oh kānata, namōtha kīkway takī-mamīhcihin mīscihtāsowin!
ᐅᐦ ᑳᓇᑕ, ᓇᒨᖬ ᑮᑿᐩ ᑕᑮ ᒪᒦᐦᒋᐦᐃᐣ ᒦᐢᒋᐦᑖᓱᐏᐣ!
Oh Canada, there is no pride in GENOCIDE!
anohc kā-kīsikāk mihcīt athisitiniwak mōcikīthihtamwak māka mīna mihcēt namwāc cīhkīthihtamwak, tāpiskōc nītha. tānisīsi māka ta-kī-isi-mīthwīthihtamān ōma kīsikāw ikwa anohcīki pīthisk ī-kī-miskāhcik awasimī kihci-mitātahtomitanaw awāsisak ikota māna kā-kī-cimatīki ayamihāwi-kiskinwahamātowikamikwa?
ᐊᓄᐦᐨ ᑳ ᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᒥᐦᒌᐟ ᐊᖨᓯᑎᓂᐘᐠ ᒨᒋᑮᖨᐦᑕᒷᐠ ᒫᑲ ᒦᓇ ᒥᐦᒉᐟ ᓇᒹᐨ ᒌᐦᑮᖨᐦᑕᒷᐠ, ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᓃᖬ᙮ ᑖᓂᓰᓯ ᒫᑲ ᑕ ᑮ ᐃᓯ ᒦᙹᖨᐦᑕᒫᐣ ᐆᒪ ᑮᓯᑳᐤ ᐃᑿ ᐊᓄᐦᒌᑭ ᐲᖨᐢᐠ ᐄ ᑮ ᒥᐢᑳᐦᒋᐠ ᐊᐘᓯᒦ ᑭᐦᒋ ᒥᑖᑕᐦᑐᒥᑕᓇᐤ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ ᐃᑯᑕ ᒫᓇ ᑳ ᑮ ᒋᒪᑏᑭ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐋᐏ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑐᐏᑲᒥᑿ?
Today, there are a lot of people that are excited but there are also many others that are not very pleased, like me. How can I celebrate a day where over a thousand bodies of Indigenous children were finally found in old residential school grounds just recently?
kayās nimosōmipan ikwa mīna nōhkom (kiyāpic pimātisiw) ī-kī-sipwītisahohcik Guy Hill ayamihāwi-kiskinwahamātowikamikohk isi. mitoni ī-kī-apisīsisicik, nānitaw ītokwī nisto ahpō nīyo ī-kī-itahtopiponīcik. āskaw māna ācimow nōhkom māka namwāc kahkithaw kīkwāthow niwīhtamāk. nimosōmipan kī-pōni-pimātisiw 1996 kā-kī-askīwik, ikospīhk anima iskwīyānihk kā-kī-kipahikātīk ayamihāwi-kiskinwahamātowikamik ikwa ī-kī-mwayī-wīhtahk onīkānīw Stephen Harper ī-mīhtātamāsocik kā-kī-kitimāhācik athisitiniwa kā-kī-maskamācik otawāsimisiwāwa. namwāc wīhkāc kī-ohci-ātotam nimosōmipan kā-kī-itinikīt ayamihāwi-kiskinwahamātowikamikohk ī-mwayī-pōni-pimātisit. māka nikāwiy ikwa nitōsisak nitācimostākwak ī-kī-kitimahihcik ithikohk. niwīsakitīhān māna kiyāpic nimosōmipan ohci ikwa asici nōhkom. māskōc māna kī-kitimākisowak ikwa kī-kitimākāpisinwak.
