The Ic̣aa used a solar calendar based on the solstices and equinoxes, as well as local animals.

A wax cylinder recording of a man explaining the traditional Ic̣aa calendar was made available. It uses the audio from two wax cylinders and scans of rubbings of two calendar tablets.

Interlinear Gloss

Uup̣utu faa ŋi xac̣aa.

/uːʘu-tu faː ŋi xaǀaː/

3s.e.1s.a-eat pfv erg animal

The animal ate me.

'Ap̣uu'a'ya faa 'unşuu

/ʔa-ʘuːʔa-ʔja faː ʔuⁿʃuː/

attr-1pe.a-speak pfv that.way

That's what we say.

Uup̣utu faa ŋi ḳaii.

/uːʘu-tu faː ŋi ǂaiː/

3s.e.1s.a-eat pfv erg eagle

The eagle ate me.

Uup̣utu faa ŋi ⁿtusaa.

/uːʘu-tu faː ŋi ⁿtusaː/

3s.e.1s.a-eat pfv erg deer

The deer ate me.

Sii'unşi faa 'ansansa ninsa'yataw 'a'unki aşaŋii’a 'u titakyuru

/siːʔu-ⁿʃi faː ʔa-ⁿsaⁿsa niⁿsa-ʔjataw ʔa-ʔuⁿki aʃaŋiːʔa ʔu titakyuru/

3d.a-exist pfv attr-two pos.3s.ii-word season

We have two words for dividing the year:

tiiri myu aşaansa

/tiːri mju aʃaːⁿsa/

tiiri and aşaansa

tiiri and aşaansa

Sii'unşi faa 'ansansa tiiri

/siːʔu-ⁿʃi faː ʔa-ⁿsaⁿsa tiːri/

3d.a-exist pfv attr-two tiiri

There are two tiiri.

'atiiri ruunşi, 'a'unaari 'animpiffi faa ityaw 'u ruunşi,

/ʔa-tiːri ruːnʃi, ʔa-ʔunaːri ʔa-ni-ⁿpifːi faː itjaw ʔu ruːnʃi/

attr-season rain, attr-that.time attr-3s.fall pfv much abs rain

'atiiri ruunşi (rainy season), when it rains a lot,

myu 'atiiri iṭusu, 'a'unaari mpiffi fama

/mju ʔa-tiːri iǃusu, ʔa-ʔunaːri ⁿpifːi fama/

and attr-season dry.ptcp.ipfv, attr-that.time 3s.a-fall pfv.neg

and 'atiiri iṭusu (dry season), when it doesn't.

Swaaşaansa 'u 'a'unşuu şawayawa faa 'u ninsiyataw titakyuru.

/swa-aʃaːⁿsa ʔu ʔa-ʔuⁿʃuː ʃawa-jawa faː ʔu niⁿsi-jataw titakjuru/

3p.a-aşaansa abs attr-that.method 1pe.e.3p.a-bundle pfv abs pos.3s.ia-day year.

Aşaansa are how we bundle the days of the year.

Şassuaşaŋiŋi iinsa faa 'u titakyuru 'i aşansiiyanşi myu aṭaa'ayaⁿşi.

/ʃasːu-aʃaŋi-ŋi iːⁿsa faː ʔu titakjuru ʔi aʃaⁿsiːjaⁿʃi mju aǃaaʔajaⁿʃi/

1pe.e.3s.a-divide-caus four pfv abs year inst equinox and solstice

We divide the year into four at the equinoxes and solstices.

Swaaşaŋii'ayaⁿşi.

/swa-aʃaŋiːʔajaⁿʃi/

3p.a-dividing.day

They are the "dividing days".

Ninşi pwii 'u 'atitakjuru nşaanşi ma 'aaşansii tisu.

/niⁿʃi pwiː ʔu ʔa-titakjuru ⁿʃaːⁿʃi ma ʔaːşaⁿsiː tisu/

3s.a-exist inch abs attr-year new loc attr-half shining

A new year starts on the vernal equinox.

Ma ninsanṭac̣aw 'aaṭaa'a ŋka şasu, 'aaşaⁿsii usasu, 'aaṭaa'a c̣i şasu

/ma niⁿsa-ⁿǃaǀaw ʔa-aǃaːʔa ⁿka ʃasu, ʔa-aʃaⁿsii usasu, ʔa-aǃaːʔa ǀi ʃasu/

loc pos.3s.ii-head attr-sit tall, attr-half dark, attr-sit short

After that, the summer solstice, autumnal equinox, winter solstice.

