplicated form as fafae//titipa. Although analysable in separable sets, the combination dulu fafae//langa titipa constitutes a formula. Fae as a verb means to ‘to shake, to wake’, while the verb tipa means ‘to push, to shove’. When these verbs with similar meanings are applied to east//head, they describe an early dawning, an opening to the east. This same formula is repeated in lines 79–80 when a storm again arises in the east:

Faik lia luli dulu fafae seluk	One day a storm arises again in the waking east
Ma ledok na sangu langa titipa seluk.	And at one time a cyclone blows again at the thrusting head.

Another idiomatic expression occurs (in singular format using neu) in lines 259/262 and again (in plural format using leu) in lines 289–90:

(1)

Na dadi neuk koa tua	Gives rise to great celebration
Dadi neu ngia sina.	Gives rise to great exuberance.

(2)

Dadi leu koa tua	These things give rise to great celebration
Ma moli leu ngia sina.	And give forth great exuberance.

The combination of koa tua//ngia sina in Bilba signifies a ‘celebration, rejoicing, a show of exuberance’. However, if translated literally, this combination of terms means ‘old, large friarbird’//‘Chinese parrot’. This particular idiomatic usage is not an expression used (or possibly even understood) in Termanu.

Kornalius Medah’s Recitation as a Christian Parable

With its recurrent refrains, the narrative progression of Kornalius Medah’s recitation is relatively clear and easy to follow. Its intent, however, may be more difficult to fathom. Unlike some versions of Suti Solo do Bina Bane, this version is not revelatory: it does not link the shells’ journey to specific events in any origin chants. Instead its insistent theme focuses on the uncertainty, impermanence and transitory nature of life.

As is emphatically stated in lines 342/344 towards the end of the recitation:

Te tean tak dae bafok	For there is no certainty on earth
Te mepen tak batu poik ka.	For there is no permanence in the world.

Like numerous other mortuary chants, this recitation reiterates a basic Rotenese conception of the human condition: that all human beings in the world are ultimately like orphans and widows. However they may live, they are born and die as widows and orphans.

As the shells prepare to embark on the Pandanus River road and Jasmine Forest path, they enunciate this fundamental view of themselves:

‘Au ia, ana mak Suti Solo	‘Here I am, the orphan Suti Solo
Ma au ia, falu ina Bina Bane.	And here I am, the widow Bina Bane.
Falu ina ko fali	I am a widow going back
Ma ana ma ko tulek.’	And an orphan returning.’

This view of the human condition is explicitly voiced in some of the oldest and most traditional mortuary chants from Rote (see Fox 1988: 161–201, particularly pp. 166–69), but it can also be tinged, in various chants, with clear Christian sentiments. Kornalius Medah’s recitation offers hints of these Christian sentiments in its use of certain key words. At the beginning of the recitation (lines 10–11), it is announced that:

Hu no tepok lia Suti natane sodak ka	At that time Suti seeks well-being
Ma lelek na Bina teteni molek ka.	And at the moment Bina asks for peace.

The dyadic set soda//mole, drawn from the vocabulary of the Christian canon, implies a state of heavenly grace. These paired terms, Soda-Molek, are used as a Christian greeting and their use in this context, at the outset of the recitation, signals the potential direction for the recitation.

The return to East Estuary and Headland River and the ascent along the Pandanus River road and Jasmine Forest path to the two prolific fruiting trees, the Ko Nau and the Nilu Neo, can be interpreted as a Christian parable that traces a path from birth to death.