otāpānāsk : People on the Bus

From the collection of Dolores Sand, originally translated into Cree by the late Ida McLeod and Freda Ahenakew, requested by Calinda Duquette for the kids at Head Start.

otāpānāskThe Wheels on the Bus
nināh-nāmisininān otāpānāskohk
nināh-nāmisininān, nināh-nāmisininān
nināh-nāmisininān otāpānāskohk
sāpo ōtēnāhk.
The people on the bus go up and down
Up and down, up and down
The people on the bus go up and down
All through the town.
cîhcipipayîsak, nîkânipayiwak
nîkânipayiwak, nîkânipayiwak
cîhcipipayîsak, nîkânipayiwak
sāpo ōtēnāhk.
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town.
pōtācikan pēhtakosīmakan
pētākosīmakan, pēhtakosīmakan
pōtācikan pēhtākosīmakan
sāpo ōtēnāhk.
The horn on the bus goes toot, toot, toot
Toot, toot, toot, toot, toot, toot
The horn on the bus goes toot, toot, toot
All through the town.
pāhkwahikan pāhkwahikēmakan
pāhkwahikēmakan, pāhkwahikēmakan
pāhkwahikan pāhkwahikēmakan
sāpo ōtēnāhk.
The wiper on the glass goes swish, swish, swish,
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish
The wiper on the glass goes swish, swish, swish
All through the town.
opimpahīhtāw “otānāhk,” itwēw,
“otāhāhk,” itwēw, “otānāhk,” itwēw.
opimpāhīhtāw, “otānāhk,” itwēw,
sāpo otēnāhk.
The driver on the bus says “Move on back”
“Move on back, Move on back”
The driver on the bus says “Move on back”
All through the town.
Plains Cree translation by Ida McLeod and Freda Ahenakew

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