aakwaalka

I. ADJ

1. food,percep. sweet , [ESP] dulce

Composicion:

derivation

Morfemas
aa	kwaalka
not	bad

[arriba]

aasikima

I. ADJ

1. food boiled , [ESP] hervido

Composicion:

derivation

Morfemas
aasik	ima
boil	participle

Notas:

Etnográfica:
"boil-up" is usually the least preferred meal preparation as it means boiled breadkind with no meat, fish, beans, or even coconut milk.

"Hervida" es una forma poco preferida para preparar esta comida pues significa bastimento hervido sin carne, pescado o frijoles, o incluso leche de coco.

[arriba]

abiis

I. N

1. food,plant squash, calabaza, ayote

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Abiis kutkubisba. Ikaas nuknuknga. Yuup psutki kat pluuma. Abiis pwatpa u naasiiki.
The pumpkin is round. Its flesh is yellow. The inside seed white. I boil it with sugar.
Abiis seerini.
Pumpkin getting full/big.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Not a common food for the Ramas.

No es una comida común para los Rama.

[arriba]

abiis tataara

I. N

1. food,plant watermelon , [ESP] sandía

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Abiis tataara tuktiinka, nsuut sabaa kwsi. pwatpa kwiskama.
When the watermelon is ripe, we eat it raw. It is sweet to eat.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
abiis	tataara
squash, calabaza, ayote	very big

[arriba]

abung ngalaa

I. N

1. animal,food fire honey

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Abung puupu yuut nupisba. Ngalaali pwatpa yuungi. Yirii ki kat aap su yuungi.
The abung puupu bee is brown. It makes sweet honey. It makes it in the trees in the swamp.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Not as sweet as other honey.

No es tan dulce como otras mieles.

[arriba]

ai

I. N

1. food,plant corn , [ESP] maíz

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Ai tarkitka, nipiai.
When the corn sprout, I plant it.
Ai ngaling su naamaiki, ingulung nuungkama.
I rub the corn on the rock to make flour.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They feed it to the chickens and hogs, make tamales ( usually only young corn tamales with coconut milk), porridge (corn pop in Kriol) and posol with it. Not a dietary staple, and not usually eaten roasted, or ground as hard corn for Spanish-style tortillas. Sold in Bluefields.
Noted in 2009 that the few spider monkeys left upriver in Cane Creek were eating corn due to habitat destruction, something unheard of previously.

[arriba]

ai airi

I. N

1. food 1. corn porridge 2. corn soup , [ESP] 1. atol de maíz 2. sopa de maíz

Pictures/Imagenes:

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
ai	airi
corn	soup
maíz	sopa

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Can be one of two corn dishes. Corn pop is made by grinding boiled corn (either fresh corn or hard corn) and adding coconut milk. (Usually ground in a hand mill these days). Then, you can either add salt for ai airi supkaaba (sour pop), or sugar for ai airi pulkaaba (sweet pop). Watery ('airi') corn soup is made from either fresh or hard corn boiled and then served with either salt or sugar. More likely to be pop unless no mill at hand, or do not want to take the time to grind the corn.

[arriba]

aikat

I. N

1. food,plant sugar cane , [ESP] Cana de azucar

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Ngarang ki maakuru? Aikat taalingi naakru.
Where were you? I was in between the cane.

2. plant cane

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Any kind of edible cane but there are a number of different kinds. Usually mashed by hand in a homemade wooden press and strained through a skomfra cap (part of the skomfra palm that resembles a brown strainer) to extract the juice. Makes a very refreshing drink, especially when lime juice is squeezed into it. Used also to make alcoholic drinks. Also chewed on to suck the sweet juice, especially if you can't, or don't want to press it.
Léxica:
Not to be confounded with 'ai kaat' (corn cob). 'aikat' is also used as generic name for canes.

[arriba]

aikat arii

I. N

1. food,plant cane juice , [ESP] Jugo de cana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Extracted with manual cane press. Drunk with lime juice. Very refreshing, like coconut water.

[arriba]

ai ngulung

I. N

1. food corn flour (corn meal) , [ESP] Harina de maiz

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
ai	ngulung
corn	powder
maíz

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Not made traditionally, neither flour (corn meal) nor pinolillo.

[arriba]

airi

I. N

1. food soup , [ESP] sopa

1. food pop

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Watery soups or drinks. For instance, cockle soup.

[arriba]

ai uuk

I. N

1. food,plant corn husk

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
ai	uuk
corn	shell
maíz	concha, cáscara

Notas:

Etnográfica:
If they have corn husk they might wrap their eggs for sell in them; usually two to a husk. Itis considered bad luck to burn the corn cobs and husks after shelling he corn as that will bring a bad harvest the following year. However, many burn them now for fuel when there is no firewood, and since they are planting a lot more corn these days, it is harder to just throw all of the cobs and husks in the bush to rot.

[arriba]

alburn

I. V

1. mov twirl

2. twist

3. cooking,food stir

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You are not supposed to stir the rice and beans while cooking or they will get mushy.
Gramatical:
Intransitive. The corresponding transitive verb is 'aaburn'.

[arriba]

aliup

I. N

1. food,plant naata seed

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Aliup namlaaki ikat skwa. Alkaa ki nsualiskiingi, urnga saala yuuungkama.
I pick the naata from its tree. In the sun we dry it to make the food red with it.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Used ground in some coconut stews. Sold in Bluefields. Three classes: "tame" red, "wild" red, and green. Same leaves and same red seed inside for all.
Gramatical:
With class marker '-up' for roundish objects.

[arriba]

alkiin

I. V

1. body,health itch , [ESP] Picar

2. cooking,food be peppery

Notas:

Etnográfica:
In the sense of 'itch', it is used most of the time for body parts itching, but it can also be found in animal names, such as 'psuk alkiinuing' (hairy worm, literally 'itching worm').
Gramatical:
Intransitive.

[arriba]

alkiini

I. N

1. food,plant gourd pepper , [ESP] Pimienta gorda

2. body,health itch

Notas:

Etnográfica:
People grow a number of cooking or medicinal shrubs near their house, especially on Rama Cay. Gourd pepper is used both when still green (slightly less hot) or when yellow and ripe (very hot). You prick one with a fork and set it in the pot; you don't bust it up because that would make the food too hot. You might put it in rice and beans or in a pot of rondon (fish or meat stewed in coconut milk). Gourd pepper has a distinctive scent and flavor. Not eaten raw. Women sometimes sell them in Bluefields.
You very occasionally come across the red variety (and more likely from Creoles in places such Corn Island), which has a slightly different taste.
Léxica:
Generic for peppers, of which there are many varieties. Could by itself be the gourd pepper.

[arriba]

alkiini arii

I. N

1. food,plant pepper sauce , [ESP] salsa picante, chilero

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Alkiini arii niuungi, yunaltungwakama. Nurnga alkiini niuungatkuli.
I make pepper sauce, to eat with. I make my food all peppery.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
alkiini	arii
gourd pepper	juice
Pimienta gorda	Jugo

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Cut up gourd pepper and onions and put them in a bottle with vinegar or lime juice and let it sit in the sun. Add to your plate of food as desired; most people use just some of the seasoned liquid, but others also eat pieces of the peppers and/or onions.

[arriba]

alkiini pargna

I. N

1. food,plant black pepper , [ESP] Pimienta negra

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Alkiini parnga ingiskiingi.
She sprinkles black pepper.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
alkiini	parnga
gourd pepper	black
Pimienta gorda

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Traditionally Ramas used several different varieties of small yellow or red (when ripe) peppers to flavor food. In more recent times, ground black pepper, which mus be bought in town, has become a popular special condiment for rondon, rice and beans, and various coconut-based soups.
Léxica:
Alkiini as a generic now.

[arriba]

alkiini saala

I. N

1. food,plant red pepper , [ESP] Pimienta roja

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Alkiini saala aa astaiki.
The red pepper is not hot.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
alkiini	saala
gourd pepper	red
Pimienta gorda

[arriba]

almaik

I. V

1. food grind , [ESP] moler, triturar

1. cooking,mov rub on rock , [ESP] moler

2. break get mashed , [ESP] machacado

3. body have intercourse

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You have to grind chocolate with rubbing rock; the ibu to make ibu bunya.

Debés moler el chocolate con una piedra de moler; el ibu para hacer ibu bunya
Gramatical:
Intransitive. The corresponding transitive verb is 'amaik'.

Intrasitivo. El verbo transitivo correspondiente es 'amaik'.

[arriba]

alngwu

I. V

1. food drink , [ESP] beber

2. take communion

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They drink coffee, water, cane juice, supa, tea.
Gramatical:
Intransitive derived from corresponding transitive verb 'ngwu' (to drink). As a variant 'alngw' when suffixed with present tense.

[arriba]

alpia

I. V

1. food,plant plant

Notas:

Gramatical:
The final 'a' can be lenghten : 'alpiaa'. This is the derived intransitive form of the transitive verb 'pia' (to plant, to bury). Used in middle or antipassive like voice.

[arriba]

altungwa

I. V

1. food eat , [ESP] comer

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They usually eat sitting on the floor; you are supposed to try to keep one hand clean. some of them eat out of calabash, others out of plastic and metal plates from the Chinese store. They have one big meal in the middle of the day, and bread and coffee in the morning and at night.
Gramatical:
Intransitive.

[arriba]

amaik

I. V

1. mov rub

2. cooking,mov rub on rock

3. cooking grind

4. body,food chew

Notas:

Gramatical:
Transitive. The corresponding intransitive verb is 'almaik'.

[arriba]

amkas

I. N

1. body,plant tree fork

2. artef. blade

3. artef.,food fork

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The meaning of eating fork is probably new. They usually eat with a spoon.
Gramatical:
For the meaning 'fork', see 'kat amkas' (fork in a tree).

[arriba]

arii

I. N

1. liquid , [ESP] Liquido

2. juice , [ESP] Jugo

3. food drink , [ESP] Bebida

4. geo,water creek

Notas:

Gramatical:
The geography term 'arii' is the long form used after consonant final nouns, the short form for creek is 'rii'.

[arriba]

astaik

I. V

1. body,health,percep. hurt

2. food,percep. be spicy , [ESP] condimentar

[arriba]

auk

I. V

1. cooking,food roast , [ESP] Asar

2. break burn , [ESP] Quemar

3. food cook

4. cooking,food bake , [ESP] Hornear

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The old Ramas did not bake. They did not have ovens. To bake, people place what is to be baked in a wide iron pot and then put a sheet of metal on top with fire coals on it.
Gramatical:
Transitive. The corresponding intransitive verb is 'alauk'.

[arriba]

aumaup

I. N

1. food,plant wild chocolate , [ESP] cacao silvestre

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This is a kind of chocolate. It is the 'tiger chocolate' that Miss Nora's father, a seer, used to drink to go talk to the tigers. Prepared with bird pepper (NR).
Gramatical:
Compound on 'auma' (tiger) and suffix '-up' class marker for roundish shape for the chocolate seed.
Léxica:
One of four kinds of chocolate (see also kuuk, ngerba, ngunisup)

[arriba]

baatle

I. N

1. artef.,food bottle , [ESP] Botella

Notas:

Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (bottle).

[arriba]

baazil

I. N

1. food,plant basil , [ESP] Albahaca

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Commonly planted around a house and used both in cooking, for example in different seafood soups (e.g., and ahi), and to make tea, either just to drink or for medicinal purposes (e.g., back pain). This basil has a spicy cinnamon-like taste.

[arriba]

barakuut

I. N

1. animal,fish,food barracuda , [ESP] barracuda , [KRI] barakuda , [RCK] barakuut

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Only sea fisherman catch this. They fish it around Booby Cay or Frenchman's Cay when the sea is smooth, for example, in September. They use a hook baited with sardines or anchovies, or catch it on a spoon hook. Not commonly seen for consumption in the homes, nor is it seen very often in the market in Bluefields. Some say it makes you sick at certain times of the year. (This is possibly due to ciguatera.)
Solo los hombres que pescan algo lejos en el mar capturan barracuda. Se encuentra alrededor de Booby Cay y Frenchman’s Cay cuando el mar esta liso, como en el mes de septiembre. Se pesca con anzuelo y cebo de sardina o anchoa, o con un anzuelo “cuchara.” No se ve con frecuencia en las casas, ni de venta en el mercado. Algunos dicen que es malo comerlo en ciertos meses. (Posiblemente debido a la ciguatera.)
Léxica:
Borrowed from English "barracuda."
Préstamo del inglés "barracuda".

[arriba]

barwain

I. N

1. food,plant barwine tea

[arriba]

baul

I. N

1. artef.,food,house bowl , [ESP] Tazón, tiesto

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
En la fotografía Alicia McCrea muestra el tazón de madera (baul) que utilizan en Indian River para rayar coco. El tazon se talla a mano, es una sola pieza de madera de cedro macho (carapa guianensis).
Etnográfica:
A large open bowl to use for example for grating coconut to make coconut milk. Originally wooden bowls. Also used to describe the "baul" made from the base of a frond of a type of rawa palm.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (bowl).
Léxica:
See "tuula uuk."

[arriba]

belplan

I. N

1. bread,food,plant 100 finger banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You eat this one ripe, not cooked. Also called manzana banana and 100 finger banana.

Lo comés crudo, no cocinado. También se le llama banano manzano o banano 100 dedos
Léxica:
No idea of the origin of the word. Belplan is considered both Kriol and Rama word.

Se desconoce el origen de la palabra. Belplan es considerada una palabra tanto Kriol como Rama

[arriba]

biinz

I. N

1. food,plant bean , [ESP] Frijol

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Small red beans, a lot of which they grow themselves, and from which they save some to plant again the next time. Like other crops, a lot of work to keep animals away from, to weed, to harvest, to shell and to dry. Used to keep them in a gourd to keep them dry and to help keep out mice, weevils, etc. Eaten boiled, stewed with coconut milk, stewed in coconut milk with rice (and salt plus onion, black pepper, gourd pepper, if you have it), boiled, sometimes fried. (coconut oil if they have enough coconuts to make it). Newly-harvested red beans accompanied by boiled or stewed breadkind are very tasty.
Gramatical:
Loanword from English 'bean'. The Rama name is 'ungskup' or 'nguskup'.

[arriba]

biip

I. N

1. animal,food,mammal cow , [ESP] Vaca

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Biip kangali arii pluuma.
The cow milk is white.
La leche de vaca es blanca.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Most Rama people don't eat much of it and some won't eat it at all. They like cheese, though rarely eat it because it usually has to be bought. They would like to have milk for coffee, but that would have to be bought and transported without spoiling. Some are lactose-intolerant. However, owning cows has been seen for a number of years as a sign of economic success by a growing number. The Kukra River communities and Aguila as of 2008 have quite a few cows, which are also contributing to land erosion due to cutting and burning the jungle bush to make pastures. Some are also turning to pesticides and herbicides because otherwise it is hard to keep the brush low. The increasing number of free-roaming cows also cause problems by eating food items which people have planted near their houses (e.g., young bananas and household herbs), which then causes arguments. Beef, milk, cheese, coajada bring good money, though. Many still do not like to eat beef.
Gramatical:
Loanword from English 'beef' ( through Miskitu?).

[arriba]

biip nkiikna

I. N

1. animal,food,mammal bull , [ESP] Toro

Pictures/Imagenes:

Composicion:

Compounds

Morfemas
biip	nkiikna
cow	male
Vaca

[arriba]

bilam

I. N

1. animal,fish,food sardine, minnow , [ESP] Sardina

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Bilam sii su bii aakar. sut kuu, sauk yusukiingakama.
The sardine lives in the river. We catch it to fish with.
La sardina vive en los ríos. Las agarramos para pescar con ellas.

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
If someone who is swimming in the river in the river has any cuts, the little fish will come around and pick at the infected parts.

Si alguien que está nadando en el río tiene heridas, se le acercan los pececitos para morder las partes infectadas.
Etnográfica:
Did not used to be eaten, but rather used for bait. Now that fish is hard to find for people up the river they eat them. There are many kinds of them. Often refers to different kinds of small fish in the creeks and rivers, not sardines. There are sea bilam and river bilam.

No se acostumbraba comer, sino que se usaba como cebo. Ahora se come, sobre todo la gente de río arriba, porque es difícil encontrar peces. Hay muchos tipos. En general se refiere a diferentes tipos de peces pequeños en los criques y ríos. Hay bilam de mar (tauli aing bilam) y de río (siisu aing bilam). Algunas sardinas de río parecen “machaca pequeño” (4” – 6”), estos se fríen, y se comen completos, incluyendo las espinas.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu.
Préstamo del Miskitu.