Swaaşaansa 'u yataw ma ninsansawa.

/swa-aʃaːⁿsa ʔu jataw ma niⁿsa-ⁿsawa/

3p.a-aşaansa abs day loc pos.3p.ii-two.arms

The days between them are the aşaansa

Ni'atitakyuru nşaanşi fiŋki pwii 'u 'aaşaⁿsii tisu.

/ni-ʔa-titakjuru ⁿʃaːⁿʃi fiⁿki pwii ʔu ʔa-aşaⁿsiː tisu/

3s.a-attr-year new every.happening inch abs attr-half shining

The vernal equinox is always the new year.

Ŋkima swa'iḳu fama 'u ufu ma 'aaṭaa'ayanşi nsi 'aaşansiiyanşi nşulu.

/ⁿkima swa-ʔiǂu fama 'u ufu ma ʔa-aǃaːʔajaⁿʃi ⁿsi ʔa-aʃaⁿsiːjaⁿʃi ⁿʃulu/

3p.a-align pfv-neg abs others loc attr-solstice or attr-equinox real

But the others do not align with the real solstices or equinoxes.

Ninşi faa 'u p̣uuŋimpayanşi ma 'aaşaŋii'ayanşi fiŋki, ŋkima sii'unşi faa 'ansansa yataw ma 'aaşansii tisu, nsi 'ailyu yataw ma 'akyuru nsusuu'a.

/ni-ⁿʃi faː ʔu ʘuːŋi-ⁿpajaⁿʃi ma ʔa-aʃaŋiːʔajaⁿʃi fiⁿki, ⁿkima siːʔu-ⁿʃi faː ʔa-ⁿsaⁿsa jataw ma ʔa-aʃaⁿsiː tisu, ⁿsi ʔa-ilju jataw ma ʔa-kjuru ⁿsusuːʔa

3s.a-exist pfv abs pos.1pe.ia-holiday loc attr-dividing.day every.happening, but 3d.a-exist pfv attr-two day loc attr-half shining, or attr-three day loc attr-cycle full

We have one day holiday at each dividing day, but the vernal equinox has two days, or three days every leap year.

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Ninşi faa 'u xac̣aa ma ʔaaşaansa fiŋki.

/ni-ⁿʃi faː ʔu xaǀaː ma ʔa-aʃaːⁿsa fiŋki/

3s.a-exist abs animal loc attr-aşaansa every.happening

There is an animal for each aşaansa:

tyui ma 'aaşansii tisu, ma ninsanṭac̣aw ŋkapi'i, ntusaa, ḳaii.

/tjui ma ʔa-aʃaⁿsiː tisu, ma niⁿsa-ⁿǃaǀaw ⁿkapiʔi, ⁿtusaː, ǂaiː/

jaguar loc attr-half shining, loc pos.3s.ii-head crocodile, deer, eagle

jaguar at the vernal equinox, then crocodile, deer, eagle.

P̣uu'akufa 'untaḳa faa suŋxa, ma sitaaw myu nṭac̣aw ma swamauṭaw aşaansa.

/ʘuːʔa-kufa ʔuⁿtaǂa faː suⁿxa, ma sitaːw mju ⁿǃaǀaw ma swama-uǃaw aʃaːⁿsa/

1pe.a-travel cross pfv loc.3p, loc tail and head, loc pos.3p.ii-belly aʃaːⁿsa

We travel on them, from the tail to the head, during the aşaansa.

Suuwajawa faa ŋi ninsaalu suc̣aa 'u ninsiyataw aşaansa:

/suːwa-jawa faː ŋi niⁿsa-alu suǀaː ʔu niⁿsi-jataw aʃaːⁿsa /

3p.e.3p.a-bundle pfv erg pos.3s.ii-part body abs pos.3s.ia-day aşaansa

The days of the aşaansa are bundled by body part:

sitaaw, winsa, p̣ic̣aw, ntaşwa, nḷau, nṭac̣aw

/sitaːw, wiⁿsa, ʘiǀaw, ⁿtasʃwa, ⁿǁau, ⁿǃaǀaw/

tail, hips, spine, shoulder, neck, head

tail, hips, spine, shoulder, neck, head.

