Noah Story in Lunaapeew (Munsee Delaware)
Transcribed by John O’Meara, Dianne Snake and Robert Shubinski
Audio source: https://globalrecordings.net/en/program/17751 (Last accessed 2/18/2024)
Narrator: Emily Johnson
Background Information: This version of the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark was originally recorded in the 1980s by the late Emily Johnson in her ancestral language, Munsee Delaware, at the request of the Global Recordings Network.
The story was recorded one sentence at a time. First the English version of the sentence was read and then Mrs. Johnson would provide a translation into Munsee Delaware. The recording process moved quickly from sentence to sentence until the end of the story was reached. This recording method was not optimal for the purposes of a detailed linguistic analysis. Linguist John O’Meara, Ph.D and Diane Snake, a resident of Moraviantown transcribed the text, but were unable review their work with Mrs. Johnson who has passed away by that time.
Some thirty five years later, Bob Shubinski, a student of the Munsee Delaware language and a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, independently attempted a word-by-word transcription of the Munsee Delaware audio recording. Since some of the segments were barely audible and difficult to understand, John O’Meara was contacted for assistance, to review and correct the transcript. The transcription as provided herein is the result of that collaboration, which benefitted from the existence of the earlier unpublished version done in the 1980s. There are a number of areas where a review of the transcription with Mrs. Johnson would have been desirable. Therefore, the transcribers have made some minor adjustments in a few segments of the audio recording but the transcription largely reflects the original recording.
1. Laawate weemĭ aweeniik moxa mataawsuwak.
Long ago the people of the world became very wicked.
2. Pahtamawaas uw, “ayaask-uch weemĭ kweekw nduliihaawak. wsaamĭ- weemĭ aweeniik –mataawsuwak.”
God said, “I must destroy them, because they are so wicked.”
3. Shukela mayaawsuw lunuw kwulsutawáawal Pahtamawaasal.
There was only one man who obeyed God.
4. Shiinzuw Noah.
His name was Noah.
5. Pahtamawaas wtulaawal Noahal, “Kpumtoonhaalaawak-uch weemĭ aweeniik.”
God said to Noah, “Preach to the people.”
6. Ktulaawaak-uch kweek-uch nah ndulunum njiipalohkeem eel- weemĭ -mataawsihtiit.
Tell them I will send a terrible judgment to them.
7. Mbeechi- seendii* -xwahkwíixun wunj, weemĭ-uch taa lĭ liixun mbuy.
I will send a great flood because of their wickedness.
*An English word adapted “on the spot” for the narrative
8. Ktulaawaak-uch weemĭ kwulupiikw yoon aakw, pálii aakw wunj-meetaawsuwaakunung.
Tell them to repent and turn from their evil ways.
9. Pahtamawaas wtulaawal Noahal, “xwachii-amoxool-uch kooliiha.”
Then God said to Noah, “Build a large ship.”
10. Peetahkwiixungĕ […] weemĭ-uch kii, waak kuniichaanak, waak wiitaweemat, alaamii ktulooxwalaawak.
When the flood comes, you and your family can go into it, and be safe.
11. Noah wunoochĭ-wuliihaawal xwatamoxoolal.
Noah began building the ship. (Pause 3 sec.)
12. Ngumee wtulaawal weemĭ aweeniil, “kata-kihtahkwíixun.”
All the time he kept telling the people about the great flood.
13. Shukehla wehweemwaalaawaawal.
They just laughed at him. (Pause 3 sec.)
14. Ihulukih ngumee mataawsihtiit.
They kept on in their evil ways.
15. Mah wshiiweelundamoowuneewa eelĭ-mataawsihtiit.
They did not repent.
16. Pahtamawaas wtulaawal Noahal, “kumaaweehaawak-uch weemĭ kuniichaanak, waak wiitaweemat, waak kuniichaanak wiitaweemachiil,
(Then the time came). God said to Noah, “Gather your family,
17. weemĭ oxkweexumwak waak lunuweexumwak, weemĭ aweeyayusak.
and a male and female of every kind of animal,
18. Kpiindooxwalaawak-uch alaamii lĭ kpahoonung.”
and take them (go with them) through the door into the ship.”
19. Oo, moxa kaanzhihtaakwsuwak!
Oh! What a noise they made! (Pause 8 sec.)
20. Nal Pahtamawaas kwuphamun kpahoon.
Then God shut the door. (Sound of door closing)
21. Nal aashtee kihkihchu-sookulaan.
After this it rained and rained. (Pause 3 sec.)
22. Weemĭ aweeniik nah peechu-pòhiikeewak xwatamoxoolung.
The people knocked at the door of the ship.
23. Nal kwàkaanzhalaamwiineewa, “Noah, Noah, Noah! Tawunih kpahoon!”
They called, “Noah! Noah! Open the door! Open the door!” (KNOCKING AND CALLING)
24. Noah wunaxkoomaawal, “Kway wsaamĭ aawiis. Pahtamawaas kwuphamun kpahoon.”
But Noah answered, “It is too late. (The time is finished.) God has shut the door.”
25. Weemĭ taa lĭ xwahkwiixun, weemĭ taa shukw mbuy liixun, mah ahkuyiiwĭ.
The floods covered the whole earth.
