This English poetic presentation of an Anishinaabe prophecy, was found on FaceBook, then translated by Chief Billy Joe Laboucan into his own Northern Plains dialect. He finished it collaboratively with Solomon Ratt, who also performed the reading.
tepakohpwāw iskotew
ta-ispayow…
mwestas kinwes kī-tipiskāki,
mwestas kī-pīkopayikwāwi tipahamātowina,
mwestas kī-otinihtwāwi awāsisak,
mwestas pīkiskwewina kī-kāmwācipayiki,
mwestas askiy kī-nīstohkīkwayiki…
mwehci tepakohpwāw iskotew ta-wayatew.
ekwa ôma iskotew namôya kihci-okimâwak ta-saskahamwak,
namōya ayamihewikamikwa,
namōya okimāwapōwina.
tipiyaw iyiniwak ta-saskahamwak
kiskiwīhamowin itwemakan:
ispīh askiy āhkosīmakahki,
ispīh sīpīya piscimōtāhki,
ispīh pisiskiwak namatītwāwi,
ispīh iyiniwak wanikiskisitotwāwi,
ikota oski-peyakīsānak ta-pasikōwak.
namōya metoni kwayask.
namōya ekā e-mōsīhtātwāw.
māka e-kiskisitwāw.
ta-kiskisowak onikamoniwāwa.
ta-kiskisowak opīkiskwewiyinowāwa.
ta-kiskisowak otisīhtwāwinowāwa.
ta-kiskisowak nistam okiskinwahamowiniwāwa.
asici ta-mīyāwak kiyāpic peyakwāw.
mwehci tepakohpwāw iskotew iyiniwak ta-nawasōnamwak pimācihōwi-meskanaw.
ta-nawasōnamwak anima kīkway kīkāc kā-kī-wanipayik.
ta-pīkiskwewak anima kīkāc kā-kī-kipinamihk.
ta-kākīcihtāwak anima kā-kī-kakwe-misōwanācihtāhk.
namōya ōta kāh-kīhtwām ta-kitimahihtwāw.
wiyawāw ta-nakinamwak.
namōya ōta ihtāwak ta-kitimahihtwāw.
ōta ayāwak ta-okiskisitwāwīhtahkwāw.
wiyawāw ohcīwak opaspewa ohci.
okihcitāwa ōsisimīyiwa.
opawāmowinihk kā-sāpōwihtwāw mīsciniwīwin.
mwehci tepakohpwāw iskotew ta-wāsaskotenamwak oski-pimohtewin –
namōya piko nehiyaw-iyiniwak ohci,
māka kahkīyaw ayisiyiniwak.
wīya ispīh iyiniw-kiskīyihtamowin pasikōpayiki
kāwi askiy ta-iyihyīmakan.
ispīh isīhtwāwin kāwi sipwīpayiki,
miyo-pimātisowin kāwi ta-takopayow.
ispīh kāwi iyiniwak kiskisowak awīniki wiyawāw,
askiy kāwi ta-kiskisow tānisi ta-isi-pimācihot.
namōya nipīhtīnān tepakohpwāw iskotew,
niyanān ōma tepakohpwāw iskotew.
māmawi peyakōskān niyanān nikiskisinān
māmawi peyakōskān niyanān nika-nātawihonān.
māmawi peyakōskān niyanān ninawasōnīnān pimātisōwin.
āsay iskotew saskitew.
nipīkiskwewinināhk.
nitawāsimisināhk.
nikākīsimowinināhk.
nimaskawikāpawinināhk.
nisākihtāwinināhk askiy ohci.
nitāniskotāpānānak namōya kwanta kī-pī-ohci-paspewak.
kī-paspewak metoni mekwāc ohci.
kī-pī-paspewak kiyānaw ohci.
ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ
ᑕ ᐃᐢᐸᔪᐤ…
ᒭᐢᑕᐢ ᑭᓊᐢ ᑮ ᑎᐱᐢᑮᑭ,
ᒭᐢᑕᐢ ᑮ ᐲᑯᐸᔨᒁᐏ ᑎᐸᐦᐊᒫᑐᐏᓇ,
ᒭᐢᑕᐢ ᑮ ᐅᑎᓂᐦᑤᐏ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ,
ᒭᐢᑕᐢ ᐲᑭᐢᑵᐏᓇ ᑮ ᑳᒹᒋᐸᔨᑭ,
ᒭᐢᑕᐢ ᐊᐢᑭᐩ ᑮ ᓃᐢᑐᐦᑮᑿᔨᑭ…
ᒭᐦᒋ ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ ᑕ ᐘᔭᑌᐤ᙮
ᐁᑿ ᐆᒪ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ ᓇᒨᔭ ᑭᐦᒋ ᐅᑭᒫᐘᐠ ᑕ ᓴᐢᑲᐦᐊᒷᐠ,
ᓇᒨᔭ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐁᐏᑲᒥᑿ,
ᓇᒨᔭ ᐅᑭᒫᐘᐳᐏᓇ᙮
ᑎᐱᔭᐤ ᐃᔨᓂᐘᐠ ᑕ ᓴᐢᑲᐦᐊᒷᐠ
ᑭᐢᑭᐑᐦᐊᒧᐏᐣ ᐃᑘᒪᑲᐣ:
ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᐊᐢᑭᐩ ᐋᐦᑯᓰᒪᑲᐦᑭ,
ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᓰᐲᔭ ᐱᐢᒋᒨᑖᐦᑭ,
ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᐱᓯᐢᑭᐘᐠ ᓇᒪᑏᑤᐏ,
ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᐃᔨᓂᐘᐠ ᐘᓂᑭᐢᑭᓯᑐᑤᐏ,
ᐃᑯᑕ ᐅᐢᑭ ᐯᔭᑮᓵᓇᐠ ᑕ ᐸᓯᑰᐘᐠ᙮
ᓇᒨᔭ ᒣᑐᓂ ᑿᔭᐢᐠ᙮
ᓇᒨᔭ ᐁᑳ ᐁ ᒨᓰᐦᑖᑤᐤ᙮
ᒫᑲ ᐁ ᑭᐢᑭᓯᑤᐤ᙮
ᑕ ᑭᐢᑭᓱᐘᐠ ᐅᓂᑲᒧᓂᐚᐘ᙮
ᑕ ᑭᐢᑭᓱᐘᐠ ᐅᐲᑭᐢᑵᐏᔨᓄᐚᐘ᙮
ᑕ ᑭᐢᑭᓱᐘᐠ ᐅᑎᓰᐦᑤᐏᓄᐚᐘ᙮
ᑕ ᑭᐢᑭᓱᐘᐠ ᓂᐢᑕᒼ ᐅᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒧᐏᓂᐚᐘ᙮
ᐊᓯᒋ ᑕ ᒦᔮᐘᐠ ᑭᔮᐱᐨ ᐯᔭᒁᐤ᙮
ᒭᐦᒋ ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ ᐃᔨᓂᐘᐠ ᑕ ᓇᐘᓲᓇᒷᐠ ᐱᒫᒋᐦᐆᐏ ᒣᐢᑲᓇᐤ᙮
ᑕ ᓇᐘᓲᓇᒷᐠ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑮᑿᐩ ᑮᑳᐨ ᑳ ᑮ ᐘᓂᐸᔨᐠ᙮
ᑕ ᐲᑭᐢᑵᐘᐠ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑮᑳᐨ ᑳ ᑮ ᑭᐱᓇᒥᕽ᙮
ᑕ ᑳᑮᒋᐦᑖᐘᐠ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑳ ᑮ ᑲᑵ ᒥᓲᐘᓈᒋᐦᑖᕽ᙮
ᓇᒨᔭ ᐆᑕ ᑳᐦ ᑮᐦᑤᒼ ᑕ ᑭᑎᒪᐦᐃᐦᑤᐤ᙮
ᐏᔭᐚᐤ ᑕ ᓇᑭᓇᒷᐠ᙮
ᓇᒨᔭ ᐆᑕ ᐃᐦᑖᐘᐠ ᑕ ᑭᑎᒪᐦᐃᐦᑤᐤ᙮
ᐆᑕ ᐊᔮᐘᐠ ᑕ ᐅᑭᐢᑭᓯᑤᐑᐦᑕᐦᒁᐤ᙮
ᐏᔭᐚᐤ ᐅᐦᒌᐘᐠ ᐅᐸᐢᐯᐘ ᐅᐦᒋ᙮
ᐅᑭᐦᒋᑖᐘ ᐆᓯᓯᒦᔨᐘ᙮
ᐅᐸᐚᒧᐏᓂᕽ ᑳ ᓵᐴᐏᐦᑤᐤ ᒦᐢᒋᓂᐑᐏᐣ᙮
ᒭᐦᒋ ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ ᑕ ᐚᓴᐢᑯᑌᓇᒷᐠ ᐅᐢᑭ ᐱᒧᐦᑌᐏᐣ –
ᓇᒨᔭ ᐱᑯ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏᔨᓂᐘᐠ ᐅᐦᒋ,
ᒫᑲ ᑲᐦᑮᔭᐤ ᐊᔨᓯᔨᓂᐘᐠ᙮
ᐑᔭ ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᐃᔨᓂᐤ ᑭᐢᑮᔨᐦᑕᒧᐏᐣ ᐸᓯᑰᐸᔨᑭ
ᑳᐏ ᐊᐢᑭᐩ ᑕ ᐃᔨᐦᔩᒪᑲᐣ᙮
ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᐃᓯᐦᑤᐏᐣ ᑳᐏ ᓯᐿᐸᔨᑭ,
ᒥᔪ ᐱᒫᑎᓱᐏᐣ ᑳᐏ ᑕ ᑕᑯᐸᔪᐤ᙮
ᐃᐢᐲᐦ ᑳᐏ ᐃᔨᓂᐘᐠ ᑭᐢᑭᓱᐘᐠ ᐊᐑᓂᑭ ᐏᔭᐚᐤ,
ᐊᐢᑭᐩ ᑳᐏ ᑕ ᑭᐢᑭᓱᐤ ᑖᓂᓯ ᑕ ᐃᓯ ᐱᒫᒋᐦᐅᐟ᙮
ᓇᒨᔭ ᓂᐲᐦᑏᓈᐣ ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ,
ᓂᔭᓈᐣ ᐆᒪ ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑇᐤ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ᙮
ᒫᒪᐏ ᐯᔭᑰᐢᑳᐣ ᓂᔭᓈᐣ ᓂᑭᐢᑭᓯᓈᐣ
ᒫᒪᐏ ᐯᔭᑰᐢᑳᐣ ᓂᔭᓈᐣ ᓂᑲ ᓈᑕᐏᐦᐅᓈᐣ᙮
