Three Lipan Apache Songs

bË dý' g˜nÚyË gË' dË yý tc' ÏndÌ dÏ
By, above, mirage at, he walks, they say.

djÌg˜ný' ·i bÏjý jÈ' d· ý' dj ' dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Sun, his child one day he walks they say.

'ÏckÓ n d· ý' dj ' dË yý h dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Boy, one day the one who walks, he walks they say.

dj˜ný' ·i bÏ d˜t ' ÏjÏ bÏnýnt' ý' nýnt' ý' dÚx· yÚ'
Sun, his turquoise his chief, chief never

bÏ ' ·gÚdo dÌ Ï' bÏ dÏs' Ësts' tc' ÏndÌ
has he trouble with him sound approaches they say

dj˜ný' ·i bË bÏ' Ú' g˜nÚyË Ï' yË
Sun by, before him mirage by

bÏ' Ú' g˜nÚyË gÚ' dË yý tc' ÏndÏ
before him mirage forming he walks they say.

n˜g˜sts' ·n biÏk·' 'Ïy™ ndzÏnÌ' dÚ ý'
Earth on top of, witches none

hý bÌdÚl gÚ' dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Can harm him, he walks they say

n˜g˜sts' ·n biÏk·' dÈ 'Ï tc' ' Údýsdjý Ì'
Earth on top of, people scattered about,

bÏy· tÏ' jÚ nÌ bÏnýtsÈ kË s jÚ nÌ' bÏdl˜k jÚ nÌ
Their talk good, their thoughts good, their laugther good,

bÌný lzÈ' 'Ì t' ý' d·' jÚ dÌ dÚ bÈ' Û ltý' gÚ'
Their property of all kinds, good, uncountable

yËx·idËlý gÚ dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Having been prepared he walks they say.

'Ïs' ý' ný y·i k' Ë' gÚjÛ gÚ' yËx·idËlý gÚ dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Long life like, good, having been prepared he walks they say.

The "ÏdÏyi ·" "he make it walk" ceremony and song's sole purpose is to aid children who are slow at learning to walk. Through this song, the offering of prayer and life-long protection from evil is given. This ceremony can be performed for children before twelve months of age to ensure they will walk on or before their first year. When performing this ceremony a man or women can perform the rites. If not done by a close blood relative, then hire a medicine man or medicine woman. The rite takes about ten minutes each night, repeated for four nights under a clear night sky. Give a gift of turquoise, made with downy eagle feathers.

t' · ÏgaÏ bÏt ' ·' Èd y˜d '· lzý tc' ÏndÌ
White water underneath in a circle, it is made, they say.

'·kÛ gÚ' t' · ÏgaÏ bÏk·' ný' ÌljÚ jgÚ '· lzý tc' ÏndÌ
Then White water, on it, spread across it is made they say.

yÚ gýi sÏy˜dÏ 'Ït ·' nËz' ·gÚ' '· lzý tc' ÏndÌ
White shell curved over, beneath it rests, it is made, they say.

gÚdÏt' Û' býsxý' hÌljÏj tc' ÏndÌ
Lightning alongside dances, they say.

gÚdÏt' Û' bËbÏk' Ë ný Ïst ' Û tc' ÏndÌ
Lightning by it fastened across, they say.

hÌ ts·t ' ˜l bÏt' ˜l '· lzý tc' ÏndÌ
Rainbow its rope it is made they say.

t' ·dÏ xÏ bÏtc' Ïd bÏt ' ·' sÏ tsÚ z
Black water blanket underneath rests;

t' · ÏgaÏ bÏtc' Ïd bÏt ' ·' sÏ tsÚ z
White water blanket underneath rests.

'Ïs' ý' ný y·i k' Ë' gÚjÛ ts' · '· lzý tc' ÏndÌ
Long life like, good, baby-carrier it is made they say.

dj˜ný' ·i bÏnýnt' ý' bË bÏyÏ' g˜dÏtnÌ tc' ÏndÌ
Sun, his chief, by, inside it rumbles they say.

The "gojo si" is a "cradle song" ceremony and song whose sole purpose is to aid and provide supernatural powers to baby girls into womanhood. Through this song, the offering of prayer and life-long protection from evil is given. This ceremony is to be performed for baby girls into puberty to ensure their fertility before marriage. When performing this ceremony a man or women can perform the rites. If not done by a close blood relative, then hire a medicine man or medicine woman. The rite includes making a cradle from wood collected by the girl's family, not in their cycle. While making the cradle the song will be sung under a clear night sky. When the song is finished a women or man will place the girl into the cradle and will put prehistoric shell ornaments onto the cradle. The cradle is never to be touched by Mother Earth. It is said to take away the girls fertility. Gifts are of corn or meal. The performers of this song ceremony will receive the equivalent of a life of respect and care.

Si' -Zi' bÏyÏ' Èd y˜d di" di' ?isZa'ni' tc' ÏndÌ
I stand inside a circle man, women they say

'Ïs' ý' ný y·i Èd y˜d '· lzý tc' ÏndÌ
Long life in a circle, it is made, they say

bÏyÏ' Èd y˜d hÌljÏj 'Ïs' ý' ný y·i tc' ÏndÌ
Inside in a circle, dances, long life they say

yËx·idËlý gÚ dË yý k' Ë' gÚjÛ zee ts· lit' tc' ÏndÌ d
Having been prepared he walks like good, friends they say

¡ bÏtc' Ïd bÏt ' ·' n· n· ni? sÏ tsÚ z
A blanket underneath mother earth rests

n˜g˜sts' ·n biÏk·' dÈ ' Ï tc' ' Údýsdjý Ì'
Earth on top of, people scattered about,

bÏy· tÏ' jÚ nÌ bÏnýtsÈ kË s jÚ nÌ' bÏdl˜k jÚ nÌ
their talk good, their thoughts good, their laugther good,

bÌný lzÈ' 'Ì t' ý' d·' jÚ dÌ dÚ bÈ' Û ltý' gÚ'
their property of all kinds, good, uncountable

yËx·idËlý gÚ dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Having been prepared he walks they say

'Ïs' ý' ný y·i k' Ë' gÚjÛ gÚ' nýnt' ý' dÚx· yÚ' bÏ ' ·gÚdo dÌ Ï'
Long life like, good, chief never has he trouble

yËx·idËlý gÚ dË yý tc' ÏndÌ d
Having been prepared he walks they say

The "zee tsa lit ni' " "friendship prayer" song is an offering of prayer and life long protection from evil. This ceremony can be performed in the presence of a sacred candle or fire to ensure the spirits will hear your prayers. When performing this ceremony a man or women can perform the rites. If not done by a close blood relative, then hire a medicine man or medicine woman. The rite takes about ten minutes each night, repeated for four nights under a clear night sky. Give a gift of turquoise, made with downy eagle feathers.