Solomon Ratt: Cree Cultural Teachings – nêhiyaw-isîhcikêwin – ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤᐃᓯᐦᒋᑫᐃᐧ
pêyakwâw ê-nîpîhk nikî-nitawi-papâmiskânân mâmihk âmaciwîspimowinihk ohci, ê-pimitishamâhk mâhtâwi-sîpiy. nikî-cîmâwak nitôtêmak. nikî-ati-kapêsinân pâwiscikosihk nistam kâ-tipiskâk êkwa ê-ati-wâpahk kihtwâm nikî-pôsinân, ê-asowhamahk sâkahikanisîs. piysik wapâsihk nikî-takocimânân, kâ-mâyiciwasik isiyihkâtêw anima wapâs. kêtahtaw kâ-matwê-têwêcik nitôtêmak. “ohcistin kitôtinaw!”
ᐯᔭᑳᐧᐤ ᐁ ᓃᐲᕁ ᓂᑮ ᓂᑕᐃᐧ ᐸᐹᒥᐢᑳᓈᐣ ᒫᒥᕁ ᐋᒪᒋᐄᐧᐢᐱᒧᐃᐧᓂᕁ ᐅᐦᒋ, ᐁ ᐱᒥᑎᐢᐦᐊᒫᕁ ᒫᐦᑖᐃᐧ ᓰᐱᕀ᙮ ᓂᑮ ᒌᒫᐊᐧᐠ ᓂᑑᑌᒪᐠ᙮ ᓂᑮ ᐊᑎ ᑲᐯᓯᓈᐣ ᐹᐃᐧᐢᒋᑯᓯᕁ ᓂᐢᑕᒼ ᑳ ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐁ ᐊᑎ ᐋᐧᐸᕁ ᑭᐦᑖᐧᒼ ᓂᑮ ᐴᓯᓈᐣ, ᐁ ᐊᓱᐤᐦᐊᒪᕁ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᓰᐢ᙮ ᐱᕀᓯᐠ ᐊᐧᐹᓯᕁ ᓂᑮ ᑕᑯᒋᒫᓈᐣ, ᑳ ᒫᔨᒋᐊᐧᓯᐠ ᐃᓯᔨᐦᑳᑌᐤ ᐊᓂᒪ ᐊᐧᐹᐢ᙮ ᑫᑕᐦᑕᐤ ᑳ ᒪᑌᐧ ᑌᐁᐧᒋᐠ ᓂᑑᑌᒪᐠ᙮ “ᐅᐦᒋᐢᑎᐣ ᑭᑑᑎᓇᐤ!”
One summer we went canoeing downriver from Stanley Mission. Following the Churchill River. I went with my friends.. We camped at Little Stanley Rapids the first night and went on our way the next day crossing the little lake eventually arriving at a narrows, known as ‘place of difficult currents” (Frog Narrows). All of a sudden my friends hollered, “Our boat is leaking!”
nikî-itâpin mostitakohk, wahwâ! tâpwê mâni-mâka, nikî-ohcistinisinân.
ᓂᑮ ᐃᑖᐱᐣ ᒧᐢᑎᑕᑯᐦᐠ, ᐊᐧᐦᐋᐧ! ᑖᐯᐧ ᒫᓂ ᒫᑲ, ᓂᑮ ᐅᐦᒋᐢᑎᓂᓯᓈᐣ᙮
I looked at the bottom of the canoe and sure enough we were leaking!
“ahâw, cêskwa. kika-sîskipitênaw cîmân miniscikosihk misakâyâhki,” nikî-itâwak.
“ᐊᐦᐋᐤ, ᒉᐢᑲᐧ᙮ ᑭᑲ ᓰᐢᑭᐱᑌᓇᐤ ᒌᒫᐣ ᒥᓂᐢᒋᑯᓯᕁ ᒥᓴᑳᔮᐦᑭ,” ᓂᑮ ᐃᑖᐊᐧᐠ᙮
“Okay, just wait. We’ll pull the canoe to shore at a little island when we arrive there.” I told them.
ispîhk kâ-miskâyâhk miniscikosihk nkî-sîskipitênân cîmân êkwa nikî-kwatapinênân. nikî-itâwak nitôtêmak ta-kotawêcik êkwa niya nikî-kospin ê-nitonawak pikiw minahikohk. nikî-miskawâw.
