ala

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Same spelling, different tones

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• ewōōexclamation of sympathy or pity or shock; oh dear; alas; oh
• sa alawash breasts, especially of a newly delivered mother, to induce breast milk; artificially induce the breasts of a non-pregnant woman to begin to produce milk by washing with a certain native medicine preparation. This is usually done when the mother of a sucking infant dies, or when the child is taken from her on medical grounds, etc. A healthy woman is asked to take up the infant’s breast-feeding. Her breasts are then medicinally washed to induce milk; wash breasts, especially of a newly-delivered mother, to induce breast milk