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.
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
Synopsis:
This tekná 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.
Tekná 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 tekná 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 te' hang kelunan, haman geri itam Kayan te' hang daha' kelunan bagu,te' hang daha' pelitah, jadi en pelitah ju nah iha', maren te' 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
Pekelu’an alem lawan- lung pusung tuva lejo kalung by Jalong, Long Bemang
(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 ta' haman muvei tengaran marung aleng – nureh
Avin ita’ hiyung anih liveng ulung lenjau – nureh
Liveng te’ neng kelo anih lusang avan ta' na – ateh
Ita' ngelu’an dahin lusang ilan avan ta' na – hereh
Telo ngireh kanya ha’eh marung aleng nu – reh
Avin ita' em haman muvui tengaran marung aleng – nureh
Ita' nah nih iha' awi si usang tawi en joh kui teng – ereh
Meng hadui ala si usang tira te' 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 te' kalung tukung – lanpeh
Beloh sayu ta' 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 te' nyam baya – ngareh
Bahi daha hadau te' 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)
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).
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'ta' 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).
(Draft)
Peleken hadui
Ee nune, nunih lan hangun tuji, teweh
ek akui magen aring matung lirang lan tuvung, men'eh
Ee kuri dara uh men'a menuna, jeweh
usi telo peji tukung lali kalung tukung pendeh
Tukung lali, en tek universiti di ha lung unge'
Nyadui nah kalo ideng peliko bulan ngembang, leveh
Doh en bawang nakung, lung bawang, lan'eh
ha nah dalo ne hu'en bulan ngembang
usit bulan awi Lungan matan dau, pudeh
te peji dahin kelo te' alem apoh tugung lunang, denpeh
telo harap peji panak men uma long pane'
te' iha pah iha idang keleha bulan
doh kajun doh duktun men uma long pane'
dahin telo peji melo tek do hangit, leveh
dalo seng petira nah anih kenep te' ida lan pusu ate'
Ee tek daha dih men menuna men aring jeweh
ala late' anak na deh pe' tek dalo tukung
bi ek unan dih nah mayen hujung lenjo dune'
Seng ilo lengap dih ha sep lan danih
ilo lendo tepugok bua ha hivo
Iha awi usang joh jutan
ineng aran men usan inan avan na' na inei
inei te' telo dih kahi jako lutang kasang jureh
nah anih kui puyuk
alu hino ali puyuk men ireh
iha en lung telo lung bawang
te bua ito jama
tinan nah beliti awi juten
e nutih dih nah awi usang joh jutan, leneh
nah daha lemrik mudik
ulung lenjo pakai haruk pano galang
usi piyan labang tingang teleh
ala daven ateng tenen long bawang
male' lan bau daha tugung lunang depenh
te' pala tepugok buah ledoh hivoh
iha' nah dalo bulan ngembang
Ee deng ha ngem iduk
nyihu nyuden nah daha' kuman
ale em kan daha nyaran masik hunge'
kui daha' urang bavui
awi melo nah daha nyalo' alem tugung
tengu ha linuk
nunai layok kalo pekiso huung lenjo
akui muvan nah tengaran bulan ngembang leweh
awi lusan daha hinan labang tingang
e kalo dih nah ne te' luvang
bi bahi tok nah jako' matan doh
ee nah awi usang jong jutan lene'
kubak uvan tava
nutih dih nah awi usan bulan ngembang
te' nah lendau dih lan buah yang
te belati aleng sek puti kelalau
nun pah ita' di seng nyura' dui ata' unge'
na iyah sayu kah bulan ngembang
nunan nah tengaran matan dau
tanak dih ha nunan tengaran dahin puvok
dalo seng matep menju tuk irak
kalo seng nyekawin nah nih usun lan bakin
seng melo inu lok haman luk inu
atih uvang, usang tuten
dahun na lusan idang labang tingang
tepuli dih nah janji labang tinggang
si ha dara bulan ngembang
usi uk deng lasat ika lendung lan tuva
nutih dih nah kawi usan jen jutan
6 bulan hu'i dih tak jadi labang tingang
nunan nah tengaran buah puvan tengu malem
kajo puli ateng na jaji labang tingang
pusung tuva' deng nah iha' bulan ngembang
bilan nah daha lan mudih unge'
bara en lung,bara katung
uma na' pusung tuva' labang tingang
hulung lenjo penghulu mering ibau luvang taman
hinan nah daha nih na hawa' bulan ngembang
duan dih na iha lendung lan tuva'
bi nah avah telo tih na labang tingang
e nutih dih nah jarang tali usang men tebin pajin
nevak uting aya lan tuva mate'
lendung lan tuva' mate'
awi usang men tepin panyin
e nah ti'o telo dalem ji ju'go
nutih dih nah awi usang joh jutan
ngahum hakei aleng ne' men juman long unge'
bara telo nune' lalo tek long bawang
nutih nah awi usang joh jutan lene'
ee uh anan usit bulan, bulan ngembang
ala nyaven te' adat asen te' dalo tukung
ee deng irang tek dahun tek kalung tukung
pusung tuva te ala iha' matan dau
ngeluveng uma tinan kalung tukung
en doh pude' kahi je bulan ngembang
e uma pen jei hawa matan dau
te' 4 tekitlang irang tih balui
temagang men je bulan ngembang
nunan nih daha' ha ledung tuva
e te' kalung tugung tek lubang
bulan musit ne' keligit matan dao
pusung tuva' lan iha labang tingang
aleng lengap dih na sep
ubong beligah te' lengep na' bulan ngembang
e doh tabi usi nah bulan ngembang
dahin daha' leng ateng te' long bawang
di na lamei nan dau bulan ngembang
usit bulan iha nivan matan dau
tabi daha' api lendung lan tuva'
daha' hakei aleng nei men juman lung unge'
nunan dih nah dahuk uk iduk
nunan nah tengaran aleng ek puvan te' do hangit
usi kalo' idang belikok bulan ngembang
seng ha'ut dih seng livut lusang taman
tek iget uk uk iduk
dah di na hawa menuna'
nunan nih jalang ta' awi usang ju jutan
terima kasih kayo' pulih hulung lenjo
men kalo' dune' lalo labang tingang
seng yung tukung putung tukung
nuri ika kelekha bulan ngembang lereh
bi doh kahum di matan dau
en do ireh lendeng
itak sekulah menuna'
terima kasih didoh lendi matan dau
e du'an labang tingang teleh
tingang tega ne men juman long pane'
terima kasih kayo' puli labang tingang
Ee deng inan nah tengaran te' do hangit nih te..