gourd

ɛn-dʉ́kʉ́ny₂ n. A short calabash for holding or drinking beer (once it's been brewed). See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’; ɛ-málà ‘Brewing gourd’.

a-ilísh v. 1 • To clean a gourd, preparing it for storing milk. Eyáwúá ŋolé nɨ́nɨ́ oltulét olotó ailísh aɨtáá enkúkúrí. Yesterday my mother brought a gourd in its natural state so as to make a usable gourd out of it. (Pk).

2 • To have a general feeling of discomfort, illness or unease; experience malaise. Syn: a-ibisíóŋ ‘To be ill’; a-nyaalá ‘To be ill’. See: a-ír(r) ‘To clean a calabash’.

l-kantír [North] n. [North] Type of calabash carved from wood. See: en-kotí ‘Little calabash’; en-kúkúrí ‘Gourd’; [North] n-conkórr ‘Type of calabash made of sisal fibre’; [North] n-kódóós ‘Type of calabash used to store butter’.

en-kídòŋ Nom sg: en-kídôŋ. Acc pl: in-kídòŋì. Nom pl: in-kídóŋì. n. 1 • Small narrow container, typically used for holding tobacco or snuff; traditionally made from a gourd (or calabash), but may also be made from plastic. enkídòŋ ɔ́ lkumpaú tobacco container, snuff container. Ɛ́yakɨ́ inkakúyiaâ enkídòŋ ɛnyɛ́ ɔ́ lkumpaú. [ólkùmpàú] Get the grandfather his container for tobacco. In older times some of these containers were made of ivory. Old men and sometimes old women wear the tobacco or snuff container around the neck on a chain. See: Syn = ol-tulét. .

2 • Small calabash used by ol-oibónì, in which he keeps his stones and other small objects like birds' beaks, etc., with which to divine and prophesy. Ɛgɨ́rà olóíbònì aósh enkídòŋ ɛnyɛ́. The Oloiboni is shaking his calabash [in order to throw out the stones for divination and prophesying] (Pk). The act of shaking the calabash and divination is described in detail by Jan Voshaar, Tracing God's Walking-Stick in Maa, 1979 pp. 208-211.

3 • Bee-hive, made from wood. enkídòŋ oó lotóròk container of the bees: bee-hive.

ol-kídòŋ Big container for snuff or tobacco; bee-hive. Ɛ́́tɨ́pɨ́kákɨ̀ ɔlkídòŋ lɔ́ ltásàt ɔlkʉmpaʉ́. The tobacco container of the old man has tobacco. (Pk). Ɛ́támánya ilótòròk olkídòŋ lɛnyɛ̂. The bees have occupied their bee-hive. (Pk).

il-kídòŋì lɔɔ́ lopír Calabashes of the feathers: name of an ornament worn by warriors. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’; ol-oibónì ‘Ritual expert’.

n-kɨrráú [North] Nom sg: n-kɨ́rráú. Acc pl: n-kɨ́rrawîn??. Nom pl: n-kɨrrawîn??. n. [North] Gourd, either when in the field, or when made into a container for liquid. Kéísápùk nkɨ́rrau náɨ́tɨbɨrá. The prepared calabash is good. (SN). Nkɨrráú áí nátɨgɛ́lɛ̀. It is my calabash which broke. (SN).

l-kɨrráú Big calabash. See: ol-tulét ‘Calabash’; en-kúkúrí ‘Gourd’; ɛnk-ɔtɨ́ ‘Small gourd’; ɛ-nyaáncà ‘Small gourd’; ɛ-málà ‘Big gourd’; sorrôr ‘Type of calabash’.

en-kúkúrí Nom sg: en-kúkùrì. Acc pl: in-kúkúrtò. Variant: il-kúkúrtòk. Nom pl: in-kukurtó. n. 1 • Gourd, calabash. aɛnaá ilkúkúrtòk tɔ̀ ldɨ́rɛ̀tà peê mɛ́sʉ́lʉ́nyɛ̀ To tie the calabashes on the pack saddles to stop them from falling (Pk).

2 • Gourd or calabash with narrow opening, leather handle, and cap made of sewn leather; used for milk, water, porridge, etc. Usage: traditional. Eyáwúá ŋolé nɨ́nɨ́ oltulét olotó ailísh aɨtáá enkúkúrí. Yesterday my mother brought a gourd in its natural state so as to make a usable gourd out of it. Ɛgɨ́rà kʉ́lɛ̀ náatií ɔlkúkúrí áàìsàmìsù. The milk that is in the calabash is going bad. (Pk). Modernly, the enkúkúrí may be made of hard plastic.

3 • Lid for a gourd. Usage: In Pk, the feminine en-kúkúrí is the most common, basic term for 'calabash'..

ol-kúkúrí Gourd, bigger than ɔlɔtɨ́, but smaller than ɛmálà. Ɛnáíshó aké ɛyaʉ́nɨ, nɛ́pɨ́kɨ́ olkúkúrí. The beer is just brought and it is put into a gourd. See: e-siaŋáù ‘Small calabash’; ɔl-ɔtɨ́ ‘Medium-sized calabash’; ɛnk-áyìàm (km's pronunciation. originally written ɛnkáyìàn) ‘Small calabash for beer or milk used in ceremonies’; en-kídòŋ ‘Calabash prepared for holding snuff’; ɛ-nyaáncà ‘Large gourd for serving beer’; ɛ-málà ‘Huge gourd for brewing beer’; o-siaŋáù ‘Calabash with a wide opening’; e-lepét ‘Calabash for milking’; em-pósoô ‘Ugly, uncared-for calabash’; ɛm-pɔrɔ́rɔ̀ ‘Ugly, uncared-for calabash’; ol-tulét ‘Unprepared gourd’; l-kútúmpê ‘Brewing calabash’; ol-moroí ‘Calabash for beer-brewing’.

l-kútúmpê [North] Nom sg: l-kútumpe. Acc pl: l-kutumpení. Nom pl: l-kútumpení. n. [North] Big gourd for brewing beer. See: ol-kétúmpê ‘Large gourd’; en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’; ɛn-dʉ́kʉ́ny ‘Calabash for drinking beer’; ol-moroí ‘Calabash for brewing beer’.

e-lepét Nom sg: e-lépèt. Acc pl: i-lepétà. Nom pl: i-lépètà. n. Small calabash for milking, with narrow opening, long body, and attached leather handle. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’.

ɛ-málà Nom sg: ɛ-málâ. Acc pl: ɨ-málàsìn. Nom pl: ɨ-málásìn. n. 1 • The largest of all calabashes, used for fermenting beer or storing milk (e.g. for warriors at a meat-eating camp). Ɛ́ntasotú ɨmálàsìn amʉ̂ ɛ́táá kɛ́ɨ́ŋʉrákɨ̀nɨ̀ ɛnapá kɛ́ráí inyî ɨntaléŋò. Collect beer gourds because it is about time for your child to go through initiation. See: l-kútúmpê [North] ‘Big gourd for brewing beer’; ol-mosorî ‘Calabash for brewing beer’; ɛn-dʉ́kʉ́ny ‘Calabash for drinking beer’.

2 • Large calabash used for fermenting milk.

3 • Short circular gourd for brewing beer.

4 • [North] "Calabash" for milking; milk container (of any sort). In at least some parts of Samburu territory, málà are carved from wood, in the shape of a gourd.

l-málà [North] Very large milk container, with an onion-shaped cap. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’.

ol-moroí [South] n. [South] Large calabash for brewing beer. Syn: ɛ-málà ‘Brewing calabash’.

ɛ-nyaáncà n. Large gourd for serving beer, with narrow (potentially crooked) neck and spherical body. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’.

ɔl-ɔtɨ́₂ n. n. Relatively long, slender gourd, either on or off the plant, not yet prepared for holding a liquid.

2 • n. Gourd prepared for liquid, typically used for fresh milk. In size, larger than en-kúkúrí.

ɛnk-ɔtɨ́ Gourd, smaller than en-kúkúrí. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’.

ɛm-pɔrɔ́rɔ̀ Acc pl: im-pororoní. n. Ugly, uncared-for calabash. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’; em-pósoô ‘Ugly, uncared-for calabash’.

em-pósoô Nom sg: em-pósoô. Acc pl: im-posooní. Nom pl: im-pósooní. n. Calabash lacking the necessary decoration and cleaning, as required; ugly, uncared-for calabash. See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash’; ɛm-pɔrɔ́rɔ̀ ‘Ugly, uncared-for calabash’.

a-rraán [North] v. [North] To sew a strap onto a calabash. See: a-rɨ́p ‘To sew’.

rráánɛ́tà [North] n. [North] Straps on a calabash to hold while milking.

e-siaŋáù Nom sg: síàŋàù. Acc pl: i-siaŋáùn. Nom pl: i-síáŋâû. n. 1 • Relatively small calabash with a wide opening. (Ideally, calabashes have small openings.). Náà ɛ́nɔ̀ɔ̀ ɛnkɛ́ráí kʉlɛ́ natií esiaŋáù. And give the child the milk from the calabash with a wide opening. (Pk).

2 • Piece of calabash. Áàyàkɨ̀ ɨlpɨ́dɨlá tɛ̀ síàŋàù. Bring me fleas in a calabash.

o-siaŋáù Calabash with a wide opening and attached leather handle. Tímá taá owôk oloshoró otíí osiaŋáù. It is Tima who will drink the porridge in the calabash with a wide opening. (Pk). See: en-kúkúrí ‘Calabash prepared for holding milk’.

Parent category:

calabash