Turtle Dance Songs of San Juan Pueblo

Oku Sahreh

Singers: Herman Agoyo, Anthony S. Archuleta, Cipriano Garcia, Jerry Garcia, Peter Garcia, Stseven Trujill

©1979 Recorded Anthology of American Music, Inc.

Play song	Name	Performed by	Description	Native Words	Translation	Notes
	First Turtle Dance Song				Here at Dewy Water Structure, sacred village Here at Misty Corn Structure, sacred village Poseyemu's sons Poseyemu's daughters Gracefully are they shaking their rattles! Beautifully is their heard the sound of rattles! Here at Dewy Water Structure, sacred village Here at Misty Corn Structure, sacred village Poseyemu's sons Poseyemu's daughters Gracefully are they moving about as turtles! Beautifully are they dancing as turtles! Here at Dewy Water Structure, sacred village Here at Misty Corn Structure, sacred village Poseyemu youths have here come to look in on us. Bringing blessings of all kinds, rain! Poseyemu maidens have here been accepted!	San Juan Pueblo
	Second Turtle Dance Song				Over there, at the Lake of Dawn, Dawn Youths, their singing is heard! The beautiful singing of Dawn Youths is heard! Over there, at the Lake of the Dawn, Dawn Maidens are heard. Beautifully making their calls! Here at O'ke (San Juan) village There is raised an emergence kiva! A sacred kiva we do have! So that holy people may come to visit with us! Haya cham boo! Here at O'ke village There is raised an emergence kiva! Sacred doings we do have! Youths are singing beautifully! Beautiful are the songs which come from there! Haya cham boo! Here at O'ke village There is raised an emergence kiva! Sacred doings we do have! Maidens are making beautiful calls! Beautiful are the calls which come from there! Over there, at the Lake of the Dawn, Dawn Youths, their singing is heard! The beautiful singing of Dawn Youths is heard! Over there, at the Lake of the Dawn, Dawn Maidens are heard, Beautifully making their calls! Here at O'ke village There is raised an emergence kiva! A sacred kiva we do have! Sacred doings we do have!	San Juan Peublo
	Third Turtle Dance Song			Away over there, at the dawning place, Dawn Youths are heard, singing beautifully! Away over there, at the dawning place, Dawn Maidens are heard, beautifully making their calls! Away to the north holly people are gathering from every direction! They come, with their corn-growing powers, And still they come! Until here they have arrived! [loud rattling] Away to the west, holy people are gathering from every direction! They come, with their wheat-growing powers, And still they come! Until here they have arrived! [loud rattling] Away to the south, holy people are gathering from every direction! They come, with their squash-growing powers, And still they come! Until here they have arrived! [loud rattling] Away to the east, holy people are gathering from every direction! They come, with their power to raise all cultigens, And still they come! Until here they have arrived! [loud rattling]	Away to the north holy people are running about, Gathering from every direction! They come, with their rain-bearing powers, And still they come! Until here they arrive! Away to the west, holy people are running about, Gathering from every direction! They come, with their evergreens and medicinal-plant-bearing powers, And still they come! Until here they arrive! Away to the south, holy people are running about, Gathering from every direction! They come, with their mist-cream and moisture-bearing powers, And still they come! Until here they arrive! Away to the east, holy people are running about, Gathering from every direction! They come, casting their fog rainbow toward us before them, And still they come! Until here they arrive! Away over there, at the dawning place, Dawn Youths are heard, singing beautifully! Away over there, at the dawning place, Dawn Maidens are heard, beautifully making their calls!	San Juan Pueblo
	Fourth Turtle Dance Song			Over in the direction where the sun descends Deep, deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous singing Of holy people comes forth! Over in the direction where the sun descends Deep, Deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous calls Of holy people come forth! Holy people are now emerging! Holy people are now coming! Holy people, with their corn and wheat raising power have arrived here! Holy people, with their clouds, rainwater, and fog rainbow cast before them, have arrived here! [rattle] Over in the west, in the place where the sun descends Way down deep, deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous singing Of holy people comes forth! Over in the west, in the place where the sun descends Way down deep, deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous calls Of holy people come fourth! Holy people are now emerging! Holy people are now coming! Holy people, with their corn and wheat raising power, have arrived here! Holy people with their clouds, rainwater, and fog rainbow cast before them, have arrived here! [rattle} Hapembe! Hapembe! Hapembe!	Deep, deep, within the sacred lake From there the joyous singing Of holy people comes forth! From there the joyous calls Of holy people com forth! Holy people are now emerging! Holy people are now coming! Holy people, with their singing and calling, have arrived here! [rattle] Away over there holy people emerge! Holy people are coming! Holy people, with their children-people-raising, with life-creating powers have arrived here! Hapembe! Hapembe! Hapembe! Deep, deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous singing Of holy people comes forth! From there the joyous calls Of holy people comes forth! Holy people are now emerging! Holy people are now coming! Holy people, with their singing and calling, have arrived here! [rattle] Over in the direction where the sun descends Deep, deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous singing Of holy people comes forth! Over in the direction where the sun descends Deep, deep within the sacred lake From there the joyous calls Of holy people come forth! Holy people are now emerging! Holy people are now coming! Holy people, with their corn and wheat raising powers, have arrived here! Holy people, with their clouds, rainwater, and fog rainbow cast before them, have arrived here! [rattle]	San Juan Pueblo