[arriba]

bilbliup

I. N

1. animal,shellfish a sea shellfish

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Bilbliup tiiskama kangsuk u ngaling aap ki yalparkakar.
This clam is smaller than the congshell. It holds onto the rock.

2. animal,food,shellfish cockle , [ESP] Berberecho

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A smallish, roundish shellfish that sticks to rocks in the sea. No longer eat it, but used to boil it (to make it come out of the shell) and eat it. As of 2008 Rama Cay people are using bilblup as the Rama word for cockles.
Gramatical:
Suffix of class marker '-up' for roundish objects.
Léxica:
Often translated as "wilks."

[arriba]

bilplan

I. N

1. bread,food small variety of banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This is a smallish banana, very tasty when ripe.
Léxica:
See belplan.

[arriba]

biup

I. N

1. food,plant,tree pigeon plum

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A very small black "plum" which grows on a tree by the beach. Eaten by people and animals around May.
Gramatical:
With class marker '-up' for roundish object.
Léxica:
Also biiup

[arriba]

bleera aing urnga

I. N

1. food,plant,whit unidentified whit

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This is a whit that grows high up. The seed is yellow outside. People eat it, too because it has syrup inside.

[arriba]

briaut

I. N

1. food,plant coffee

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Briaut nsut tawan ki karka paayai, nsut kuaakit tahma.
We buy coffee from town, we don't have it.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A term used in Cane Creek. When real coffee is not available, people sometimes make burned corn, rice, or sometimes even burned flour coffee. You put it in an iron pot and cook it until it is dark brown and sticks to the pot, then add water, heat it, and drink it like coffee. The other option is to make bush tea from any of a number of different leaves such as lime, orange, or cowfoot.
Léxica:
Relatively new term in the seventies (NR).The new generation says 'kaapi', borrowed from English (coffee).

[arriba]

bukanshe

I. N

1. animal,fish,food large sea catfish , [ESP] Bagre (de mar, grande)

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Some Rama eat catfish, and some don't; not generally a preferred fish.
Algunos Rama lo comen y otros no. No es uno de sus peces favoritos.
Léxica:
Different lexical items used varyingly for catfish, mudfish, freshwater eel.
Al bagre se le conoce de varias formas, pez gato, pez lodo, anguila de agua dulce.
See walaha, walah, uula, bagri.

[arriba]

butku aing paasungup

I. N

1. food,plant salt water plum

Notas:

Etnográfica:
There are black ones and red ones.

[arriba]

chicha

I. N

1. food chicha

Composicion:

Compounds

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Homemade alcoholic corn drink.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from Spanish chicha

[arriba]

dagaaska

I. N

1. animal,fish,food mullet , [ESP] Lisa , [KRI] mulit, si mulit , [RCK] mulit

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
In the community of Rama Cay they catch them with cast nets between 6 and 8 in the evening when the school is looking for food. Rama Cay people fish for them
almost year-around near the surrounding islands, which are about thirty minutes from the mainland, and at Hone Sound Bar. Since a market opened for stingrays (2006), they started using them for bait to catch rays.

En la comunidad de Rama Cay los capturan con atarraya siempre lo hacen entre las seis y las ocho de la noche, cuando la colonia anda buscando presa. Casi todo el tiempo lo pescan en las islas cercanas a Rama Cay, treinta 30
minutos en tierra firme, y en la barra de Hone Sound. Desde que se
abrió el mercado para la raya (2006) esta se utiliza como carnada.
Etnográfica:
There are several varieties of mullets, fresh, salt and brackish water fish, caught in nets and eaten or sold. Dagaska refers to the smaller mullet found at the bar mouth or in the lagoon. All mullet generally do not pick hooks. This one is caught in gill nets or cast nets (vs. saaling, which is also struck with a harpoon.) It is cooked "all kinds of ways."
Hay varías especies. Son de agua dulce, salada y salobre, se cogen en redes para comer o vender.Dagaska se refiere a la mullet pequena que se encuentra en la boca de la barrao en la laguna. las mullet por lo general no pican el anzuelo. Esta se captura en los trasmallos y atarrayas. Se cocina de diferetnes maneras.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu. Also takaska.
Préstamo del miskitu. También takaska.

[arriba]

daha

I. N

1. test

1. Atlantic tripletail , [ESP] Mojarra , [KRI] sandfish , [RCK] sanfish

2. animal,fish,food unidentified

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Daha tauli su yaakar. Taimka yalngaangi. Kiiknadut sungka, ankangi waisku u.
The sandfish lives in the sea. Sometimes he float. When the men see it, they strike it with a harpoon.
La mojarra vive en el mar. A veces flota. Cuando los hombres la ven la golpean con arpón.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
They usually catch them at the beginning of the year when the water is very salty. They are very tasty.

Se captura sobre todo al inicio del año o cuando las aguas están bien saladas. La carne es muy buena.
Etnográfica:
A rather large sea fish; not a flat fish like flounder. Often harpooned rather than caught on line. Prized as a food fish.
Pez de mar algo grande; no es un pez plano como los flotadores. También vive en la laguna y aguas salobre. Por tradición arponeado; raras veces pescado con anzuelo y cuerda de pescar. Últimamente (2008) se agarra con trasmallo. Es apreciado como buena comida.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu.
Préstamo del miskitu

[arriba]

druuma

I. N

1. animal,fish,food croaker fish , [ESP] Roncador

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Druuma salpka bii. sii su aakituing. Druuma pluuma. sut sauk kiingaka, sauk ikuii. sauk u sukuuka, suasarki uut ki. Uut ki sukaaka, ikauni `uur' `uur' ikauni.
"The drummer fish is a fish too. He lives in the river. It's white. When we fish it, it takes the hook. When we catch it with a hook, we haul it in the dory. When we put it in the dory he say ""uurr uurr"" he say."
El pez tambor también vive en el río. Cuando pescamos pica el anzuelo. Cuando lo agarramos con anzuelo, lo cargamos en el cayuco. Cuando lo ponemos en el cayuco hace "uurr uurr".

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
In dry weather they mostly live at the mouths of the rivers Tursuani, Dakuno, and Kukra; sometimes you find them at Hone Sound bar. You catch them in March and April with a #3 hook, using small shrimp and crabs for bait. In June and July you catch them with trasmallo, and they can weigh up to 30 or 40 pounds. Drummer is a highly popular market fish, and it is also consumed in the Rama Cay community in rundown made with fresh fish, or it is salted and dried some, and then run down.

En el verano viven sobre todo en la boca de los ríos Tursuani, Dakuno, y en Kukra River; algunas veces se encuentran en la barra de Hone Sound. Se captura en marzo y abril con anzuelo #3, carnada de chacalines pequeños y jaiba. En junio y julio se captura con trasmallo, pesan hasta 30 a 40 libras. El roncador tiene mucho mercado, y en la comunidad de Rama Cay se consume en rondón, o salado en “salt fish rondon”.
Etnográfica:
It depends on the speaker what is identified as "druuma," and what is identified as "raukrauk." Some say raukrauk is the freshwater druuma. Then just "druuma" is a common fish caught in the lagoon and sea to eat and to sell.

Depende del hablante lo que se identifica como "druuma," o lo que se identifica como "raukrauk." Algunos dicen que raukrauk es el druuma de agua dulce. Así resulta que “druuma” es un pez común que se pesca en la laguna y el mar para comer y vender.
Léxica:
Borrowing from English (drummer). See also 'raukrauk', rukruk, and 'aitukpa' for drummer fish.
Préstamo del ingles (tambor).

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duudup

I. N

1. food,fruit,plant,tree unidentified

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A yellow plum on a tree that grows on or near the beach. Ripe in May, June. Sweet, but slightly acidic. People eat them.

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guna

I. N

1. animal,fish,food a cichlid species , [ESP] Moga

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Guna salpka aa taara. salpka tiiskama barka parnga. February march tukan guna alngaangi. Tuut uup alptangka sii su ki, analtungwai. Kat tris tris analtungwai kuyak karka yalptangi.
The moga is not a big fish. It is small but black. In February and March it float. When the fig seed drop in the river he eat it. They eat piece of stick that drop from high up.
La moga no es un pez grande. Es pequeño y negro. En febrero y marzo flota. Se come las semillas de higo que caen en el río. Los palitos que caen al agua también se los come.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Little fresh water fish (perch size) caught to eat. It lives way up in the creeks and does not take a hook; it must be struck in the head with a very very long fish staff (8 - 12 ft.). Pedro Macrea is very good at it, maybe the only one left to do it, though as of 2008 no guna up in Cane Creek as the Spaniards have poisoned out all of the fish. Most Bluefields people don't know it.
Pequeño pez de agua dulce (del tamaño de una perca) que se pesca para comer. Vive arriba en los criques y no pica anzuelo; debe de golpeársele la cabeza con un palo de pescar bien largo (un “sinnak,” 8- 12 pies). Pedro Macrea es muy bueno haciéndolo, uno de los pocos Rama que sabe como capturarlos. Desde el 2008 no hay guna, arriba en Cane Creek, porque los mestizos han envenenado la mayoría de los peces. La gente de Bluefields no lo conoce. En 2009 se dice que se logra encontrar, y se le puede pescar con anzuelo y cebo. Dicen que es así por que su comida es escasa.

[arriba]

ibung

I. N

1. artef.,hunting gun

2. animal,fish,food a river fish, probably a sturgeon , [ESP] Gaspar

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Used old 22 and took only a couple of bullets because they were too expensive; so had to be good shots.
Cane Creek men thought nothing of hunting without guns, but most Rama Cay men would say they could not hunt unless they had a gun and dog.
You can find the fish in Corn River. It looks like (favors) a crocodile in the mouth and the skin is thick like an armadillo. Some eat it, but it is rank (has a strong fish smell). The meat is white like shrimp.
Gramatical:
'gun' can also be said 'siikubing' but 'ibung' is more frequent.
Léxica:
"gaspar" in Spanish.

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iibu

I. N

1. food,health,plant iibu tree

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Iibu aapintak suulaik aapuni. Kumaadut iibu up kuula ki baantaaksu, anaapulki. Iibu ari anuungi. Kiiknadut iibu krus auki, anpaayakama.
The ibu tree grows far in the bush. The women go in the bush to look for ibu seeds to pick. Ibu posol they make. The men burn iibu for carbon (coal) to sell.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
It is the preferred wood for charcoal. They eat the bunya drink out of the seeds, which is a lot of work. People also eat the plain boiled iibu as a snack. The seeds are also parched and eaten with the skin (not the shell) like roasted nuts, or parched and then ground to make "coffee." Ibu oil is both medicinal (for asthma and to anoint sore joints) and used by some in the bush for frying food. To make the oil you boil down the "maia" from the boiled iibu. (The maia is the iibu "trash" that sticks to the pot side. When you cook in coconut milk, there is also maia that collects around the pot side, thicker than, but similar to, the foamy residue that collects around the edge of a pot when rice starts to boil.) Iibu is harvested in dry weather Feb.- March.The seeds will last a couple of months after dropping, so they do not have to be processed immediately. Iibu is a major food source for macaw parrots, and the increasing disappearance of the tree has contributed to a great decline in their numbers (2008--and they were not that common even around Monkey Point/Cane Creek in the 1970s.) The increasing human population has lead to more burning of iibu trees for coal, and a lot of the Mestizos also simply cut them down when clearing the forest land to plant or for cows and don't use the trees for anything. As of 2009, the Mestizos have not yet started exploiting the seed. The shells are sometimes burned instead of firewood as they catch up quickly and burn very hot. Some people do not like to cook with iibu, though, because it "blacks up the pots" too much. The shells are also burned at night, sometimes with wood, or if available, with termite nests, as a deterrent to mosquitos and sandflies. The tree has pretty purple flowers that float down the creek when they drop. There are also many beliefs regarding the tree and its "owner."

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iibu kaas

I. N

1. cooking,food,fruit,tree [ESP] almendro de monte

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
People like to mix iibo bunya with water when the iibo is either fresh or has soured a little, and add sugar (especially if it is fresh bunya) to make a drink. It is a lot of work, as the large tough seeds have to be carried from under the trees in the bush, where they drop Feb.- March (dry weather). Then each seed has to be cracked open by pounding with a rock. After that, the seeds are peeled, boiled for about an hour until they soften, and then have to be mashed. Traditionally this was done with a "rubbing rock," or metate, though many have hand mills now. The paste is then shaped into balls or small loaves, and stored in a waha or banana leaf, or perhaps plastic as of 2008 if to be sold in Bluefields. It is a highly desired product by everyone. However, for the amount of work involved people are not willing to pay more than they ever have, so a palm-sized ball can usually only be sold for 10 cordobas in Bluefields (2009).
Léxica:
bunya is Misk., "pozol" in Spanish

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iik

I. N

1. food,plant cassava , [ESP] yuca

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Iik iraa. Iik aasikima nsukwsi.
The cassava is breadkind. We eat it boiled.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
It is a breadkind. The kind they plant is not the poisonous cassava that needs to be processed. They boil it and fry it or stew it. They sell it in Bluefields. There are always worried about hogs and peccaries digging it up and eating it; they worry about people digging it up to steal it.

[arriba]

iraa

I. N

1. bread,food,plant breadkind

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Yiraa pranti iraa bredfruut yiraa samuu iraa iik iraa kangkaraup iraa isup iraa bantingi.
I want cooked breadkind: plantain, breadfruit, banana, cassava, costo, coco.
Nsut iraa u alaungi nuunik ui nsut iraa baalpi traali alaungkama salpka u.
We cook with breadkind. Every day we look for breadkind to cook with fish.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The original food of the Ramas. Old time people ate mostly breadkind, and Cane Creek people did not eat as much fish and meat as Rama Cay people. Ruben Wilson ate only roasted kosto bananas.
Breadkind is a starchy vegetable as main dish or to accompany main dish, includes cassava, green banana, plantain, dasheen, coco, breadfruit, yams, sweet potato.
Léxica:
Generic for breadkind, an essential food of the Ramas. See also urnga.

[arriba]

is

I. N

1. wax

2. food,plant peelings , [ESP] cascaras

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Peelings and trash of different plants are used in cooking and preparing drinks: pinapple peelings with cane juice set out in glass jar in the sun to make liquor. Coconut trash can be added to bake goods like buns or leavened flour tortillas.

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isi

I. N

1. food liquor

[arriba]

isi kruk

I. N

1. food,health,human drunkard

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isima

I. ADJ

1. break,food,percep. stinky

Notas:

Etnográfica:
For anything that smells really stinky, like spoiled food, rotten meat, babies with diarrhea.
Gramatical:
A hypothesis would be that this word is a derivation of 'isi' (liquor) and '-ima' or '-ma', suffix making adjectives. In which case the translation would be more like 'fermented'.

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isima maal

I. V

1. break,food,percep. stink

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
isima	maal
stinky	smell

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isiup

I. N

2. food,plant coco

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Edible tuber like yucca. There is a red-fleshed variety and a white-fleshed variety, which taste different. Usually eaten boiled or stewed in coconut milk as other breadkind,and/or in coconut-milk stew ( rondon/rundown) with meat or fish. Occasionally made into coco "cake," (from Kriols), with grated raw coco, coconut milk, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and baked. Is a Kriol word; there is no common word in standard English. One of a number of different plants loosely called "elephant ear" in gardening as they are planted ornamentally in many countries with an appropriate climate.
Gramatical:
Has the '-up' class marker for roundish shape.

[arriba]

isiup kiing

I. N

1. food,plant cocohead

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
isiup	kiing
	head

Notas:

Etnográfica:
There are different kinds of dasheen, the bigger, whiter one with purple flecks which is harder when cooked, and the smaller one which has more reddish-purple specks and cooks up softer, and is preferred. As with other breadkind, usually eated boiled or stewed in coconut milk, or in coconut milk rondon (rundown) with meat or fish. Occasionally also made into a porridge (pap, in Kr.).
Gramatical:
As 'isiup' (coco), 'isiup kiing' as a variant 'isup kiing'.

