Here’s a Cree counting rhyme for beginners that actually rhymes (it’s hard to make rhymes in Cree)!
Solomon Ratt put this together in 1996, as video with text and images. It will still come in handy for new beginners learning their numbers, and maybe for the teachers preparing to greet them in September. The text (as text) follows below the video for those who might like to print it out.
| akihtâsowin | ᐊᑭᐦᑖᓱᐏᐣ | Counting |
|---|---|---|
| pêyak, nîso, | ᐯᔭᐠ ᓃᓱ, | One, two, |
| akihtâso! | ᐊᑭᐦᑖᓱ! | count! |
| nisto, nêwo, | ᓂᐢᑐ, ᓀᐓ, | Three, four, |
| akimiso! | ᐊᑭᒥᓱ! | count yourself! |
| niyânan, nikotwâsik, | ᓂᔮᓇᐣ, ᓂᑯᑤᓯᐠ, | Five, six, |
| wahwâ! ê-kimiwasik. | ᐘᐦᐚ! ᐁᑭᒥᐘᓯᐠ | Wah! It’s raining a little. |
| têpakohp, ayinânêw | ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑊ, ᐊᔨᓈᓀᐤ | Seven, eight |
| piyêsîsa akimêw. | ᐱᔦᓰᓴ ᐊᑭᒣᐤ᙮ | Birds he counts. |
| kêkâ-mitâtaht, mitâtaht, | ᑫᑳᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ, ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ, | Nine, ten, |
| mahti kîhtwâm akihtâsotân, | ᒪᐦᑎ ᑮᐦᑤᒼ ᐊᑭᐦᑖᓱᑖᐣ, | Let’s count again |
| pêyak ohci isko mitâtaht. | ᐯᔭᐠ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐃᐢᑯ ᒥᑖᑕᐦᐟ | From one to ten. |