ᑲᔮᐢ ᓂᒧᓲᒥᐸᐣ ᐃᑿ ᒦᓇ ᓅᐦᑯᒼ (ᑭᔮᐱᐨ ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐤ) ᐄ ᑮ ᓯᐿᑎᓴᐦᐅᐦᒋᐠ Guy Hill ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐋᐏ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑐᐏᑲᒥᑯᕽ ᐃᓯ᙮ ᒥᑐᓂ ᐄ ᑮ ᐊᐱᓰᓯᓯᒋᐠ, ᓈᓂᑕᐤ ᐄᑐᑹ ᓂᐢᑐ ᐊᐦᐴ ᓃᔪ ᐄ ᑮ ᐃᑕᐦᑐᐱᐳᓃᒋᐠ᙮ ᐋᐢᑲᐤ ᒫᓇ ᐋᒋᒧᐤ ᓅᐦᑯᒼ ᒫᑲ ᓇᒹᐨ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᑮᒁᖪᐤ ᓂᐑᐦᑕᒫᐠ᙮ ᓂᒧᓲᒥᐸᐣ ᑮ ᐴᓂ ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐤ 1996 ᑳ ᑮ ᐊᐢᑮᐏᐠ, ᐃᑯᐢᐲᕽ ᐊᓂᒪ ᐃᐢᑹᔮᓂᕽ ᑳ ᑮ ᑭᐸᐦᐃᑳᑏᐠ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐋᐏ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑐᐏᑲᒥᐠ ᐃᑿ ᐄ ᑮ ᒷᔩ ᐑᐦᑕᕽ ᐅᓃᑳᓃᐤ Stephen Harper ᐄ ᒦᐦᑖᑕᒫᓱᒋᐠ ᑳ ᑮ ᑭᑎᒫᐦᐋᒋᐠ ᐊᖨᓯᑎᓂᐘ ᑳ ᑮ ᒪᐢᑲᒫᒋᐠ ᐅᑕᐚᓯᒥᓯᐚᐘ᙮ ᓇᒹᐨ ᐑᐦᑳᐨ ᑮ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐋᑐᑕᒼ ᓂᒧᓲᒥᐸᐣ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᑎᓂᑮᐟ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐋᐏ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑐᐏᑲᒥᑯᕽ ᐄ ᒷᔩ ᐴᓂ ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐟ᙮ ᒫᑲ ᓂᑳᐏᐩ ᐃᑿ ᓂᑑᓯᓴᐠ ᓂᑖᒋᒧᐢᑖᑿᐠ ᐄ ᑮ ᑭᑎᒪᐦᐃᐦᒋᐠ ᐃᖨᑯᕽ᙮ ᓂᐑᓴᑭᑏᐦᐋᐣ ᒫᓇ ᑭᔮᐱᐨ ᓂᒧᓲᒥᐸᐣ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐃᑿ ᐊᓯᒋ ᓅᐦᑯᒼ᙮ ᒫᐢᑰᐨ ᒫᓇ ᑮ ᑭᑎᒫᑭᓱᐘᐠ ᐃᑿ ᑮ ᑭᑎᒫᑳᐱᓯᓌᐠ᙮
A long time ago, my late grandfather and my grandma (who is still living) were sent away to Guy Hill residential school. They were small, about 3 or 4 years old. Sometimes, my grandma will tell me stories about her experience, but she does not share everything with me. My late grandfather passed away in 1996, the year the last residential school was closed and before the apology from then prime minister Stephen Harper. He never talked about what happened there and I never had a chance to ask him about his experience at residential school before his passing. My heart hurts for my late grand-father and my grandmother, what horrors they must have felt and seen!
nistam kā-pīhtamān kahkithaw ōko awāsisak kā-miskāhcik, nikī-māton. nikī-māton athisk ithikohk ī-kitimākinawakwāw kahkithaw aniki awāsisak ī-kī-apisīsisicik ikwa ī-kī-nitawi-kitimahikawihcik. niwīsakitīhān kiyāpic.
ᓂᐢᑕᒼ ᑳ ᐲᐦᑕᒫᐣ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᐆᑯ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ ᑳ ᒥᐢᑳᐦᒋᐠ, ᓂᑮ ᒫᑐᐣ᙮ ᓂᑮ ᒫᑐᐣ ᐊᖨᐢᐠ ᐃᖨᑯᕽ ᐄ ᑭᑎᒫᑭᓇᐘᒁᐤ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᐊᓂᑭ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ ᐄ ᑮ ᐊᐱᓰᓯᓯᒋᐠ ᐃᑿ ᐄ ᑮ ᓂᑕᐏ ᑭᑎᒪᐦᐃᑲᐏᐦᒋᐠ᙮ ᓂᐑᓴᑭᑏᐦᐋᐣ ᑭᔮᐱᐨ᙮
When I first heard about all the children that were found, I cried. I cried because I felt so much compassion for all the children that were small and taken to be treated horribly. My heart hurts still.
iyakonik ōko okimāwak kā-kanātahk askihk ohci kīhci kā-kī-itasiwīcik ta-sipwītisahohcik kahkithaw awāsisak ta-nitawi-kiskinawahamākawicik ta-isi-mōniyawi-māmitonīthīhtahkwāw, ta-ākathāsīmocik ikwa ta-wanikiskisicik kahkithaw otathisitinawīwiniwāw. mitoni piko isi kā-kī-isi-nitawi-kakwātakihācik anihi awāsisa kā-kī-kimoticik.
