Pronunciation Ex. 1 –2 LCDD 14 Paya Kuna. LCDD 14 Paya Kuna

160 Communicating Community Togetherness In community projects, each member is expected to contribute as he is able. The bulk of heavy work is carried by the young men. The boys contribute within their limits of experience and endurance. The old men give advice and work within the physical limitations of their age. Since each individual is expected to work to his full capacity, everyone is considered to be fully productive. This attitude towards productivity is important for outsiders to understand. Practically, it means that each worker who is working on a work party for an outsider should receive the same remuneration, whether he is a young man who has done heavy work all day, or an old man who has only given advice and passed an occasional tool to the working men. Because each has worked to his individual capacity, each deserves the same wage. Small boys, however, are sometimes paid less. Sickness or an urgent need to supply the family with food are valid excuses for not being present in a work party. The chief or his designate in charge of a project must be informed of the proposed absence in advance. On the day following his return from a trip, a person is excused from community and family work responsibilities. Visitors to the village are not obligated to help in community work parties, although they may stand on the sidelines and watch the activities. Villagers who have been excused from the work party may go to the location of the work project and chat or watch progress.

13.4 Grammar

13.4.1 Malefemale distinction Although gender is not marked in Kuna, if there is a need to indicate male or female, the word ome ‗womanfemale‘ or the word machered ‗manmale‘ precedes the word to be modified. That is, gender is indicated in the form of a possessive construction as in 13.4.2 below. People, animals, birds, fish, reptiles, and certain plants that have separate male and female counterparts may be described in this way. Examples 1. tule ome ‗woman‘

2. kallin machered

‗rooster‘

3. chigli ome

‗wild turkey hen‘

4. kwarkwad ome

‗female papaya tree‘

13.4.2 Possessives Ex. 3 –5

The concept of possession in Kuna is expressed by using the name of the possessor or a pronoun which refers to him, with or without a possessive suffix.

13.4.2.1 Pronoun of noun referring to the possessor without possessive suffix

When possession is expressed by the name of the possessor, the possessor or a pronoun without a possessive suffix, the possessed item follows. Examples 1. An achu neggin mai. ‗My dog is at home.‘ 2. Pab achu neggin mai. ‗Father’s dog is at home.‘ 3. Pedro achu neggin mai. ‗Peter’s dog is at home.‘ Exercise 3 . Possessive substitution drill The teacher says the sentence and selects a word from the list and says it. The student substitutes the selected word in the frame. Example Teacher: An pega an mol ukcha. Teacher: nan Student: An pega nan mol ukcha. Frame An pega ____ mol ukcha. ‗I gave you ____‘s clothes.‘ 1. an ‗Imy‘ 2. pe ‗youyour‘