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kaakl

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish cockle

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Women pick them in the lagoon. Used to make soup or to stew. Women also sell them in Bluefields.
One soup recipe: rice cooked in waterto "burst," cockles steamed and picked from their shells, sweet red peppers ('alkiini'), basil leaves or culantro, and hard coco (quiquisque), onion and/or black pepper if you have them. Consumed mostly on Rama Cay because it is a lagoon shellfish. Also added to rice steamed in coconut milk.
Léxica:
Borrowing from English (cockle)

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kaapi

I. N

1. food coffee

Notas:

Etnográfica:
See notes on 'briaut' for different kinds of coffee.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English 'coffee'. Several variations : the original sound 'f' can be maintained and the long vowel 'aa' can be reduced. So we get the variants 'kapi', 'kaafi' and 'kafi'. Old Rama people say 'briaut' for coffee.

[arriba]

kaarang

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish edible sea crab species

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Karang tauli aik karka tauki siita uruk su ipangi inguri uungi naingi yaat ikai.
The raati crab comes out from the sea. On the oyster bank he makes his hole. There he put his eggs.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A kind of sea crab. Preferred for eating to swamp crab. Its Kriol name of 'raati' crab comes from Miskitu (rati or rahti).
Not commercially fished by the Rama, and seen as by-catch if incidentally caught, e.g., in a shrimp net.
Gramatical:
Has variant form 'rati'
Léxica:
Borrowed from Miskitu, rati/rahti

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kaas

I. N

1. body,food meat

2. flesh

Notas:

Gramatical:
Used as well for animals and plants.

[arriba]

kabiis

I. N

1. animal,fishing,food,shellfish shrimp

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Either generic for shrimp or for a certain kind of shrimp depending on the speaker. There are different varieties of shrimp in the area at different times. The smaller shrimp, "chacalin," are caught mostly in the lagoon (i.e., not in the sea) in cast nets, during the dry weather months (March - May) when the lagoon is saltier. The larger ones are caught in the sea (but not far out) in August-September, moreso in front of Aguila since it is on the sea. These are usually mixed in with the "seabob," which are small shrimp which are usually dried before being sold in Bluefields, or put up sold and consumed fresh. Chacalin and the big sea shrimps are sold fresh in Bluefields. Seabob are usually dried first. No fancy recipes, no ceviche. Dried ones are often put up in the house for when there is no other meat or fish to eat, or even beans, i.e., bad weather times. They are cooked by adding them to rice cooked in coconut milk, as usual, with black pepper, onion, a gourd pepper if available. Making and casting nets in order to catch shrimps to sell began in the seventies. There are also several species of crayfish of varying sizes which are caught, consumed, and/or used for fishing bait. These are fresh/brackish water dwellers which are washed down into the lagoon during the rainy season.

[arriba]

kabiis taara

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish big sea shrimp, large crayfish

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kabiis taara sii su ka. Kabiis yaap parnga. Sii su kuyanik aakituing.
The big shrimp is from the creek. Its body is black. It lives way up the creek.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Depending on the speaker, this can refer to either the long-clawed river crayfish, or to the big white shrimp which are caught in the sea in August-September in cast nets. The former is washed out into the lagoon during the rainy season. It is usually caught by hand under rocks, or jabbed with a short staff with a metal blade fashioned by hand ("chuusu," in RCC), or previously with a bow and arrow. Also trapped in pots about two feet long made of papta and baited with coconut. 2009 Bluefields price about 30 cordobas/lb. (3 large ones/lb.) The big commercial sea shrimps are not usually eaten, but are sold in Bluefields.

[arriba]

kabiis tataara

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish large shrimp or crayfish

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Maamu lakuun su traali, sii su traali, tauli skaik traali. Kabiis tataara bayalpi traali, ikwiskama.
The river otter (water dog) walks in the lagoon, in the river and on the iceab beach side . It looks for black shrimps to eat.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
kabiis	tataara
shrimp	very big

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Depending on the speaker, this can refer to either the long-clawed river crayfish, or to the big white shrimp which are caught in the sea in August-September in cast nets. The former is washed out into the lagoon during the rainy season. It is usually caught by hand under rocks, or jabbed with a short staff with a metal blade fashioned by hand ("chuusu," in RCC), or previously with bow and arrow. The former is washed out into the lagoon during the rainy season. It is usually caught by hand under rocks, or jabbed with a short staff with a metal blade fashioned by hand ("chuusu," in RCC), or previously with a bow and arrow. Also trapped in pots about two feet long made of papta and baited with coconut. 2009 Bluefields price about 30 cordobas/lb. (3 large ones/lb.) The big commercial sea shrimps are not usually eaten, but are sold in Bluefields. For auto-consumption and sold in Bluefields. 2009 price 30 cordobas/lb. (3 large ones/lb.) The big white shrimp are usually not consumed, but are sold in Bluefields.

[arriba]

kabiis tiiskiba

I. N

1. animal,fishing,food,shellfish seabob

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Small hard-head shrimp known as seabob which are caught Aug.- Sept. with the big wite sea shrimps among them. Must be boiled and dried for sale, which can be a problem if it rains and there is no good way to dry them. Also put up to eat cooked with rice and coconut when there is no other meat or fish.

[arriba]

kabiis tuuru

I. N

1. animal,fishing,food,shellfish crayfish

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Saura nanaak traali, yalptangi lakuun skaik, tiisanga ki itraali. Kabiis tuuru bayalpi traali. Ikat suma aingu.
This heron (garling) flies about, drops down the edge of the lagoon, and walks on the shore. It looks for little shrimps. It has a long leg, that's why.
Esta garza vuela alrededor, desciende a la orilla de la laguna y camina en la playa. Busca camarones pequeños, chacalines. Por eso tiene patas largas.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
kabiis	tuuru
shrimp	?

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The small crayfish caught in the creeks, and in the rainy season, around the lagoon edge in mangroves. Both eaten (usually in rondon, though children also roast them) and used for fishing bait.

[arriba]

kabunaup

I. N

1. food,plant granadilla

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The fruit is the size of an egg and is extremely sweet. You eat the seeds and the jelly-like substance that are inside. There is a season for it during which people from Cane Creek used to go with the family to go to Snook Creek to find it and eat it. It is hard to carry back because it is soft.
Gramatical:
The final suffix '-up', class marker for roundish shape, is not obligatory : 'kabuna' is also possible.

[arriba]

kain

I. V

1. artef. carve

2. artef. trim

3. break cut

4. food peel

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Gramatical:
Used in the sense 'to make' for dory or artefacts cut in wood.

[arriba]

kakaa uuknga

I. N

1. artef.,food cup

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
kakaa	uuknga
mouth	container

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Used to drink and eat from calabashes (gourds); this is most likely a neologism.

[arriba]

kalua

I. N

1. animal,fish,food small snook species , [ESP] Róbalo (pequeño)

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kalua kaanu taaki aakar. Tauli su yaakar, lakuun su yaakar, sii su yaakar. sauk kiingaka sukwii.
The small snook lives all about. He lives in the ocean, he lives in the lagoon, he lives in the river. When we fish it, we eat it.
Vive en todas partes. El róbalo pequeño vive en la laguana, en el río. Cuando lo pescamos, lo comemos.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Resembles the large snook, but smaller and rounder. Lagoon fish very common for eating fried or stewed; spoils quickly. Is also sold. As of 2009, noted that some fish being caught at creek mouths and identified as "kalua" are actually young specimens of the larger snook species.
Parece un róbalo pero mas pequeño y más redondeado. Algunos dicen que existen varios tipos. Pez lagunero muy común para comer frito o guisado; se daña rápido.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from Miskitu.
Préstamo del Miskitu.

[arriba]

kangali arii

I. N

2. body,food milk , [ESP] leche materna

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Biip kangali arii pluuma.
The cow milk is white.
La leche de vaca es blanca.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
kangali	arii
breast	liquid
pecho	Liquido

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A Rama Cay belief is that women who pick oysters in cold water and then nurse their baby will give their baby a cold.

[arriba]

kangkaraup

I. N

1. food,plant kind of banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A kind of banana, of kind of squarish shape. Should be cooked to be eaten.
Gramatical:
With class marker '-up' for roundish shapes.
Also called cosco.
Léxica:
in Rama Cay Creole, called kosko on Rama Cay and kosto further south. In Bluefields you hear both.

[arriba]

kasu

I. N

1. food,plant cashew

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They plant trees around their houses. They eat the fruits and some roast the seeds and eat them; not plentiful and not a money-making endeavor as on the Pacific side of the country.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (cashew).
Léxica:
Also kaashu

[arriba]

katuup parnga

I. N

1. food,plant star apple

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
katuup	pargna
fruit	black

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Pronounced "strapple" in Kriol.

[arriba]

katuup saala

I. N

1. food,plant tomato

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
katuup	saala
fruit	red

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Ramas do not eat tomatoes. Probably a neologism.

[arriba]

kawas

I. N

1. food,plant guava

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kawas pwatpa u plungkiingima, swiin u nikwsi.
The guava cooked with sugar, we eat it with bread.
Kawas nuknuknga tuktinka yalptangka nsut aapluki kuskama. Kawas saala saala yiruk su pwatpa.
When the guava is ripe, when it drops, we pick it up to eat it. The red guava is sweeter.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They usually eat them when they are green because if they wait for them to be ripe they won't be there!
The leaves can be used medicinally.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (guava).

[arriba]

kiskut

I. ?

1. animal,fish,food a cichlid species

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The smallest fish classified as a kind of tuba. A lagoon, river and creek fish caught and usually cooked in rundown.

[arriba]

kiskut

I. N

1. animal,fish,food Cichlid spp

Notas:

Etnográfica:
There are several classes of "tuba," generally and traditionally the most preferred food fish of the Rama. This is identified as the “speckled one.”
Hay varias clases de “tuba.” Generalmente y tradicionalmente es el pez preferido por el pueblo Rama para comer. Este tipo de “tuba” se reconoce por sus manchitas.
Léxica:
See "tuaa."
Ver "tuaa".

[arriba]

kliis

I. N

1. food,plant fig

[arriba]

kokriko

I. N

1. animal,bird,food chachalaca

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Gamebird smaller than kwaam, (crested guan). Eaten in soup or roasted.
Léxica:
Borrowed or onomatopoetic. See waisukwaisuk.

[arriba]

kongkanti

I. N

1. bread,food dried green banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Dried green banana ground up for pop.
Léxica:
See also 'tuulis' for another pop.

[arriba]

kraa

I. ADJ

1. food addicted

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Added to the end of, or after food or drink items

[arriba]

kraabu

I. N

1. food,plant,tree kraabu

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Little round small rape-sized yellow fruit with a seed inside that grows on a tree. Very sweet. Found all over Nicaragua, but the fruits on the Pacific are larger. Ramas eat it as is, make fresco, with it, and make wabul with it. Ripens around August.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from either Miskitu or Kriol.
Léxica:
Nancite in Sp.

[arriba]

kraana ngarngaringba

I. N

1. animal,food,hunting,reptile green baselisk

Composicion:

expression

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Green baselisk, as contrasted with the brown baselisk. Some people hunt them and eat them.

[arriba]

krais ngarngaringba

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish blue crab

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Krais ngringringma, krais pluuma, krais saala, krais pangsak, seem isabii anaakri. Sut kuuka, sut kwsi.
The blue crab, the white crab, the red crab, these three crabs are the same kind. When we catch them we eat them.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
krais	ngarngaringma
crab, land crab, sea crab

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This crab makes holes in the dirt.

[arriba]

krangkang airi

I. N

1. cooking,food iguana egg soup

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Krangkang is iguana egg soup. An iguana may lay 50 -60 eggs, and it depends on how much krangkan you want to make how many eggs you use. To make it, you put water on to boil, and while it is heating, you bore a hole in each egg and pour the contents into a calabash. When the water is hot, you stir the eggs into it and add onion, gourd pepper, whatever condiments you prefer. This is a thick soup.
Léxica:
Also just krangkang, krangkan airi

[arriba]

kraungi

I. N

1. animal,fish,food jack , [ESP] Jurel

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kraungi tataara aakar paitkriima aakar. Kraungi alngaangka, duaalin aalali tangaik.
The jackfish there are big ones and small ones. When the jackfish float, the stingray play on its back.

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
If you dream of him (the jack), he makes you get up from your bed and walk around as if you have seen someone to talk with. He also makes you fall out of your bed. The Ramas say that when the water is fresh, you shouldn’t catch jack, because if you do, the water will quickly turn salty. Jack is caught and sold both in Bluefields and on Rama Cay. If you catch small ones, you give them to people for free. You can dry jack by putting large pieces of it on sticks over a low fire, and then you can sell it as smoked jack. You eat it with cassava or dasheen.

Si sueñas con él te hace levantarte de la cama y caminar alrededor como si has visto alguien con quien hablar. También te hace caer de la cama. Dicen los Ramas que cuando el agua está dulce no se deben capturar porque el agua pronto se convierte en agua salada. Se pesca y vende en el mercado o entre la misma comunidad; si es pequeño, se regala. Se seca a baja temperatura sobre el fuego, se ahuma apoyado en dos palitos y se vende como carne de kruangi ahumada. Se come con yuca cocida o malanga.
Etnográfica:
Usually an ocean fish; sometimes in the lagoon. there are a number of different species of jack. For the big "true jack," "krauni," many people don't eat the head because they say it makes you crazy (like you will dream anything, such as about the seven-headed man (?).
Pez marino pero algunas veces también se encuentra en la laguna. Hay varias especies de Jurel. Del grande, “el verdadero jurel,” mucha gente no come la cabeza porque dicen que enloquece (como soñar con el hombre de siete cabezas o el hombre sin cabeza).
Léxica:
Also krauni. Miskitu kraui.
También krauni. Miskitu kraui.

[arriba]

kukaali

I. N

1. animal,fish,food califavor , [ESP] Lisa

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kukaali traatka, sii ki karka itabii, suitkri.
When the galleyfever walk/go/jump, he come out of the water, he jump on it.
Cuando el califavor viene, sale del agua y salta en ella.

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
This is a very difficult fish to catch, and you can never catch very many. You have to wait for the right moment to catch them. It is not good for women with small children to eat kukaali because the children will get sick and could die.

Es un pez que es muy difícil de capturar y nunca se logra capturar muchos. Se tiene que esperar el momento para capturarlo. No es bueno que las mujeres con niños pequeños lo coman, se enferman y pueden morir.
Etnográfica:
Commonly eaten fairly large fish (up to 20, 25 pounds). Lives in the sea, lagoon, and part way up the river. It has big roe, a delicacy which is fried, or put in a waha leaf and set in the pot of rondon. Very rank, i.e., strong-smelling, and oily fish. Usually not stewed in coconut milk; you just roast it, or, you might salt it and dry it over the fire, and then run it down (i.e., stew it). You catch it in August in a net or you strike it.
There is a belief that it is not good to eat when you have a fever, because they jump too high and make the fever go higher.
Pez bastante grande de laguna y agua salada que se come comúnmente. Huele muy fuerte a aceite de pescado. Generalmente no se cocina en leche de coco; se pone a secar sobre el fuego y luego se hace rondón (guisado). Tiene bastantes huevas, una delicadeza, fritas, o cocidas envueltas en hoja de waha (bijagua) dentro del rondón. Se captura en octubre con trasmallo o con anzuelo. Antes lo pescaban con arpón (“waisku”). Brinca bastante mientras nada. Existe la creencia de que no hay que comerlo cuando se tiene fiebre, porque como salta muy alto hace subir la temperatura. Tampoco se recomienda que lo coman las mujeres con bebes.
Léxica:
KR and RCC are not the same.
KR y RCC no son lo mismo.

[arriba]

kukunup

I. N

1. food,plant coconut

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kukunup alptangi.
Coconut drop down

2. plant coconut tree

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kukunup panik yaapuni.
The coconut grow sideways.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Coconuts are a central part of Atlantic Coast cooking, and are a valuable cash crop which is hard to protect from thieves. Young green coconuts are great thirst quenchers. Mature coconuts are used to produce milk for cooking by pouring water on grated coconut and squeezing out the milk. The "trash" is then sometimes used to add texture and taste to fried baking soda-raised flour "tortillas," and to feed to chickens and pigs. Coconut oil is made to use to fry foods. Coconuts (and some oil) are sold in Bluefields or traded /sold to shrimp boats in Monkey Point. The husks and shells are not really used for anything. The Rama do not make copra to sell, but some have worked for other people who have copra businesses on Corn Island.
Gramatical:
Reduplication. Class marker '-up' for roundish objects.

