12 Days of Christmas: Solomon Ratt (th-dialect, with audio)

What do you get if you take a Christmas song that’s already loved for packing in a lot of nonsense, and translate it into Cree where the nonsense demands a whole lot more syllables? (Thanks, Sol: Love the hat!)

  1. A challenge
  2. A good laugh
  3. Both!
piyakwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᐱᔭᒁᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the first day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayâtᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟOne moose in the bush
nîswâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᓃᔃᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the second day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐄᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
nistwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᓂᐢᑤᐤ ᓂᐢᑤᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the third day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
nîwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᓃᐚᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the fourth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
niyânanwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᓂᔮᓇᓎᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the fifth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
nikotwâsikwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᓂᑯᑤᓯᒁᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the sixth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
tîpakohpwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᑏᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the seventh day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
tîpakohp wâpisiwaᑏᐸᑯᐦᑊ ᐚᐱᓯᐘSeven swans
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
ayinânîwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᐊᔨᓈᓃᐚᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the eighth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
ayinânîw nikikwaᐊᔨᓈᓃᐤ ᓂᑭᑿEight otters
tîpakohp wâpisiwaᑏᐸᑯᐦᑊ ᐚᐱᓯᐘSeven swans
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
kîkâ-mitâtahtwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᑮᑳᒥᑖᑕᐦᑤᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the ninth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
kîkâ-mitâtaht sâkwîsiwaᑮᑳᓂᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓵᑹᓯᐘNine minks
ayinânîw nikikwaᐊᔨᓈᓃᐤ ᓂᑭᑿEight otters
tîpakohp wâpisiwaᑏᐸᑯᐦᑊ ᐚᐱᓯᐘSeven swans
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
mitâtahtwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᒥᑖᑕᐦᑤᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the tenth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
mitâtaht sihkosaᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓯᐦᑯᓴTen ermines
kîkâ-mitâtaht sâkwîsiwaᑮᑳᓂᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓵᑹᓯᐘNine minks
ayinânîw nikikwaᐊᔨᓈᓃᐤ ᓂᑭᑿEight otters
tîpakohp wâpisiwaᑏᐸᑯᐦᑊ ᐚᐱᓯᐘSeven swans
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
piyakosâpwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᐱᔭᑯᐢᐋᑇᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the eleventh day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
piyakosâp amiskwaᐱᔭᑯᓵᑊ ᐊᒥᐢᑿEleven beavers
mitâtaht sihkosaᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓯᐦᑯᓴTen ermines
kîkâ-mitâtaht sâkwîsiwaᑮᑳᓂᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓵᑹᓯᐘNine minks
ayinânîw nikikwaᐊᔨᓈᓃᐤ ᓂᑭᑿEight otters
tîpakohp wâpisiwaᑏᐸᑯᐦᑊ ᐚᐱᓯᐘSeven swans
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush
nîsosâpwâw î-makosî-kîsikâk nîcimos nimîthikᓃᓱᓵᑇᐤ ᐄᒪᑯᓰᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᓃᒋᒧᐢ ᓂᒦᖨᐠOn the twelfth day of Christmas, my sweetheart gave me
nîsosâp mahihkanaᓃᓱᓵᑊ ᒪᐦᐃᐦᑲᓇTwelve wolves
piyakosâp amiskwaᐱᔭᑯᓵᑊ ᐊᒥᐢᑿEleven beavers
mitâtaht sihkosaᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓯᐦᑯᓴTen ermines
kîkâ-mitâtaht sâkwîsiwaᑮᑳᓂᑖᑕᐦᐟ ᓵᑹᓯᐘNine minks
ayinânîw nikikwaᐊᔨᓈᓃᐤ ᓂᑭᑿEight otters
tîpakohp wâpisiwaᑏᐸᑯᐦᑊ ᐚᐱᓯᐘSeven swans
nikotwâsik mahkîsîsaᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ ᒪᐦᑮᓰᓴSix foxes
niyânan wâposwaᓂᔮᓇᐣ ᐚᐳᔁFive rabbits
niyo sîsîpaᓂᔪ ᓰᓰᐸFour ducks
nisto pithîwaᓂᐢᑐ ᐱᖩᐘThree grouse
nîso mîmîwaᓃᓱ ᒦᒦᐘTwo doves
ikwa piyak môswa sakâhk î-ayât.ᐃᑿ ᐱᔭᐠ ᒨᔁ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐃᐊᔮᐟAnd one moose in the bush

… And when you’re ready to sing along without following the bouncing Sol, here’s a link to a bare karaoke track:

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