nimiyoskâkon ninehiyâwiwin – My Cree Nurtures Me : Dorothy Thunder (y-dialect)

Dorothy Thunder êkwa okâwîpan (her late mother), Florida Thunder

Thanks to Dorothy Thunder (Professor of Cree at University of Alberta and longtime friend and language warrior) for sharing this poem (including audio) that formed the centre of her November 2019 presentation at the SICC Language Keepers Conference.

nimiyoskâkon ninêhiyâwiwin – My Cree nurtures me
nipêhtên nêhiyawêwin nipawâtamowinihk
nimâmitonêyicikanihk,
niyawihk,
nitâhcahkomihk
nimiyoskâkon – it nurtures me

I dream in Cree
nêhiyaw pawâtamowin
my mind,
my body,
my spirit
nimiyoskâkon – it nurtures me

nipêhtên nikâwiy otitwêwina
I hear my mother’s words
nipêhtawâwak
nimosômipanak, nohkomipanak, nistêsipanak, nimisipanak, nôsisimipan
I hear them.
I see them.
I feel them.
nimiyoskâkon – it nurtures me

nimiyomahcihon – I feel good.
Most of all I hear nikâwiy: “kâya pômê, nitânis, âhkamêyimo.”
“Don’t give up my girl, keep going.”
I hear songs,
I hear stories.
I see them dancing.
nimiyoskâkon – it nurtures me.

nimiyomahcihon – I feel good.
It fills my heart
I remember my childhood days
no pain, no fear, no drama
surrounded by unconditional love.
nimiyoskâkon ninêhiyâwêwin because most of all I can be me:
niya. nêhiyaw-iskwêw. 
nimiyoskâkon – it nurtures me.