Thanks to Izaiah Swampy-Omeasoo who sent this poem by Teta Engram to Solomon Ratt for translation into Cree. Teta Engram is a teacher at Victoria School of Arts in Edmonton, who has a keen interest in writing and working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
I Sat Quietly: Teta Engram
| I sat quietly by the river and watched the river and the rocks perform a dance, so intricate it seemed the steps had been practiced for generations but I could never learn them | nikâmwâtapin wâsakâm sîpîhk ê-kanawâpahtamân nipiy ikwa asiniyak ê-mamâhtâwi-nîmihitocik, mamâhtâwisimowin tâpiskôc kayâs ohci ê-pê-isi-nîmihitohk mâka namôya wîhkâc nikakî-kiskinwahamâkosin |
| I listened to the birds calling to each other in a language that was both foreign and familiar and as hard as I tried I could not understand | ninatohtawâwak piyêsîsak ê-tâh-têpwâtitocik pîkiskwêwin nawac piko pîtos-pîkiskwêwin mîna kisâstaw ê-nisitohtamân mâka âta ê-sôhki-kocihtâyân namwâc nikî-nisitohtên |
| It was the children who shared their stories and dreams with me it was they who spoke of the land, and its gift and I understood | awâsisak aniki kâ-mâtinamawicik otâtayôkêwiniwâwa mîna opawâmiwiniwâwa wiyawâw kâ-pîkiskwâtahkik askiy, êkwa omîyikosiwin êkwa ninisitohtên |
| I did not need to dance in the river I only had to appreciate That it would dance for me | namôya katâc ta-nîmihitoyân sîpîhk têpiyâhk ta-nahîyihtamân ê-nîmihitôstamawit |
| I did not need to sing with the birds I only had to respect The song they sang | namôya katâc ta-wîci-nikamômakik piyêsîsak têpiyâhk ta-kistêyihtamân nikamowin kâ-nikamocik |
| I did not need to fear because the children would be there and their stories would live forever in me | namôya katâc ta-sêkisiyân ayisk awâsisak êkota ta-ayâwak êkwa otâtayôhkêwiniwâwa nika-wîcêwikon kâkikê |
3 Responses
Hi! tanisi . Phyllis nitisithihkason. onihithowi kiskinwahamakiw nitha.nisicawayasihk ohci
mwana Father’s Day Vocabulary kitayanawaw?
Tansi
I am so humbled and honoured to hear my poem in your language.
I am grateful that it was translated for those that I wrote it for – the children of the earth.
Hiy hiy
Teta Engram
It’s a lovely piece to share. Thanks so much! ay-hay!