The Fijian myth of the greedy god - Raiana McKinney and Esther Wozniak

譯者: Eva Weng 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

With his appetite for conquest and knack for combat,

出於征服的慾望和戰鬥的本領，

the shark god Dakuwaqa was determined to vanquish all his rivals.

達庫瓦卡決心打敗所有對手。

Long ago, the ancestral gods of Fiji, known as kalou vu or simply vu,

很久以前，斐濟的祖先神 kalou vu（或稱 vu）

settled on the Pacific archipelago,

選定了太平洋群島，

each establishing a village in a different area.

各自在不同區域建立村莊。

Eventually, they metamorphosed into various forms.

最終他們變成各種動物。

Dakuwaqa settled on resource-rich Cakaudrove

達庫瓦卡選了資源豐富的 「卡考德羅韋」，

and transformed into a shark.

變成鯊魚。

But he was unsatisfied.

但他並不滿足，

He became proud and greedy, and wanted to challenge every vu,

他變得驕傲又貪心， 想要挑戰其他祖先神，

establish himself as the mightiest, and dominate all of Fiji’s islands.

他想要確立自己的最高地位， 並統治斐濟的所有島嶼。

In his quest for power, Dakuwaqa sped through the waters toward Rewa,

為了追求權力，達庫瓦卡 快速游向「雷瓦」，

where a quick and cunning eel-shaped vu tried to stop him in the mouth of a river.

當地有隻動作快、狡猾的鰻魚祖先神 試圖在河口阻止他。

Soon, the two were tumbling through the water, locked in combat.

他們很快地在水中陷入激戰。

The brawling vu created towering waves,

他們大打出手，激起巨浪，

stretching the river further inshore and flooding nearby coastal communities.

河水因而淹向岸邊， 沖進附近的海濱社區。

In the end, the eel was no match for Dakuwaqa’s ferocity.

最後，鰻魚祖先神輸給 凶惡的達庫瓦卡。

After the fight, the Rewa River became the longest and widest in Fiji,

激戰結束後，雷瓦河變成 斐濟最長、最寬的河流，

which made nearby communities especially prone to flooding.

附近社區因此很容易淹水。

But Dakuwaqa didn’t care what damage he caused,

但達庫瓦卡並不在乎他的所作所為，

so long as he remained undefeated.

他只在乎所向無敵。

Dakuwaqa continued on his rampage, later vanquishing Masilaca,

達庫瓦卡繼續到處混戰， 後來打敗了祖先神馬斯拉卡。

the small, mischievous shark vu that lived near Beqa Island.

馬斯拉卡是頑皮的小鯊魚， 住在貝卡島附近。

Despite their rocky start, the two became friends.

儘管一開始關係不太好， 後來他們卻成為朋友。

But one day, Masilaca— perhaps growing tired of Dakuwaqa’s proud, selfish ways

但有一天，馬斯拉卡可能漸漸 受不了達庫瓦卡的驕傲、自私，

and the chaos he’d caused across the archipelago—

還有他在太平洋群島製造的混亂，

presented a challenge he knew Dakuwaqa couldn’t resist.

所以提出了一項挑戰， 他知道達庫瓦卡無法抗拒。

Masilaca spoke about a fierce vu called Rokobakaniceva,

馬斯拉卡提到一隻兇猛的祖先神， 名叫「科巴卡尼斯娃」，

who guarded the outer island of Kadavu,

他負責保衛坎達武島的離島。

and teased that, until Dakuwaqa defeated them,

馬拉斯卡嘲弄達庫瓦卡科， 如果他沒有打下這些島，

he couldn’t claim the title of strongest vu.

他根本不是最強的祖先神。

Before Masilaca could even finish describing Rokobakaniceva,

馬斯拉卡還沒介紹完科巴卡尼斯娃，

Dakuwaqa was jetting through the water in the direction of Kadavu.

達庫瓦卡就已經迅速游向坎達武島。

As he came close, Dakuwaqa saw a giant octopus

距離越來越近的時候， 達庫瓦卡看到一隻大章魚

hovering at the entrance to a reef.

等在島礁入口。

The octopus vu, Rokobakaniceva, cared greatly for the people of Kadavu

章魚祖先神科巴卡尼斯娃 很照顧坎達武島的人民，

and asked Dakuwaqa politely to stay away and not intimidate the villagers.

他禮貌地要求達庫瓦卡 保持距離，不要威脅居民。

Dakuwaqa was only emboldened by the request.

達庫瓦卡聽到之後，反而更膽大妄為。

He showed his imposing teeth and lunged forward to attack.

他露出尖牙，衝上前攻擊。

But Rokobakaniceva was prepared.

但科巴卡尼斯娃早有準備，

With four tentacles, the octopus vu remained rooted to a rock on the seafloor

他用四隻觸手緊抓海底的岩石，

and with the remaining four, captured Dakuwaqa’s body

另外四隻觸手則捲住達庫瓦卡，

and flipped him over.

把他翻過來。

In this position, his breathing slowed and his muscles relaxed.

這個姿勢讓達庫瓦卡的呼吸 變慢，肌肉也放鬆了。

He was paralyzed and powerless in a mysterious state called tonic immobility

他動不了，也沒有力氣， 處於「驚嚇癱瘓」的狀態。

that some sharks assume when flipped over

有些鯊魚被翻過來時會這樣，

or when the sensitive pores of their snout are stimulated.

鯊魚口鼻上敏感的毛孔 受到刺激時也會這樣。

Dakuwaqa was stuck upside down and struggling to breathe,

達庫瓦卡上下顛倒，呼吸困難，

and Rokobakaniceva’s tentacles wrapped tighter and tighter around his body.

科巴卡尼斯娃的觸手 把他捲得越來越緊。

Though still shocked,

雖然很震驚，

Dakuwaqa realized the battle was lost for the first time in his life.

達庫瓦卡知道這是自己 第一次輸給別人。

In exchange for Rokobakaniceva’s mercy, he promised that he would change his ways.

為了讓科巴卡尼斯娃放他一馬， 他答應會改過自新。

Instead of menacing the villagers and other vu,

他不再威脅居民和其他祖先神，

he vowed to protect Fijian fishers from Kadavu and beyond.

並發誓會保護斐濟坎達武島 和其他島嶼的漁民。

Pleased with the pact, Rokobakaniceva agreed and freed Dakuwaqa.

這個約定讓科巴卡尼斯娃很滿意， 同意放過達庫瓦卡。

He stayed true to his word— no longer bragging about dueling vu,

達庫瓦卡說到做到， 不再炫耀自己打贏誰，

conquering coastlines, and taking tributes.

不再征服海岸線、也不再掠奪。

Instead, he began finding satisfaction in guiding lost people back to their homes

他開始找到其他的成就感， 引導迷路的人回家，

and warning local fishers of bad weather and sinister sea creatures.

警告當地漁民天候不好， 或者有邪惡的海怪。

In return, some of Fiji’s people would pay homage to Dakuwaqa

為了答謝達庫瓦卡，有些斐濟人

by pouring a traditional drink— yaqona, also known as kava— into the ocean.

會把傳統飲料卡瓦醉椒茶 （卡瓦）倒入海中，向他致意。

And upon returning safely from fishing trips with an abundance of catch,

漁船只要滿載而歸，平安到港，

they’d throw fish heads back into the ocean for the sharks—

漁民就會把魚頭丟給海中的鯊魚。

gestures of mutual care to elicit luck

這相互照顧的舉動可以招來幸運

and protection from Dakuwaqa himself.

並得到達庫瓦卡的保護。