ᐃᐢᐲᕁ ᑳ ᒥᐢᑳᔮᕁ ᒥᓂᐢᒋᑯᓯᕁ ᐣᑮ ᓰᐢᑭᐱᑌᓈᐣ ᒌᒫᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᓂᑮ ᑲᐧᑕᐱᓀᓈᐣ᙮ ᓂᑮ ᐃᑖᐊᐧᐠ ᓂᑑᑌᒪᐠ ᑕ ᑯᑕᐁᐧᒋᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᓂᔭ ᓂᑮ ᑯᐢᐱᐣ ᐁ ᓂᑐᓇᐊᐧᐠ ᐱᑭᐤ ᒥᓇᐦᐃᑯᐦᐠ᙮ ᓂᑮ ᒥᐢᑲᐋᐧᐤ᙮
When we arrived at the little island we pulled the canoe to shore and tipped it over. I told my friends to build a campfire and I went inland looking for pitch on a pine tree. I found some.
ispîhk kâ-pê-nâsipêhtêyân kî-takahki-kwahkotêw kotawân. êkota nikî-ati-tihkiswâw ana minahik-pikiw. kâ-kî-kîsi-tihkisot ana pikiw nikî-ati-mîsahên nicîmâniminân êwako pikiw ê-âpacihak. nikitâpamikwak nitôtêmak tâpiskôc nawac piko ê-ânwêhktahkik ôma kâ-itahkamiksiyân. nipêhonân ta-pâsot and pikiw, piyisk pâsow êkwa kihtwâm nipôsinân. kâ-mâtwê-têpwêcik nitôtêmak.
ᐃᐢᐲᕁ ᑳ ᐯ ᓈᓯᐯᐦᑌᔮᐣ ᑮ ᑕᑲᐦᑭ ᑲᐧᐦᑯᑌᐤ ᑯᑕᐋᐧᐣ᙮ ᐁᑯᑕ ᓂᑮ ᐊᑎ ᑎᐦᑭᓵᐧᐤ ᐊᓇ ᒥᓇᐦᐃᐠ ᐱᑭᐤ᙮ ᑳ ᑮ ᑮᓯ ᑎᐦᑭᓱᐟ ᐊᓇ ᐱᑭᐤ ᓂᑮ ᐊᑎ ᒦᓴᐦᐁᐣ ᓂᒌᒫᓂᒥᓈᐣ ᐁᐊᐧᑯ ᐱᑭᐤ ᐁ ᐋᐸᒋᐦᐊᐠ᙮ ᓂᑭᑖᐸᒥᑲᐧᐠ ᓂᑑᑌᒪᐠ ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᓇᐊᐧᐨ ᐱᑯ ᐁ ᐋᓀᐧᐦᐠᑕᐦᑭᐠ ᐆᒪ ᑳ ᐃᑕᐦᑲᒥᐠᓯᔮᐣ᙮ ᓂᐯᐦᐅᓈᐣ ᑕ ᐹᓱᐟ ᐊᐣd ᐱᑭᐤ, ᐱᔨᐢᐠ ᐹᓱᐤ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑭᐦᑖᐧᒼ ᓂᐴᓯᓈᐣ᙮ ᑳ ᒫᑌᐧ ᑌᐯᐧᒋᐠ ᓂᑑᑌᒪᐠ᙮
When I went to the shore there was a good fire going so there I began to melt the pine-pitch. When it was done melting I began to patch our canoe using that pine-pitch. My friends looked at me as if they doubted that I knew what I was doing. We waited for the pine-pitch to melt and once again we boarded the canoe. My friends called out.
“namôya awasimê ohcisitin! wahwâ! tânisi ôma ê-isi-kiskêyihtaman ta-mîsahaman cîmân?”
