Thanks to Les Skinner of Edmonton for permission to post his comments in Cree about this beautiful book of Emma Minde’s stories, lovingly prepared by H.C. Wolfart and the late Freda Ahenakew and published by University of Alberta Press in 1997.
wîpac niwî-itohtân waskêcosihk ê-kiyokêyân . nikiskêyihtên ka-nêhiyawêcik mihcêt ayisiyiniwak êkotê, êkosi nititêyihtên apisîs ê-wî-nêhiyaw-ayamihcikêyân ta-miyo-kiskisiyân ôma kipîkiskwêwininaw. êkosi ôma masinahikan Emma Minde kâ-âcimot nitotinên, êkwa wahwâ nimâmaskâtên iyikohk kâ-nihtâ-nêhiyawêt, apisîs piko ninisitohtên ê-ayamihtâyân .
Soon I’ll be going visiting in Little Pine. I know many people speak Cree there, so I thought I’d read a bit of Cree to remember our language well. So I take this book when Emma Minde is telling stories, and wow I’m surprised how well she speaks Cree, I only understood a little bit!
miywâsin ôma kipîkiskwêwininaw #IndigenousReads
* With thanks to Arok Wolvengrey & Jean Okimâsis for editorial help!