ᐃᔭᑯᓂᐠ ᐆᑯ ᐅᑭᒫᐘᐠ ᑳ ᑲᓈᑕᕽ ᐊᐢᑭᕽ ᐅᐦᒋ ᑮᐦᒋ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᑕᓯᐑᒋᐠ ᑕ ᓯᐿᑎᓴᐦᐅᐦᒋᐠ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ ᑕ ᓂᑕᐏ ᑭᐢᑭᓇᐘᐦᐊᒫᑲᐏᒋᐠ ᑕ ᐃᓯ ᒨᓂᔭᐏ ᒫᒥᑐᓃᖩᐦᑕᐦᒁᐤ, ᑕ ᐋᑲᖭᓰᒧᒋᐠ ᐃᑿ ᑕ ᐘᓂᑭᐢᑭᓯᒋᐠ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᐅᑕᖨᓯᑎᓇᐑᐏᓂᐚᐤ᙮ ᒥᑐᓂ ᐱᑯ ᐃᓯ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᓯ ᓂᑕᐏ ᑲᒁᑕᑭᐦᐋᒋᐠ ᐊᓂᐦᐃ ᐊᐚᓯᓴ ᑳ ᑮ ᑭᒧᑎᒋᐠ᙮
The leaders of Canada were the ones who decided to send all these children to get educated on how to think like a white man, to speak English and to forget their Indigeneity. They treated the children they stole in horrible ways.
anohc kā-kīsikāk mihcīt athisitiniwak kiskisiwak anihi kahkithaw awāsisa kā-kī-miskāhcik ikwa aniki īkā cīskwa kā-miskāhcik. mōtha nipakitatāmonān mīkwāc ī-pīhoyāhk kotakak awāsisak ka-miskākawicik. ninōhtī-pī-kīwīhtahānānak owāhkōmāniwak ikwa otaskīwiniwahk isi.
ᐊᓄᐦᐨ ᑳ ᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᒥᐦᒌᐟ ᐊᖨᓯᑎᓂᐘᐠ ᑭᐢᑭᓯᐘᐠ ᐊᓂᐦᐃ ᑲᐦᑭᖬᐤ ᐊᐚᓯᓴ ᑳ ᑮ ᒥᐢᑳᐦᒋᐠ ᐃᑿ ᐊᓂᑭ ᐄᑳ ᒌᐢᑿ ᑳ ᒥᐢᑳᐦᒋᐠ᙮ ᒨᖬ ᓂᐸᑭᑕᑖᒧᓈᐣ ᒦᒁᐨ ᐄ ᐲᐦᐅᔮᕽ ᑯᑕᑲᐠ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ ᑲ ᒥᐢᑳᑲᐏᒋᐠ᙮ ᓂᓅᐦᑏ ᐲ ᑮᐑᐦᑕᐦᐋᓈᓇᐠ ᐅᐚᐦᑰᒫᓂᐘᐠ ᐃᑿ ᐅᑕᐢᑮᐏᓂᐘᕽ ᐃᓯ᙮
Today, many people remember all those children and those yet to be found, we hold our breath as we wait for the number of children to be found we want to bring them home to their families and their homelands.
anohc kā-kīsikāk kiskisik wīthawāw ōki onīkānīwak kā-kī-itasiwātācik ōko awāsisa kā-kī-itinīkīthit ayamihāwi-kiskinwahamātowikamikohk. namwāc nika-cīhkīthīhtīn ōma kīsikāw. namwāc wīhkāc.
ᐊᓄᐦᐨ ᑳ ᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᑭᐢᑭᓯᐠ ᐑᖬᐚᐤ ᐆᑭ ᐅᓃᑳᓃᐘᐠ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᑕᓯᐚᑖᒋᐠ ᐆᑯ ᐊᐚᓯᓴ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᑎᓃᑮᖨᐟ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐋᐏ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑐᐏᑲᒥᑯᕽ᙮ ᓇᒹᐨ ᓂᑲ ᒌᐦᑮᖩᐦᑏᐣ ᐆᒪ ᑮᓯᑳᐤ᙮ ᓇᒹᐨ ᐑᐦᑳᐨ᙮
Today, we remember that these leaders of Canada were the ones that decided and sealed these children’s fates in residential schools. No, I will not celebrate this day. Never.
oh kānata, namōtha kīkway takī-mamīhcihin mīscihtāsowin!
ᐅᐦ ᑳᓇᑕ, ᓇᒨᖬ ᑮᑿᐩ ᑕᑮ ᒪᒦᐦᒋᐦᐃᐣ ᒦᐢᒋᐦᑖᓱᐏᐣ!
Oh Canada, there is no pride in GENOCIDE!
#kāwīmīthinānnitaskīnān
#landback
#cancelcanadaday
Ed. note: As a fully-fluent speaker and teacher of Woodlands Cree (th-dialect), Andrea Custer is one of a very small group who have a full command of reading and writing in the language which is their birthright. The message is painful, but the fact that she has composed these words in Cree is powerful, because of the generations of resilience, resistance, reclamation and revitalization it represents. kinanâskomitinân, Andrea.
