Thanks to Solomon Ratt for adding a funny memory about “Flying Up Moon” to sweeten the sad one of having his new moccasins taken away each year at Residential School.
ohpahowipîsim: nikâwîpan mîkisihkâcikîw; î-kaskikwâtamâkoyâhk oski-pahkîkinaskisina kita-kikiskamâhk kâwi itohtîyâhki Residential School kistapinânihk.
ᐅᐦᐸᐦᐅᐏᐲᓯᒼ: ᓂᑳᐑᐸᐣ ᒦᑭᓯᐦᑳᒋᑮᐤ; ᐄᑲᐢᑭᒁᑕᒫᑯᔮᕽ ᐅᐢᑭᐸᐦᑮᑭᓇᐢᑭᓯᓇ ᑭᑕᑭᑭᐢᑲᒫᕽ ᑳᐏ ᐃᑐᐦᑏᔮᐦᑭ Residential School ᑭᐢᑕᐱᓈᓂᕽ᙮
August: my late mother beads: she is sewing new moccasins for us to wear when we go back to Residential School in Prince Albert.
nôcohitowipîsim: nikikiskîn nitoski-pahkîkinaskisina kistapinânihk isi. ikota kâ-takosiniyâhk nimîskotayawinisânân. nimaskamikawin nitoski-pahkîkinaskisina.
ᓅᒍᐦᐃᑐᐏᐲᓯᒼ: ᓂᑭᑭᐢᑮᐣ ᓂᑐᐢᑭᐸᐦᑮᑭᓇᐢᑭᓯᓇ ᑭᐢᑕᐱᓈᓂᕽ ᐃᓯ᙮ ᐃᑯᑕ ᑳᑕᑯᓯᓂᔮᕽ ᓂᒦᐢᑯᑕᔭᐏᓂᓵᓈᐣ᙮ ᓂᒪᐢᑲᒥᑲᐏᐣ ᓂᑐᐢᑭᐸᐦᑮᑭᓇᐢᑭᓯᓇ᙮
September: I wear my new moccasins to Prince Albert. When we arrive there we changed clothes. My new moccasins are taken away from me.
tahtwâskiy, anohc kâ-ispathik, nikî-pî-nâtahokawinân mâna ta-nitawi-ayamihcikîyâhk wahthaw nîkinâhk ohci. ikospî namwâc kî-ohci-takwamon mîskanaw âmaciwîspimowinihk, ohcitaw poko mâna ta-pî-nâtahokoyâhk pimithâkana, kitohpahoyâhk. piyakwâw nikî-kakwîcimâw nikâwîwîpan kîspin iyokohci ‘ohpahowipîsim’ kî-icikâsot awa pîsim. kî-mitho-pâhpiw mâka nikî-wihtamâk ‘ohpahowipîsim awa pîsim itâw athisk iskospî mâna sîsîpisisak ikwa niskisisak ati-nihtâ-ohpahocik.
ᑕᐦᑤᐢᑭᕀ, ᐊᓄᐦᐨ ᑳᐃᐢᐸᐟᐦᐃᐠ, ᓂᑮᐲᓈᑕᐦᐅᑲᐏᓈᐣ ᒫᓇ ᑕᓂᑕᐏᐊᔭᒥᐦᒋᑮᔮᕽ ᐘᐦᐟᐦᐊᐤ ᓃᑭᓈᕽ ᐅᐦᒋ᙮ ᐃᑯᐢᐲ ᓇᒹᐨ ᑮᐅᐦᒋᑕᑿᒧᐣ ᒦᐢᑲᓇᐤ ᐋᒪᒋᐑᐢᐱᒧᐏᓂᕽ, ᐅᐦᒋᑕᐤ ᐳᑯ ᒫᓇ ᑕᐲᓈᑕᐦᐅᑯᔮᕽ ᐱᒥᐟᐦᐋᑲᓇ, ᑭᑐᐦᐸᐦᐅᔮᕽ᙮ ᐱᔭᒁᐤ ᓂᑮᑲᑹᒋᒫᐤ ᓂᑳᐑᐑᐸᐣ ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐃᔪᑯᐦᒋ ‘ᐅᐦᐸᐦᐅᐏᐲᓯᒼ’ ᑮᐃᒋᑳᓱᐟ ᐊᐘ ᐲᓯᒼ᙮ ᑮᒥᐟᐦᐅᐹᐦᐱᐤ ᒫᑲ ᓂᑮᐏᐦᑕᒫᐠ ‘ᐅᐦᐸᐦᐅᐏᐲᓯᒼ ᐊᐘ ᐲᓯᒼ ᐃᑖᐤ ᐊᐟᐦᐃᐢᐠ ᐃᐢᑯᐢᐲ ᒫᓇ ᓰᓰᐱᓯᓴᐠ ᐃᑿ ᓂᐢᑭᓯᓴᐠ ᐊᑎᓂᐦᑖᐅᐦᐸᐦᐅᒋᐠ᙮
Every year, about this time, they came for us to go to school far away from our homes. At that time there was no road to Stanley Mission, they had to come get us by plane, to fly us out. Once I asked my late mother if that was why this month was called “The Flying Up Moon.” She had a good laugh but told me this month was called “The Flying Up Moon” because it was the time when the ducklings and goslings were able to fly.