“ᓇᒨᔭ ᐊᐊᐧᓯᒣ ᐅᐦᒋᓯᑎᐣ! ᐊᐧᐦᐋᐧ! ᑖᓂᓯ ᐆᒪ ᐁ ᐃᓯ ᑭᐢᑫᔨᐦᑕᒪᐣ ᑕ ᒦᓴᐦᐊᒪᐣ ᒌᒫᐣ?”
“There is no more leak! Holy! How did you know how to do that to patch the canoe?”
“kayâs iyiniw mamahtâwisiwin anima. kayâs iyiniw ê-kî-kiskinwahamowit, nohtâwîpan.”
“ᑲᔮᐢ ᐃᔨᓂᐤ ᒪᒪᐦᑖᐃᐧᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᓂᒪ᙮ ᑲᔮᐢ ᐃᔨᓂᐤ ᐁ ᑮ ᑭᐢᑭᓇᐧᐦᐊᒧᐃᐧᐟ, ᓄᐦᑖᐄᐧᐸᐣ᙮”
“It’s an old Indian trick. An old Indian taught me, my late father.”
Word List (follows below video)
| ahâw | ᐊᐦᐋᐤ | okay | |
| âmaciwîspimowinihk | ᐋᒪᒋᐄᐧᐢᐱᒧᐃᐧᓂᕁ | Stanley Mission | |
| anima | ᐊᓂᒪ | that | |
| ânwêhta | ᐋᓀᐧᐦᑕ | disbelieve it | (VTI-1) |
| âpacih | ᐋᐸᒋᐦ | use s.o. | (VTA) |
| asowaha | ᐊᓱᐊᐧᐦᐊ | go across it | (VTI-1) |
| ati | ᐊᑎ | begin | |
| cêskwa | ᒉᐢᑲᐧ | wait | |
| cîm | ᒌᒼ | board with | (VTA) |
| cîmân | ᒌᒫᐣ | canoe | |
| ê-kî-kiskinwahamowit | ᐁ ᑮ ᑭᐢᑭᓇᐧᐦᐊᒧᐃᐧᐟ | he/she taught me | (VTA Inv) |
| êkota | ᐁᑯᑕ | there | |
| êkwa | ᐁᑲᐧ | and | |
| isiyihkâtêw | ᐃᓯᔨᐦᑳᑌᐤ | it is called | |
| ispîhk | ᐃᐢᐲᕁ | when | |
| itahkamikisi | ᐃᑕᐦᑲᒥᑭᓯ | do an action | (VAI) |
| itâpi | ᐃᑖᐱ | look in a direction | (VAI) |
| kâ-mâyiciwasik | ᑳ ᒫᔨᒋᐊᐧᓯᐠ | place of difficult current | |
| kapêsi | ᑲᐯᓯ | camp | (VAI) |
| kayâs iyiniw | ᑲᔮᐢ ᐃᔨᓂᐤ | long ago Indian | |
| kêtahtaw | ᑫᑕᐦᑕᐤ | suddenly | |
| kihtwâm | ᑭᐦᑖᐧᒼ | again | |
| kiskêyihta | ᑭᐢᑫᔨᐦᑕ | know it | (VTI-1) |
| kitôtinaw | ᑭᑑᑎᓇᐤ | our boat | |
| kospi | ᑯᐢᐱ | go inland | |
| kotawân | ᑯᑕᐋᐧᐣ | campfire | |
| kotawê | ᑯᑕᐁᐧ | make a fire | |
| kwahkotêw | ᑲᐧᐦᑯᑌᐤ | it is on fire | (VII) |
| kwatapina | ᑲᐧᑕᐱᓇ | turn it over | (VTI-1) |
| mâhtâwi sîpiy | ᒫᐦᑖᐃᐧ ᓰᐱᕀ | Churchill River | |
| mamahtâwisiwin | ᒪᒪᐦᑖᐃᐧᓯᐃᐧᐣ | trick/skill | |
| mâmihk | ᒫᒥᕁ | downriver | |
| matwê | ᒪᑌᐧ | in the distance | |
| minahik | ᒥᓇᐦᐃᐠ | pine | |
| minahik pikiw | ᒥᓇᐦᐃᐠ ᐱᑭᐤ | pine pitch | |
| miniscikos | ᒥᓂᐢᒋᑯᐢ | small islan | |
| mîsaha | ᒦᓴᐦᐊ | patch/mend | (VTI-1) |
| misakâ | ᒥᓴᑳ | arrive by water | (VAI) |
| miskaw | ᒥᐢᑲᐤ | finds s.o. | (VTA) |
| mostihtakohk | ᒧᐢᑎᐦᑕᑯᕁ | at the bottom | |
| namôya awasimê | ᓇᒨᔭ ᐊᐊᐧᓯᒣ | no more | |
