Rihana: Marriage Customs

I rediscovered this recently and decided to post it, since we had a marriage
by a list member lately. It was based on archaic Greek customs as described by
Sappho (or at least by scholarly notes explaining Sappho.) In view of the
reference to Sappho I should say that "fevaka" which I translated "girlfriends"
means simply female friends, not anything more intimate.
John Leland


Badomiwa-ye Vujoha
Marriage Tradition

Badomiwa-me Tivako-ye vibasa-me fufe fevaka-fe
Marriage-time-in Goddess-of temple-in all girlfriends
fevejo ge badoka-be kuvaro.
gather and bride-to sing.
Sewa-me Tivaba-ye vibasa-me fufe fevaba-fe fevejo
This time-in Mangod's temple-in all male friends gather
ge kaboba-be kuvaro.
and groom-to sing.
Sewa-ve kaboba ge veba-ye fevaba-fe Tivaka-ye vibasa
This time-after groom and his friends Goddess-of temple
-be vejo ge se vibasa-ke badoka febo.
-to come and this temple-from bride bring.
Veba-fe veka kaboba-ye basa-de febo.
 They her groom's house-to bring.
Veka-ye fevaka-fe veba-fe-we kuvaro-mi vejo.
Her girlfriends them-behind singing come.
Se-ve basa-me kaboba badoka giyo, sewa-le
This-beyond house-in groom bride loves, this time-thru
fevaba-fe ge fevaka-fe basa-rethe-me hevejo-mi
male friends and girlfriends house-outside-in standing
 ge fugegu kuvaro-mi.
 and very sweetly singing.