Daughters, Sisters, Mothers & Wives A Cree Language Workbook
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
Acknowledgements Wachay This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce project a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada. Thank you to Heritage Canada, and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development. This language workbook was completed to be included in the Daughters, Sisters, Wives & Mothers Educational-Kit. It is done in the Cree language and includes some introductory phrases and speeches often associated with a Cree woman s role, but not exclusive to her. I would like to thank Mary Jane Metatawabin for the translations, Candace Squire, and Simon Hill for the assistance in putting this together. This learning language workbook has a cd that will accompany it. This is only one part of the Woman s Role Educational- Kit. Thank you Michelle Davis ONLC Executive Director Ontario Native Literacy Coalition 3
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Thanksgiving Cree Prayer... 5 Greetings and Introductions... 9 Welcoming Speech and Song for Newborn... 12 Seed Prayer and Song... 14
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THANKSGIVING CREE PRAYER Naye Nas Ko-Moon Aye-Pah-Ko-Say-Nay-Mo- Yan Kah-Kay-Kay-Pay-Ko ᓀᓇᔅ ᑯᒧᓐ ᐁᐸᑯᓭᓀᒧᔭᓐ ᑲᑫᑫᐯᑯ We always are Thankful daily for the Blessings forevermore Nii-Nas Ko-Moon Nii-Nas-Ko-Mow Ka-o-Chii- MaTay-Sii-yak ᓂᓇᔅᑯᒪᐤᐅ ᑲᐅᒋᒪᑌᓯᔦᒃ Our Sincere Greetings to the One for our Living Being Aye-Kii-Shii May-No Kii-Shay-Kak ᐁᑭᔑᒣᓄᑭᔓᑲᒃ For this Beautiful Day May-So-Way Ka-pay-ta-Mek Oya-Sheeshak Nah -May-Sak Pay-Nay-Sheeshak ᒣᓱᐌ ᑲᐯᑕᒣᒃ ᐅᔭᔑᔕᒃ ᓇᒣᓭᒃ ᐯᓀSᓴᒃ To everyone who is Listening, the animals the fish the birds 7
No-Wa-chii-Mow Kah-O-Chii Kah-O-Chii Matay Sii-Tah Ma-ket ᓂᐤᐊᒋᒪᐤᐊ ᑲᐅᒋ ᑲᐅᒋ ᒪᑌ ᓯᔅᑕᒪᑫᑦ My heart felt acknowledge to the Creator who sustains our Life Kah-O-Chii Aye-Naye Nii-Yak Ma-ka Aye-No- Tek ᑲᐅᒋ ᐁᓀ ᓂᔭᒃ ᒪᑲ ᐁᓄᑌᒃ For our breath of air in the living Wind Nii-Nas-Ko-Moon Aye_Mii-Cho-Wak Kay-Nii- Pii May-Now ᓂᓇᔅᑯᒧᓐ ᐁᒥᒍᐤᐁᒃ ᑭᓂᐱᒥᓄᐤ We give thanks to the flowing currents for our water Kah-Kii-Kay Chii-Nii-Tah-Wii-Kek Askii Nesta Kii-Nii-Tah Wii-Chii-Kah-Nah-No ᑲᑭᑫ ᒋᓂᑕᐤᐎᑫᒃ ᐊᑭ ᓀᔅᑕ ᑭᓂᑕ ᐎᒋᑭᓇᓄ May it forever grow to nourish the land to replenish all vegetation plants 8
