namôtha awiyak misitikiwiw
î-piyakwamok sâkahikanihk
pîthisk ta-pîkwâstan,
kîtahtawî mîscipathin.
piyakwan ithiniw pîkiskwîwina
îkâ awiyak î-pîkiskwîwina
pîthisk ta-kipihtowîwa
kîtahtawî ta-mîscipathinwa.
ᓇᒨᖬ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ ᒥᓯᑎᑭᐏᐤ
ᐄ ᐱᔭᑿᒧᐠ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᕽ
ᐲᖨᐢᐠ ᑕ ᐲᒁᐢᑕᐣ,
ᑮᑕᐦᑕᐑ ᒦᐢᒋᐸᖨᐣ᙮
ᐱᔭᑿᐣ ᐃᖨᓂᐤ ᐲᑭᐢᑹᐏᓇ
ᐄᑳ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ ᐄ ᐲᑭᐢᑹᐏᓇ
ᐲᖨᐢᐠ ᑕ ᑭᐱᐦᑐᐑᐘ
ᑮᑕᐦᑕᐑ ᑕ ᒦᐢᒋᐸᖨᓌ᙮
No man is an island
alone on a lake
eventually it’ll break from the wind
until it disappears.
The same with First Nations languages
that no one speaks
eventually they will be silent
until they disappear (Apologies to John Donne)
Thanks, Sol, for yet another angle from which to reflect on language – to prevent its disappearance!