[arriba]

kukunup arii

I. N

1. food coconut milk

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kukunup naasriksu, namsai, yarii tabikama.
I grater the coconut and I squeeze the milk out.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
kukunup	arii
coconut	juice

[arriba]

kukunup upsi

I. N

1. food,health,plant coconut oil

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Naas aapsing kuaakitka, nunguuk ngulsniuungi kukunup upsi u.
when I am with fever, I purge my belly with coconut oil

Composicion:

Compounds

Morfemas
kukunup	upsi
coconut	oil

[arriba]

kulaantro

I. N

1. food,health,plant coriander

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Grows wild and also commonly planted around houses. Used in flavoring various foods, such as macharca soup. Also has a number of medicinal uses. It is drunk as a medicinal tea. Another use is as a worm purge when three culantro roots are boiled with seven soursop leaves. The plant, with spiky tough leaves, looks very different from the domesticated variety seen in the U.S., but the scent and taste are similar.

[arriba]

kulii

I. N

1. animal,food,mammal paca, KR givenot

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A highly prized meat which is hunted and usually eaten roasted. Often hunted by torching along the creekside at night: to torch you paddle upstream, and then drift down after the moon rises, hoping to spot and kill game that have come down to the waterside. (People originally made torches from long grasses palms, etc., then moved on to tying flashlights to the side of their heads, but now increasingly have headlamps.)

[arriba]

kungkung

I. N

1. animal,bird,food crested guan

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A chickenish size brown bird, its meat is prized. Used to be hunted with bows and arrows, now hunted with guns. As of 2008 scarce. They make kwam coconut-based soup, eaten with breadkind.
One of two birds (the other being curassow, "ngalaang") whose feathered wings were used as fire fans when more abundant.
Gramatical:
Reduplication.

[arriba]

kuntrayak

I. N

1. animal,fish,food small river and creek fish , [ESP] Cichlid spp

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
You usually clean them and then fry them; you eat them because “they help wash the rice and beans down.” Traditionally, Rama Cay people catch and eat more of
them than the Ramas in the other communities.

Generalmente se limpian y se comen fritas; se comen para “ayudar a limpiar porque hace que el arroz y los frijoles vayan hacia abajo”. Tradicionalmente son capturadas y comidas más por la gente de Rama Cay que por las otras comunidades Rama.
Etnográfica:
A small cichlid, "a shiny truu," truu being another small cichlid. Lives in small rivers and creeks. Can be caught by hook, but more often caught in cast nets, or by getting in the water and being "chased" downstream and netted. They are eaten when there are no better, meaning bigger, fish caught. They are usually cleaned and fried whole, being eaten to "help wash the rice and beans down." Traditionally are more often caught and eaten by Rama Cay people than by the other Ramas. Are also used for bait.
Cichlid pequeña rayada, pez brillante (shine truu) siendo truu otro Cichlid pequeña según algunos hablantes. Hay bastante pequeños peces rayados, y se dice que este es el mas pequeño. Es muy agresivo, y persigue a los más grandes, especialmente cuando tiene nido. Vive en los riachuelos y criques. Se puede pescar con anzuelo pero más a menudo se agarra con atarraya, o se persiguen con red en el agua río abajo. Se comen solamente si no hay nada mejor, es decir pescado grande. También se usan como carnada.
Léxica:
Also kontraya
También kontraya

[arriba]

kuuk

I. N

1. food,plant chocolate

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This is the planted cacao. You can eat the jelly around the seeds. You cannot roast it and just eat it because it is too bitter. You have to bust the pod, dry the seeds, parch the seeds, peel them, grind them, and roll that paste into a ball. When it's hard you chip some off into a pot of boiling water or cane juice to make chocolate to drink. Add sugar if you didn't use cane juice.
Léxica:
See 'kuuk arii', and other kinds of cacao : 'ngerba', 'aumaup','ngungisup'

[arriba]

kuuk aing alkiini

I. N

1. food,plant bird pepper

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Kind of pepper used traditionally to make pepper chocolate. Now used for all kinds of food. Very small sweet red pepper.
Gramatical:
Genitive construction referring to the plant. Different from 'kuuk alkiini' which is supposed to be the pepper chocolate drink.

[arriba]

kuuk aing sabang

I. N

1. artef.,food,plant calabash for chocolate

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Might have been an important item of the turmala (seer) that drank special peppered chocolate.

[arriba]

kuuk alkiini

I. N

1. food pepper chocolate

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A chocolate drink made with water, chocolate and ground up bird pepper. The chocolate seeds themselves have already been dried, parched, peeled, ground on a rubbing rock , shaped into a ball and left to harden. You boil some of the chocolate with a little water until it fries because of the oil in it. In this chocolate preparation you skim the oil before you mix it with pepper. Strain the chocolate with the pepper, add water and drink.
Léxica:
A short form for 'kuuk arii alkiiniwa/alkiini u'. See 'aumaup' for recipe of pepper chocolate.

[arriba]

kuuk arii

I. N

1. food,plant chocolate drink

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This used to be the main drink of the Ramas. The preparation of the drink is a lot of work. You must open the pod, take out the seeds, dry them, parch them, peel off the skin, and grind the seeds into a paste. You handroll the paste into bars which harden. when you want to drink some chocolate you boil water or cane juice and chip some of the chocolate into it. If it is just with water you have to add sugar. It is a very rich drink since it has all the cocoa oil in it and gives some people headaches.
Gramatical:
Because of the compounding, the long vowel of 'kuuk' can be reduced (kuk arii).

[arriba]

kuulup

I. N

1. food,plant avocado

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They grow them to sell and sometimes eat them. They have problems keeping them until they are ripe to pick. Not a common plant for them to have.

[arriba]

kwerku

I. N

1. animal,food,mammal pig/hog

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Free-roaming hogs in small numbers have been raised for a long time as a source of income. By 2008, many more hogs, most still free-roaming, which has created more problems of hygiene and of digging up crops (though many have taken up the local custom of knotting a wire through the snout to dissuade the latter.) Pork has been eatenby many for a long time. The good time to castrate a hog is with the new moon because the skin is soft. If you do it at the full moon the skin is tough.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from Spanish (puerco).

[arriba]

kwiis

I. V

1. food eat

Notas:

Gramatical:
The long vowel 'ii' can be reduced in rapid speech. This form is used either in isolation or suffixed with aspect or subordinator. It has a variant 'kws-' when suffixed with tense marker.

[arriba]

kyabij

I. N

1. food,plant cabbage

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The most common vegetable bought in Bluefields. Not often eaten and some don't eat it at all.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (cabbage).

[arriba]

laakun aing triisu

I. N

1. animal,fish,food shad species

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
You catch them with a gill net or with a cast net which you use in dark water where there are rocks. The Ramas fish for them in the morning when the fish are looking for food. The Ramas fry them and run them down, and they also boil them to give to the dogs. Women who have recenty had a baby don’t eat them because the young baby will get sick, or might not be able to sleep in the night.

Se captura con trasmallo o con atarraya que se tiran en lugares de aguas oscuras donde hay rocas. Los Rama lo pescan por la mañana que es la hora que estos peces buscan alimento. La familia Rama lo prepara frito para rondón. También se hierve para los perros. No lo comen las mujeres recién alumbradas por que se enferman los tiernos o pueden tener problemas para dormir en la noche.
Etnográfica:
One of two shad; this one is not as round as the other, and is darker. Netted and eaten or sold. Popular to fry and eat with boiled cassava.
Una de las dos palometas, esta no es redonda como la otra, y es más oscura. Se captura en redes para comer o vender. Es popular comerlo frito con yuca hervida.

[arriba]

laap

I. N

1. food a smooth porridge

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A type of porridge made by boiling and then beating any kind of breadkind (especially green or ripe bananas or ripe plantain) with a thick stick (laap kat, or wabul stick), and adding coconut milk, ad sometimes sugar. To be differetiated from KR "pap," which is usually bumpier in consistency, made with something such as oatmeal or corn. Green breadfruit lap referred to with KR "kriminal."
Léxica:
Miskito "wabul" also used.

[arriba]

laasup

I. N

1. food,fruit,plant,tree xxx

Notas:

Léxica:
See pkuup, tkuup. Given as Rama in Wiring Cay, but others say this is Rama Cay Kriol.

[arriba]

maligyas

I. N

1. animal,fish,food small yellow drummer

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
You fish for them in March and April at Hone Sound Bar. They like to live on the shell banks. Rama men and women like to fish for them when they go to Hone Sound. They use a small hook to catch it. Rukruk is very tasty fried and in soup.

Se pesca en marzo y abril en la barra de Hone Sound. Les gusta vivir en los concheros. A los hombres y mujeres Rama les encanta ir a pescarlo cuando van a Hone Sound. Se usa anzuelo pequeño para agarrarlo. Es muy bueno frito y en sopa.
Etnográfica:
Food fish commonly caught in the lagoon toward the ocean and near shore in Punta de Aguila. One of a number of different croakers (drummers).
Pez comestible que generalmente se pesca en la salida de la laguna hacia el mar y cerca de la costa de Punta de Águila (Bangkukuk Taik). La mayoría de la gente en Bluefields no lo conoce. Es un pequeño pez amarillo de agua salada.
Léxica:
same as rukruk (B.A. from Nellie )
Para algunos hablantes es el mismo rukruk.

[arriba]

masmas

I. N

1. animal,fish,food cichlid species , [ESP] Pinto

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
We enjoy fishing for it when it’s masmas time. You find it where there are a lot of thick grasses in the water. The women go out early in the morning to look for it in the little creeks and in the mangroves. They use earthworms to fish for it.

Disfrutamos pescándolo cuando está en temporada, se encuentra donde hay algas, grama o pasto. Las mujeres van temprano en las mañanas a buscarlo a los criques pequeños y en los manglares.Usan gusanos de tierra para pescarlo.
Etnográfica:
A preferred freshwater food fish caught on hook in creeks, not in big rivers or in big lagoons. Likes shrimp for bait. Usually cooked in coconut milk.
El pinto es uno de los peces de agua dulce favorito del pueblo Rama. Se pesca con anzuelo en los criques, no en los grandes ríos ni lagunas. Le gusta el chacalín o los gusanos de carnada. Generalmente se cocina en leche de coco. La gente de Bluefields no lo conoce.
Gramatical:
Reduplication common in animal names.
Duplicación es común en los nombres de animales.

[arriba]

misla

I. N

1. bread,food,plant plantain wabul

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Praanti misla yiriima uung.
Make the plantain wabul thin!

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You boil the plantain, pour off the water, mash it with the wabul stick and pour in coconut milk. You can make it with green plantains or ripe plantains. If it is green plantain wabul you might throw in oysters, cockles, or ahi. Ripe plantain is sweet.
Se hirve el plátano, se escurre el agua, se machaca con el palo para hacer wabul y se le agrega leche de coco. Se puede hacer con plátanos verdes o maduros. Si es con verdes se le puede agregar ostras o almejas. El plátano maduro es dulce.
Léxica:
Borrowed from Miskitu.

[arriba]

mliika

I. ADJ

1. measuring good

2. emot happy

3. food tasty

II. ADV

1. easy

Notas:

Gramatical:
See variant form maliika. Constructed with postposition 'su' (about).

[arriba]

mliikaba

I. ADJ

1. food,health sweet

Composicion:

derivation

Morfemas
mliika	ba
tasty	ADJ

[arriba]

mulun

I. N

1. food a kind of porridge

[arriba]

mulung

I. N

1. animal,fish,food a fish

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A food fish which some people eat, and others don't.
La mayoría de la gente dice que es familia del bagre, pero de agua dulce, y que suele vivir en aguas inmóviles, como estanques con bastante vegetación. Es fácil agarrarlo con anzuelo cuchara. Mucha gente lo come. Una preparación tradicional es rayarlo con cuchillo, salarlo, y asarlo envuelto en hoja de bijagua Generalmente la cabeza no se come; se le da a los perros.
Léxica:
See tukbut.

[arriba]

muulung

I. N

1. animal,fish,food catfish (small, freshwater) , [ESP] Pez Gato (pequeño, agua dulce)

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Muulung lakuun tiiskiba psutki bii kauling sungi. sauk ankiingaka ankwii.
People see the bagre only in the little lagoon in land. When they fish, they catch it.
El bagre sólo se ve en la laguna chiquita. Cuando salen a pescar, lo capturan.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Some eat it and some don't. The term is used in Rama and RCC. Refers to similar, but different fish to different speakers: fresh or brackish water catfish is what most agree on. Found in slow-moving, or virtually non-moving water such as very small ponds or "lagoons" connected to creeks, or in swamps. As the fresh or brackish water catfish, most people eat it; one traditional popular way is scored, salted, wrapped up in a waha leaf, and roasted in the fire. The head is not usually cooked.
La mayoría de la gente dice que es familia del bagre, pero de agua dulce, y que suele vivir en aguas inmóviles, como estanques con bastante vegetación. Es fácil agarrarlo con anzuelo cuchara. Mucha gente lo come. Una preparación tradicional es rayarlo con cuchillo, salarlo, y asarlo envuelto en hoja de bijagua Generalmente la cabeza no se come; se le da a los perros.
Léxica:
See mulung, takbut, tukbut, tagbut, uula, tongki, tungki, batsi, bachi, sabut, elik.

[arriba]

muupi

I. N

1. animal,fish,food snook

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
The traditional way to fish for snook is with a harpoon. There are some Rama men who are experts at this, but these days it is hardly ever done. May is snook time; the men go fishing for it either when the sun is going down, or very early in the morning. These days they use gill nets to catch it. It fetches a very good market price. If it is really large, you dry it, being sure to put enough salt on it that it doesn’t spoil, so you can also sell it salted and dried in addition to fresh.

La forma tradicional de pescar de los Rama es utilizando arpón, hay expertos en tirar el palo con anzuelo en la punta. Actualmente, lo usan muy pocas veces. El mes de mayo es el tiempo para pescar róbalo, los hombres van a pescarlo al caer el sol o muy temprano en la mañana. Ahora se utiliza el trasmallo para capturarlo, tiene muy buen precio en el mercado. Cuando tiene buen tamaño se seca poniéndole suficiente sal para que no se descomponga y se vende seco y salado.
Etnográfica:
Traditionally, the people from Rama Cay would "torch" snook at night during the dry season in the lagoon. They would use silico torches to provide light, and strike the snook with harpoon (rather than fish with hook and line) because snook can be up to about four feet long. Cooked many ways, including snook hash, usually made from roasted snook being fried with oil (coconut oil, or rich coconut milk preferred), and onion and black pepper if available. Especially desirable were the roe, usually fried, or put in a waha leaf and set down in a pot of rondon to cook. As of 2008 this custom had virtually disappeared as the number of snook had suffered a great decline. Furthermore, for any torching (whether for fish or game), many people now had headlamps. As of 2008, Wiring cay still had some large snook. As of 2009, it was noted that a number of fish netted in Cane Creek and called "kalua," did not appear to be"kalua," but rather small snook.
Tradicionalmente, la gente de Rama Cay captura los róbalos durante la estación seca, para ello iluminaban la laguna con antorchas. Hacían antorchas de silico (una palmera) para iluminarse. Capturan los róbalos con arpón (en vez de anzuelo y cuerda) porque el róbalo puede medir hasta 4 pies de largo. Se cocina de diversas maneras, incluso desmenuzado. Este plato se hace de róbalo ahumado y frito en aceite (aceite de coco o preferiblemente en leche de coco), con cebolla y pimienta si se tiene. Las huevas son especialmente apetecidas, generalmente fritas, o puestas a cocinar envueltas en hoja de bijagua o banano dentro de una olla de rondón.
En el 2008 notamos que esta costumbre estaba desapareciendo y que la cantidad de róbalo había disminuido. Más aún, en vez de antorchas (ya sea para alumbrarse o jugar) mucha gente usa ahora lámparas de cabeza. En el 2008, en Wiring Cay todavía se veían róbalos grandes. En el 2009 se observó en Cane Creek, que en las redes lo que decían que eran “kalua”, eran róbalos pequeños.
Léxica:
Borrowed from Miskitu.

[arriba]

ngaaba

I. N

1. remains

2. food leftover

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Leftovers are rare! Everything gets eaten unless you save it on purpose for another meal.

