Tekná / Takna
The tekná or takna is an important oral tradition of the Kayan. With no written history, tekná songs form a valuable repository of Kayan history and culture.
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Tekná peleken Temenggong Elizabeth Deng
Women singing tekná at the Language Legacy project workshop in Miri, Sarawak. February 21-22, 2022.
Singers (from left to right) Margaret Ajeng, KK Robert Luhat, Uring Emang (main singer), Ubong Emang, Balo’ Usun Jok, Balo’ Do’ Jau (all others are chorus singers “nyabe’).
Title: Tekná peleken Praise for Elizabeth Deng, Kayan Paramount Chief
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Synopsis:
This tekna peleken, sung by Balo Uring from Eda Beran, Long Laput narrates the story of the Kayan Paramount Chief, Elizabeth Deng. The daughter of Uyung Deng Wan (Uyung Deng hiyong du’an), she came to lead Long Laput after her father’s demise, and due to her prominent leadership was later installed as the Paramount Chief of the Kayan in Baram. The narrative poetry tells the story of Elizabeth’s unique place in history of the Kayan, a first woman to lead the Kayan in recent history, quite an unexpected feat for a woman; she of strong character, poise, and of good blood was well received by those that she led (sayu kenep hida pusu liling ate’). The tekná narrates how Elizabeth would bring much development and remarkable change to the community which all started with Eda Beran (Long Laput). Oh! the tekná singer muses, we the panyin are forever grateful (usi main sayu kenep hida pusu tebin payin). She who would always be looking for how to prosper her people of this generation (ji ange’ tevo en tame’ en lo te Eda Beran). She’s like the light that shines on her people, they who are recipients of her benefaction.
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Tekna leken arin tam Temenggong Elizabeth Deng anih. Aleng nekna anih iha nah Balo Uring, ji doh aleng haman nekna men Eda Beran (Long Laput). Alem leken tekna anih iha bara marung lakin Temenggong nih geri itam Kayan Baram. Anak urip Pemanca Uyung Deng, Elizabeth ji doh aleng nyemugen geri itam Kayan Baram tek hang kelunan, haman geri itam Kayan tek hang daha kelunan bagu,tek hang daha pelitah, jadi en pelitah ju nah iha, maren tek hang tam jadi Temenggong. Uh kahum lan nah ket sayu aleng en geri men itam, lebih na men daha ha Eda Beran (Long Laput). Itam kelunan panyin, itam kelunan bangu sayu lelan kenep, en tam nira nah lu tam avin hadui na men itam.
Vision
Date: February 22, 2022
Location: Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
Main tekna singer: Jalong (Long Bemang)
Echo singers:
Back row left to right: Jok Ngo (Mei Imu), Jalong, Pemanca Gilbert Ding
Front left to right:
Howard Wan, Ping Laing, Freda Aren Wan, KK Robert Luhat
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Pekelu’an alem lawan- lung pusung tuva lejo kalung by Jalong, Long Bemang
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(Tekna Labang – in praise of the elder, Pemanca Gilbert Ding Laeng)
O lan tunye – lewe’
Telo ne’ ngelu’an nih alem lawang kalung tukung – danpeh
E, telo ne’ peji melo alem lunang - lenpeh
Telo tei ne’ ngelu’an alem lawang te’ do hanit – teleh
E e nah dau danih dau ma’ang – nureh
Telo ngelu’an anih meji dahin lusang taman – areh
Ne’ kelo men un tiko un buvun – hunge’
Telo peji tua anih iman tenga iman tuli – teleh
Nusi tak haman muvei tengaran marung aleng – nureh
Avin ita’ hiyung anih liveng ulung lenjau – nureh
Liveng te’ neng kelo anih lusang avan tak na – ateh
Itak ngelu’an dahin lusang ilan avan tak na – hereh
Telo ngireh kanya ha’eh marung aleng nu – reh
Avin itak em haman muvui tengaran marung aleng – nureh
Itak nah nih iha awi si usang tawi en joh kui teng – ereh
Meng hadui ala si usang tira tek hulung lenjau – nureh
Navit pah kaleng kui lenjau dunai marung tatah – areh
Nunan tengaran kui marung tinan marung tatah – pareh
Ngenep ek asan nah tengaran hulung lenjau – nureh
Akui nira dih harin jia lusan taman – tameh
Awi i’ha lendung pusung tuva lenjau kalong – jareh
Lake’ lusat kui nih tamak ngavak junak – amei
Na amei Pemanca nih men tengak hulung lenjau – nureh
Mijat lan dua lan dih te’ dugau tek kalung tukung – lanpeh
Beloh sayu tak yah hida ilai pusu – ate’
Nyineng tada ka pusung tuva labang tinggang – tereh
Ika lan kah lan kame kinah e ngiyoh – uge’
Ji yung telangusan nih ket ne kelunan nget’alo – dureh
Nget’alo ika panau deh ngeluveng jungau kalung tukung – danpeh
En im nyemrip lan si urip ateng ha un – hunge’
Im menta dih nembara tek nyam baya – ngareh
Bahi daha hadau tek hulung lenjau adat pa’un – nureh
Nan nunan nah tengaran marung tatah – mareh
Im menta lim tembara kalo baya – tareh
Avin tei ligo nah anih dunai layo marung tatah – balai
Iha nah ita’ ngetalau ika, nei nada – lanpeh
Nada lenbau nah mentuk hulung ka lenjau – nune’
Avin hituk ika marung lim tatah - bareh
Nunan tira kui alem ba marung tatah – bareh
(deng anan tu’a)
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Date: February 21, 2022
Location: Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
Main tekna singer: Uring Emang
Echo singers:
Left to right: Margaret Ajeng, KK Robert Luhat from Long Laput, Uring Emang (main singer), Ubong Emang, Balo’ Usun Jok, Balo’ Do’ Jau (all the women singers are from Uma Bawang).