| nâsipêhtê | ᓈᓯᐯᐦᑌ | go toward shore by foot | (VAI) |
| nawac piko | ᓇᐊᐧᐨ ᐱᑯ | more so | |
| nicîmâniminân | ᓂᒌᒫᓂᒥᓈᐣ | our canoe | |
| nikî itâwak | ᓂᑮ ᐃᑖᐊᐧᐠ | I said to them | (VTA) |
| nikitâpamikwak | ᓂᑭᑖᐸᒥᑲᐧᐠ | they look at me | (VTA Inv) |
| nîpin | ᓃᐱᐣ | it summer | |
| nistam | ᓂᐢᑕᒼ | first | |
| nitawi | ᓂᑕᐃᐧ | go and | (PV) |
| nitonaw | ᓂᑐᓇᐤ | look for s.o. | (VTA) |
| nitôtêm | ᓂᑑᑌᒼ | my friend | |
| niya | ᓂᔭ | me/I | |
| nohtâwîpan | ᓄᐦᑖᐄᐧᐸᐣ | my late father | |
| ohci | ᐅᐦᒋ | from | |
| ohcistin | ᐅᐦᒋᐢᑎᐣ | it leaks | (VII) |
| ohcistinisi | ᐅᐦᒋᐢᑎᓂᓯ | have a leak | (VAI) |
| ôma | ᐆᒪ –ᐟᐦᐃᐢ | this | |
| papâmiskâ | ᐸᐹᒥᐢᑳ | paddle about/canoe | |
| pâso | ᐹᓱ | dry | (VAI) |
| pâwiscikosihk | ᐹᐃᐧᐢᒋᑯᓯᕁ | at the little rapids | |
| pêho | ᐯᐦᐅ | wait | (VAI) |
| pêyakwâw | ᐯᔭᑳᐧᐤ | once | |
| pikiw | ᐱᑭᐤ | pine pitch | |
| pimitisaha | ᐱᒥᑎᓴᐦᐊ | follow it | (VTI-1) |
| piysik | ᐱᕀᓯᐠ | eventually | |
| pôsi | ᐴᓯ | get on board | (VAI) |
| sâkahikanisîs | ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᓰᐢ | small lake | |
| sîskipita | ᓰᐢᑭᐱᑕ | pull it in | (VTI-1) |
| takahki | ᑕᑲᐦᑭ | wonderful; | |
| takocimê | ᑕᑯᒋᒣ | arrive by canoe/boat | (VAI) |
| tânisi ôma | ᑖᓂᓯ ᐆᒪ | how is it | |
| tâpiskôc | ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ | just like | |
| tâpwê mâni mâka | ᑖᐯᐧ ᒫᓂ ᒫᑲ | it is true | |
| têpwê | ᑌᐯᐧ | call out/yell | (VAI) |
| tihkis | ᑎᐦᑭᐢ | melt s.o. | (VTA) |
| tipiskâw | ᑎᐱᐢᑳᐤ | it is night | (VII) |
| wahwâ | ᐊᐧᐦᐋᐧ | holy | |
| wâpan | ᐋᐧᐸᐣ | it is dawn | (VII) |
| wapâs | ᐊᐧᐹᐢ | small narrows | |
| wapâsihk | ᐊᐧᐹᓯᕁ | at a small narrows |
One Response
A great site . So much help . I am presently doing research on land and status taken away from my people in Green Lake,Sk . I was chosen as Chief when we gathered to reinstate our Band in 2005. We have gathered much information to date, however, much more is needed . We were known as the Green Lk Indians or Kahpayopaskunums Band . Can you help or direct me to someone who may be able to ? Thank you