[arriba]

ngaabang

I. N

1. artef.,food,plant Unidentified tall aloe-looking plant

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Formerly used to make a strong thread for sewing, weaving hammocks, nets,, rope. A few still know how to make it. The individual long stems are braced against a tree, and the the long meaty "leaves" are scraped with a kiskis to peel out the "thread." Can be eaten, but it is sour.
Léxica:
Also ngabang

[arriba]

ngalaali

I. N

1. animal,food,health honey

Notas:

Etnográfica:
When they find it, they cut it and they eat it if it is sweet. They try to smoke the bees out not to be stung. It is a treat traditionally. There are several categories of honey from sour to more sweet. Some are used in bush medicine/medication, for example honey with lime for asthma. Particularly important as sweetener before sugar.

[arriba]

ngalaali yirii

I. N

1. animal,body,food honey juice

Composicion:

expression

[arriba]

ngarbing

I. N

1. animal,food,mammal tapir

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Ngarbing tiiski aakitka bii, iniitniit ikwaakari.
Only when the mountain cow is small it has stripes.
La danta tiene rayas, solo cuando es pequeño.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
An important animal in the Adam cycle.
It has a very tough hide. They hunt it for meat, sometimes torching it in the night during dry weather, but not everybody likes to eat it because it is a very dark meat. Used to use the hide to make things with because it is tough (like ropes, sacks, shoes, belts...).
El danto es un animal importante en el Ciclo de Adam. Tiene un cuero fuerte. Lo cazan por su carne, algunas veces salen a buscarlo con antorchas durante el verano, pero no a todos les gusta comerlo porque la carne es oscura. Se utiliza el cuero para hacer cuerdas, bolsos, zapatos, fajas.

[arriba]

ngerba

I. N

1. food,plant white cacao

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A variety of cacao with a pod that is larger than "regular" cacao, ad the husk is thicker. You can eat the jelly around the seed, and eat the plain roasted seed as it is not as bitter as other chocolate. Called 'werba' in Rama Cay kriol. Prepared the same way as regular cacao (chocolate) to drink; flavor very similar. Unknown to most people in Bluefields.
Léxica:
Also ngarba, nyerba, narba. Also 'kuuk', 'aumaup' 'ngungisup' for other kinds of cacao. Pataste in Spanish.

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ngerbaup

I. N

1. food,plant white cacao seed

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Has bigger pod and seed, and thicker husk than 'kuuk' cacao. The seed is whiter and sweeter than the 'kuuk' cacao seed. You can roast that seed like peanuts (pinda in Kriol). You can eat the jelly around the seed, like for 'kuuk' cacao. Spanish word for it is pataste (which is the name of a Rama settlement up Punta Gorda).
Gramatical:
The final '-up' class marker is for roundish shape.

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ngiis

I. V

1. food smoke

Notas:

Gramatical:
The long vowel 'ii' can be shortened, mostly in compound words such as 'ngiskiing' (to sprinkle, to scatter...).

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ngulkang airi

I. N

1. animal,food,mammal wari soup

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
ngulkang	airi
white lipped peccary	soup

Notas:

Etnográfica:
One of the foods you prepare when you kill a wari. You make the soup after you have roasted the meat and shared it out. You boil rice in water and add boiled wari meat, salt and coconut milk. You can add gourd pepper, black pepper, onion if you have it. Another, probably more traditional way to make the soup (from cane creek) is to boil the meat, and peel and boil green banana. Then beat the banana with the wabul stick and put it in the wari soup water. Add salt, gourd or other pepper, culantro or basil. Leave the wari head for the following morning. That you can boil and then stew (with coconut milk) or make more soup.

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ngulung

I. N

1. powder

2. food flour

3. food wheat flour

4. food pinol

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They buy wheat flour and they make bread. They make creole style tortillas with baking soda, sometimes adding coconut milk and/or trash for more flavor; these are fried. Bread or sweetbuns made with yeast are usually a special occasion food. Olden times "flour" was made from dried bananas, used to make porridge.
Gramatical:
Generic name for powder and flour. When it is not specified, it means 'wheat flour' and sometimes 'pinol'.

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ngunisup

I. N

1. food,plant wild chocolate

Notas:

Etnográfica:
There is (or used to be) plenty, but if you pick it up, when you try to back the sack to your dory, you just keep going round and around the tree. Because it is wild you can't have, the owner won't let you (NR).
Gramatical:
Takes the class marker 'up' for roundish shape. Refers to the seed.
Léxica:
A kind of wild cacao, see also 'kuuk' 'ngerba' and 'aumaup' for other kinds of cacao/chocolate.

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nguringba

I. ADJ

1. food,percep. delicious

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nguu aing alaungkama

I. N

1. food,house cooking place

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
nguu	aing	alaung	kama
house	of	cook	for

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Better houses have a separate place for cooking to keep the smoke out of the sleeping area. They can also have a board built to hang out of a window to clean and rinse fish or breadkind, wash dishes.

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ngwu

I. V

1. food drink

Notas:

Gramatical:
Transitive. The corresponding intansitive verb is 'alngwu'. Has a variant 'ngwi' before the tense present marker '-i'. 'ngwu' can be pronounced in slightly different ways : 'ngu', 'nguu', 'ngwuu'...

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paalpa

I. N

1. animal,food,hunting,mammal manatee

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Another important animal in the Adam cycle. Has a spirit owner, the whale. The hunt used to be a communal event, with a lot of ceremonial rules, as was the butchering and eating.
Hide used for various artifacts. Extremely scarce now. Ghost Point, at the north end of Red Bank, is one location where manatees are traditionally said to hang out.

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paaruk

I. N

1. animal,food,reptile fresh water turtle

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They are very hard to catch because they swim fast and dive deep. Men and boys dive for them, usually catching them by hand up in creeks and rivers. They eat them, feet and all; they especially like the females that have eggs, which they stew in the pot with the meat. If they find the nest, they dig up the eggs and boil them to eat. They use the shell for a musical instrument. As of 2009, Mestizos, and even some of the younger Ramas, were using scuba masks and homemade spearguns to catch both fish and hicatees in rivers and creeks, further decimating the already decreased numbers.
Rama nickname for Cristina Benjamins. "Paaruk" is a generic for freshwater turtles; paaruk alone usually refers to either the "speckled" one (sisiknga), or a black one (parnga). Others may go by either "paaruk" plus the other name, or simply by the other name, e.g., "kaat plat."
Léxica:
Hikiti in Kriol from jicotea in Spanish.

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paatrut

I. N

1. bread,food,plant patriot banana

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Paatrut seerinka nsut angtki naingkarka laap nsuungi naingkarka tuktinka abung ki nsuauki naingkarka nsukwsi.
When the patriot banana is full, we cut it and we make wabul. When it is ripe we put it in the fire to roast and we eat it.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Real big banana, bigger than the 'Yucatan banana'. It cooks soft.
Léxica:
See also 'yukatan' (Yucatan banana). see also 'samuu aingwa'.

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paik

I. N

1. food,plant sweet potato

2. potato

Notas:

Gramatical:
Means 'potato' only in the compound 'paik saima'.

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paik saima

I. N

1. food,plant potato

Notas:

Etnográfica:
These are considered a gourmet item by the Ramas who eat them as they cannot be grown in the region, and must be bought in Bluefields, where they are brought in from the Pacific. They cook them in rundown or boil them as another variety of "breadkind," and also make wabul "laap," (without sugar).
Léxica:
Also "piteeta," borrowed from English.

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pakaskaa

I. ADJ

1. food bitter

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Like coffee with no sugar or some kinds of medicinal teas.

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pakaskaaba

I. ADJ

1. food bitter

Composicion:

derivation

Morfemas
pakaskaa	ba
bitter

Notas:

Gramatical:
Used to qualify a noun, whereas 'pakaskaa' is used predicatively.

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pispis

I. N

1. animal,fish,food drummer fish (little white) , [ESP] Tambor (pequeño)

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Pispis salpka tiiskiba pluuma. sauk u ankiingai ankuu. Nguu ki yuansiikka, anangskwi. Kansi anuungi, ankwiskama.
The liittle white drummer is a small and white fish. They fish it with a hook. They catch it. When they bring it to the house they clean it. They fry it to eat it.
El peuqeño pez tambor es pequeño y es un pez blanco. Lo pescan con anzuelo. Lo agarran. Cuando lo traen a la casa lo limpian. Lo fríen y lo comen.

Pictures/Imagenes:

2. animal,bird northern waterthrush

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
During dry weather childen
catch large quantities of these small fish. For them it is a form of entertainment to go to the point on Rama Cay and fish for pispis.
They also catch it to feed the dog.

Durante el verano los niños Rama pescan grandes cantidades de estos pececitos, para ellos es una diversión ir a la punta de las islas a pescar pispis. También lo pescan para darle de comer a sus mascotas.
Etnográfica:
Small lagoon/ocean fish, kind of slimy to eat. A common fish for children just "fishnin' about" in the lagoon to catch. Not as desirable as other fish, but eaten anyway. Looks like a small "raukrauk." It is always found "between shrimp," and plenty are caught while casting nets for chacalines during chacalin time (dry weather.)

Pez de mar y lagunero, algo viscoso para comer. Un pez común que los niños agarran en la laguna para pescar. No es tan apetecido como otros peces, pero es comestible. Parece un “raukrauk” pequeño. Se encuentra siempre revuelto con los chacalines, y se atrapan muchos en las atarrayas durante la temporada de chacalines.

As a bird, a robin-sized bird with a gray-brown back and broken stripes running down its chest. Delightful to watch bobbing and flicking its tail about as it searches for food among the rocks and plants at creekside.
Would also refer to the Louisiana waterthrush, but only the northern waterthrush observed.
Gramatical:
Reduplication common to animal names.
Léxica:
Fish: Borrowing from Miskitu pispisya.
Bird: Only heard pronounced "pishpish."

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piteeta

I. N

1. food,plant potato, meaning Kr. Irish potato

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Rama do not grow these; they must be bought in Bluefields, so are not eaten very often.
Léxica:
Borrowing from English. Also "paik saima."

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pliis

I. N

1. animal,food,hunting,reptile hawksbill turtle

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They prefer the green sea turtle meat to the hawksbill turtle meat but this one was more valuable for its shell (tortoise shell), which was sold in Bluefields even though it is a highly endangered species. As of 2008, since the shell is not as readily sold in Bluefields due to tougher laws, some people throw away the plaques!
If you catch a hawksbill turtle you roast the head and when the meat falls off you hang it high in a cacao tree to make it bear a lot of cacao pods. It is badluck for the hawksbill striker to eat the fin, you are supposed to throw them in the water. but these days the strikers eat the fins anyway.
It's bad luck for future striking if people pee on the fin bones.
Ramas eat hawksbill eggs, usually fried these days. The fried egg said to taste like fried chicken egg, but is much larger. Hawksbills lay on the beaches around Pointer Rock ad Corn River.

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plingking

I. N

1. food,health,plant provision tree

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Eaten raw when it is young. It's very rich. Not eaten when the pod is big and brown, and the large seeds inside are mature, but the bark is peeled and dried, boiled and drunk to strengthen the blood. Dried chiny root is sometimes mixed with this tea. Creoles often add milk and Condor wine to the mixture, and call it a tonic. If you don't dry the provision bark well before making the tea, it will be stainy-tasting.

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praanti

I. ?

1. plantain

II. N

1. bread,food,plant plantain

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Pranti ungi nsupauksu nsuaasiki. Yaltingka laap nsuungi. Kukunup arii kinsukai.
We put plantain in the pot and we boil it. When it is cooked, we make the wabul. We put coconut milk in it.
Sii su naing praanti tangaangu nikuaakari.
I have my plantain plantation in the river.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A preferred breadkind to eat. Eaten green and ripe in coconut porridges both sweetened and unsweetened, in rondon, roasted (ripe), and less frequently fried (green). The latter is the common Mestizo form of preparation. As of 2008 not as prevalent due to disease, replaced largely by the "filipito" banana, which was introduced after the hurricane.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (plantain).

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praanti laap

I. N

1. bread,food plantain wabul

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Yupyuwadut 'sunukba' aungi. Nsut 'pranti laap' aungi ning namangku.
The old people say `sunukba'. We say `pranti laap' now.

Composicion:

expression

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puk saala

I. N

1. animal,food,hunting,mammal agouti

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A pretty red-brown rodent, smaller than a givenot (paca) which is hunted for its meat. Usually roasted. Sometimes then are stewed. Some also fry it. Kyakis and pacas dig dens with tunnels in the bush, often among the big tree roots. Some dogs are specialists for hunting givenot and kyaki (agouti). Despite their rabbit size, they can do a lot of damage if they have the chance to bite up the hunting dogs.
Léxica:
They are all the same color. The babies are striped and speckled like fawns. Those who say puk saala probably use puk alone for givenot (kulii).

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pukup

I. N

1. food,fruit,plant,tree xxx

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A large, round, brown-skin fruit with a thin layer of orangish-yellow fruit similar to the Nicaraguan zapote surrounding a huge round seed with a kinky hair-looking covering. Sweet and tasty, but not much of it! Grows on a very large tree.
Léxica:
laasup given as Rama in Wiring Cay, which others say is Rama Cay Creole. Also , pkup, pkuup, tkuup (very long falling vowel from Clotilda) Ulwa: lasa/lasap

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pwatpa

I. ADJ

2. taste sweet

II. N

1. food sugar

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They use cane sugar or honey. They don"t use honey in cooking, they just eat it or sometimes use it as part of bush medicine.
Gramatical:
Sometimes pronounced 'poatpa'.

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pwatpa arii

I. N

1. food fresco

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
pwatpa	arii
sweet	drink

[arriba]

pwatpa ngulung

I. N

1. food powdered sugar

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
pwatpa	ngulung
sugar	powder

[arriba]

pwatpaup

I. N

1. food,plant candy

Composicion:

Compounds

Morfemas
pwatpa	up
sugar	round shape

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rais

I. N

1. food,plant rice

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
One of the main foods of the contemporary Rama. Usually eaten cooked with coconut milk, or cooked in coconut milk with beans which have previously been boiled. They do not usually make the Spanish-style "gallo pinto" with previously cooked rice and beans being fried together with cooking oil, nor do they fry raw rice before cooking it or mix leftover rice with something else for a second meal. Having only rice, "so-so rice" as the whole meal, even with breakind, is reason for complaint. Coconut-stewed rice and beans plus breadkind is a common principal meal, though they prefer to also have some kind of meat or fish as part of the meal. The rice in the rice and beans must not be mushy; they like the grains to separate so that the dish is "shelly-shelly." Round grain rice which naturally stick together when cooking, and which is what has often come from foreign donations in the past, is not to their liking. Many plant rice for their own consumption, and perhaps some to sell. It has to be watched to keep animals from eating it, and has to be weeded, as well as hulled after being harvested. The whole family participates in various of these endeavors. They also clean it (pick out tiny rocks, etc.), and wash it before cooking.
Gramatical:
Loanword from English (rice)

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rais ngulung

I. N

1. food rice flour

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
rais	ngulung
rice	flour

[arriba]

rais ulung

I. N

1. food rice grain

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raukrauk

I. N

1. animal,fish,food croaker

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This is a big whitish-colored drummer found in the river, and in the lagoon when the water is fresh. Fatter than a coppermouth but with the same smallish scales. It is cooked all kinds of ways. The names of drummers are onomatopoeic.
Este es un pez tambor grande color blanquizco que se encuenta en el río y en la laguna cuando el agua esta dulce. Más grueso que una corvina pero con el mismo tipo de escamas pequeñas. Se prepara de varias maneras para comer. El nombre del pez tambor es onomatopéyico.
Gramatical:
Reduplication common in animal names. The drummer was called 'aitukpa' by ancient Rama people.
Léxica:
An old Rama word for drummer was “aitukpa.” There are different kinds of drummers, big and small, silver and yellowish, and speakers disagree as to which terms apply to which fish. For some, “raukrauk” is the same as “kapamout” in Kriol.
La palabra del Rama antiguo para tambor es 'aitukpa'. Hay diferentes tipos de pez tambor, pequeños y grandes, plateados y amarillentos, y los hablantes no estan de acuerdo en cuanto a cual palabra describe cual pez. Para algunos, “raukrauk”es el mismo “kapamout” en Kriol.

