A new translation from Solomon Ratt, whose Heart Soars today as he celebrates his birthday in Norway.
My Heart Soars/ sawâhkîw nitîh / ᓴᐘᐦᑭᐤ ᓂᑎᐦ
Chief Dan George (1974) translated by Solomon Ratt, 2025
kâ-katawasisicik mistikwak,
kâ-pîyâhtaki-thôwik,
kâ-wîhkimâkwahki maskosiya,
nipîkiskwâtikon.
ᑳ ᑲᑕᐘᓯᓯᒋᐠ ᒥᐢᑎᑿᐠ,
ᑳ ᐲᔮᐦᑕᑭ ᖫᐏᐠ,
ᑳ ᐑᐦᑭᒫᑿᐦᑭ ᒪᐢᑯᓯᔭ,
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᒁᑎᑯᐣ᙮
The beauty of the trees,
the softness of the air,
the fragrance of the grass,
speaks to me.
tahkohtâmatin wacîhk,
kâ-kitocik kîsikohk,
kâ-mamahkâhahk kihcikamiy,
nipîkiskwâtikon.
ᑕᐦᑯᐦᑖᒪᑎᐣ ᐘᒌᕽ,
ᑳ ᑭᑐᒋᐠ ᑮᓯᑯᕽ,
ᑳ ᒪᒪᐦᑳᐦᐊᕽ ᑭᐦᒋᑲᒥᐩ,
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᒁᑎᑯᐣ᙮
The summit of the mountain,
the thunder of the sky,
the rhythm of the sea,
speak to me.
kâ-thâwinâkosicik acâhkosak,
kâ-oski-kîkisîpâyâk,
kâ-akospîyâk wâpikwanîhk,
nipîkiskwâtikon.
ᑳ ᖭᐏᓈᑯᓯᒋᐠ ᐊᒑᐦᑯᓴᐠ,
ᑳ ᐅᐢᑭ ᑮᑭᓰᐹᔮᐠ,
ᑳ ᐊᑯᐢᐲᔮᐠ ᐚᐱᑿᓃᕽ,
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᒁᑎᑯᐣ᙮
The faintness of the stars,
the freshness of the morning,
the dew drop on the flower,
Speak to me.
kâ-misi-kwâhkotîk,
kâ-wîhkitisit sôsâsiw,
opimohtîskanaw pîsim,
kapî kâ-pimipathik pimâtisiwin,
nipîkiskwâtikwak
ikwa sawâhkîw nitîh.
ᑳ ᒥᓯ ᒁᐦᑯᑏᐠ,
ᑳ ᐑᐦᑭᑎᓯᐟ ᓲᓵᓯᐤ,
ᐅᐱᒧᐦᑏᐢᑲᓇᐤ ᐲᓯᒼ,
ᑲᐲ ᑳ ᐱᒥᐸᖨᐠ ᐱᒫᑎᓯᐏᐣ,
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᒁᑎᑿᐠ
ᐃᑿ ᓴᐚᐦᑮᐤ ᓂᑏᐦ᙮
The strength of fire,
the taste of salmon,
the trail of the sun,
And the life that never goes away,
They speak to me
And my heart soars.
One Response
I specifically just said out loud,, to myself.. as usual…
S#|+
That’s beautiful!!! Cree Dialect and Typography is such a beautiful art form to look at.
kisâkihitin.
Lone Wolf 🤲🏼🪶🤍
Saddle Lake.