Wachii-Kay-Ma-ow Kah-O-Chii As-kii Yak O- Kah-We-Ma-ow ᐗᒋᑫᒪᐤᐅ ᑲᐅᒋ ᐁᔅᑭᔭᒃ ᐅᑲᐤᐃ ᒪᐤᐅ Warmest Greetings to the Earth Mother for our world Wa-chii-ye Aye-Nay-Nii-Wak Aye-Tah-Chek ᐒᒋᔦ ᐁᓀᓂᐗᒃ ᐁᑕᒉᒃ Greetings to the people for being here Aye Tah Pay Tah May No Oot May So Way Nii- Kan ᐁᑕᐯ ᑕᒣᓂᐅᑦ ᒣᓱᐤᐁ ᓂᑲᓐ For their livelihood sustenance for every future living thing as one Chii-Mii-Kway-etch Aye-Kii-Mo-Wak ᒋᒥᑯᐤᐁᒡ ᐁᑭᑫᒧᐗᒃ We are very thankful for the Rain and its Water Kay-To-Chay-Say Mo-Nah-Now Ah-Nay-Sii-Pii ᑫᑐᒋᓭᒧᓇᓄᐤ ᐊᓀᓯᐱ We drink in its rainwater to sustain our being 9
Ta-Pesh-Ko-ch-Siipii kes-chay-siipii Nesta Sagahay-Ka-Na ᑕᐯᔅ ᑯᒡ ᓯᐱ ᑫᔅᒉᓯᐱ ᓀᔅᑕ ᓭᑲᐁᑲᓇ Just like the river ways the great rivers and lakes Nay-nas-Ko-Moon Piisim Aye-May-No-Kay-say- Sa-Wet ᓀᓇᔅ ᑯᒧᓐ ᐱᓭᒻ ᐁᒣᓄᑫᓭᓴᐌᑦ We are grateful for the warm light bask of the sun Tay-Pes-Kay-Pii-Sem Nesta Aye- Was-Tay-Nah-Ma-Ket ᑌᐯᔅᑫᐱᓭᒻ ᓀᔅᑕ ᐁᐗᔅᑌᓇᒪᑫᑦ And the Moon to light the living ways PaKwah-Chay Kah-Ma-Tay-Say-Nan Kah-Yah- Mes-Chay-Kah-Nan ᐸᒃᐗᒋ ᑲᒪᑌᓭᓇᓐ ᑲᔦᒣᔅᒉᑲᓇᓐ May we continue to roam live and pray 10
GREETINGS AND INTORDUCTIONS WACHII-KAY-MOWEN ᐗᒋᑫᒧᐌᓐ. 1. Wachay - ᐗᒋᔦ - Hello 2. Wachay Tah-Nay-Shay-Nah-Ween ᐗᒋᔦ ᑕᓀᔐᓇᐎᓐ Hello how are you doing? 3. Nay-may-no-mah-tay-sen ᓀᒣᓄᒪᑌᓭᓐ I am doing well 4. Kay-May-No-Ma-Tay-Sen na ᑫᒣᓄᒪᑌᓭᓐ ᓇ Are you doing well? 5. Nay-may-no-pa-nen Ah-tah-wiina nᒣᓄᐸᓀᓐ ᐊᑕᐌᓋ Doing well as can be expected 6. Tah-Nay-Shay-Nii-Ka-So-Ween ᑕᓀᔐᓂᑲᓱᐎᓐ What is your name? 7. Nena-O - ᓂᓇᐅ - It is me. 11
8. Tan-Tay-Os-Chiin ᑌᓐᑌᐁᔅᒋᓐ Where are you from? 9. Nay-Nii Kah-ek Aye-shay-nii-kah-so-wak ᓀᓂᑲᐁᒃ/ᐁᔑᓂᑲᓱᐌ My parents are. 10. Wachay Pay Tah Mah ᐗᒋᔦ ᐯᑕᒪ Good bye for now 11. Mii-na Kah-waa-Mii-Ten ᒥᓇ ᑲᐗᒥᑌᓐ I will see you again 12. Tan-Tay Aye-Ohs-Tah Nes-Kay-Siin ᑕᓐᑌᐅᔅᑕᓀᔅᑫᓯᓐ What is your family clan? 13. To-tem ak Kas-Ka-Cha-Pay-shak ᑐᑌᒻᐊᒃ ᑲᔅᑲᒐᐯᔕᒃ My clan are the Owl Clan. 12
14. Tan-tay-aye-ohs-chiin ᑌᓐᑌᐁᐅᔅᒋᓐ Where are you from? 15. Tan-Tay-aye-Shay-ka-pay-shiinhs ᑕᑌᐁᔐᑲᐯᔑᓐ Where are you living? 13
