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The selection presented here departs from the more extended, even
"grandiloquent" language of most of the Chants, relying in part on
techniques of fragmentation & the use of non-semantic sound (meaningless
syllables, humming, clapping, whistling, etc.) The session itself goes on for
a whole night, with many of the images, "self"-namings, etc., established
early & repeated throughout in full or fragmented form.
Cayetano García, in whose home the session took place, acts also as the
principal respondent. "The tone of voice in which this passage [begins],"
writes Henry Munn, "is definitely playful, and at one point the man laughs
with pleasure at her song. He thanks her for the beauty of her words."
translation
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[He answers "Yes …" She says, "Isnt't that how?" He responds:
"Yes, that's it." She says: "Isn't that it? Like this. Listen."]
Woman who resounds
Woman torn up out of the ground
Ah, Jesusi
Ah, Jesusi
[In the background the man laughs with pleasure.]
Ah, Jesusi
Ah, Jesusi
Ah, Jesusi
hmm hmm hmm
so so so
Justice woman
hmm hmm hmm
["Thank you," says the man.]
Saint Peter woman
Saint Paul woman
Ah, Jesusi
Book woman
Book woman
Morning Star woman
Cross Star woman
God Star woman
Ah, Jesusi
Moon woman
Moon woman
Moon woman
hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
Sap woman
Dew woman
[The man urges her on. "Work, work," he says.]
She is a Book woman
Ah, Jesusi
hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
so so so
Lord clown woman
Clown woman beneath the ocean
Clown woman
[The other words are unintelligible.]
Ah, Jesusi
hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
so so so
Woman who resounds
Woman torn up out of the ground
hmm hmm hmm
Because she is a Christ woman
Because she is a Christ woman
ha ha ha
so so so
so so so
so so so
Whirling woman of colors
Whirling woman of colors
Big town woman
Big town woman
Lord eagle woman
Lord eagle woman
Clock woman
Clock woman
ha ha ha
so so so
so so so
so so so
[That’s it. Work, work," exclaims the man.]
hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
so so so
hmm hmm hmm
so so so
so so so
si si si
si si si
si si si
so sa sa
si si si
so sa sa sa
hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
si so soooooooooiiiiii
[The end of "so" is drawn out into a long tone. She calls,
"Cayetano García." "Work, work," he relies. She goes
on humming, clapping faster and faster. "Cayetano
García," she calls again, in between her humming, almost
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as if she were animating him, bringing him to himself with
her clapping. "Work, work," he says, "don’t worry." And
the passage ends on an expiring "siiiiii."]
You my Father
You Christ
You Christ
Along the path of your soles, along the path of your feet
Where you triumphed, Christ
Where your saliva is, where your sweat is, Christ
That is why I am searching for the path of your soles, that is why I
am searching for the path of your feet
Where you stopped, Christ
Where you stopped, Father
Where you stopped, Old One
You are a respectable Father, an admirable Father
You are a respectable Mother, an admirable Mother
You are a green Father, a Father of clarity
You are a green Mother, a Mother of clarity
You are a budding Mother, a Mother of offshoots
You are a green Mother, a Mother of clarity
Source: Álvaro Estrada, María Sabina: Her Life and Chants, Ross-Erikson
Publishers, 1981. Recorded July 21-22, 1956, by R. Gordon Wasson in
Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca (Mushroom Ceremony of the Mazatec Indians
of Mexico, Folkways Records, FR 8975).
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