COMPARISONS of LANGUAGES INVOLVED
in the translation of the MAALAN AARUM |
INTRODUCTION |

3.1 |
|

3:2 |
They lived where it snowed.
They lived where it stormed.
They lived where it was always winter. |

3:3 |
While still in their cold land
They remembered longingly
the mild weather,
the many deer,
and also foxes |
HUNTERS GO EVERYWHERE |

3:4 |
The poor, lonely, but tough men
became hunters and
left those living
in strong houses.
|

3:5 |
Separated from home
like breasts on the same body
the hunters became tougher
extremely good and
they reached for the sky. |

3:6 |
The hunters camped
in the north, east,
south and west. |
CHRIST TRUMPS ODIN |

3.7 |
The man, who ruled
in that old, northern land
that they all left,
was baptized to be pure. |
Maalan Aarum |
Algonquin |
Old Norse |
lumow aki
lowan aki
tulpen aki
el ow aki
tulapiwi
linapiwi |
wulamo aki
lowan aki
tou a ppu aki
ei-ow aki
tauohpewi
linapiwi |
framan akr
raa-andi akr
dau fr by akr
eiga aki
duufa buui
hreina buui |
 |
|
 |
In that ancient county
In that northern country
In that turtle country
The best of the Lenapi
were Turtle men
?no recorded sounds? |

original English
translation

translation
of Old Norse |
earlier ground (land)
freezing ground
deserted (solitude) ground
he had (the) ground (land)
(who) is immersed (in water)(to) be pure |
WORD (PHRASE) BY WORD (PHRASE) DECIPHERMENT
(All references are to Sherwin’s eight volumes of the Viking and the Red Man) |
Original English |
In that ancient county |
|
Recorded sounds |
lumow aki |
|
Algonquin words |
wulamo aki |
v. 6 p. 56 & v. 1. p. 8 |
Old Norse |
framan akr |
|
Norse/English |
earlier ground (land) |
|
|
|
|
Original English |
In that northern country |
|
Recorded sounds |
lowan aki |
|
Algonquin words |
lowan aki |
v. 6 p. 56 & v. 1 p. 8 |
Old Norse |
raa-andi akr |
|
Norse/English |
freezing ground |
|
|
|
|
Original English |
In that turtle country |
|
Recorded sounds |
tul pen aki |
|
Algonquin words |
tou a ppu aki |
v. 3 p.127 & v. 1 p. 8 |
Old Norse |
dau fr by akr |
|
Norse/English |
deserted (solitude) ground |
|
|
|
|
Original English |
The best of the Lenapi |
|
Recorded sounds |
el ow aki |
|
Algonquin words |
ei-ow aki |
v. 1 p. 45 & p. 8 |
Old Norse |
eiga aki |
|
Norse/English |
he had (the) ground (land) |
|
|
|
|
Original English |
were Turtle men |
|
Recorded sounds |
tu la piwi |
|
Algonquin words |
tauoh pewi |
v. 3 p. 127 |
Old Norse |
duufa buui |
1* |
Norse/English |
(who) is immersed (in water) |
|
|
|
|
Original English |
?no recorded sounds? |
2* |
Recorded sounds |
linapiwi |
|
Algonquin words |
linapiwi |
v. 1 p. 169 |
Old Norse |
Hreina buui |
|
Norse/English |
(to) be pure |
|
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Notes |
1*This phrase, “to immerse in water” may have been difficult for the Recorder to understand, so the Historian may have tried to convey the meaning by gestures, such as plunging a hand into water.
If something similar to “immerse in water” was originally recorded, Rafinesque’s focus on “turtles” may have been strengthened. So he may have replaced the phrase with “turtle men.” |
2* Why was this phrase omitted in the WO English translation? One reason might be that the Recorder and Rafinesque apparently did not know “linapiwi” had a meaning other than the name of the Lenape tribe. |
General Comments |
Rafinesque’s focus on turtles and the lack of knowledge about the meaning of “linapiwi” caused him to miss a key element in the Walam Olum story. The man (men) who had the land in the earlier country was (were) immersed in water to be pure. This description strongly implies that a Christian man (men) possessed the land.
Rafinesque probably did not even consider the possibility that the Indians may have migrated from a Christian land. His thinking reflected the national mindset of the early 1800’s. Americans, who were promoting “Manifest Destiny,” may not have been willing to consider a hypothesis that implied the people being shoved aside were descendents of Christians.
If Rafinesque could have published the correct concept of this verse of the Walam Olum sooner, the outcome of Indian/American relationships may have been improved. The harsh effects of those relationships still persist in America. Hopefully, a better understanding of the Walam Olum can still moderate the harsh effects. |
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|

3.8 |
The discouraged people
were worried about
worn out land
they had to abandon.
The priest said,
"We decent people
should go somewhere else."
|

3.9 |
The common people
in the east stole away
the brothers
abandoned all
with great discouragement
and again discouragement |

3.10 |
In a short while
the weeping, weak, dirty.
needy (people from)
the burnt land
saved themselves and
rested on the other side |

3.11 |
After moving down
from the snowy land
and discreetly leaving
the cousins separated
through out all the land |

3.12 |
Where there was little
pack ice in heaped ice
with a lot of snow drifts,
the white geese ruled
and the white bear ruled |

3.13 |
Floating up the streams
in their canoes,
our fathers were rich.
They were in the light
when they were at these Islands. |
THE DECISION |

3.14 |
"Head Beaver and Big Bird
said 'Let us go to Akomen'" |

3.15 |
All say they will go along,
All who are free to go. |

3.16
|
Those of the north agreed.
Those of the east agreed.
Over the waters
Over the frozen sea
They went to enjoy it |
THE MIGRATION |

3.17 |
On the wonderful slippery water,
On the stone hard water, all went
On the great tidal sea,
Over the [puckered pack ice] |

3.18
|
[I tell you it was a big mob]
In the darkness,
all in one darkness
To Akomen, to the [west],
In the darkness
They walk and walk,
all of them |

3.19 |
The men from the north,
the east, the south,
The eagle clan, the beaver clan
the wolf clan,
The best men, the rich men,
the head men
Those with wives,
Those with daughters,
Those with dogs |

3.20 |
They all come.
They tarry at the land
Of the spruce pines,
Those from the east
Some with hesitation.
Esteeming highly their
Old home at the mound land |