WELCOMING SPEECH AND SONG FOR NEWBORN ᐅᒐᑯᔥ ᐊᔥᒐᒃ - A STAR A SPIRIT Pii Tay Ko-way May-No O-Chah-Kosh ᐱᑌᑯᐤᐁ ᒣᓄ ᐅᒐᑭᔥ Fly in my good Little Star Kah mah chii Sah Kii ii tay Nan ᑲᒪᒋᓴᑭᐃᑌᓇᓐ Let your little being begin to feel our love Kah-ya Mes-chii-ka-nan Aye-na-nas-Ko-Mo-Yak Aye-Tat Kah-Os-chii-sha-wen chii-ket ᑲᔭᒣᔅᒋᑲᓇᓐ ᐁᓇᓇᔅᑯᒧᔭᒃ ᐁᑕᑦ ᑲᐅᔅᒋᔕᐌᒋᑫᑦ We pray in great hope of your presence here to Creation Naye-May-No-Wen-Tay-Nan Aye-May-No Asᐦchak-o-wet Aye-Ko-Wah A-Wah-Shesh ᓀᒣᓄᓐᑌᓇᓐ ᐁᒣᓄ ᐊᔥᒐᒃᐅᐌᑦ ᐁᑯᐗ ᐊᐗᔐᔥ We are very happy for the star spirit received for the little child 14
Kes-chii-mii-Ko-way-etch Nay-Na-Nas-Ko- Mow O-Sha-Wen-Chii-Kay-Wen Kakaykaypayko ᑫᔅᒋᒥᑯᐌᒡ ᓀᓇᓇᔅᑯᒪᐤ ᐅᔕᐌᓐᒋᑫᐌᓐ ᑲᑫᑫᐯᑯ We thank you for your giving gift Forevermore 15
SEED PRAYER AND SONG Preserving the seeds of life is a planting role. As a woman planter of growing many life forms we pay honor to the One who sustains our friendship with the Plants. We scour the earth muskeg grounds for the seed root of potatoes and rhubarb to take effect as our relationship with the Creator has to give form from our belief prayers and songs. We ask Creator for our humble beginnings. We seek permission to toil the earth to sustain its spring seasonal growth. As we prepare to lay the seeds. As we break ground with the soil may it accept our gift as we need sustenance to become firmly grounded. Aye Nah Aye No Aye Nah Aye No (3 times a drum beat) KeshayManitowii`chahii`Nan NiiNaskomoon ayewiiniitahwiichiikayyak Pakaytaynanchiimachiitayak ᑫᔐᒪᓂᑐᐎᒐᐃᓇᓐ ᓂᓇᔅᑯᒧᓐ ᐁᐎᓂᑕᐎᒋᑫᔭᒃ ᐸᑫᑌᓀᓐ ᒋᒪᒋᑕᔭᒃ 16
Oh great one allow us to plant the seedlings of vegetable growth Nay may no tay nen aye kas ka may tah yan aski chii nii tah wii kek ᓀᒣᓄ ᐅᑌᓀᓐ ᐁᑲᔅᑲ ᒣᑕᔭᓐ ᐊᔅᑭ ᒋᓂᑕᐎkᒃ We welcome our energy to release onto the earth soil Kah Nay Pii Wii Tan Ah Nay Sii Aye O Tah Ko Shek ᑫᓀᐱᐎᑕᓐ ᐊᓀᓯ ᐁᐅᑕᑯᔐᒃ We will water its plants by end of day daily 17
This workbook is intended to be used with the accompanying cd. Language translations by Mary Jane Metatawabin 18
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition P.O. Box 550, 16 Sunrise Court, Suite 407, Ohsweken, ON N0A 1M0 Telephone: 519-445-1539 ~ Toll Free: 1-855-368-3072 onlcxd@gmail.com ~ www.onlc.ca