The horrendous events at James Smith Cree Nation and nearby Weldon, Saskatchewan are heartbreaking and beyond comprehension. We offer deepest condolences to the community as they support one another through this profound loss. To those who have lost loved ones, and to those who will continue to struggle with physical and emotional injury: we hold you close to our hearts.
The attached recording is from Dolores Greyeyes Sand’s CD, Classics in Cree, shared here with permission. It is her interpretation of Bette Midler’s “The Rose.” (I don’t know the origin of the image used here – but I hope this conveys our respect for its intention.)
sākihitowin itwāniwiw ē-mistakihtēk
sākihitowin āskaw ē-kāsisik
sākihitowin tāpiskōc pīkwēyihtamowin
sākihitowin pēyakwan wāpikwaniy
ātiht kostamwak ka-sākihitocik
osām ē-kostākik ka-pīko-tēhēcik
mistahi patinikēwak pimātisiwin
osām kihcēyihtākan sākihitowin
tipiskāki kaskēyihtamēko kakwē-kiskisik
kahkiyaw kakwē-sākihitok otōtēmik
osām pimātisiwin ē-cimāsik
tāpikōc mān ōhi wāpikwaniya.
ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ ᐃᑤᓂᐏᐤ ᐁ ᒥᐢᑕᑭᐦᑌᐠ
ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ ᐋᐢᑲᐤ ᐁ ᑳᓯᓯᐠ
ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᐲᑵᔨᐦᑕᒧᐏᐣ
ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ ᐯᔭᑿᐣ ᐚᐱᑿᓂᐩ
ᐋᑎᐦᐟ ᑯᐢᑕᒷᐠ ᑲ ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᒋᐠ
ᐅᓵᒼ ᐁ ᑯᐢᑖᑭᐠ ᑲ ᐲᑯ ᑌᐦᐁᒋᐠ
ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᐸᑎᓂᑫᐘᐠ ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐏᐣ
ᐅᓵᒼ ᑭᐦᒉᔨᐦᑖᑲᐣ ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᐏᐣ
ᑎᐱᐢᑳᑭ ᑲᐢᑫᔨᐦᑕᒣᑯ ᑲᑵ ᑭᐢᑭᓯᐠ
ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᑲᑵ ᓵᑭᐦᐃᑐᐠ ᐅᑑᑌᒥᐠ
ᐅᓵᒼ ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐏᐣ ᐁ ᒋᒫᓯᐠ
ᑖᐱᑰᐨ ᒫᐣ ᐆᐦᐃ ᐚᐱᑿᓂᔭ᙮
4 Responses
This is so beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes.
Miigwetch for sharing.
Ninanaskomon
Virginia Barter
Meywasin Metoni
our niece Viola Okemaysim has a grown daughter living in James Smith with her 4 little children and her spouse Shawn
one of the victims were her good friend that helped with her kids…the 2 surviving boys stayed with her and Shawn until their father could return from horse racing
Prayers for everyone 🙁
Such a beautiful expression of prayer in this beautiful language given to us from the Creator. We need song and prayer to get through this tragedy.
kiyâm,
Naomi
No word can show the depth of my sorrow and sadness for what happened. My condolences to my cousins who have suffered physically and mentally. But I am a close observer of the lives of the people like these young men, therefore, can feel what drove these brothers to this point of no return. The roots of such unfortunate troublesome moments grow in the stinking and filthy swamp of intergenerational traumas that exist like tunnels with no light at their ends.