Ore Terãchu
The men entertained by singing with gourd rattles:
The Ayoreos sang with gourd rattles, and different singers would sing on different nights.
When the tunes pertained to the *Dosapéode Clan, they would announce this when they sang.
Two of the *Picanerãi Clan tunes were *Tarajane and *Umarajane, and they would announce them when they sang.
One of the *Chiquenoi Clan tunes was *Ugájnane, and they would announce this when they sang – another of the Chiquenoi Clan tunes that singers used was the *Jucaramenie.
The Étacori Clan tunes were called *Étacorojnane, and singers would announce this when they sang.
When they sang with rattles they would sing till the middle of the night.
We would tune up our voices before singing by trying out the tune and the words of the songs until we were sure we had them right.
The really good singers would announce the tunes they were going to use. One night, a singer might say, I’m going to use the tune called *Tarajane, and on another night he might announce that he was going to use the tune called *Umarajane or perhaps the one called *Ugájnane.
And really good singers would know all of the tunes. A talented singer might say: ‘I know all the tunes, because as a good singer I’ve had a lot of practice.’ And so one night he would use the tune called *Jucaramenie, and the next night might choose to sing the tunes of the *Dosapéode. Or perhaps he might announce on another night that he’d be using the tunes called *Étacorojnane.
The women would stay awake to listen to the performances of the really good singers, and those that did, would spin thread or work on their weavings and bags while they listen.
*Jicai once said: ‘Sometimes I get mixed up on the tunes and while I’m using one tune, I’ll mix another tune into it.”
When ‘the singing’ is not so good (tasteless) people don’t stay up to listen. But a really good Ayoré singer throws sleep right out of our eyes.
The songs of *Icadiguédé are some that we really look forward to hearing! People are always asking him to sing.
*Chojmaráné’s songs are really sweet and we love hearing him sing.
People find *Ucháidé’s songs very entertaining and they often ask him for his songs.
They ask *Mariadé to sing, as well.
*Carodidé was and is still someone who is always asked to sing, because they really liked his songs.
*Ajidi, was also someone who was always asked to sing, because they really liked his songs.
They are always asking *Imeserané to sing, because they really like the way he sings.
When the young women sing about their husbands, it’s generally because they miss them, and their songs are about missing their husbands.
The young men miss their wives when they are away from them, and they sing about them and about how much they miss them.
Married women with children quit singing. It’s taboo for women to sing. They’re afraid if they do sing, others will think they’re flirting.
Sometimes a woman would throw her child out, and she would start singing again to show that she wanted to attract men and play around again.
Children sing when they’re out playing, but they don’t sing at night.
Names of some of the good singers in Paraguay:
Imeserané
Ajidi
Carodidé
Mariadé
Ucháidé
Chojmaráné
Icadiguédé
Oidábiadé – Campo Loro, Paraguay – 1988
Transcribed and translated to English by: Maxine Morarie
