Thanks to Dawn Marie Marchand for permission to share this series of paintings, inspired by a podcast about Indigenous Languages that she heard in 2012. Dawn Marie writes: “I was really challenged by it and started to ask myself some difficult questions. I think it has started a life long journey for me. If my worldview is shaped by my Cree Language and I was not raised with that language; what can I do? I decided to go back into some teachings that I was given and found the words for the things that my Elders held in highest esteem. I will learn these words and the stories around these words. These are the words that I will pass on to my children. If there is anything that I can save; then it should be the stuff that is in a good way and worthy of handing to my grandchildren.”
Thanks to Solomon Ratt for adding audio to help with pronunciation!
Here are the words depicted in syllabics in the paintings:
otôtêmiwêwin friendship – ᐅᑑᑌᒥᐍᐏᐣ
manatisiwin ekwa manahcihitowin – respect for oneself and others – ᒪᓇᑎᓯᐏᐣ ᐁᑿ ᒪᓇᐦᒋᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ
kiskinwahasimowêwin – accepting guidance – ᑭᐢᑭᐣᐘᐦᐊᓯᒧᐍᐏᐣ
kiskanowapâkêwin – keen sense of observation – ᑭᐢᑲᓄᐘᐸᑫᐏᐣ
miyo-wîcêhôtowin– getting along – ᒥᔪ ᐑᒉᐦᐆᑐᐏᐣ
okihtowihiwewin – generosity – ᐅᑭᐦᑐᐏᐦᐃᐍᐏᐣ
kisêwâtisiwin – loving kindness – ᑭᓭᐚᑎᓯᐏᐣ
mâmawohkamâtowin – working together – ᒫᒪᐓᐦᑲᒫᑐᐏᐣ
wâhkôhtowin – kinship – ᐚᐦᑰᐦᑐᐏᐣ
wicihitowin – sharing – ᐑᒋᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ