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rukruk

I. N

1. animal,fish,food drummer (small, yellow) , [ESP] Tambor (pequeño, amarillo)

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A food fish commonly caught near the shore around Bangkukuk Taik. Caught with hook and small beach crabs as fishing bait. Rukruk is principally a sea fish; Rama Cay people also talk about “maligyas aista,” i.e., “maligyas oysters,” which are oysters from Maligyas Bank, before Handkerchief Point, on the left when you are coming into Hone Sound Bar.
Pez comestible que se encuentra comúnmente en las costas alrededor de Punta de Aguila (Bangkukuk Taik). Se pesca con anzuelo y carnada como pequeños cangrejos de la playa. El rukruk es principalmente un pez de mar. La gente de Rama Cay habla de “maligyas aista,” i.e., “maligyas oysters,” que son las ostras de Maligyas Bank, antes de Handkerchief Point, al lado izquierdo cuando se viene de Hone Sound Bar.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu rukruk. See maligyas.

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saaduk

I. N

1. food,plant grapefruit

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Another citrus planted and consumed, usually as "fresco," though not as common as oranges of different kinds. Kyador likes to put grapefruit juice in a calabash of warapo (cane juice) to drink.
Léxica:
Borrowed from Miskitu sadik. Also "uriaup tataara."

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saasing

I. N

1. animal,fish,food unidentified freshwater fish

[arriba]

sabaa

I. ADJ

1. wet

2. food raw

[arriba]

sabaka

I. N

1. food,plant sopadilla

[arriba]

sabut

I. N

2. animal,fish,food,health unidentified fish , [ESP] Guabina

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A freshwater fish which most people eat. Grows up to about 15”. Caught on handlines in rivers and creeks. Reported to sometimes jump out of the water to catch bugs, and that they can catch themselves on a spoon hook the same way. (As of 2008, due to severe declines of all fish stocks, nets were being used, both cast nets and gill nets) Most say there are two classes of sabut: the white sabut and the black sabut. In KR, some call the white one “fall elik,” and some call the black one “swamp elik” or “Simon elik.” Other Ramas say there are three different “sabut”: a short brown and black one with a big head that you don’t eat, a long one, “pluuma,” that is more of a brown color, and which you do eat, and the biggest one, a black one, which many eat. That one is “cabo de hacha” in Spanish. Eating any kind of “sabut” is a remedy for those who suffer from peeing too much.

Pez de agua dulce que la mayoría de la gente come. Crece hasta 15”. Se pesca con cuerda en los ríos y criques. Se dice que a veces salta del agua para agarrar insectos, y que a veces se atrapa solo en un “anzuelo cuchara”. Desde el 2008 se usan redes (verticales y tarraya), debido a la disminución de todo tipo de peces. Se dice que este pez tiene dos variedades: sabut blanco y sabut negro. En KR, algunos llaman al blanco “fall elik,” y al negro “elik de cienega, o “Simon elik”. Otros dicen que hay tres especies: uno que es café con negro que no se come, otro “pluma,” que se come y que es mas largo y mas café, y el mas grande que es negro, que se llama “cabo de hacha” en español, y que unos comen. Tambien es bueno comer este pez cuando uno orina demasiado.

[arriba]

sahaling

I. N

1. animal,fish,food unidentified freshwater fish

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A fish from upriver in Punta Gorda that comes down with the flood. Usually catch it with net to the bar. Very oily, so not normally eaten in rondon. Eats nice if you score it, salt it, and roast it in a banana leaf or waha leaf. May also salt and roast it over the fire, but oil will drip constantly form the fish.
Léxica:
See also saaling
Ver también saaling

[arriba]

saliuk

I. N

1. animal,food,hunting,reptile iguana

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Salpka an saliuk itangkit su kurang ikuaakar.
The fish and the iguana have a back bone on their back.
El pez y la iguana tienen un hueso en su espalda.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
It is an iguana species that is green young and adult. Dry weather, March, especially, is iguana time. Catching them is usually teamwork: If you see one on a tree, one person climbs to shake it off, ad the others strategically place themselves below on the ground and in the creek to try to catch it when it drops. This often means that you have to "dive" it. Either way, you have to try to grab it by the head and the base of the tail. Ramas traditionally don't shoot them to catch them, but Mestizos do. It is a highly desireable meat which was also formerly sold, but which is now (2008) extremely scarce. Iguana can be roasted and then run down with coconut milk and breadkind. Soup is made by boiling the meat until soft, taking it out, and then adding breadkind, rice, and condiments (onion, gourd pepper, sweet pepper, black pepper) to the broth. The you might stew the softened meat separately in coconut milk with breadkind and condiments if you have them. If the iguana had eggs that were still very soft, you would probably stew them along with the softened meat in the coconut milk. The head is usually roasted for the dog.

[arriba]

salpka

I. N

1. animal,fish,food fish , [ESP] Pez

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Salpka sii ki bii aakri. Paniis ikuaakar, ituk ikwaakar, itris ikuaakaar.
The fish lives only in the water. It has fins, it has a tail, it has scales.
El pez vive solamente en el agua. Tiene aletas, tiene una cola, tiene escamas.
Salpka aalisba abung uruk su nsuangkingi.
I hang the dry fish over the fire.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Rama Cay people traditionally spent more of their time fishing and ate more fish than Cane Creek people (who principally ate
breadkind, especially bananas). "Real tuba," a fresh and brackish water cichlid caught by hook, has always been a favorite fish, usually cooked in rondon. As of 2008, everyone concerned because of greatly decreased fish stocks everywhere due to overfishing, especially commercial fishing, and Mestizos throwing pesticides and herbicides into the creeks and rivers in order to float up the fish. Mestizos have also introduced homemade spearguns ("waterguns" in Kriol) to use to scuba dive fish and freshwater turtles in the creeks and rivers. The Rama have also noted that the heavy deforestation is contributing to creeks and rivers drying up, which is also contributing to decreased fish stock. Because of the difficulty in catching fish by hook for a meal, more people using gill nets and cast nets to fish (vs. hook and handline), even in creeks, which was previously unnecessary and unheard of. This manner of fishing puts further pressure on the fish stock.

Tradicionalmente la gente de Rama Cay pasaba mucho de su tiempo pescando y comía más pescado que la gente de Cane Creek (principalmente comían bastimentos, especialmente variedades de plátanos). La "Real tuba," es una Cichlidae de agua dulce y salada que se pesca con anzuelo, ha sido siempre un pescado favorito del pueblo Rama, usualmente se cocina en el rondón.

Desde el 2008, todos estaban preocupados por la gran disminución de las reservas de peces en todas partes debido a la pesca excesiva, especialmente la pesca comercial, y a las prácticas de la población mestiza recién migrada de tirar pesticidas y herbicidas en los criques y ríos para sacar los peces a flote. Los mestizos también han introducido arpones artesanales para pesca de buceo y captura de tortugas de agua dulce en los criques y ríos. Desde el 2009, hay indicios de que los Criollos de Bluefields habían empezado a poner los trasmallos a la orilla del mar fuera de la barra de Hone Sound. El pueblo Rama esta consciente que la deforestación masiva está contribuyendo a secar los criques y ríos, lo que también contribuye a la disminución de las reservas de peces.

Debido a las dificultades para pescar con anzuelo la comida del día más gente está utilizando redes rastreras verticales y atarraya (vs. Anzuelo y cuerda de pescar), aun en los criques, en los que anteriormente era innecesario y desconocido. Esta manera de pescar pone aun más presión en las reservas de peces. Otra consecuencia es que más Rama consumen especies de pescado que antes no consumían (por ejemplo el “Tungki” anteriormente desdeñado por la mayoría), y también están consumiendo una mayor cantidad de peces de menor tamaño que lo solían hacerlo.
Gramatical:
Has variant pronunciations: 'shalpka' by Rama speakers of mainland south, and various reductions by second language learners of Rama, such as 'sapka' .
Léxica:
Both salpka and tuaa are used in combination with other modifiers to describe fish for which the speaker has no other name, e.g., "tuaa saala" for red snapper (which is also called "snaapa" by some), or "plaanak aing salpka" to describe the machete fish.

[arriba]

salpka kaas

I. N

2. animal,food fish meat

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
salpka	kaas
fish	meat
Pez

[arriba]

salpka kruk

I. N

1. animal,fish,food Goliath Grouper, formerly known as Jewfish

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
salpka	kruk
fish	big
Pez

Notas:

Léxica:
See djupis.

[arriba]

samuu

I. N

1. food,plant banana

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Samuu seerinnanaaki.
The banana is maturing (fulling/ getting more flesh).
Samuu tukpaa baing, angka skwsi.
The banana is too green. We kyan eat it.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
There are many different kinds of bananas, many of which have their own name.
All are considered a kind of breadkind when green, and are either stewed in coconut milk, preferably with some kind of fish or meat, or boiled. Green ones that cook "soft" may also be boiled, mashed, and consumed as a porridge with coconut milk added. Some bananas are also consumed raw when ripe , or may be cooked, usually as a porridge with coconut milk added, or roasted.
As of 2009 in Cane Creek/Aguila, the "real banana," or patriot, said to burn instead of growing, though other varieties still grow well.
Gramatical:
Has a variant 'sumuu' that is less frequent.

[arriba]

samuu aingwa

I. N

1. bread,food,plant real banana

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Samuu aingwa yuuk palplaas altangi.
the real banana, its skin/peel looks dark

Notas:

Léxica:
real banana meaning the big ones that cook soft

[arriba]

samuu brup

I. N

1. bread,food,plant greytown banana

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Samuu brup seerinka nangkti, naingkarka nikai tuktinkama. Naingkarka laap yuniuungi, taimka swiin yuniuungi. Tuktinka pwatpa, tkukiba aingwa.
when the greytown banana is full I cut it and I put it up to ripen. Then I make wabul with it, sometimes I make bread with it. When it is ripe it is sweet and very short.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A small banana which is commonly grown and sold in Bluefields. As of 2008, "real" bananas increasingly scarce.
Léxica:
Has many other names: punga, tika, greytown, rosita. Punga is from Misk. Rosita relatively new (2008), probably brought in by Sp.

[arriba]

samuu kaat

I. N

1. bread,food,fruit,plant banana sucker

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The suckers are the new plants that shoot up around the banana tree. You dig these out and carry them to plant new trees.

[arriba]

samuu kiing

I. N

1. body,food,plant bunch

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This is the whole stalk.

[arriba]

samuu pluuma

I. N

1. bread,food,plant white banana

II.

. [KRI] white G , [RCK] white G

Notas:

Etnográfica:
'Real old time white banana'.
Léxica:
not the same as the 'patriut'.

[arriba]

samuu saala

I. N

1. bread,food,plant red banana

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
samuu	salaa
banana	red

Notas:

Etnográfica:
An old times Rama banana, more common in the southern communities (but even there not very common as of 2008). Stout medium size banana (as the 'sammu pluuma). Not usually cooked "green" as breadkind. Can be eaten raw when ripe, but usually cooked by roasting. Sometimes they drink chocolate accompanied by roasted ripe red bananas.

[arriba]

samuu sabaa

I. N

1. food raw banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Some kinds of bananas are only eaten ripe and raw, some are eaten green or ripe cooked, and also eaten raw when ripe, and some are only eaten cooked, whether green or ripe. Additionally, of those that are cooked, some are usually preferred roasted (for example, ripe red bananas) rather than boiled in water, stewed, or fried. Frying is not as common a cooking method as boiling, stewing, or roasting. For example, the Rama tend not to make fried green plantain slices, chips, or "tostones," as do the Spaniards. (Tostones are semi-fried thick slices of green plantains which are flattened and then fried again until crisp.)

[arriba]

samuusamuu

I. N

1. bread,food,plant unidentified swamp plant, a vine

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Samuusamuu suupa isii. Uup yirii ki yaapuni.
The sprickle banana (not a banana!) looks like supa. It grows in the swamp.
Samuusamuu kat aalukwa. yupyuwadut kwsi. Anaasiki, ankwsi. samuusamuu kaa seem kiup isii yaungai.
This swamp tree has prickles. The old time people eat the seed. They boil it and eat it. The leaf of the swamp prickle tree look like a heart.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Original first time Rama breadkind. Some of the Ramas occasionally still eat it.It grows on a swamp tree with prickles. The starchy edible seed looks like a chesnut; it is boiled and peeled to be eaten. Tastes like castana (Sp.)
Gramatical:
Reduplication.
Léxica:
'samuu' by itself means banana, the reduplication refers to a breadkind chesnut like seed.

[arriba]

sangaling

I. V

1. cooking,food be hungry

[arriba]

siibalbal

I. N

1. bread,food,plant 500 plantain

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Yupyuwalut aakrikurkaing sibalbla ankuaakari, kuni laap antukkama, barka yalamsukatkulu. Angka saapi.
Old time people have this plantain to make wabul, but it got lost (loss up). We kyan find it.
Siibalbal pranti saina barka yuup ngaarak ikuaakari. Taisung hundred kwikistar ikuaakar. seerinka angka sangking yaubri baingi. Nangtikka tuktinkama nikai, naingkarka laap yuniuungi.
the 500 seed plantain is another plantain but it has many seeds. Sometimes it has 500. When it is full we can't back it, it's too heavy. When we cut it we put it to ripen and make wabul with it.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Usually called quinientos plantain. It's not known when bananas and plantain, and which varieties, first came into Rama culture. Likewise, it's not known which ones were lost due to disease, or whether some that they say are lost might still be around somewhere.
Léxica:
Seed here means individual fruits.
Also "siibalbala."

[arriba]

siirik

I. N

1. animal,fish,food machaca , [ESP] Machaca

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Tuuk uup tuktiinma uriaatingka sii ki, siri kwsi.
When the ripe fig seed drop in the water, the machaca eat it.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A popular food fish, a freshwater fish which is traditionally caught principally by handline. (As of 2008 more people were fishing in creeks and rivers with gill nets and cast nets due to the greatly reduced number of all fish) It has a lot of bones, so is scored very finely before cooking. Most people make fresh fish soup with it (soup is made with coconut milk, but is of thinner consistency than rondon) and season it with fitz bush (also called wild culantro). Also eaten fried; some don't like to fry it because a lot of oil pops up while doing so.
Pescado popular de agua dulce que se encuentra principalmente en los criques y rios, y no en la laguna, y que tradicionalmente se pesca con cuerda. (En el 2008 mucha gente lo agarraba con redes debido a la reducción en el número de peces). Tiene muchos huesos, por eso se hacen cortes bien finos en la carne antes de cocinarlo. La mayoría de la gente hace sopa de pescado con él (la sopa se hace con leche de coco, pero es menos espesa que el rondón), y se sazona con culantro. También se come frito; a algunos no les gusta freírlo porque el aceite popea mucho cuando se hace.
Léxica:
machaca in Spanish for this fish, and also a Latino beef dish

[arriba]

siisu aing triisu

I. N

1. animal,fish,food shad species

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:

One of two similar shad fish. This one is rounder and lighter in color than the lagoon shad. Netted and eaten or sold. Popular to fry and eat with boiled cassava. Both are often caught together in Wiring Cay lagoon, especially when the rainy season starts. Some say that when you eat the little ones, your mouth itches.

Uno de los dos tipos de palometa. Este es redondeado y de color más claro que el de la laguna. Se agarra con red para comer y vender. Popularmente se fríe y come con yuca hervida. Ambos tipos se agarran a menudo juntos en la laguna de Wiring Cay, especialmente cuando comienzan las lluvias. Algunos dicen que cuando se comen pequeños se siente picazón en la boca.

[arriba]

siita

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish oyster

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Sii alsakatkutka, siita mliis baing aapulki.
When the tide is low, one can pick oysters good.
Naas almtung siita naaplukbang.
I bend down to pick oysters.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Important food for Rama Cay not for the other Ramas because they are found only in the lagoon. It is an important source of income for women because they sell them in Bluefields.
They are usually eaten in a soup with coconut milk. As with cockle, when the water is deep it is hard and dangerous to pick them because you have to dive and there is more danger of stingrays and sharks.
A traditional belief is that if a woman has just picked oysters (or cockles) in cold water , she should not nurse her baby because she would give it a cold.

[arriba]

siita airi

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish oyster soup

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The soup is made with rice boiled in water, salt, and onion and/or black pepper if you have them. At the end you drop in the oysters and basil leaves and add some coconut milk.