Ma 'unşuu, şassu'ya faa xay ninsinsiinsama ntusaasitaaw nsi ninsiiḷuma ḳaiip̣ic̣aw.

/ma ʔuⁿʃuː, ʃasːu-ʔja faː xaj niⁿsi-ⁿsiːⁿsama ⁿtusaːsitaːw ⁿsi niⁿsi- iǁuma ǂaiːʘiǀaw /

loc that.manner, 1pe.e.3s.a-speak pfv quot pos.3s.ia-seven.ord deer-tail or quot pos.3s.ia-fifteen.ord eagle-spine.

So we say, "the 7th of Deer Tail" or "the 15th of Eagle Spine."

---

Swaxaḳa faa 'u xac̣aa.

/swa-xaǂa faː ʔu xaǀaː/

3p.a-fierce pfv abs animal

The animals are fierce.

Niuma si faa 'u 'aaşaŋii'ayanşi fiŋki xay ninsa'iḷaṭa xac̣aa.

/ni-uma si faː ʔu ʔa-aʃaŋiːʔajaⁿʃi fiⁿki xaj niⁿsa-ʔiǁaǃa xaǀaː/

3s.a-name also pfv abs attr-dividing.day each.happening quot pos.3s.ii-coming animal

Each dividing day is also known as “the arrival of the animal”.

Şasiawaŋi fanşuŋkuŋkwa 'u muyyuŋkau myu rişşuu suŋxa, ŋkisu ninşi faa asanşa 'u 'axilaw 'axiṭa şapwiŋkwa xaap̣aawa pwiyuma.

/ʃasi-awaŋi fa-ⁿʃu-ⁿku-ⁿkwa ʔu mujːuⁿkau mju riʃːuː suⁿxa, ⁿkisu niⁿʃi faː asaⁿʃa ʔu ʔa-xilaw ʔa-xiǃa ʃapwiⁿkwa xaːʘa-awa pwi-ju-ma/

1pe.e.3d.a-see-caus pfv-vol-beno-wil abs respect and humility loc.3p, and 3s.a-exists loc.1pe abs attr-hope attr-ride-wil 3p.e.1pe.a-see inch-nvol-neg

We show them respect and humility, and we hope to ride them without them noticing us.

Ŋkima ma nşiŋki pwiyu

/ⁿkima ma ⁿʃiⁿki pwi-ju/

but loc some.happenings inch-nvol

But sometimes they do.

Swauṭa faa, xaap̣alura faa, xaap̣ami faa, nkisu p̣uu'axiṭaaṭa fayuu ma swamauṭaw, faa'ama ma swamarantaw.

/swa-uǃa faː, xaːʘa-lura faː, xaːʘa-mi faː, ⁿkisu ʘuːʔa-xiǃaːǃa fa-ju-u ma swama-uǃaw, faːʔa-ma ma swama-raⁿtaw/

3p.a-turn pfv, 3p.e.1pe.a-bite pfv, 3p.e.1pe.a-swallow pfv, and 1pe.a-travel pfv-nvol-nwil loc pos.3p.ii-belly, do.pfv-neg loc pos.3p.ii-skin

They turn around, bite us, swallow us, and we travel inside them, not on them.

P̣uu'akufa 'untaḳa fau ma ŋkutaw myu miḳu, xiintu, uṭaw, ruḳa, kwataw.

/ʘuːʔa-kufa ʔuⁿtaǂa fa-u ma ⁿkutaw mju miǂu, xiːⁿtu, uǃaw, ruǂa, kwataw/

1pe.a-go cross pfv-nwil loc mouth and throat, chest, stomach, intestine, butt.

We go from the mouth to throat, chest, stomach, intestine, and the butt.

Ma ninsiwataw ninşi sulaa 'u xuu''iri asanşa, p̣uu'a'ya faa 'a'işşuu sap̣watu fanşu nsi niuṭa fanşu.

/ma niⁿsi-wataw ni-ⁿʃi sulaː ʔu xuːʔːiri asaⁿʃa, ʘuːʔa-ʔja faː ʔa-ʔiʃːuː saʘwa-tu faⁿʃu ⁿsi ni-uǃa faⁿʃu/

loc pos.3s.ia-arm 3s.a-exist ipfv abs bad.time loc.1pe, 1pe.a-speak attr-this.manner 3s.e.1pe.a-eat pfv-vol abs animal or 3s.a-turn-pfv-vol

If we are having a bad time, we say the animal ate us or it turned.

