Oreteti

Recording 1: Maasai translation: Oreteti naa alnjani oserem irmaasai oinosie indasimi eneeny’ engai eha  nepuo aasajiho, asaj ingoho auhu im’balelon, enaa epoi aranyaki neeni inguliek nipiripiri tine neletu engai aaha  inoolong’, neha engai amu ehomoki naa ereteti, ore engopito  oreteti tenelo pee eji emayani oltung’ani neji homo iyau engopito erereti neenikini ilotung’ani neeku duo naa ake etamayanaki ilotungani amu  eteniikiaki inaopito,  nee endoki sapuk atiwana engai  naa inye sininye eserem irmaasae, meetae apa kanisa oreteti epoi, nepoi aranyishao neesi indokiting pookin nepoi asajiho  neeku duo inye apa sininje epo irmaasae aasai engai anaa kanisa.

Swahili translation: Oreteti ni mti ambayo wamaasai wanaabudu na kukula kiapo nayo kwa mungu,na kwenda kusali na kusali miungu mingine ya babilon,ama kwenda kuimba na kufunga zingine na kuzungusha zingine hapo na mungu anakuja siku hiyo;mungu anachukua maana wanaamini oreteti,na upande wa oreteti mtu akitaka kubarikiwa unaambiwa uende ulete upande wa huu mti na kufungiwa huyo mtu na sasa amebarikiwa maana amefungiwa upande wa huo mti,nani kitu kubwa kama mungu na huu ndio wamaasai wanaabudu,hapakuwa na kanisa oreteti ndio wanaenda,wanaenda kuimba na kufanya mambo yote na kwenda kusali sasa ndio wamaasai walikuwa wanaenda kusali kama kanisa.

English translation: Oreteti is a tree the Maasai worship, take oaths under before God, and use for prayer. They also use it to worship other gods from Babylon. The Maasai also perform various rituals around this tree such as singing and fasting, and when they do God comes. To them, God is embodied in this tree Oreteti, and if someone wants to be blessed they are told to go to this tree and become one with it. There is no church, instead the Maasai go to Oreteti, so they go to this tree to pray like a church. 

Recording 2: Maasai translation: Ore oreteti meeoki kake olnjani sidai lememuniho naa sidai,  eeta oloip, metaa ore oreteti tee maana aang’ iyook  ajo olohi lekiasihore iyook irmaasai, aasihore anaataata asajihore nepoi ayaau ibenek enyena, ahu eneji enatakin engerai nepoi ayau engopito enye nepiki engerai aaeneki engaina, metaa  kitu oshi ining’ emayianihoi? Eji endaa enaa oretet, ina esiai oreteti. 

Swahili translation: oreteti haikunywi lakini ni dawa nzuri aidhuru na ni nzuri,ina kivuli,sasa oreteti haina maana kwa sisi,ya kusema ndio tunatumia sisi wamaasai,ya kutumia na kuleta majani yake,ama ya kutolea mtoto na kutoa upande yake na kufungia mtoto mkono,sasa haujawahi sikia watu wakiombea?kama chakula oreteti,hiyo ndio kazi ya oreteti.

English translation: Oreteti is not drunk, but it is still a good medicine with no side effects. It provides excellent shade. However we no longer use Oreteti as a medicine us Maasai, instead we gather its leaves for ceremonies. During the birth of a child, we will wrap the child’s hand in the leaves and this is a blessing. You can sometimes hear people praying to this tree… this is the job of oreteti.