[arriba]

sii tkua

I. N

1. food tea

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
sii	tkua
water	hot

[arriba]

sii uuknga

I. N

1. artef.,food water dipper

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
sii	uuknga
water	container

[arriba]

siksam

I. N

1. animal,fish,food a kind of needlefish , [ESP] Pez aguja (tipo de)

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A sea/lagoon fish that is usually netted. Some eat it when it is large. Small fish of any kind are often cooked for the dogs or used for bait.
Pez de mar y laguna que generalmente se agarra con redes. Algunos lo comen si es bien grande, pero generalmente se come frito; no se come en rondon. Los peces pequeños de cualquier tipo por lo general se cocinan para los perros o son usados como carnada. No obstante, en 2009, más de una vez se notó que la gente esta comiendo cualquier especie de pescado y de cualquier tamaño.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu.

[arriba]

sikuku

I. N

1. animal,fish,food sheephead , [ESP] Diente de Mico

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Sikuku tuaa isii. Haap kutkabisang ngiitniitwa.
The sheephead is like a tuba. Half round with stripes.
Se parece ala tuba. Es medio redondeado con rayas.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Sea fish to eat. You catch it with a hook using shrimp and little beach crabs for bait. Also in the lagoon and at the river bar when the water is salty. Weighs up to about two pounds.

Pescado de mar comestible. Se pesca con anzuelo con cebo de chacalines o pequenos cangrejos de la playa. Se encuentra tambien en la laguna y en la barra del rio cuando el agua esta salada. Pesa aproximadamente dos libras.
Gramatical:
Partial and uncommon reduplication : usually the first part is reduplicated.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu.

[arriba]

sinsak aing alkiini

I. N

1. food,plant bird pepper

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Yupyuwa taim ki sinsak aing alkiini aing alkiini kuk yuanamaiki, naingkarka anaasiiksu anngwi, barka yalkiinbaingi. Annguut yusaatingatkulaakari anngwuka.
The old time people they rub cocoa with bird pepper, then they boil it and drink it, but it is too hot. Their faces get red with it when they drink it.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
sinsak	aing	alkiini
bird	of	gourd pepper

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This plant can be used to make the stem of a smoking pipe (the bowl of the pipe is a hollowed out siliku seed). Its name is because birds eat it.

[arriba]

sinsinka arii

I. N

1. food,health,plant lemon grass tea

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They grow it by the house, usually used medicinally to cure headaches. They might make tea with it when they don"t have coffee or leaves to make tea.

[arriba]

Skwalup Ipang

I. PN

1. food,land,plant,toponomy Skwalup Cay/ unidentified fruit

Composicion:

expression

Notas:

Etnográfica:
In Bluefields lagoon, one of two small cays near Rama Cay. (Walker Cay is the other.) Ramas get wood there and they go fishing around there. Generally not known what "Skwalup" refers to; however, Miss Nora remembered her mother taking her shore there, and showing her a skwalup fruit. It was the size of a star apple, and very, very sweet. It was a low tree, or big bush. She had never since seen one. The fruit was the same color as sapodilly.

[arriba]

snaapa

I. N

1. animal,fish,food snapper , [ESP] Pargo

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Snaapa salpka yaap kaski saala. Ipang skaa su nsut sauk kiingaka. sukwii.
The snapper is a fish (that has) a pure red body. Around the edge of the island we fish it. We catch it.
El pargo tiene el cuerpo rojo. Lo pescamos en la orilla del mar.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Investigadores Comunitarios:
March, April, and May are the best months to catch snapper with a hook. Rama children go out in dories to fish for it, or sit on rocks and fish for it when the sun isn’t too hot. Tourists go to the islands around Rama Cay to fish for
snapper for sport.

Se pesca o captura en marzo, abril y mayo, son los meses más favorables de captura con anzuelo. Los niños Rama salen en cayucos a pescarlos o se sientan en las rocas, cuando no hace mucho sol. Los turistas llegan a las islas cercanas a Rama Cay para hacer pesca turística del pargo.
Etnográfica:
Sea and lagoon fish. There are many different
kinds, but they are not usually differentiated linguistically by the Rama. If asked, usually will identify two or three different ones by adding, for example, “saala” for red snapper, “tuk nuknuknga” for yellowtail,” or “tataara” for a big sea “snapa” (up to 30 pounds)
that sometimes comes into the lagoon. This latter one is described
as whitish with pretty greenish lines on the face. Highly desirable to
eat and to sell. As of 2009, reported that almost all snapper is sold
in Bluefields (18 córdobas/lb.). Small ones are sold on Rama Cay
for 10 córdobas/lb. The best time to catch snapper with a hook is
in dry weather (March – May), or September – October, when the
sea is smooth.

Pez de mar y laguna. Hay diferentes tipos, pero generalmente los Rama no lo diferencian lingüísticamente. Si se les pregunta, generalmente identifican dos o tres tipos agregando, por ejemplo, “saala” para el pargo rojo, “tuk nuknuknga” para la cola amarilla, o “tataara” para indicar un “snapa” muy grande del mar que suele a veces entrar en la laguna. Se dice que este es blancuzco, con la cara rayada en verde de una manera muy bonita. Muy apreciado para comer y vender. En el 2009, se reporta que casi todo se vende en Bluefields (18 córdobas/libra), y que los pequeños se venden en Rama Cay a 10 córdobas la libra. La pesca con anzuelo es mejor cuando el mar esta liso, Marzo - Mayo, y Septiembre – Octubre.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (snapper).
Léxica:
Also "tuaa saala"

[arriba]

spaapa

I. N

1. animal,food,reptile male iguana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Ramas think it is a male iguana, but it is a different species. It is blackish as adult and bright green as young. They eat it.

[arriba]

srung

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish small surf clam, coquina

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Braukubliis kalkaup srung airi yunsuuungi.
We make ahi soup with fitsbush.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You dig them out from the sand on the ocean beach. Very small. You can make soup with them but it is traditionally thick like porridge, made with grated green plantain to which your condiments (small red peppers, onion, black pepper, basil or culantro...) and coconut milk are added. The other, more modern way (which is preferred nowadays by many) is rice-based, i.e., there is no grated green plantain or other breadkind in the soup. In either case, the ahi are first put in hot or boiling water to open, and the meat is picked out. The water (hopefully minus as much sand as possible) is then the soup base to which either the grated plantain or rice is added. The ahi meat is added at the end. (See srung airi.) Not found in the lagoon; found on ocean beaches: Hone Sound Bar beach, and points south such as Monkey Point Beach, Long Beach, etc. Picked in dry weather, e.g., March-May; Sept. As of 2008, ahi had become scarce. First, there was the effect of the hurricane, but worse, Mestizos lately had been introduced to ahi, and had begun to harvest it by shoveling the sand into containers with holes, and then pouring water through. They were therefore harvesting much greater quantities at a time. Long Beach was formerly a favorite location for good ahi-hunting, but no longer.
Léxica:
Very commonly pronounced "shrung," or "shuruung." "Ahi" in KR., borrowed from Miskitu.

[arriba]

srung airi

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish ahi soup

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Braukubliis kalkaup srung airi yunsuuungi.
We make ahi soup with fitsbush.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
srung	airi
small surf clam, coquina	soup

Notas:

Etnográfica:
To make this soup you have to put the ahi in hot water until the shells open, and then you have to pick out the ahi and clean off the sand. Then you grate green plantain and cook it in the water to make the thick soup base. Add seasonings you have such as salt, black pepper, sweet red pepper, onion, culantro, and at the end you add the ahi. Mostly eaten by Ramas that live in Monkey Point and Cane Creek.
Gramatical:
Variant form 'surung'.

[arriba]

suk

I. V

1. clothes wash

2. food peel

Notas:

Gramatical:
Transitive. The corresponding intransitive verb is 'alsuk'. In variation with 'skw'. The 'suk' form is used in the imperative and when suffixed with subordinator, while the 'skw' form is used when suffixed with tense.

[arriba]

suksuk uup

I. N

1. food,plant unidentified fruit

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A fruit that grows on a low tree in Long Beach. When ripe, it is 1/2 yellow, and 1/2 green, the same size as a star apple Sp. caimito). The inside is white with little seeds similar-looking to a star apple's.
Léxica:
Also just "suksuk."

[arriba]

sunukba

I. N

1. bread,food ripe plantain wabul

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Not really considered breadkind but food made of plantain. This is a ripe plantain 'laap' (a porridge).
Léxica:
One of the kinds of 'laap' (porridge). There is also green plantain 'laap'.

[arriba]

supka

I. ADJ

1. food,taste sour

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Some fruits are sour, such as lime or sour orange. Different kinds of bunya are consumed either as fresh or sour (fermented), depending on a person's taste preference, for example, suupa or iibo bunya.

[arriba]

suula aat

I. N

1. bread,food unidentified tuber

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Literally "deer eggs" Yampi is a purple kind of slightly sweet, dry potato; there are lighter and darker varieties. More common farther north on the coast. Not grown by many Rama, but known and eaten time to time.
Léxica:
Also "suula yaat."

[arriba]

suula alkiini

I. N

1. food,plant gourd pepper

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Suula alkiini astaiki.
The (deer) gourd pepper is hot.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
suula	alkiini
deer	gourd pepper

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Probably called this way because deer eat it.

[arriba]

suuli kaas

I. N

1. animal,body,food meat

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The preferred meats are wari and turtle. Rama Cay people eat more meat and fish than Cane Creek people, who believe that it rottens up your guts to eat too much of either. They eat mostly bananas.

[arriba]

suuli kaas sabaa

I. N

1. food raw meat

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They usually don't eat raw meat, but see comments on hunters eating raw heart of game animals.

[arriba]

suupa

I. N

1. artef.,food,plant peach palm

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Tree species with very strong wood used to make bows, staffs, sinnaks, and arrows. Also refers to the fruit, which is a nutritious staple traditionally in season around Sept.- Nov. There is a number of different varieties of this palm, some with spiny trunks, and some with smooth trunks. The clusters of fruit grow high up on the tree, and most varieties are red, orange, or yellow when ripe. Each suupa looks like a miniature coconut. The best ones are "cracky-cracky;" i.e., the outsie of the fruit is not overly smooth and shiny. You boil them in water with a little salt, peel them, and eat what corresponds to the husk of the coconut. The flesh should be dry like a potato, and not "waterish." Enjoyed as a meal accompanied by hot coffee. Is also made into bunya. (See "suupa kaas.") Highly desirable commercial item all over the coast and in Managua especially by Costenos. Will rot if not cooked and eaten within about four days from harvest. Problems with people stealing suupa from owners' trees, sometimes even cutting down the tree to get the bunches of fruit. Can also be dried and made into flour to use to make a porridge, though no one today does that. Some trees also bear in dry weather, around April. As of 2009, commentary that with the climate change, some trees are "mix-up, mix-up" regarding when they are bearing.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu 'supa'.

[arriba]

suupa kaas

I. N

1. food,plant bunya

[arriba]

suurak

I. N

1. food,fruit,plant pineapple

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
There are a number of different varieties, from so extremely sour and acidic that it is edible (horse pine) to very sweet and non-acidic (sugarloaf). Horse pine will actually cut up your tongue if you try to eat it. They usually just eat pineapple raw, but also sometimes make pineapple wine. To make this, you put the cut peels in a jar with freshly squeezed cane juice and let it ferment in the sun for a few days. Only made in the bush by those who have both sugar cane and a cane press.

[arriba]

swiin

I. N

1. food bread

2. food cake

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Yeast leavened bread is a special occasion item. Traditional Rama did not eat anything made out of flour.

[arriba]

taapum

I. N

1. animal,fish,food tarpon , [ESP] Sábalo Real

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Taapum salpka taara. Itris aatiiskiba ikuaakar. Kiiknadut mlingka, nsut sungi.
The tarpoon is a big fish. He has big scales. When the men kill it, we see it.
El ´sabalo real es un pez grande. Tiene escamas grandes. cuando los hombres lo matan, nosotros los vemos.
Taapum sii anang bi aakari.
The tarpoon lives only in deep water.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They have to strike it with a harpoon. A very large sport fish very hard to catch. They usually eat it as tarpon hash: you hang the meat over the fire to roast, mince it and add coconut milk and and salt, along with onion and black pepper if you have them.
Also called 'uup taara' and 'uupbal'. "Taapam Lagun" is near Cane Creek. Sometimes you see big tarpon jump there.
Lo matan con arpón. Un pez grande apreciado en la pesca deportiva y difícil de capturar. Cuando logran conseguir uno, se lo comen. No hay nada de “pescar y soltar”. Generalmente lo comen como picadillo de tarpón: se ahuma la carne sobre el fuego, se pica y se le agrega leche de coco y sal junto con cebollas y pimienta negra si se tienen. Sin embargo, hoy en dia, dicen que tambien se come fresco. Algunas veces se ve un sabalo real saltando en la Laguna de Wiring Cay.
Léxica:
Borrowing from English (tarpon). Also used in Miskitu.

[arriba]

taas

I. N

1. plant species of tree

2. food fruit of the "taas" tree

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Smallish fruit bearing tree that grows alongside creeks. Fruit similar to, but smaller than, kineps (Kr.). It has white "meat" around the seed. It's sour, but people eat it. The old people would cook it with cane juice and make lap, and also jelly.
Léxica:
"Taas uup" more commonly for the fruit.

[arriba]

taikupkupba

I. N

1. bread,food,plant bat nose plantain

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Taikupkupba pranti saina. Itaangup singaring taik isii yaltangi. Nkim nuunik naing pranti alamskwu. Angka saung ngar ki aakiri.
the bat nose plantain is another plantain. Its navel (banana part) looks like a bat's nose. Today this plantain is lost. We don't know where it is.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
taik	tkuptkupba
nose	knotty

Notas:

Gramatical:
A shortened form of a compound 'taik+tkuptkupba'

[arriba]

taiski

I. N

2. animal,fish,food guapote , [ESP] Guapote

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Taiski salpka sii su ka. Taiski mliima. Yaaluk aa kuaakar. Ikaas baingbi ikuaakar.
The guapote is a river fish. The guapote is good. It no have no bone. It have plenty flesh.
El guapote es un pez de río. El guapote es bueno. No tiene huesos y tiene mucha carne.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You usually have to go far far up in the creek to find it. A special treat to eat; caught on a hook.
As of 2008, lamented as yet another fish that is virtually no longer around.

Cichlidae colorida, azulada y grande. Hay que ir bien largo crique arriba para encontrarlo. Muy apetecido para comer. Se pesca con anzuelo con chacalines de rio o grillos como cebo Se puede comer fresco, o se sala, y se cocina la mañana siguiente en rondón con coco y banano verde. Desde el 2008 es lamentablemente otro de los peces que ya no se ve en los alrededores.
Léxica:
Also "sahsing" from Miskitu.
"guapote" in Sp.

[arriba]

tamtamaup

I. N

1. food,plant,tree big bribri

2. plant,tree bribri

Notas:

Gramatical:
Reduplication. See also 'taulkup' (small bribri).

[arriba]

tamtamaup parnga

I. N

1. food,plant,tree unidentified tree

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The flowers are red. The seed pod is green, black when ripe. The sweet sticky paste around the seeds inside the pods is eaten; the color and taste resemble molasses. Traditionally picked from trees in town or in the bush, but not a commercial item. As of 2008 also sold in Bluefields. Some people don't like to eat it, but plant the tree because they like the flowers.

[arriba]

tauli

I. N

1. sea sea

2. food salt

3. nat.,sea breakers

[arriba]

tauli aing kabiis

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish sea shrimp

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Tauli aing kabiis lakuun ki taukka kiiknalut kuu maukal u anpaayakama.
The ocean shrimp when it come in the lagoon, the men catch it with a net for them to sell.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
tauli	aing	kabiis
breakers	of	shrimp

[arriba]

tauli aing kabiis tataara

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish ocean lobster

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Tauli aing kabiis tataara ngunis sumsuma puksak ikuaakari.
The ocean lobster has two long beard (antennas).
La langosta de mar tiene dos grandes antenas.
Tauli aing kabiis lakuun ki taukka kiiknalut kuu maukal u anpaayakama.
The ocean shrimp when it come in the lagoon, the men catch it with a net for them to sell.

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
tauli	aing	kabiis	tataara
breakers	of	shrimp	very big

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Ramas are not lobster people. Very, very few, if any, have ever dived lobster, and only a couple set lobster pots out in the ocean. They do not consume it, either, as they would have to buy it in town, and it would be prohibitively expensive.
Gramatical:
Neologism.