26. Weemĭ meetaawsihtiit aapsupeewak.
All the wicked people were drowned.
27. Weemĭ Noah eelaangoomaachiil peengw-wulaawsuwak amoxoolung talĭ.
But Noah and his family were safe in the boat.
28. Mahta manihleewiiwak.
They did not die.
29. Kway weemĭ moxa kihkihteelĭ-mataawsuwak.
Now, also, many of the people of the world are very wicked.
30. Kumootkeewak, waak akihkakulooneewak.
They steal and lie.
31. Ahtiikeewak waak pahpahchooleewak ktakaniil aweeniil.
They gamble and cheat others.
32. Weemĭ munahtuwak, nal ang mah eelaangoomaachiil wuniichaanal wsahsaakiihaawiiwal.
They were all doing wrong, and they did not look after their relatives’ children.
33. Wihwiing- chiipii-wchapihk -ohpweewak, nal ang weemĭ ktakaniik lunuwak oxkweewal wiicheeweewak akwaawĭ aweeniil.
They would smoke marijuana (‘bad medicine’), and they would go around with other men’s women.
34. Weemĭ kweekw wtulunumuneewa.
They would do all sorts of (bad) things.
35. Eelu-mataawsihtiit chehchpihleewak wunj-Pahtamawaasung.
Their sins have separated them from God.
36. Pahtamawaas oonjiimaawal
But God is calling on them
37. wtulu-uch weemĭ -kata-wulaawsiineewa.
so that they all lead good lives.
38. Shukw mah kata-kulustamoowiiwak
But many do not want to listen.
39. Pahtamawaas wulaawsuw.
God is holy.
40. Mah wtulu-wuliinamoowun mataawsuwaakan.
He hates evil ways.
41. Neeka-ch kumachĭ-liihkoona wunjĭ kumataawsuwaakanuna.
He will punish our sins.
42. Laapii ktakan kiishiinjuwaakan-uch peeyeewuw.
Another judgment (punishment) is coming.
43. Aluwii-uch kway chiipĭ-leew eenda-xwahkwiixungĕ Noah peemaawsiitĕ.
This will be much worse than the flood of Noah.
44. Kway-uch laapii Pahtamawas peech- uw -punaakweengwĕ, tundeew-uch aweeheew.
The next time God comes to judge us he will use fire. [NB: the verb punaw– ‘look at someone’ is used for ‘judge’]
45. Pahtamawas-uch weemĭ meetaawsiichiil wtahlaawal matantoowiineeng.
God is going to put all wicked people into Hell.
46. Shukw Pahtamawaas weemĭ ktahwaalkoona.
But God loves us.
47. Kwiishĭ-wulihtoon eel-uch -pooluwayeengw.
He has provided a way of escape.
48. Neeka nihlii yoon ahkiing paan.
He Himself came to this earth.
49. Nal wulunuwiin.
He became a man.
50. Shiinzuw Jesus Christ.
His name is Jesus Christ.
51. Eel-ehkwĭ-pumaawsiit wunjĭ- kiiloona –aayawendamun.
By dying for us, He took our punishment.
52. Eenda-ehkwĭ-pumaawsiitĕ neeka oonjĭ-aayawendamun eel- kiiloona –chanalohkayeengw, piish aa mah kiiloona eelĭ-aayawendameengw.
When he died he suffered because we did wrong, because he saved us (?).
53. Jesus wtawunumun kpahoon weenj-uch –kiishĭ-kwaxkuyeengw lĭ Pahtamawaasung.
He opened the door for us to return to God.
54. Naawaleengwĕ-uch mah matantoowiineng kpaawihna.
If we follow Him, we won’t go to hell.
55. Noah eelaangoomaachiil weemĭ xwatamoxoolung poosiiwak oonjĭ- mahta -aapsupeewuneewa.
Noah’s family went into the ship and were safe from the flood waters.
56 Jesus Christ-uch eepiit payanĕ koolapiim-uch mah kweekw ktuliinamoowun.
Jesus Christ is the place of safety for you. (More literally: ‘If you come to where Jesus Christ is you will be safe and nothing will happen to you.’)
57. Kwulupiil wunjĭ kumataawsuwaakanung.
Turn away from your sins.
58. Pahtamawas-uch ktulaan weemĭ kumataawsuwaakanal.
Confess them to Him.
59. Jesus-uch ngumee kunaawalaaw.
Follow after Jesus.
60. Pahtamaweel Pahtamaawaasung, “Oo Pahtamaawaas, weemĭ kweek ndulĭ-chanihlaan numataawsuwaakanung.”
Say to Him, “Oh, God, I have done many sins.”
61. Nzhiiweelundam, aayee ma kpooneelundamawiin.
Please forgive me.
62. Saakiihiil lu-uch mah ehkwaataakanung paawun.
Save me from the great judgment.
63. Noolsutawaa Jesus.
I believe in Jesus.
64. Ngumee-uch ngulsutawaa eeylaaptoonaat.
I will obey His words.
65. Kihkuloolaaw-uch wunj kteehung; ta aashtee ngumee kunaawalaan Jesus.
Talk to Him like this from your heart; then follow Him always.
66 . Nal-uch mah ha kuloosiiwĭ ehkwĭ-pumaawsuyanĕ.
Then you will be safe from the eternal fire after death.