Yieyio Ai Nangutut

Recording Notes: Recorded in Namuncha. Kenya - 4/29/2003.
‘Mama’ or ‘mother’ is an enduring nickname given to beloved animals and children. In this instance, the woman sings to calm the cow while she milks it in the evening. There is a repeated chorus: “Yieyio ai engotonye. Yieyio ai nalotie ai. Yieyio ai nemaiba.” (Mother of my mother. My mother whom I am proud of. My mother whom I don’t hate, but love.) Copyright 2003.

I’m calling you a member of the household.
Greeting you as we meet again on this evening.
You have been on a long journey, feeding grass.
Don’t refuse to give me milk.
I am proud of you.
Our visitors come and we welcome them with your milk.
I warmly greet you.
I am proud to tell you.
We are proud of you.
We talk of you whenever the cows are gone.
Nobody visits our family then.
Can you hear my praises?
I’m calling you, calf of my cow.
You too are a family prestige.
I speak of the grass which you’ve brought from far places.
You come full to your pen.
If I see you when I am angry, I become happy.
You run to me and let me milk you.
I’m calling you my mother.
You feed us.
You give us food.
You feed your calf.
Don’t be angry.
Don’t kick me.
Try to be a humble cow.
Be a humble cow.
calm cow.
Don’t be a bad cow or you will be cursed.
Be humble.
Be humble, cow.
I won’t take all of your milk.
I will only take some.
I leave some for your calf.
I am always glad to see your calf with a white mouth.
Be humble cow.
I will not take all of your milk when you come from the bush.
I will leave some for your calf.
Don’t be a cow that is cursed.
It is good for you to have calves.
Even in the morning, before the stars are beckoned by the day, I milk you.
It is good for you to have calves.
I bless you to give birth.
It is good to see you at the entrance of my home.
I greet you.
I know that you have traveled a long way all day long.
I bless you as you leave home in the morning.
May you come home safely again.
I know you have been moving all day.
The day is ashamed by you.
You have been gone all day long.
In the evening you return home safely.
It is good when I see your calf’s face white with milk.
I know that anyone who has a cow will be impressed when they visit us.
They visit all of our homes out of respect.
It is because of you, our pride.
I know that you have been gone all day, filling your stomach with grass.
Be a humble cow.
It is because of you that I belong to this family.
I’m not going to take all of your milk.
I become glad when I see you coming home in the evening.
When I am angry, I become happy.
After eating grass all day you come to to me for a talk.
Be a humble cow.
Don’t be a bad cow that is to be cursed.
Be a good mother.
Continue to give food to your babies and my own.
Don’t be a bad cow.
Give us milk.
Be a good mother.
It is good to see you with bulls.
I know then that you are ready to have another calf.
You are a good mother to my family.
I know this.
You feed my family as well as your own.
I bless you to have more calves.


	Recording Notes: Recorded in Namuncha. Kenya - 4/29/2003. ‘Mama’ or ‘mother’ is an enduring nickname given to beloved animals and children. In this instance, the woman sings to calm the cow while she milks it in the evening. There is a repeated chorus: “Yieyio ai engotonye. Yieyio ai nalotie ai. Yieyio ai nemaiba.” (Mother of my mother. My mother whom I am proud of. My mother whom I don’t hate, but love.) Copyright 2003. Yieyio Ai Nangutut (My Mother whom I Kiss) I’m calling you a member of the household. Greeting you as we meet again on this evening. You have been on a long journey, feeding grass. Don’t refuse to give me milk. I am proud of you. Our visitors come and we welcome them with your milk. I warmly greet you. I am proud to tell you. We are proud of you. We talk of you whenever the cows are gone. Nobody visits our family then. Can you hear my praises? I’m calling you, calf of my cow. You too are a family prestige. I speak of the grass which you’ve brought from far places. You come full to your pen. If I see you when I am angry, I become happy. You run to me and let me milk you. I’m calling you my mother. You feed us. You give us food. You feed your calf. Don’t be angry. Don’t kick me. Try to be a humble cow. Be a humble cow. calm cow. Don’t be a bad cow or you will be cursed. Be humble. Be humble, cow. I won’t take all of your milk. I will only take some. I leave some for your calf. I am always glad to see your calf with a white mouth. Be humble cow. I will not take all of your milk when you come from the bush. I will leave some for your calf. Don’t be a cow that is cursed. It is good for you to have calves. Even in the morning, before the stars are beckoned by the day, I milk you. It is good for you to have calves. I bless you to give birth. It is good to see you at the entrance of my home. I greet you. I know that you have traveled a long way all day long. I bless you as you leave home in the morning. May you come home safely again. I know you have been moving all day. The day is ashamed by you. You have been gone all day long. In the evening you return home safely. It is good when I see your calf’s face white with milk. I know that anyone who has a cow will be impressed when they visit us. They visit all of our homes out of respect. It is because of you, our pride. I know that you have been gone all day, filling your stomach with grass. Be a humble cow. It is because of you that I belong to this family. I’m not going to take all of your milk. I become glad when I see you coming home in the evening. When I am angry, I become happy. After eating grass all day you come to to me for a talk. Be a humble cow. Don’t be a bad cow that is to be cursed. Be a good mother. Continue to give food to your babies and my own. Don’t be a bad cow. Give us milk. Be a good mother. It is good to see you with bulls. I know then that you are ready to have another calf. You are a good mother to my family. I know this. You feed my family as well as your own. I bless you to have more calves.

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