Swanşi faa 'u ansa ma 'asinşi ma ninsauṭau xac̣aa, nkisu şawawilu faa 'u 'aḷiu ityaw.

/swa-ⁿʃi faː ʔu aⁿsa ma ʔa-siⁿʃi ma niⁿsa-uǃaw xaǀaː, ⁿkisu ʃawa-wilu faː ʔu ʔa-ǁiu itjaw/

3p.a-exist pfv abs difficulty loc attr-time loc pos.3s.ii-belly animal, and 1pe.e.3p.a-confront pfv abs attr-problem many

Our time inside the animal is difficult, and we will face many problems.

'I''i şassuala si faa 'u 'a'iŋki ninşi nsaai.

/ʔiʔːi ʃasːu-ala si faː ʔu ʔa-ʔiⁿki ni-ⁿʃi ⁿsaː-i/

yet 1pe.e.3s.a-know also pfv abs attr-this.happening 3p.a-exist cess-emph

Yet we also know that it will end.

Ma nşi'aari, sap̣wasuṭa 'una faaxii ŋi xac̣aa.

/ma ⁿʃiʔaːri, saʘwa-suǃa ʔuna fa-ː.xi-i ŋi xaǀaː/

loc some.time, 3s.e.1pe.a-defecate out pfv-beni-emph erg animal

In time, the animal will defecate us out.

Swamuya pwii-i 'u 'iŋkiri.

/swa-muja pwiː-i ʔu ʔiⁿki-ri/

3p.a-good inch-emph abs this.happening-collection

Things will get better.

---

Xaaḳatu faa ŋi xac̣aa 'u finsaa ma nşi'aari.

/xaːǂa-tu faː ŋi xaǀaː ʔu fiⁿsaː ma ⁿʃiʔaːri/

3p.i.1pi.a-eat pfv erg animal abs every.anim loc some.time

The animals eat all of us sometime.

Saḳwau fayuuxi ŋi p̣aŋkwi'ayanşiri uṭaw.

/saǂwa-u fa-ju-ː.xi ŋi ˈʘaⁿkwi-ʔa-jaⁿʃiri uǃaw/

3s.e.1pi.a-change pfv-nvol-beni erg pos.1pi.ia-attr-time belly

Our time inside changes us.

P̣akwa'ii'i fama nanc̣u 'u 'aic̣aa ma 'uŋki saḳwalura faa ŋi xac̣aa.

/ʘakwa-ʔiːʔi fa-ma naⁿǀu ʔa-iǀaː ma ʔuⁿki saǂwa-lura faː ŋi xaǀaː/

1pi.a-same pfv-neg cmp.3s attr-person loc attr-that.happening 3s.e.1pi.a-bite pfv erg animal

We are not the same person we were when the animal bit us.

**Ma ninsawataw 'a'iŋki saḳwasuṭa 'una fa̵̵axi ma ninsansa''i aşaansa, **

/ma niⁿsa-wataw ʔa-ʔiⁿki saǂwa-suǃa ʔuna fa-ːxi ma niⁿsa-ⁿsaʔːi aʃaːⁿsa/

loc pos.3s.ii-arm attr-this.happening 3s.e.1pi.a-defecate out pfv-beni loc pos.3s.ii-end aşaansa

When it defecates us out at the end of the aşaansa,

**ninşi ki faa akanşa 'asira''i awaŋii'anşuŋkuŋkwa 'u muyyuŋkau ma 'axac̣aa 'iḷaṭa, **

/ni-ⁿʃi ki faː akaⁿʃa ʔu ʔa-siraʔːi awaŋiːʔa-ⁿʃu-ⁿku-ⁿkwa ʔu mujːuⁿkau ma ʔa-xac̣aa ʔiǁaǃa/

3s.a-exist again pfv loc.1pi abs attr-opportunity see.caus.pfv-vol-beno-wil abs respect loc attr-animal approach

we have a chance again to show respect to the coming animal,

'axiṭanşuŋkwa rişşuu, ma 'a'işşuu 'aic̣aa uu'a.

/ʔa-xiǃa-ⁿʃu-ⁿkwa riʃːuː, ma ʔa-ʔiʃːuː ʔa-iǀaː uːʔa/

attr-ride.pfv-vol-wil humility, loc attr-this.manner attr-person change.pfv

to ride them with humility, as a changed person.