Thanks first to Sylvia McAdam (Saysewahum) for permitting this experiment, and then to Solomon Ratt and his transcription students – and to Dorothy Thunder – who all contributed to providing this full SRO transcript of this Elders’ teaching that Sylvia recorded on Facebook this past summer. Sylvia is one of the co-founders of Idle No More, and author of the book Nationhood Interrupted: Revitalizing nêhiyaw Legal Systems, published by Purich Publishing in 2015. I appreciate her feedback on the translation, to help us get things just right. The task is truly a challenging one: giving the opportunity to students is priceless! As always, constructive comments and corrections are gratefully welcomed.
| SRO Transcription | Syllabics | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | tânisi. Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum nitisîyihkason. | ᑖᓂᓯ᙮ Sylvia McAdam ᓭᓯᐘᐦᐊᒼ ᓂᑎᓰᔨᐦᑲᓱᐣ᙮ |
| Hello, my name is Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum. | ||
| 2 | otê ôma ohci niya, pwâtasâkahikan, êkwa mîna mistatihkamêk-sâkahikan. êkwa, êwako ôma kîsikaw ê-nôhtê-nakatamâtakwâw âcimowin. | ᐅᑌ ᐆᒪ ᐅᐦᒋ ᓂᔭ, ᑇᑕᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ, ᐁᑿ ᒦᓇ ᒥᐢᑕᑎᐦᑲᒣᐠᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ᙮ ᐁᑿ, ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ ᐁᓅᐦᑌᓇᑲᑕᒫᑕᒁᐤ ᐋᒋᒧᐏᐣ᙮ |
| I'm from over here: Stony Lake, and also Whitefish Lake, and I want to quickly leave this teaching for you. | ||
| 3 | êkwa aya, êwako ôma kêhtê-ayak ota-itwêwiniwâw. | ᐁᑿ ᐊᔭ, ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᑫᐦᑌᐊᔭᐠ ᐅᑕᐃᑘᐏᓂᐚᐤ᙮ |
| This is an Elders' teaching. | ||
| 4 | mistahi mâna nimâmitonêyihtên tânisi ôma aya ta-isi-pîkiskwâtihcik oskâyak mîna aya ayisiyiniwak mâka aya êwako ôma nika-âpacihtân kîsikaw ka-pâkonamân apisîs kêhtê-ayak opîkiskwêwiniwâw. | ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᒫᓇ ᓂᒫᒥᑐᓀᔨᐦᑌᐣ ᑖᓂᓯ ᐆᒪ ᐊᔭ ᑕᐃᓯᐲᑭᐢᒁᑎᐦᒋᐠ ᐅᐢᑳᔭᐠ ᒦᓇ ᐊᔭ ᐊᔨᓯᔨᓂᐘᐠ ᒫᑲ ᐊᔭ ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᓂᑲᐋᐸᒋᐦᑖᐣ ᑮᓯᑲᐤ ᑲᐸᐦᑭᓇᒫᐣ ᐊᐱᓰᐢ ᑫᐦᑌᐊᔭᐠ ᐳᐄᑭᐢᑵᐏᓂᐚᐤ᙮ |
| I often think about how to speak to the young and to people, but I will quickly use this to reveal a little of the Elders' teaching. | ||
| 5 | êwako ôma ê-pê-pihtamân aya ê-âcimicik ê-itwêcik mâna, kâya nitona kîc-âyisiyiniw ka-kitimâkinâsk, | ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᐁᐯᐱᐦᑕᒫᐣ ᐊᔭ ᐁᐋᒋᒥᒋᐠ ᐁᐃᑘᒋᐠ ᒫᓇ, ᑳᔭ ᓂᑐᓇ ᑮᒋ ᐊᔨᐢᔨᓂᐤ ᑲᑭᑎᒫᑭᓈᐢᐠ, ᑳᔭ ᓂᑐᓇ ᐃᑕ ᑲᐹᐦᐸᑯᓭᔨᒧᔭᐣ, ᑲᑭᑎᒫᑭᓈᑲᐏᔭᐣ, |