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Peleken Temenggong Elizabeth Deng
...ee kelawei
ee sabit pah'ran usit bulan, bulan ngembang, lereh
en ngalo haman pah nih idang bulan matan dau, pedeh
en, lalo iha ketua dih kaum ibu dih men'una, jeweh
ee kelalo sayu kilung pekenep alem la'ong, bulan ngembang,
ee kende' daha aleng dih dekaya dih menuna, jeweh
ee kelalo haman kendit usit bulan, bulan ngembang, teleh
ee usi main sayu kenep en'tak alem pusu ida liling ate'
geri idah kenep peran jama hida benrat, pare'
ee kahi uma matan do jima men tebin panyin, tenpeh
ee uma e-kasih pah aleng dih na kahi men tebin panyin, danpeh
ee kahi en lo' na uma dih pah matang ji do ina tebin panyin, danpeh
ee neme YKU, pah matak ji do tugung en ji yung ungei
im putung batang uma
Date: February 21, 2022
Location: Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
Main tekna singer: Ubong Emang
Echo singers:
Left to right: Margaret Ajeng, Balo’ Usun Jok, Balo’ Do’ Jau (all the women singers are from Uma Bawang).
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(Draft)
Peleken hadui
Ee nune, nunih lan hangun tuji, teweh
ek akui magen aring matung lirang lan tuvung
Kuri dara uh men'a menuna, deweh
usi telo peji tukung lali kalung pendeh
Tukung lali, en tek universiti ha lung unge
kalo ideng peliko bulan ngembang, leveh
do en bawang nakung, lung bawang
ha nah dalo ne hu'en bulan men
usit bulan awi Lungan matan dau,pudeh
te peji dahin kelo tek alem apoh tugung lunang, denpeh
talo harap atih panak men uma long pane'
iha pah iha idang keleha bulan
doh kajun do dukun men uma long pane
dahin telo peji melo tek do hangit, leveh
dalo seng petira nah anih kenep petira lan pusu ate'
tek daha dih men menuna men aring jeweh
ala late anak ape tek dalo tukung
bi ek unan dih nah mayen hujung lenjo
ilo lengap dih ha sep lan
ilo lendo tepugok bua
usang joh jutan
ineng aran men usan ihan avan na nak inei
inei tek telo dih kahi jako lutang kasang
nah anih kui puyuk
alu hino ali puyuk ben ireh
iha en lung telo lung bawang
te uah ito jama
tinan nah beliti awi juten
e nutih awi usang joh jutan, le
nah daha mudik
ulung lenjo pakai haruk
usi piyan labang tingang teleh
ala nyaven ateng tenen long
bau daha tugung lungn depenh
pala tepugok buah
iha nah dalo bulan
deng ha ngem iduk
nyihu nyuden daha kuman
ale em kan daha nyaran masik hunge'
kui daha urang bavui
ahl melo nah daha alem tugung
tengu ha linuk
nunai layok ujung lenjo
akui muvan nah tengaran bulan ngembang
awi lusan daha hinan labang tingang
e kalo nah ne
bi bali tok nah matan do
ee nah awi uang jong jutan lene
kubak uvan tava
nutih awi usan bulan ngemang
tek nal lendau buah yang
te belati aleng sek puti kelalau
nun pah ita seng nyurah
na iyah sayu kah bulan ngembang
nunan nah tengaran matan dau
tanak ha nunan
dalo seng matep menju tuk irak
kalo seng nyekawin usun
seng haman luk
atih uvang, usang
dahun na lusan labang tingang
dep uli dih nah janji labang
si ha bulan ngembang
usi uk deng lasat ika lendung tuva
nutih kawi usan jen jutan
6 bulan hui jadi labang tingang
nunan nah tengaran tengu malem
kajo puli ateng na jaji labang tngang
pusu tuva
bilan nah daha lan mudih unge'
bara en lung, katung
uma na pusung tuva labang tingang
hulung lenjo mering ibau
hinan nah daha na hawa
duan dih na iha lendung lan tuva
bi nah avah labang tingang
e nutih dih nah usang men tebin pajin
nevak uting awa
lendung
tepin penyin
e nah ti'o alem ji ju'go
nuntih awi usang joh
kahum hakei laeng ne
bara telo nune' lalo tek long bawan
untih nah awi usang joh
ee uh anan usit bulan, bulan ngembang
ala nyes adat asen
ee deng irang tek dahun tek kalung tugung
pusung tuva te ala iha matan dau
ngeluveng uma kalung tugung
en kahi e
e uma pen jei hawa matan do
4 tekitlang teih balui
temagang bulan ngembang
nunan nih ha ledung tuva
e tih kalung tugung tek lubang
muist matan dao
lan iha labang tingang
aleng lengap dih na sep
ubong beligang
e doh tabi usi nah bulan ngembang
dahin daha leng ateng tek long bawang
di na lamei bulan
usit bulan iha nivan matan
tabi daha api lendung lan tuva
daha hakei aleng nei men juman lung uge
nunan dahuk
nunan nah tengaran tek do hangit
usi kalo idang belikuk bulan ng
seng ha'ut
tek iget uk uk ituk
dah di na hawa menuna
nunan nih awi usan ju jutan
terima kasih kayo pulih hulung
men kalo dune' lalo labang tingang
seng yung tugung
nuri ika kelekha
bi doh di matan dau
en do ireh lendeng
itak sekulah menuna
terima kasih tik doh lendi
e du'an labang tingang
tingang tega juman long pane'
terima kasih kayo puli labang tingang
deng inan nah tengaran tek do hangit nih te..
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