Nei Ikuiku te Bina and the magic seed. (Nei Ikuiku te Bina ma te ati ae e mwaka).

By Kinaua Ewels

Illustrations by Ruatu Nantei

 

Nei Ikuiku te Bina was a girl who lived in Kiribati in the ancient days. One day, while walking along the beach, she found a special seed called te kimatore. She picked up the kimatore and threw it into the air. 

N taai akekei ngkoa i Kiribati ao iai te ataeinaine ae arana Nei Ikuiku te Bina. N te bong teuana, ngke e tabe n nakonako i aon te bike, ao e a kunea naba atin te kimatore. E tabeka te ati arei ao e a kakibarakea naba nakon te akea.

There was something magical about the seed. As it flew it grew into a sprout, then a small tree and then a huge tree that stretched into the sky. The tree was so tall that Nei Ikuiku te Bina couldn’t see the top of it.

Bon iai mwaakan te ati arei. Ngke e kibarake, ao e a bon otirake naba bwa te aeto, te aroka ae e uarereke ao ni karokoa e a riki bwa te aroka ae e totoa ae e roko i rabaraban karawa. 

‘Wow, I wonder how high it goes!’ she said and began climbing. After many hours she finally reached the top where it touched the surface of the moon. Nei Ikuiku te Bina was shocked to find an old woman sitting there! The woman was surrounded by ten coconut cups filled with golden syrup. Her name was Nei Nibarara, and she was blind.

Akea o, N na bakan noria bwa rietara!’ e taku neiei ngke e moana tamwarakena. Imwin tabeua te aoa ao e a roko i taberana are e toka i aon namwakaina. Bon te kubanako iroun Nei Ikuiku te Bina ni kunea te unaine ae e tekateka ikekei! E bon katobibiaki te unaine aio n taian ibu ni kamwaimwai. Aran te unaine aio bon Nei Nibarara ao e bon mataki. 

‘I’m so thirsty,’ Nei Ikuiku te Bina said to herself. ‘The woman won’t see if I take one of the cups.’ 

‘I a rang bwatakataka,’ e taku irouna Nei Ikuiku te Bina. E aki kona n norai te unaine aio ngkana I ana teuana te ibu. 

She quietly picked up a cup and drank the delicious syrup. Suddenly, Nei Nibarara reached out to her cups and began to count them. ‘One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,’ she said. ‘But where is the tenth one? Who’s there?’

E karaurau n tabeka te ibu ni kamwaimwai ao n tararakeia. E a karina, ni kaenakoa baina Nei Nibarara ni moana warekakin taian ibu ni kamwaimwai akekei. ‘Teuana, uoua, teniua, aua, nimaua, onoua, itiua, waniua, ruaiua,’ e taku neiei. ‘E a nga are te katebwina? Antai ikanne?’ 

Nei Nibarara stood up and grabbed hold of the young girl’s arm. ‘I’m sorry for taking your cup!’ said Nei Ikuiku te Bina. ‘I was so thirsty from climbing up this tree.’

E teirake Nei Nibarara ao e a katika man taua bain te teinaine aio. ‘Kabwara au bure ngkai I a ana am ibu ni kamwaimwai! E taku Nei Ikuiku te Bina. ‘I a rang bora n taka i mwin tamwarakean te kai aio.’

‘You shouldn’t have come here,’ said Nei Nibarara. ‘I have three giant sons and if they see you, they’ll eat you.’

‘Ko bon riai n aki roko ikai,’ e taku Nei Nibarara. Iai natiu mwaane aika a totoa ao ngkana a noriko, a na bon kaniko.’

‘If you help me, I can help you,’ said Nei Ikuiku te Bina. ‘Would you like to see again?’

‘Ngkana ko buokai, I kona ni buokiko,’ e taku Nei Ikuiku te Bina. ‘Ko tangiria ni manga noraba?’

The young girl gently put her hands on the old woman’s cheeks. Then she blew softly into her eyes. 

E a karaua ni katoka baina i aon taban te unaine, te teinaine aio. Ngkanne e a kabebetea n uki nanon matana.  

‘I can see! Thank you!’ said Nei Nibarara. ‘Quickly, come and hide under my clothing.’

I a noraba! Ko rabwa! e taku Nei Nibarara. ‘Kuriko, nakomai ao karabako i an au kunikai.’

Just then Nei Nibarara’s giant sons crashed through the branches. 

‘I can smell a human,’ said Taurikiriki.

‘Hmmm … is it under your armpit?’ said Taunabanaba.

‘Here it is, hiding in Mum’s clothes,’ said Nakirere. ‘Time to eat!’

E bon aki maan ao a kaoti natin Nei Nibarara ake taian totoa ribuakon mwangan taian kai. 

‘E a bumwanranra,’ e taku Taurikiriki.

‘Mmm ….. e mena iaan baim?’ e taku Taunabanaba.

‘Kai aio, e karaba n ana kunikai tinara,’ e taku Nakirere. ‘Ti a amwarake!’

‘Stop!’ cried Nei Nibarara. ‘This young girl, Nei Ikuiku gave me back my sight.’

Tei! e tang Nei Nibarara. ‘E kaoka au taratara te ataeinaine aio.’

The brothers cried when they realised that their mother could see again. ‘Thank you Nei Ikuiku te Bina,’ said Taurikiriki. ‘Would you like to stay with us and be our new sister? Mum always wanted a daughter!’

A tang taari aikai ngke a kunea bwa e a noraba tinaia. ‘Ko rabwa Nei Ikuiku te Bina,’ e taku Taurikiriki. ‘Ko kukurei ngkana ko tiku irarikira ao n riki bwa mwanera ngkoe? E rangi n tangira natina te aine tinara.’

If you look up into the night sky you can see Nei Nibarara and her children, a loving family on the moon.

Ngkana ko tatarake nako karawa ao ko kona n nora te utu ae kakateke, Nei Nibarara ma natina, n namwakaina.