| This is what I heard; they talk of this often: Don't look for your fellow people to take pity on you. | ||
| 6 | kâya nitona ita ka-pâh-pakosêyimoyan, ka-kitimâkinâkawiyan, | ᑳᔭ ᓂᑐᓇ ᐃᑕ ᑲᐹᐦᐸᑯᓭᔨᒧᔭᐣ, ᑲᑭᑎᒫᑭᓈᑲᐏᔭᐣ, |
| Don't look for a place from which to beg for someone to take pity on you. | ||
| 7 | osâm ispîhk aya wî-nakataskêyani, ispîhk ôma kisê-manitow ôtê ka-nakiskawat êkâ cî ôki âtayohkanak ka-mêsinamâson êkota anima kâ-kitimâkinâkawiyan. | ᐅᓵᒼ ᐃᐢᐲᕽ ᐊᔭ ᐑᓇᑲᑕᐢᑫᔭᓂ, ᐃᐢᐲᕽ ᐆᒪ ᑭᓭᒪᓂᑐᐤ ᐆᑌ ᑲᓇᑭᐢᑲᐘᐟ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᐋᑕᔪᐦᑲᓇᐠ ᑳᑲᑭᑎᒫᑭᓈᑲᐏᔭᐣ᙮ |
| Because when the time comes for you to leave this earth, when you meet the Creator over where you are a spirit, you will have used up all of your pity. | ||
| 8 | osâm aya kinêsowâtisinaw ôma kâ-ayisiyiniwiya. | ᐅᓵᒼ ᐊᔭ ᑭᓀᓱᐚᑎᓯᓇᐤ ᐆᒪ ᑳᐊᔨᐢᐃᔨᓂᐏᔭ᙮ |
| Because we humans are weak. | ||
| 9 | namôya ihtakow awiyak ta-kî-itwêt namôya ê-pâstâhot ahpô namôya ê-ohcinêt êkwa. | ᓇᒨᔭ ᐃᐦᑕᑯᐤ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ ᑕᑮᐃᑘᐟ ᓇᒨᔭ ᐁᐹᐢᑖᐦᐅᐟ ᐊᐦᐴ ᓇᐆᔭ ᐁᐅᐦᒋᓀᐟ ᐁᑿ᙮ |
| There is no one here who can say they have not transgressed or suffered retribution for something. | ||
| 10 | tânitahtwâw ê-pêhtawakik kêhtê-ayak ôma ê-itwêcik pêyâhtik, pêyâhtik kakwê isi-waskawî. | ᑖᓂᑕᐦᑤᐤ ᐁᐯᐦᑖᐘᑭᐠ ᑫᐦᑌᐊᔭᐠ ᐆᒪ ᐁᐃᔰᒋᐠ ᐯᔮᐦᑎᐠ, ᐯᔮᐦᑎ ᑲᑵ ᐃᓯ ᐘᐢᑲᐑ᙮ |
| How many times I have heard Elders say this: Be careful. Be careful how you live. | ||
| 11 | kiyânaw ôma kâ-nêhiyâwiyahk ê-âyimahk, wiyasiwêwin ê-askohtamahk. êwako ôma nêhiyaw-wiyasiwêwina mîna ôma aya manitôwinikêwin. | ᑭᔮᓇᐤ ᐆᒪ ᑳ ᓀᐦᐃᔮᐏᔭᕽ ᐁᐋᔨᒪᕽ, ᐏᔭᓯᐍᐏᐣ ᐁᐊᐢᑯᐦᑕᒪᕽ᙮ ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ ᐏᔭᓯᐍᐏᓇ ᒦᓇ ᐆᒪ ᐊᔭ ᒪᓂᑑᐏᓂᑫᐏᐣᕽ |
| Those of us who are Cree have many challenges. We are guided and directed by Cree law and also Creator's law. | ||
| 12 | êkota anima pâstâhowin ohcinîwin. | ᐁᑯᑕ ᐊᓂᒪ ᐹᐢᑖᐦᐅᐏᐣ ᐅᐦᒋᓃᐏᐣ᙮ |
| There also is breaking or stepping over cree law, the retribution. | ||
| 13 | namôya ihtakon awiyak ta-kî-itwêw nama kîkway pâstâhowin ê-ayât mîna ohcinîwin | ᓇᒨᔭ ᐃᐦᑕᑯᐣ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ ᑕᑮᐃᑘᐤ ᓇᒪ ᑮᑿᐩ ᐹᐢᑖᐦᐅᐏᐣ ᐁᐊᔮᐟ ᒦᓇ ᐅᐦᒋᓃᐏᐣ᙮ |
| There exists no one who can say they have not stepped over or broke cree law and have suffered no retribution. | ||
| 14 | êwako anima pêyak pâstâhowin osâm wîsta ayisiyiniw kâ-nitonahk ka-kitimâkinâkot wîc-âyisiyiniwa. | ᐁᐘᑯ ᐊᓂᒪ ᐯᔭᐠ ᐹᐢᑖᐦᐅᐏᐣ ᐅᓵᒼ ᐑᐢᑕ ᐊᔨᓯᔨᓂᐤ ᑳᓂᑐᓇᕽ ᑲᑭᑎᒫᑭᓈᑯᐟ ᐑᒋ ᐊᔨᓯᔨᓂᐘ᙮ |
