The Birth of the Moon / Metsa m+tiunuiwax+

Takutsi Metseri, Our Grandmother Moon, was once upon a time a girl (lower bottom), who played with her toys, her flowers and pieces of broken clay. Tuamuxawi (to the right), with his cane before him, observes her. He follows the path of scattered red dots to grab her and take her to the top of the Burnt Peak, Reu’unaxi. He lets her fall in the hole, there where all of the deities reappeared in this world (center of painting). Five steps above the girl’s symbolize the steps needed to reach the central sacred region. During this time the world was dark, as the sun had not yet appeared.

Her mother (lower right) noticed that her daughter had been taken and calls a wise man to help her. He (depicted above her) consults his feathered arrow and the leaf of the tree of the kieri (represented along the edge of the center right). He tells her what she is living.

Tuamuxawi carries a nierika (object with red border in the upper center) that serves as a mirror to the supernatural world and illuminates the path. After five days, the girl ascends to the sky where she is transformed into the moon. She gives birth to a star (upper right). This star, xurawe, and all the others were born to be her companions. The dots that unite the moon to the star are the words Takutsi Metseri dedicated to her daughter.

Tuamuxawi moves his cane from left to right in order to place it in the spot where the moon will be able to send necessary light. Fire, Our Grandfather, who was born at the same time as the moon, is in the process of burning (above Tuamuxawi, right border). He receives a votive arrow from Tuamuxawi, placed next to the symbol of fire.

Takutsi Metseri, the moon, affects the woman in particular. The seven dots that surround the sacred blue region (center) represent menstrual blood. The moon affects the strength of the trees, the aroma of the flowers that, in the wind, is taken to the bee (top right) and other represented insects.

Tuamuxawi transforms himself on the summit of the yellow peak where he left four white marks where the pilgrims can follow his traces. It is the nierika, sacred face that marks the peak toward Xapawiyemetá, the Southern Lagoon, where the earth is found and emerged for the first time.

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Takutsi metseri, yatewimeki kaniukanunutsitikaitini (hixiapa muka’axé) niutiwaikakaitini yuwaikariteki, yutuuturiteki haxu mumurimeki tsiere. Tuamuxawi (tserieta) yu’itsí yuhixie ‘uketí kanixeiyani. Huyé kaniuweiyani xuxureti metetiká hexirietikaití ‘anukutikike tau’unipa ‘anutitikike, Mireu’unaxi. Hixiata neikahianí watixawatsié, muwa tawarie memuwatinexia ‘ana mekatekiekaripa (‘iki hixiapa). ‘uká nunutsi mu’uyatsié ‘aixiwiti ‘imumui manukuhé kani’iniarieyatini kepaimexa muyekaní mukumaiwe maya’aní. Meripaiti ‘ana, kiekari pakanakuyiwikaitini tau ‘akuxi kapihekiariwekai.

Teiya (tserieta muka’axé) tinetimaní kename un’aya hehaniekai xeime niutahiawe ranuyemaikame ‘iparewienike. ‘Iki (heimana kanakaweni) yumuwieri kaniku’eniwani tsiere kieri xawari (kani’iniarieyatini hixiapa mata’atika mihekia tserieta). Kemitika yatinehiaweni.

Tuamuxawi nierika na’ika (pini kanikaweni xureti muti’axé hixiapa) xikiri hapai kaniparewieka kiekari mitama huyeya kanihekiatsirieka tsiere. ‘Aixiwime tukari hautineku ‘uká nunutsi muyuawitsié nanuti’ene, mana metsa nayeweni. Xeime xurawe niutiniweni (tserieta muti’axé). ‘Iki xurawe, yunaiti tsiere memutinunuiwa yu’iwamati me’ayexirienike. ‘U’urawiti metetika metsatsié muyuwiya xurawetsié tsiere takutsi metseri kaniniukieyatini nu’ayatsié kanimiemetini.

Tuamuxawi neukatsení tserieta ‘utata yu’itsiki heikakeniké kewa yuhekiariya meni’awa ‘aye’arikame. ‘Anatsié kaniutinuiwa tai tutsí metseri hapaitsita kaniyemieximeni mutataní (Tuamuxawi heimá mata’atiká tserieta). Tuamuxawi ‘irí nanukwení keyeme mitikanaketika  (tai ‘ikimeyari makawe).

Takutsi metseri, ‘uká kaniumetsaxiwani yukimana. ‘Atahutati ‘atetikaiti manutinama mukumaiwe yuawimeki (hixiapa) xuriya xeimetseri manuyexiriwe kanihikitini. Kiyexite ‘aixi mireu’erie metsa kanikwiniyaka, tuutú ‘iakariyari ‘eká kanei’enitsitiwani xietexi wahatsia (tserieta muti’axé) hipati tsiere muwa memika’ike.

Tuamuxawi hiri manuti’axé kanayaní naukame mana niuku’eirieni ‘uxa tataxawime naukame tuxame mana tewakikamete meniyeweiyani kemireuyuyune. Kaninierikatini  hixie maiweme mihekiata hiri manuti’axé Xapawiyemeta, harakuna mayema ‘utata, muwa mukaniere matiari muwa muhekiarixi kwié.