Imagine, translated by Solomon Ratt (th-dialect)

Sol’s at it again. This time, John Lennon’s classic Imagine: and all on the first take! No English included here, due to copyright.

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m imagining everyone singing along in Cree! 😉

mâmitonîthihta

nama-kway kihci-kîsik
wîhcasin kocihtâ
ma-kway mac(i-i)skotîw
ispimihk kîsik poko
kahkithaw ithiniwak
pimâtisiwak, âhâ-â-â

ma-kway piskic-askiya
namôtha âthiman
mwâ-wiyak ta-nipahiht
ma-kway (ay)amihâwin
kahkithaw ithiniwak
wîtaskîm(i)towak, kîtha~~

opowâmisk kitisin
namôtha nîtha poko
ta-kî-wâh-wîcîwiyahk
askiy wânaskîwin
nama-kway ta-ayâyahk
matwân ka-kaskihtân
ma-kway nohtîkatîwin
wîtisânihtowin

kahkithaw ithiniwak
mâtinamâtowak, kîtha ~~
opowâmisk kitisin
namôtha nîtha poko
ta-kî-wâh-wîcîwiyahk
ta-wîtaskîmitoyahk

For the sake of comparison: what follows here is Sol’s first, literal, fully detailed translation. Carefully prepared, nothing excluded. It’s fascinating to see how much detailed text must be sacrificed in order to produce a singable result (like the one above). Thanks, Sol, for sharing both, and letting us see the process, too.

mâmitonîthihta nama-kîkway kihci-kîsik
wîhcasin kocihtâyani
nama-kîkway maci-iskotîw
ispimihk kîsik poko

mâmitonîthimik athisitiniwak
anohc î-ohci-pimâtisicik, âhâ-â-â

mâmitonîthihta nama-kîkway piskic-askiya
namôtha âthiman
nama-kîkway ta-nipahtâyan
nama-kîkway mîna ayamihâwin

mâmitonîthimik athisitiniwak
î-wîtaskîmitocik, kîtha~~
kika-itwân î-powâtiskiyân
mâka namôtha nîtha poko
tapika kîtahtawî takî-wîcîwiyahk
ikwa askiy ta-piyakwahkamikan

mâmitonîthihta nama-kîkway ayâwin
matwâncî ka-kaskihtân
nama-katâc âsponîsiwn,nohtîkatîwin
î-wîtisânihtonânowik

mâmitonîthimik athisitiniwak î-mâtinamâtocik askiy, kîtha ~~
kakî-itwân î-powâtiskiyân
mâka namôtha nîtha poko
tapika kîtahtawî ta-wîcîwiyahk
ikwa ta-wîtaskîmitoyahk

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