Stand By Me – Performed by Tristin Greyeyes and Saskatchewan Express

Gotta love this video from Sandra Ahenakew, with all its family connections. Tristin Greyeyes performs Stand By Me in Cree with backup from Saskatchewan Express – a travelling “stars of tomorrow” youth review, in concert in Regina, August 2016.

Tristin’s kôhkompan, Freda Ahenakew would sure be proud.

I’m not sure whose translation Tristin is singing, but I’m reading the translation prepared by Tristin’s auntie, Dolores Sand, as I try to work out the differences. (For Dolores’s translations of other “Classics in Cree” – along with her recordings, please click here!

Stand By Me
By Ben E. King, Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller;
as translated into Cree by Dolores Sand.

tipiskâw êkwa wanitipiskâw askiy
nîpâyâstêw êwako piko
moy sôskwāc nika-kostên kîkway
têpiyahk wîcikâpawîstawiyani

chorus
wîcimwâ wîcikâpawîstawin
ôta nîpawi wîcikâpawîstawin

kîspin kîsik ka-tihtipikwâskwêsîk
êkwa ê-pâkisîk
kîspin asinîwacihk ka-sikopayik
ê-pîkinipayik kihcikamihk
namoy nika-mâton
namoy ahpo nika-pâkwêwâpin
kîspin wîcikâpawîstawin,

chorus
wîcimwâ wîcikâpawîstawin
ôta nîpawi wîcikâpawîstawin

coda
wihkâc wanêyihtamani wîcikâpawîstawin
wîcikâpawîstawin, wîcikâpawîstawin

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