Lagu Kra
This song is about a type of long-tailed monkey called "Kra".
Lagu Kra
Monkey Song
Traditional Song
Traditional Song
(Semang)
(English)
O ting-tung Kra.
O iyoi Kra.
O chip-chop Kra.
Balo'ng nguku Kra.
Balo'ng tangoi Kra.
Pederr seme Kra.
Pederr hamaling Kra.
Hau-urr Kra.
O jinjon Kra.
O tingtung Kra.
Tingtung techawog Kra.
O yob-yob Kra.
Wong-wong tangoi Kra
Tekelachoyn Kra
Sa-genap pengwong Kra
O yob-yob Kra
Teladhud Kra
(Te)keladeng Kra
He runs along the branches, Kra.
Carries (fruit) with him, Kra.
He goes to and fro, Kra.
Over the knotted "seraya" trees, Kra.
Over the knotted "rambutan" trees, Kra.
Over the live bamboos, Kra.
Over the dead bamboos, Kra.
Over the big bamboos, Kra.
He hangs downwards, Kra.
He runs along the branches, Kra.
Running along the branches he hoots, Kra.
He peers forward, Kra.
Among the young "rambutan" trees, Kra.
And shows his grinning teeth, Kra.
From every sapling, Kra.
He peers forward, Kra.
Dressed for the dance, Kra.
With the porcupine's quill through his nose, Kra.
Notes
The 2nd image is the pronunciation using the symbols of the Association Phonétique Internationale.
I like the following recording of part of the song and felt it was valuable to post even though it's in English. Here are the words that are recited...
A Malayan Monkey Song
(Kra is the monkey)
He runs along the branches, Kra!
Carrying off fruit with him, Kra!
Over the seraya trees, Kra!
Over the rambutan trees, Kra!
Over the live bamboos, Kra!
Peering forward, Kra!
And dangling downward, Kra!
He runs along the branches and hoots, Kra!
Peering forward, Kra!
Among the young fruit trees, Kra!
And showing his grinning teeth, Kra!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
The text of this Semang song was collected in Kedah by W.W. Skeat. This song can be found in "Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula, Volume 1" (1906) by Walter William Skeat and Charles Otto Blagden.
It's very likely that this song was recorded by Skeet. If anyone knows where to hear the recording, please email me
