Category Archives: Our Contributors

We are grateful to all of the speakers and teachers who allow us to share their work to help develop more speakers and teachers!

mahti êkâwiya (Please don’t!): Be careful with idioms (Solomon Ratt)

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Arden Ogg

Translating some phrases from English into Cree can have unexpected results, especially idioms. What makes English idioms so dangerous to translate? By definition, idioms are phrases that come to mean something different than the words do on their own. In … Continue reading →

Posted in How Cree Works, Solomon Ratt | Leave a comment

ita kiskîthihtamowin kâ-ohtinamahk: where we get knowledge (Solomon Ratt: th-dialect)

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Arden Ogg

(Following is audio for the title we’ve given this post, “ita kiskîthihtamowin kâ-ohtinamahk”:) The highly regarded Anishinaabe poet Basil H. Johnston is the source of the English quote translated here. This meme is more sophisticated than many we post here, … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio (th-dialect), Solomon Ratt | Leave a comment

Hippopotamus in Cree: Solomon Ratt (y-dialect)

Posted on December 16, 2019 by Arden Ogg

The late elder Smith Atimoyoo told me once that the Cree are never stuck. I think he meant that they’re innovative problem-solvers, regardless of the circumstances. Which means (in this case) that they use their amazingly flexible and descriptive linguistic … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio (y-dialect), Learn New Words, Solomon Ratt | 1 Comment

miyo-manitowi-kîsikanisi oskaskêwiki miyopayiwin: W.T. Goodspirit & The Legacies (y-dialect)

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Arden Ogg

Thanks to Wayne Jackson (the driving force behind the FaceBook group Nêhiyawêwin (Cree) Word/Phrase of the Day for permission to share this energetic, singable Christmas recording that is may make you grin from ear to ear. According to Wayne’s fellow … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio (y-dialect), Christmas, Wayne (Goodspirit) Jackson | Leave a comment

âtayôhkâtitotân: Solomon Ratt (y-dialect)

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Arden Ogg

âtayôhkâtitotân: âtayôhkêwina anihi tâpiskôc astisiya kâ-sîhcikwâpitahki kinêhiyawâtisiwininaw. ᐋᑕᔫᐦᑳᑎᑐᑖᐣ: ᐋᑕᔫᐦᑫᐏᓇ ᐊᓂᐦᐃ ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᐊᐢᑎᓯᔭ ᑳ ᓰᐦᒋᒁᐱᑕᐦᑭ ᑭᓀᐦᐃᔭᐚᑎᓯᐏᓂᓇᐤ᙮ Let’s tell each other our sacred stories: our sacred stories are like the sinew thread that sews tight our Cree cultural traditions.

Posted in Audio (y-dialect), Solomon Ratt | Leave a comment

Silence Memes: Solomon Ratt (th-dialect)

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Arden Ogg

kâmwâci-itohtî ita kâ-kimoskâcihtâkwahk ika kâ-papâsîsinânowik ika kisikisi piyahtahîthinowin kâ-ayak kipihtowiwinihk. ᑳᓎᒋ ᐃᑐᐦᑏᐤ ᐃᑕ ᑳ ᑭᒧᐢᑳᒋᐦᑖᑿᕽ ᐃᑲ ᑳ ᐸᐹᓰᓯᓈᓄᐏᐠ ᐃᑲ ᑭᓯᑭᓯ ᐱᔭᐦᑕᐦᐄᖨᓄᐏᐣ ᑳ ᐊᔭᐠ ᑭᐱᐦᑐᐏᐏᓂᕽ᙮ Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.’ Desiderata 2. natohta kapihtowêwin: … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio (th-dialect), Solomon Ratt | 1 Comment

Rock Your Mocs Week, 9-16 November 2019

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Arden Ogg

takahkiska kipahkêkinaskisina. ᑕᑲᐦᑭᓴᑲ ᑭᐸᐦᑫᑭᓇᐢᑭᓇ᙮ Look good wearing your moccasins.   cihkêyihta ta-kikiskaman kipahkêkinaskisina. ᒋᐦᑫᔨᐦᑕ ᑕᑭᑭᐢᑲᒪᐣ ᑭᐸᐦᑫᑭᓇᐢᑭᓇ᙮Be happy to wear your moccasins.  We love the whole idea of “Rock your Mocs” as to reminder to embrace and celebrate Indigenous heritage by showing … Continue reading →

Posted in Literacy and Learning, Rock Your Mocs, Solomon Ratt | Leave a comment

Prayer for Protectors: Solomon Ratt (y-dialect)

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Arden Ogg

nimawimostamawâwak kahkiyaw kâ-nâkatêyihtahkik kinipîminaw êkwa kitaskinâw. hay hay ᓂᒪᐏᒧᐢᑕᒪᐚᐘᐠ ᑲᐦᑭᔭᐤ ᑳ ᓈᑲᑌᔨᐦᑕᐦᑭᐠ ᑭᓂᐲᒥᓇᐤ ᐁᑿ ᑭᑕᐢᑭᓈᐤ᙮ ᐦᐊᕀ ᐦᐊᕀ I pray for all who take care of our water and our land, hay hay.

Posted in Audio (y-dialect), Prayers, Solomon Ratt | Leave a comment

In Memoriam: Darren Okemaysim – Blessings (y-dialect)

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Arden Ogg

There is sad news today of the passing of Darren Okemaysim at the age of 53. miyo-pimohtêho, nitôtêm: Travel well, my friend. May the ancestors greet you with joy.  (Find the official obituary here.)  We were blessed to have Darren … Continue reading →

Posted in Darren Okemaysim, In Memoriam | 19 Comments

A quote from Gary Zukov: Solomon Ratt (y-dialect)

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Arden Ogg

Thanks to Solomon Ratt for translating this hopeful, positive thought from American spiritual teacher Gary Zukay into y-dialect.  kîspin kipakosêyimon nawac ta-sâkihitohk êkwa nawac ta-kisêwâtisihk ôta askîhk, kiya nîkân sâkihiwê êkwa kisêwâtisi; kîspin kipakosêyimon ta-âstamipayik kostâciwin ôta askîhk âstamipayihtâ kiya … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio (y-dialect), Solomon Ratt | 1 Comment