0. K’AHK’ B’ITUN (Ancient Mayan)

[Intro — low ritual invocation] K’ahk’… tuun… B’alam… ak’ab’… K’uhul ah k’ahk’ b’itun K’uhul ah k’ahk’ b’itun [Verse 1] I huli ak’ab’ ti chan I t’ab’i k’ahk’ ti tuun I ochi b’alam ti b’ih I k’ayi k’ayom ti k’ahk’nal [Pre-Chorus — clipped gang chant] Tuun! Tok’! K’ahk’! Butz’! Chunk’ul! Chahuk! Sot! Witz! Ch’en! Kab’! Chan! K’ayom! B’alam! Winik! [Chorus] K’ahk’ b’itun! K’ahk’ b’itun! Yo’hl kab’, yo’hl chan K’ahk’ b’itun! K’ahk’ b’itun! I k’ayi b’alam ti ak’ab’ K’uhul ah k’ahk’ b’itun! (K’ahk’! K’ahk’!) [Verse 2] I lok’i butz’ ti ch’en I huli chahuk ti witz K’inich B’alam, Ak’ab’ K’ayom K’ahk’ yo’hl winik [Pre-Chorus — voices multiply] Tuun! Tok’! K’ahk’! Butz’! Chunk’ul! Chahuk! Sot! Witz! Ch’en! Kab’! Chan! K’ayom! B’alam! Winik! [Chorus 2 — harsher call and response] K’ahk’ b’itun! K’ahk’ b’itun! Yo’hl kab’, yo’hl chan K’ahk’ b’itun! K’ahk’ b’itun! I ahk’tahi winik ti k’ahk’nal I k’ayi b’alam ti ak’ab’ K’uhul ah k’ahk’ b’itun! (K’ahk’! K’ahk’!) [Bridge — half-time chant; underlying pulse unbroken] Yahaw k’ahk’! Chanal k’uh! Kab’al k’uh! K’inich B’alam! K’ayom! Ahk’tah! K’ayom! Ahk’tah! K’ayom! Ahk’tah! K’ahk’ b’itun! [Guitar Solo — jagged dissonant phrases over ritual cross-rhythms] [Final Chorus — full ensemble] K’ahk’ b’itun! K’ahk’ b’itun! Yo’hl kab’, yo’hl chan K’ahk’ b’itun! K’ahk’ b’itun! I t’ab’i k’ahk’ ti chan I huli b’alam ti b’ih I ahk’tahi winik ti k’ahk’nal I k’ayi b’alam ti ak’ab’ K’uhul ah k’ahk’ b’itun! K’uhul ah k’ahk’ b’itun! (K’ahk’! K’ahk’! K’ahk’!) [Outro — four unison strikes] Tuun! Tok’! K’ahk’! B’itun! ———————— English Translation ———————— [Intro — low ritual invocation] Fire… stone… Jaguar… night… Sacred keeper of the Fire Road Sacred keeper of the Fire Road [Verse 1] Night descended from the sky Fire rose upon the stone The jaguar entered the road The singer sang within the flames [Pre-Chorus — clipped gang chant] Stone! Flint! Fire! Smoke! Heart! Lightning! Bat! Mountain! Cave! Earth! Sky! Singer! Jaguar! People! [Chorus] Fire Road! Fire Road! In the heart of earth, in the heart of sky Fire Road! Fire Road! The jaguar sang into the night Sacred keeper of the Fire Road! (Fire! Fire!) [Verse 2] Smoke emerged from the cave Lightning struck the mountain Radiant Jaguar, Singer of the Night Fire burns within the human heart [Pre-Chorus — voices multiply] Stone! Flint! Fire! Smoke! Heart! Lightning! Bat! Mountain! Cave! Earth! Sky! Singer! Jaguar! People! [Chorus 2 — harsher call and response] Fire Road! Fire Road! In the heart of earth, in the heart of sky Fire Road! Fire Road! The people danced within the flames The jaguar sang into the night Sacred keeper of the Fire Road! (Fire! Fire!) [Bridge — half-time chant; underlying pulse unbroken] Lord of Fire! God of the heavens! God of the earth! Radiant Jaguar! Singer! Dancer! Singer! Dancer! Singer! Dancer! Fire Road! [Guitar Solo] [Final Chorus — full ensemble] Fire Road! Fire Road! In the heart of earth, in the heart of sky Fire Road! Fire Road! The fire climbed into the heavens The jaguar came upon the road The people danced within the flames The jaguar sang into the night Sacred keeper of the Fire Road! Sacred keeper of the Fire Road! (Fire! Fire! Fire!) [Outro — four unison strikes] Stone! Flint! Fire! Road!