The Hiaki word etwame roughly translates to “agriculture” in English. But farming is a long and multi-step process, so there are many different words in Hiaki that name and describe some of these steps. Here are some examples:
Mauhte refers to the process of preparing the ground for planting by clearing the field of wild plants and plowing it to loosen up the soil. This is normally done in the months preceding October, which is when the crops are actually planted.
Hina’a is the Hiaki word for “weeding”. This is something you’ll want to do after you’ve planted your crops and they’ve started to sprout so that weeds don’t steal all of their water. Speaking of water…
Vaane is the Hiaki verb used when talking about watering plants. If someone wanted to mention irrigating wheat, they might say something like tiikom vanwa, which means “the wheat is being irrigated”.
