akitsatapai

Wauja

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.kiˈt͡sa.ta.paɪ/

Verb

akitsatapai

1. (transitive) he/she/it pays attention to, concerns oneself with, takes care of, cares for, takes an interest in, watches over, gets involved in, takes stewardship of (something or someone)

   Kamani pakitsatapai?

   Why are you getting involved [in this]? (Because it's none of your business.)

   Kata aitsa pawatupawa, kata inyaunauntope, kata inyauntope, aitsa wa, aitsa akitsawakatapai ... AmunauNAUN, amunaunaun, dez kata amunaunaun, amunaunaun hatiu. Paunwaun ohapaitsa, akitsatapai kehoto yiu. Nejo kehoto wekehopei. Onaatsa, akamawi, punuba opalutsato, itsityapeneme, iyeneme ... opokumiu.

   All the ordinary people, the whole population, they don't concern themselves with these things… Only the CHIEFS, the chiefs, only ten or so of them who are of chiefly rank. One [from] among them watches over [the] land. That one is [the] principal chief [lit., keeper of the land]. Then, [when he has] died, you see, his co-chief takes over for him [relieves him] in turn, and takes his place.

   [Peyeeto:] Aitsa akitsatawi?

   [Arutatumpa:] Aitsa akitsatawi sukuti otepo yiu... Aitsa akitsatakonapai sukuti otepogeu.

   [Listener:] [Her husband] wasn't paying her [any] attention?

   [Storyteller:] Her husband was so taken with Green Parakeet Woman that he completely ignored [his other wife] (lit., under [the effect of] Green Parakeet Woman [he] didn't give her attention)... [She] was being neglected because of [that] Green Parakeet Woman.

   [Arutatumpa:] Aukin pitsaniu. Ukitsapai naliuno. Aitsa umejo ... akitsatapai han, aitsa wi.

   They were acting out jealousy for the first time (lit., [the] instantiation [of] our jealousy). [They] were jealous [indeed], those ones [were]. Their husband didn't ... pay attention [to them], not at all.

Usage notes

• Note the active form, Aitsa akitsatawi ([he] wasn't paying attention) and the passive form (using the suffix -kona), Aitsa akitsatakonapai (she was being neglected, lit., Everybody was not giving her attention.)

See also

• ukitsapai (“is jealous, possessive”)

References

• "Kata aitsa" (transcript p. 25) uttered by Aruta, storyteller and elder, recounting Wauja history in the presence of his son and nephew. Recorded in Piyulaga village by E. Ireland, 4/25/96.
• "Aitsa akitsatawi" (transcript, pp. 8-10) and "Aukin pitsaniu" (p. 21) uttered by Arutatumpa, storyteller and elder, and members of his audience, as he recounted a traditional tale, the "Caiman Spirit" (Yakaojokuma). Recorded in Piyulaga village in the presence of assembled elders and others, November 1989, for BBC film, "The Storyteller."