ᒫᒪᐏ ᐯᔭᑰᐢᑳᐣ ᓂᔭᓈᐣ
ᓂᓇᐘᓲᓃᓈᐣ ᐱᒫᑎᓲᐏᐣ᙮
ᐋᓴᐩ ᐃᐢᑯᑌᐤ ᓴᐢᑭᑌᐤ᙮
ᓂᐲᑭᐢᑵᐏᓂᓈᕽ᙮
ᓂᑕᐚᓯᒥᓯᓈᕽ᙮
ᓂᑳᑮᓯᒧᐏᓂᓈᕽ᙮
ᓂᒪᐢᑲᐏᑳᐸᐏᓂᓈᕽ᙮
ᓂᓵᑭᐦᑖᐏᓂᓈᕽ ᐊᐢᑭᐩ ᐅᐦᒋ᙮
ᓂᑖᓂᐢᑯᑖᐹᓈᓇᐠ ᓇᒨᔭ ᑿᐣᑕ ᑮ ᐲ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐸᐢᐯᐘᐠ᙮
ᑮ ᐸᐢᐯᐘᐠ ᒣᑐᓂ ᒣᒁᐨ ᐅᐦᒋ᙮
ᑮ ᐲ ᐸᐢᐯᐘᐠ ᑭᔮᓇᐤ ᐅᐦᒋ᙮
The Seventh Fire
There will come a time…
after the long darkness,
after the broken treaties,
after the children taken,
after the language silenced,
after the land was bled dry…
There will rise the Seventh Fire.
And this fire will not be lit by kings.
Not by churches.
Not by governments.
It will be lit by the people.
The prophecy says:
When the world is sick,
when the rivers are poisoned,
when the animals disappear,
when the people forget who they are…
A new generation will rise.
Not perfect.
Not untouched.
But remembering.
They will remember their songs.
They will remember their languages.
They will remember their ceremonies.
They will remember their original instructions.
And they will be given a choice.
The Seventh Fire people are the ones who choose the living path.
They will pick up what was almost lost.
They will speak what was almost silenced.
They will heal what was meant to die.
They are not here to repeat trauma.
They are here to end it.
They are not here to be victims.
They are here to be rememberers.
They are the children of survivors.
The grandchildren of warriors.
The dreams of ancestors who prayed through genocide.
The Seventh Fire will light a new way —
not just for Indigenous people,
but for all people.
Because when Indigenous knowledge rises,
the Earth breathes again.
When ceremony returns,
balance returns.
When the people remember who they are,
the world remembers how to live.
We are not waiting for the Seventh Fire.
We ARE the Seventh Fire.
We are the generation that remembers.
We are the generation that heals.
We are the generation that chooses life.
The fire is already burning.
In our language.
In our children.
In our prayers.
In our resistance.
In our love for the land.
The ancestors did not survive for nothing.
They survived for this moment.
They survived for us.
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