2021 FNUC Valedictory Address: Darian Agecoutay (âcikahtê)

Congratulations and thanks to Darian Âcikahtê for permitting us to share text from the Cree portion of his Valedictory address at yesterday’s First Nations University 2021 Graduation. Listen and enjoy his confidence and fluency as you read along, then scroll down to join us in offering congratulations to him and his fellow graduates.

tânisi kahkiyaw niwâhkômâkanitik êkwa nitôtêmitik. kitatamiskatinâwâw kahkiyaw ôta kâ-ayâyêk êkwa kâ-pêhtawiyêk. Darian âcikahtê nitisiyihkâson êkwa kâ-awâsis iskonikanihk nipê-ohcîn. nikî-pê-ohpikin nitiskonikanihk mâka môy wîhkâc ê-kî-pâh-pêhtamân nêhiyawêwin. nikâwiy, êkwa nohtâwiy namôya nêhiyawêwak, êkwa pêyak piko nohkom apisîs ê-ohci-nêhiyawêt. ninêhiyawân ta-kakwê-mamihcihakik nitâniskotâpânak ayisk kayâsîs ê-kî-wanihtâyâhk nipîkiskwêwininân. êwako ohci kâ-kakwê-nêhiyawêyân tahto-kîsikâw.

ᑖᓂᓯ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᓂᐚᐦᑰᒫᑲᓂᑎᐠ ᐁᑿ ᓂᑑᑌᒥᑎᐠ᙮ ᑭᑕᑕᒥᐢᑲᑎᓈᐚᐤ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᐆᑕ ᑳ ᐊᔮᔦᐠ ᐁᑿ ᑳ ᐯᐦᑕᐏᔦᐠ᙮ Darian ᐋᒋᑲᐦᑌ ᓂᑎᓯᔨᐦᑳᓱᐣ ᐁᑿ ᑳ ᐊᐚᓯᐢ ᐃᐢᑯᓂᑲᓂᕽ ᓂᐯ ᐅᐦᒌᐣ᙮ ᓂᑮ ᐯ ᐅᐦᐱᑭᐣ ᓂᑎᐢᑯᓂᑲᓂᕽ ᒫᑲ ᒨᐩ ᐑᐦᑳᐨ ᐁ ᑮ ᐹᐦ ᐯᐦᑕᒫᐣ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ᙮ ᓂᑳᐏᐩ, ᐁᑿ ᓄᐦᑖᐏᐩ ᓇᒨᔭ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐘᐠ, ᐁᑿ ᐯᔭᐠ ᐱᑯ ᓄᐦᑯᒼ ᐊᐱᓰᐢ ᐁ ᐅᐦᒋ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐟ᙮ ᓂᓀᐦᐃᔭᐚᐣ ᑕ ᑲᑵ ᒪᒥᐦᒋᐦᐊᑭᐠ ᓂᑖᓂᐢᑯᑖᐹᓇᐠ ᐊᔨᐢᐠ ᑲᔮᓰᐢ ᐁ ᑮ ᐘᓂᐦᑖᔮᕽ ᓂᐲᑭᐢᑵᐏᓂᓈᐣ᙮ ᐁᐘᑯ ᐅᐦᒋ ᑳ ᑲᑵ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᔮᐣ ᑕᐦᑐ ᑮᓯᑳᐤ᙮

th-dialect:

kimamihcihinân kahkithaw kîthawâw kâ-sasâposkamîk kikiskinwahamâkosiwiniwâw

ᑭᒪᒥᐦᒋᐦᐃᓈᐣ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᑫᖬᐋᐧᐤ ᑳᓴᓵᐳᐢᑲᒣᐠ ᑭᑭᐢᑭᓇᐧᐦᐊᒫᑯᓯᐃᐧᓂᐋᐧᐤ

You make us proud all of you who are graduating from your education.

y-dialect:

kimamihcihinân kahkiyaw kiyawâw kâ-sasâposkamêk kikiskinwahamâkosiwiniwâw

ᑭᒪᒥᐦᒋᐦᐃᓈᐣ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᑭᔭᐋᐧᐤ ᑳᓴᓵᐳᐢᑲᒥᐠ ᑭᑭᐢᑭᓇᐧᐦᐊᒫᑯᓯᐃᐧᓂᐋᐧᐤ

You make us proud all of you who are graduating from your education.

2 Responses

  1. Hiy hiy maarsi for that beautiful and powerful speech. I don’t know you but am so proud of you. My heart is full and thank your teachers for me. All my prayers and love on your journey you are truly a gift.
    Maria Campbell

    1. Thank you, Maria, for your kind words which I’ve passed on to Darian, and to his teacher. They are both rather special!

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