West   

Origin of music.

One evening a strange boy arrived in our village.

He told us he came from the house of the sun.

He said he was here to bring us a great gift.

Then he sang for us and we felt for the first time

The beauty of music.

 

But before very long our men began to die

And we found that those who came back from the river ate their fish and listened to his song

Died in the night.

So we explained to the boy that we would have to kill him

And he asked to be burnt.

 

As he died in the flames he sang his most beautiful song

And from his ashes grew the paxiuba palm.

Now our men make their flutes from its wood.

And sometimes in the evening we have music

Strange and beautiful as the boy from the house of the sun

And sad as his dying.

Flute solo. The Indians continue decorating the funeral posts.

Blackout.