I have always thought it embarrassing when you live in a place for so long and you seemingly never learn how to say its name correctly. I totally accept some responsibility for this, but sometimes the deck is stacked against you. Here is a little proof that the pronunciation of Onamutai is a moving target. Here are two government signs that spell the village differently. The one with the "y" in it is not correctly spelt, but you will hear people emphasize the "y" sound sometimes, especially when they are not from the village.
The last picture shows a really incorrect spelling, but one that reflects more how I think it is pronounced in the village. Anyway, what do I know. The only thing that I do know is that when you are hitch hiking there, it adds a whole layer of difficulty to communication...
Onda hala okuya kOnamutai. Oto i peni? OnamutaYI! Peni? Onamtai! Peni? OnaMUtai! Ohhhh, OnamutaYIIIIII....
Onamutai is #1
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