Mong doo! Harry Needham Special Advisor - Programme Development Canadian War Museum 330 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0M8 Voice: (819) 776-8612 Fax (819) 776-8623 Email: [log in to unmask] > ---------- > From: Dr T.K.Eppen[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Reply To: Museum discussion list > Sent: Monday, July 20, 1998 7:27 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Help with translation > > When C. Columbus first made landfall on the American continent he was > welcomed by the Miskito indians who live on the Atlantic coast of Honduras > and Nicaragua. Had he come with good intentions he might have > experienced their generous " latwan laka ", which means love and > friendship > in Miskito. > Since the Spaniards had blown their chance looking only for "gul" > and "daimans" and bringing "siknis" but no "daktars", it were "inglis" > English pirates some decennia later hiding at the "ki's" small islands, > who > established friendly relations with the coastal Miskito communities, with > sometimes desastrous consequences to the "ispail" Spanish fleet. > The language is still spoken by the people, on "satadi" and "sandi" > sermons > at protestant church services are held by the "separd" pastor in > "miskitu". > They pray to " holi gad" and "kraist" ,god and Christ, using a translation > of the German Luther "baibil" bible. > There are newspapers,radio and merengue-cd's in Miskito, too! > Miskitia was granted regional autonomy after the Contra - war by the > central "gabamint" in Managua. After all the bad news > of indigenous languages and cultures disappearing in North and South > "Miriki" > America - here's the the good news: Miskito language and culture are > prospering! Many words concerning religion, seafaring, the calendar ecc. > have been taken from the English language during the long time > of contact with the pirates. These are now completely felt as > their own, though it takes still more than one word to express what an > iceberg is: "Ais (ice) walpaya tarkatara kabu nanira aipaski bara ya ba". > > > yours with latwan laka, > > T.K. Eppen >