Wedding Words

To our dear colleague Andrea Custer and to wîcimosa (her sweetheart) Randy Clarke as they begin their new life together, we send best wishes with help from Solomon Ratt!

tâpika kinwîsk ta-wîcîwitoyîk mîna ta-mithopathihikoyîk
ᑖᐱᑲ ᑭᐣᐑᐢᐠ ᑕ ᐑᒌᐏᑐᔩᐠ ᒦᓇ ᑕ ᒥᖪᐸᖨᐦᐃᑯᔩᐠ
Wishing you a life of long companionship and good fortune

In honour of your special day, and the vows you plan to exchange in Cree(!) we have assembled a list of wedding vocabulary. Our way of joining the celebration remotely.

The Proposal:

kisâkihitin nitiskwêm êkwa ê-nohtê-wîkimitân … ka-kî-wîkimin nâ?
I love you my lady and I want to marry you, will you marry me?

Wedding Celebration:

TermGloss
wîhkihkohkêwinfeast, banquet 
wîkihtowi-wîhkihkasôs wedding cake (SR)
wîkihtowinwedding; marriage, marriage ceremony; living together 

Marriage Ceremony:

TermGloss
isistâwintraditional ceremony 
kihci-wîkihtows/he is formally married in church 
kihci-wîkihtowinformal marriage, Holy Matrimony 
manitôhkâsowinrites; religious ceremony 
mêkiskwêmêws/he gives s.o. (female) away in an arranged marriage 
mêkiskwêwâniwshe is given away in an arranged marriage 
mêkiskwêwêwingiving a woman (e.g. daughter) away in an arranged marriage; betrothal 
mêkiws/he gives, s/he gives away; s/he gives s.t. away; s/he releases s.t.; he gives her in marriage 
nahikâpawîstawêws/he stands in place by s.o.; he acts as s.o.'s best man at a wedding 
nîpawîstamawêws/he stands up for s.o., s/he is a witness (e.g. at wedding) for s.o. 
tahkopicikêwinknot
wêwêkinâwak akohpihkthey are wrapped in a blanket SR
wîkihtow1. bride; groom; [plural:] bride and groom, married couple; 2. s/he gets married, s/he is married; [plural:] they marry one another, they are married to one another; they live together 

Life Together

TermGloss
nahâhkapiw
he lives with his wife's people or his wife's parents 
nahâhkis
son-in-law; bridegroom 
osikosimâw
mother-in-law; paternal aunt, wife of maternal uncle 
osisimâwfather-in-law; maternal uncle, husband of paternal aunt 
sâkihitowin
love; mutual love; affection; charity 
tipiskamowin
birthday; anniversary 
wîc-âyâhtowak
they live together, they are married to one another 
wîkihtahêws/he makes s.o. marry; s/he unites s.o. in marriage 

Giving Rings

âhcanicihcânring finger 
âhcanicihciyringed hand 
âhcanisring
kihci-wîkihtowin-âhcaniswedding ring 
nitomiskwêwêwhe asks for a woman's hand in marriage 
otâhcanisiws/he has a ring 
poscipayiwit goes on (e.g. a ring) 
wâsihkopayiws/he glitters (e.g. wedding-ring) 

Being Spouses

TermGloss
nâpêwman, male adult, male being; husband 
nîcêwâkan, niwîcêwâkanmy spouse; my companion, my partner, my buddy, my friend 
nîkimâkan, niwîkimâkanmy spouse, my wife, my husband; my housemate 
ninâpêmmy husband, my (male) lover 
nitiskwêmmy wife, my woman, my (female) lover 
nîwamy wife 
onâpêmimâwhusband 
owîkihtowbridegroom; bride 
owîkimâkaniws/he has (s.o. as) a spouse, wife, husband 
wîcêwâkanspouse, wife; companion, buddy 
wîcêwâkanihtowakthey find one another as partner, spouse; they live as common-law partners 
wîcêwâkaniws/he has (s.o. as) a partner, spouse; he has a wife; she has a husband 
wîkimâkanspouse; wife; husband 
wîkimêws/he marries s.o., s/he takes s.o. as spouse; s/he is married to s.o.; s/he lives with s.o. 
wîtapimêws/he sits with s.o., s/he stays with s.o., s/he is present with s.o.; s/he works together with s.o.; s/he sits by s.o. (in marriage) 
wîwahis wife 
wîwimâwwife 

2 Responses

  1. My friends met in Oujé-Bougoumou and are getting married and have two kids. These phrases and words will help me with their marriage celebration !
    Migwetch!

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