[arriba]

taulkup

I. N

1. food,plant,tree small bribri

[arriba]

tiirbi

I. N

1. bread,food,plant yellow plantain

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Tiirbi pranti ikaa nuknuknga yuup nuknuknga yuup tkukiiba aatiiskiba.
The yellow plantain has yellow leaf and yellow fruit. The fruit is short and stout.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Called in Kriol 'maiden plaan' (short for plantain). It is squarish and pinkish inside. Eaten cooked.
Léxica:
Possibly the older Rama word for a native banana. Used later for imported plantains, also called praanti.

[arriba]

tkupka

I. N

1. food,plant,tree cowfoot

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Used to make tea. Has a slightly anise taste to it.
Gramatical:
The final '-ka' surely comes from 'kaa' (leaf).

[arriba]

triisu

I. N

1. animal,fish,food shad or Atlantic spadefish , [ESP] Palometa

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Triisu salpka pluuma aataara. Nikrulut paaya sut Rama kang ansungka.
The stone bass is a small white fish. The Creole people buy it from us Rama when they see it.
La palometa es un pequeño pez blanco. Los Creole se lo compran a los Rama cuando lo ven.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Generic for two similar smallish striped fish caught and consumed year around, the river triisu, and the lagoon triisu. The river triisu is rounder and lighter. The lagoon triisu is less round and darker. Very nice fried and served with boiled cassava.
Es el genérico para los dos peces rayados pequeños que se agarran y consumen todo el año, el triisu de río y el de laguna. El de río es redondeado y claro. El triisu de laguna es menos redondo y oscuro. Es muy sabroso frito y servido con yuca hervida, pero dicen que comerlos muy pequeños da picazón en la boca.
Léxica:
See "lakun aing triisu" and "siisu aing triisu."

[arriba]

truu

I. N

1. animal,fish,fishing,food unidentified small cichlid

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A small creek and river fish not normally eaten unless nothing better is caught. Also used for bait. Some say there are two different, but similar fish: "truu" and "shine truu." (RCK), "kuntrayak" (R) or "kontrayya" (also RCK). The "shine truu" by definition would have shinier scales. Others, however, say, "truu is truu," meaning that there is only one kind of truu.
Pez pequeño de crique y río, no es para comer a menos que no se haya encontrado otra cosa mejor. Se usa para carnada. Algunos dicen que hay dos tipos diferentes pero muy similares "truu" y "truu brillante". Por definición esta última tiene escamas brillantes. Otros dicen "truu es truu," para indicar que sólo hay una variedad.
Léxica:
See "kuntrayak."

[arriba]

tuaa

I. N

1. animal,fish,food cichlid species , [ESP] Mojarra

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Tuaa salpka parnga. Ingut saala. Taalingi yaap kaski parnga.
The tuba is a black fish. His face is red. For some the body is pure black.
La mojarra es un pez negro. Su cara es roja. Algunos son totalmente negros.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The Rama have several categories of tuba. This is the largest one. It is often caught in the lagoon, rivers, and creeks, and usually cooked in rundown. Tuba "pick" (bite) well on bait such as the brown "dirt" worms with the "red" head.
Los Rama tienen varias categorías para la tuba. Esta es la más grande. Se encuentra a menudo en las lagunas, ríos y criques y generalmente se cocina en el rondón. La tuba pica bien las carnadas de gusanos con cabeza roja.
Léxica:
Miskitu borrowing. Also called tuaa parnga.

[arriba]

tuaa saala

I. N

1. animal,fish,food a cichlid species , [ESP] Cichlid spp

2. animal,fish,food red snapper , [ESP] Pargo Rojo

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
This tuba has a red eye, and is a little smaller than the black tuba (the "real" tuba.). A lagoon, creek and river fish caught and usually eaten in rundown.
Also used by some for "red snapper." There are several sea fish that are composites based on "tuaa," indicating that the rama were probably not originally sea people.
Tuaa Saala puede referirse a dos peces distintos, mojarra, y pargo. Cuando se refiere a la mojarra, se cocina en el rondón. Algunos hablantes lo usan para referirse al “pargo rojo.” Hay varios tipos. Esta tiene el ojo rojo y es más pequeña que la tuba negra (la “verdadera” tuba). Se encuentra a menudo en las lagunas, ríos y criques. Generalmente los peces de mar tienen nombres compuestos con la palabra “tuaa” y esto podría indicar que el pueblo Rama originalmente no era un pueblo marinero.
Léxica:
Also (tuaa) yuup saala. Miskitu borrowing.
También yuup saala. Préstamo del Miskitu.

[arriba]

tuk

I. V

1. food swallow

2. food suck

3. food drink

4. food eat

Notas:

Gramatical:
In variation with 'tkw'. 'tkw' is used with tense markers, while 'tuk' is used with subordinators.

[arriba]

tukbut

I. N

1. animal,fish,food eel, mudfish , [ESP] Anguila, pez lodo

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Tukbut salpka aalbut isii. Kauling aa kwsi.
The eel is a fish like a snake. People don't eat it.
La anguila es un pez parecido a la culebra. La gente no se la come.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Not sought after; eaten by some. Usually cooked by roasting in a waha leaf.
No es muy buscado, algunos lo comen. Generalmente se cocina asado en una hoja de bijagua. En el 2009 se nota su escacez.
Léxica:
Can also be called 'aalbut sii ki ka' (literally 'the snake from the water') or 'sii aing aalbut' (literally 'water snake').
BA: Also takbut, tagbut, muulung maama. Some also say it is muulung, most likely collapsing freshwater eel and mudfish into one. See takbut, tagbut, mulung.

[arriba]

tuktiin

I. V

1. food,plant ripen

2. food,plant be ripe

Notas:

Gramatical:
Has a variant 'tuptiin'. For both 'tuktiin' and 'tuptiin', the long vowel 'ii' can be shortened.

[arriba]

tuktiinba

I. ADJ

1. food,plant ripe

Composicion:

derivation

Morfemas
tuktiin	ba
be ripe	ADJ

Notas:

Gramatical:
The derivational suffix '-ba' can be nasalised to '-ma' after the final nasal of 'tuktiin'.

[arriba]

tum

I. N

1. food,plant,whit

[arriba]

tuu

I. N

1. food,plant tobacco

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They may have grown it in the past but not anymore. Beaten and used as a poultice on a wound or to cure something.

[arriba]

tuu kaat

I. N

1. artef.,food pipe

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The stem of the pipe is made out of the bird pepper leaf stem ('alkiini') and the bowl is made of siliku seed ('suulup').

[arriba]

tuulis

I. N

1. bread,food dried ripe banana

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Samuu pranti tuktiinma ngang uruk su nsut kai sut aliskiingi abung uruk su yatkutka tuulis yaak nsut aungi.
Ripe banana or plantain we put on the tapesco. We dry it on the fire. When it is done we call it 'tuulis'.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The closest they used to have to flour, used to make traditional pop with it.
Léxica:
Borrowing from Miskitu 'tuulis' which refers to a different banana preparation.

[arriba]

tuunuk

I. N

1. food,health,plant papaya

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They grow it on Rama Cay to eat. They know that it can also help to aliviate constipation. Not grown in Cane Creek.

[arriba]

ulngup

I. N

1. artef.,food,water long hollowed out gourd

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A long hollowed out gourd used as a dipper or dory bailer, as contrasted with "sabang," which is round. The Ramas do not generally carve or decorate them.
Gramatical:
With class marker '-up' for roundish shape.
Léxica:
See "uulup."

[arriba]

ungskup

I. N

1. food,plant bean

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Small red beans, a lot of which they grow themselves, and from which they save some to plant again the next time. Like other crops, a lot of work to keep animals away from, to weed, to harvest, to shell and to dry. Used to keep them in a gourd to keep them dry and to help keep out mice, weevils, etc. Now they use jars or other containers. If they get weevils, they won't germinate. Eaten boiled, stewed with coconut milk, stewed in coconut milk with rice (and salt plus onion, black pepper, gourd pepper, if you have it), boiled, sometimes fried. (coconut oil if they have enough coconuts to make it). Newly-harvested red beans accompanied by boiled or stewed breadkind are very tasty. If they have enough, they will sell some.
Gramatical:
With the class marker '-up' for roundish shape. Has two variants 'nguskup' and 'biinz'. The second one is a borrowing from English 'beans'.

[arriba]

upsi

I. N

1. animal,body fat

2. animal,cooking oil

3. animal,body,food grease

5. artef.,house kerosene

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The green turtle has yellow fat and green fat; some people like to eat one or the other. Oil extracted from different animals can have different medicinal uses. When they butcher and sell fried hog meat, a lot of people prefer more fat than actual meat.It is a sign of health to them if you are fat.
They probably burned mananti oil for oil lamps, explaining the extension to kerosene.

[arriba]

uriaup

I. N

1. food,plant orange

Notas:

Gramatical:
Borrowed from English 'orange' to which the Rama class marker '-up' (round) was added. Has variation 'oriaup' with English 'o'.

[arriba]

uriaup nuknukisba

I. N

1. food,plant tangerine

Composicion:

expression

[arriba]

uriaup pakaskaaba

I. N

1. food,plant bitter orange

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
uriaup	pakaskaaba
orange	bitter

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Not just a bad orange. This variety never has sweet flesh and juice. Bigger and bumpier than sweet orange. Used for fresco.

[arriba]

uriaup pulkaaba

I. N

1. food,plant sweet lime

Notas:

Etnográfica:
You don't make lemonade out of it, you eat it. It is not overly juicy. Harvested around Christmas time.

No hacés limonada con él, te lo comés. No es muy jugoso. Se cosecha en época cercana a la Navidad.

[arriba]

uriaup supkaaba

I. N

1. food,health,plant lime

Notas:

Etnográfica:
They make lemonade with it sometimes, or squeeze it into cane juice. Limes, lime tree leaf, bark and roots are heavily used medicinally and also to cleansed (like after you have been dealing with sick people).

[arriba]

uriaup tataara

I. N

1. food,plant,tree grapefruit

Composicion:

expression

Morfemas
uriaup	tataara
orange	very big

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Grapefruit is one of a number of different citrus planted both for personal use and as a source of income. They eat them and make "fresco" with the juice: juice with water and sugar added. Ramas, like most other people in Nicaragua, usually don't drink the pure juice of fruits.
Léxica:
Also uriaup tataara nguknguknga. Some use the word s(h)aaduk, borrowed from Miskito.

[arriba]

urnga

I. N

1. food food

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Food traditionally means some kind of breadkind; otherwise, you name the specific food.

[arriba]

usnaan

I. N

1. artef.,food basket

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Are made with different whits, often wari whit. made for storing items in the kitchen, usually, or for carrying items such as seeds, fruits, shellfish.
Gramatical:
Borrowing ?
Léxica:
Usually "ushnan."

[arriba]

uula

I. N

1. nat. mud , [ESP] lodo

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Sii uula.
The water is muddy.

3. animal,fish,food large freshwater catfish , [ESP] Bagre

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Sabut salpka parnga haap suma. Yaap aataara. Ikaikungi uula uruk su tiisanga ki.
The mud fish is a black fish half long. His body is small. It lays down on the dirt in the shoal.

Pictures/Imagenes:

4. animal,fish,food large sea catfish

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Mud is a big problem in the rainy season for people who live in the bush. It makes obtaining clean water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing difficult, as well as causing "ground itch," a painful burning foot fungus from having your feet constantly wet and muddy. The amount of slippery mud makes everything more difficult and dangerous. And in the rainy season, the lagoons and rivers become muddy, which affects fishing. Serious problems with mud have been developing in several communities over the years due to the heavy deforestation. The result is drying rivers and creeks, but heavy deposits of mud at the creek/river bars after several years. As a result, in 2009, the bar at Cane Creek was nearly completely closed and virtually impassable by all but the smallest and lightest dories, obligating people to get out of the dory, and sink nearly up to their knees in gooey, sticky mud to try to haul the dory over the bar and into the creek. For the first time in memory, Wiring cay bar was 100% closed in 2009 during the dry season. There are many different names and classifications of catfish/mudfish/eels by different speakers. "Mudfish" generally refers to "sabut." Corn River said to have large freshwater catfish.
Léxica:
At least for some speakers;, there may be a connection between mud and fish that are principally bottom-dwellers in the lagoon and rivers. For large sea catfish, see also walaha/wala, bagri. Bagri from Spanish bagre.

[arriba]

uuli

I. N

1. animal,food,hunting,reptile green sea turtle , [KRI] tortl , [RCK] toortl

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Kauling uuli mlingka, kauling taaki kwsi. Waisku u anmalingi.
When people kill green turtle, everybody eats it. They kill it with harpoon.

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Highly endangered species of sea turtle that mostly eats grass. Ramas still kill by striking them with harpoons, while Miskitu use nets.
Preferred turtle meat hunted both for their own consumption and to sell in town (more Puerto Cabezas than Bluefields). The old tradition is to share it out according to certain conventions. They eat the turtle eggs when they find them, but green turtles tend to lay more to the south, from Colorado Bar down to Tortuguero in Costa Rica.
Cane Creek people are known as more adept at hunting and striking them because they are sea people, more than the lagoon Rama Cay people. Ramas used to go down to Turtle Bogue (Tortuguero) in Costa Rica to catch them.

[arriba]

uung

I. N

1. artef.,food pot , [ESP] olla, porra

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Traditionally made their own pot out of iron buoys picked off the beach (from shipwreck). Pots are very valuable household items. For instance if you have to pay a snake doctor (no longer Rama), he might ask for part of his payment in cookware.

[arriba]

wairu

I. N

1. animal,food,shellfish land crab

Ejemplo de Frase-Phrase example:

Wairu laulau tupki inguri yuungi.
The wairu crab puts its hole under the mangrove root.

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Blue round-bodied hairy ,hairy crab that lives in swamps. Are eaten stewed in coconut milk. Most people eat just the legs, others the whole body after scraping off the hair.
Léxica:
Borrowed from Miskitu. Also ngwairu.

[arriba]

wokaira

I. N

1. animal,food,insect unidentified bee

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A kind of bee that makes sweet honey and has its hive in a tree trunk or log. You cut the honey in May.

[arriba]

yampi

I. N

1. food,plant unidentified tuber

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A small purple potato with a dry texture and very slightly sweet taste. Though some might say "purple yam," these are much smaller than yams which are huge in comparison. Yampi commonly grown Wiring Cay and south, not so much around Rama Cay. (Also more common farther up the coast....in both cases perhaps due to it having come from the Kriol community). For the most plentiful and best-tasting harvest, plant as follows: Plow up the ground and plant May-June (full moon said to be best for all planting). What you plant is the "seed," i.e., any small yampi you have dug up when you "hauled" the plant. If you want to keep these for a while before ou plant them, you must keep them on the "stick" and keep them wet. Plant where the vine can climb up. Don't harvest until the second dry season (around March).

[arriba]

yamz

I. N

1. food,plant yam , [ESP] camote, papa dulce

Pictures/Imagenes:

Notas:

Etnográfica:
A breadkind more common among those who lived where there were more bush Kriols, e.g., Cane Creek, Aguila. There are several varieties, e.g., white yam, yellow yam. Not so common on Rama Cay and more people there don't like them. Grow very large. After you dig them up you can plant the head of the plant (It's small), or any of the small yams that you pull up. You should plant where the vine can climb. You can harvest after one year, in the next dry season.
Gramatical:
Borrowing from English (yam).

[arriba]

yengyeng

I. N

1. bread,food,plant small banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
Very tiny banana found in Cane Creek.
Banano bien pequeño que se encuentra en Cane Creek.
Gramatical:
Reduplication.

[arriba]

yukatan

I. N

1. bread,food,plant Yucatan banana

Notas:

Etnográfica:
The Yucatan banana is smaller than the patriut banana, but also cooks soft.
Probably a variety of banana brought in by banana companies.
El banano Yucatan es mas pequeno que el banano patriota, pero tambien se asuaviza al cocinar. Probablemente es una variedad de banano traida por las companias bananeras.
Léxica:
Borrowing from English/Spanish (Yucatan). See also 'paatrut'.
Prestamo del Ingles y Espanol (Yucatan). Ver tambien "paatrut".

[arriba]

Diccionario

I. ADJ

Composicion:

I. ADJ

Composicion:

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

Notas:

I. V

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. V

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

Notas:

I. N

Composicion:

I. V

Notas:

I. V

Notas:

I. V

Notas:

I. V

Notas:

I. V

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. V

I. V

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N

Notas:

I. N