Mandalorian culture: The Art of Storytelling
Posted: 12 Apr 2018 05:21
In every story worth telling, there are constants.
O'r anay jate'gehat'ik, ne'tome cuyi darasuum.
In every good story, pieces are eternal.
The hero, blessed by the gods and the narrator, who always knows the right thing to say or do.
The antagonist, who gives the hero their chance to shine.
The stumble, where the audience is reminded that the hero bleeds like the rest of us.
A'oryc'ad, gana riye urmankal'ade bal gehatik'miit'ad, ratiin kar'tayli serim miit bal nar.
Aru'e, dinui a'oryc'ad bana par kote.
Buruk, ke'partayli sush'ad meg a'oryc'ad tal'gala sa mhi.
The great person, who has the favor of the gods and the storyteller, who always knows the correct word or act.
The enemy, who gives the great person his opportunity for glory.
The danger, which reminds the listener that the great person bleeds like us.
These are elements any child knows, and a story is not a story without them.
But there are other, more subtle constants.
They do not appear in every tale, but still they are widely known.
The wise elder who sacrifices themselves to set the hero on the path.
The rogue with a heart of gold and an eagle's eye.
The untamed princess with a fiery tongue and an unbreakable spirit.
The warrior who would sooner give up their life than their honor.
In some tales, these warriors are called Devil Dogs, and guard the gates of Heaven.
In some, they are called Spartans, wielding Mjolnir armor and the might of a hundred worlds.
In some, they are called N7 and known only by the defeated enemies they leave behind.
In the best of these stories, these warriors wear beskar'gam.
Heed these tales, children.
Remember the words, and the lessons they teach.
Grow as a true Mandalorian,
And one day children may hear a tale about you.
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I wrote the English bit, then ran out of time to translate it into Mando'a. I'll come back to finish this when I have time.
O'r anay jate'gehat'ik, ne'tome cuyi darasuum.
In every good story, pieces are eternal.
The hero, blessed by the gods and the narrator, who always knows the right thing to say or do.
The antagonist, who gives the hero their chance to shine.
The stumble, where the audience is reminded that the hero bleeds like the rest of us.
A'oryc'ad, gana riye urmankal'ade bal gehatik'miit'ad, ratiin kar'tayli serim miit bal nar.
Aru'e, dinui a'oryc'ad bana par kote.
Buruk, ke'partayli sush'ad meg a'oryc'ad tal'gala sa mhi.
The great person, who has the favor of the gods and the storyteller, who always knows the correct word or act.
The enemy, who gives the great person his opportunity for glory.
The danger, which reminds the listener that the great person bleeds like us.
These are elements any child knows, and a story is not a story without them.
But there are other, more subtle constants.
They do not appear in every tale, but still they are widely known.
The wise elder who sacrifices themselves to set the hero on the path.
The rogue with a heart of gold and an eagle's eye.
The untamed princess with a fiery tongue and an unbreakable spirit.
The warrior who would sooner give up their life than their honor.
In some tales, these warriors are called Devil Dogs, and guard the gates of Heaven.
In some, they are called Spartans, wielding Mjolnir armor and the might of a hundred worlds.
In some, they are called N7 and known only by the defeated enemies they leave behind.
In the best of these stories, these warriors wear beskar'gam.
Heed these tales, children.
Remember the words, and the lessons they teach.
Grow as a true Mandalorian,
And one day children may hear a tale about you.
----------
I wrote the English bit, then ran out of time to translate it into Mando'a. I'll come back to finish this when I have time.