Cree Literacy Network

When Julia Ouellette of Loon Lake, Saskatchewan challenged her fellow Cree speakers on FaceBook to post a video of themselves on FaceBook in the Cree language, these responses came from Solomon Ratt and Arok Wolvengrey.  

nipîkiskwîwin kihcîthihtâkwan:
nipîkiskwîn nikiskinwahamâkon tânisi kita-isi-mitho-pimohtîyân ôta kitaskînahk. kîspin oti nitohtamânani âcathohkîwina, kîspin oti nitohtawakwâwi kihtî-ayak.
nipîskwîwin nikiskinwahamâkon tânisi kita-isi-nâkatîthimakwâw nicawâsimisak, nôsisimak ikwa nôcâpânak. kîspin oti nitohtamânani âcathohkîwina, kîspin oti nitohtawakwâwi kihtî-ayak.
nipîkiskwîwin nikiskinwahamâkon kita-kistîthihtamân kahkithaw kîkwaya kâ-kihcihtwâki ikwa kita-kistîthimakwâw kahkithaw kâ-wîtaskîmakwâw. kîspin oti nitohtamânani âcathohkîwina, kîspin oti nitohtawakwâwi kihtî-ayak. 

ᓂᐲᑭᐢᑹᐏᐣ ᑭᐦᒌᖨᐦᑖᑿᐣ:
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᑹᐣ ᓂᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑯᐣ ᑖᓂᓯ ᑭᑕ ᐃᓯ ᒥᖪ ᐱᒧᐦᑏᔮᐣ ᐆᑕ ᑭᑕᐢᑮᓇᕽ᙮ ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐅᑎ ᓂᑐᐦᑕᒫᓇᓂ ᐋᒐᖪᐦᑮᐏᓇ, ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐅᑎ ᓂᑐᐦᑕᐘᒁᐏ ᑭᐦᑏ ᐊᔭᐠ᙮
ᓂᐲᐢᑹᐏᐣ ᓂᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑯᐣ ᑖᓂᓯ ᑭᑕ ᐃᓯ ᓈᑲᑏᖨᒪᒁᐤ ᓂᒐᐚᓯᒥᓴᐠ, ᓅᓯᓯᒪᐠ ᐃᑿ ᓅᒑᐹᓇᐠ᙮ ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐅᑎ ᓂᑐᐦᑕᒫᓇᓂ ᐋᒐᖪᐦᑮᐏᓇ, ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐅᑎ ᓂᑐᐦᑕᐘᒁᐏ ᑭᐦᑏ ᐊᔭᐠ᙮
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᑹᐏᐣ ᓂᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑯᐣ ᑭᑕ ᑭᐢᑏᖨᐦᑕᒫᐣ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᑮᑿᔭ ᑳ ᑭᐦᒋᐦᑤᑭ ᐃᑿ ᑭᑕ ᑭᐢᑏᖨᒪᒁᐤ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᑳ ᐑᑕᐢᑮᒪᒁᐤ᙮ ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐅᑎ ᓂᑐᐦᑕᒫᓇᓂ ᐋᒐᖪᐦᑮᐏᓇ, ᑮᐢᐱᐣ ᐅᑎ ᓂᑐᐦᑕᐘᒁᐏ ᑭᐦᑏ ᐊᔭᐠ᙮

My language is respected:
My language teaches me how to walk in a good way; but only if I listen to the sacred stories; but only if I listen to the Elders.
My language teaches me to take care of my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren; but only if I listen to the sacred stories, but only if I listen to the Elders.
My language teaches me to respect all sacred things and respect all those who share the earth with me. But only if I listen to the sacred stories, only if I listen to the Elders.

My adopted younger brother, Arok Wolvengrey, wrote this below:

kistêyihta kahkiyaw kâ-kihcihtwâki,
kistêyim kikâwînaw askiy,
kistêyimik kêhtê-ayak,
kistêyimik kahkiyaw kâ-wîtaskêmâyahkok:
kâ-nêwokâtêcik, kâ-nîsokâtêcik,
kâ-otahtahkwanicik, kâ-yâhyânahkik,
kâ-pimitâcimocik, pikwacipakowiyiniwak
êkwa mîna asinîwiyiniwak.
tâpitaw ta-kî-kakwê-miyo-kwayaskohtêyan

ᑭᐢᑌᔨᐦᑕ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᑳ ᑭᐦᒋᐦᑤᑭ,
ᑭᐢᑌᔨᒼ ᑭᑳᐑᓇᐤ ᐊᐢᑭᕀ,
ᑭᐢᑌᔨᒥᐠ ᑫᐦᑌ ᐊᔭᐠ,
ᑭᐢᑌᔨᒥᐠ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᑳ ᐑᑕᐢᑫᒫᔭᐦᑯᐠ:
ᑳ ᓀᐓᑳᑌᒋᐠ, ᑳ ᓃᓱᑳᑌᒋᐠ,
ᑳ ᐅᑕᐦᑕᐦᑿᓂᒋᐠ, ᑳ ᔮᐦᔮᓇᐦᑭᐠ,
ᑳ ᐱᒥᑖᒋᒧᒋᐠ, ᐱᑿᒋᐸᑯᐏᔨᓂᐘᐠ
ᐁᑿ ᒦᓇ ᐊᓯᓃᐏᔨᓂᐘᐠ᙮
ᑖᐱᑕᐤ ᑕ ᑮ ᑲᑵ ᒥᔪ ᑿᔭᐢᑯᐦᑌᔭᐣ

Respect all sacred things:
Respect Our Mother Earth,
Respect the Elders,
Respect all those with whom we share the earth:
The four-legged, The two-legged,
The Winged-ones, The Swimmers,
The Crawlers, The Plant People,
And the Rock People.
Always I should strive to walk in balance.