| That's one of the transgressions when a person looks for pity from his or her fellow people. | ||
| 15 | êkota anima kâ-itwêcik piyisk ahpô-êtikwê ka-mêsinamâson ôtê ka-kitimâkinâsk kisê-manitow. | ᐁᑯᑕ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑳᐃᑘᒋᐠ ᐱᔨᐢᐠ ᐊᐦᐴ ᐁᑎᑵ ᑲᒣᓯᓇᒫᓱᐣ ᐆᑌ ᑲᑭᑎᒫᑭᓇᐢᐠ ᑭᓭᒪᓂᑐᐤ᙮ |
| Then there is what they say that maybe you use up all your pity from Creator. | ||
| 16 | êwako anima kâ-itwêcik mâna: kahkiyaw ê-nêsowâtisiyahk êwako ôma aya. | ᐁᐘᑯ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑳᐃᑘᒋᐠ ᒫᓇ: ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᐁᓀᓱᐚᑎᓯᔭᕽ ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᐊᔭ᙮ |
| That's what they say: we are all weak. | ||
| 17 | namôya mistahi ê-itêyihtamân niya wiya êkwa ê-pê-pêhtawakik kêhtê-ayak. | ᓇᒨᔭ ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᐁᐃᑌᐦᑕᒫᐣ ᓂᔭ ᐏᔭ ᐁᑿ ᐁᐯᐯᐦᑕᐘᑭᐠ ᑫᐦᑌᐊᔭᐠ᙮ |
| This is not so much my thoughts, just what I've heard from Elders. | ||
| 18 | namôya wiya awiyak kî-ihtakow aya ê-kitahâmâwasot êwako ôma kahkiyaw kîkway. | ᓇᒨᔭ ᐏᔭ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ ᑮᐃᐦᑕᑯᐤ ᐊᔭ ᐁᑭᑕᐋᒫᐘᓱᐟ ᐁᐘᐅ ᐆᒪ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᑮᑿᐩ᙮ |
| There is no one around now who can speak to children and young people about breaking our laws. | ||
| 19 | ka-kî-wîhtamawâyâhkik oskâyak; kîspin êkâ êkosi ki-wi-itôtênaw êkosâni ê-kitimahâyahkok, kitawâsimisinawak, kôsisiminawak, ôki mîna kâ-pê-nôkosicik. | ᑲᑮᐑᐦᑕᒪᐚᔮᐦᑭᐠ ᐅᐢᑳᔭᐠ᙮ ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐁᑳ ᐁᑯᓯ ᑭᐏᐃᑑᑌᓇᐤ ᐁᑯᓵᓂ ᐁᑭᑎᒪᐦᐋᔭᐦᑯᐠ, ᑭᑕᐚᓯᒥᓯᓇᐘᐠ, ᑰᓯᓯᒥᓇᐘᐠ, ᐆᑭ ᒦᓇ ᑳᐯᓅᑯᓱᒋᐠ᙮ |
| We should all tell the young; if we don't then we are treating them poorly, Our children, our grandchildren, even those future generations. | ||
| 20 | êwako anima têpiyâhk êkâ nânitaw ka-itêyimikowisiyân. | ᐁᐘᑯ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑌᐱᔮᕽ ᐁᑳ ᓈᓂᑕᐤ ᑲᐃᑌᔨᒥᑯᐏᓯᔮᐣ᙮ |
| That is it: at least I should not be thought badly of. | ||
| 21 | êwako ôma ê-âcimoyân apisîs. | ᐁᐘᑯ ᐆᒪ ᐁᐋᒋᒧᔮᐣ ᐊᐱᓰᐢ᙮ |
| This, then, this is what I have to say. | ||
| 22 | kinanâskomitinâwâw ê-nitohtawiyêk mîna ka-sawêyimikowisiyêk. | ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᓈᐚᐤ ᐁᓂᑐᐦᑕᐏᔦᐠ ᒦᓇ ᑲᓴᐍᔨᒥᑯᐏᓯᔦᐠ᙮ |
| I thank you all for listening to me and may you all be blessed. | ||
| 23 | hay-hay. | ᐦᐊᐩ ᐦᐊᐩ |
| Thanks. | ||
Thank you Sylvia Hiy Hiy Kinanaskom’tin