Tag Archives: translation

1500 – kihci-mitāhatomitanaw mīna niyānan mitāhatomitanaw

The First Nation Stories Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/firstnationstories/)  recently reached over 1500 likes. It has been a long time coming. I appreciate all the followers from the beginning and to the new ones the page gets each week.

I hope I said and wrote it right.

From the words of Cree Teacher, Simon Bird – kinanāskomitin = I thank you/I am thankful for you/I am grateful for you (#CreeSimonSays).

kihci-mitāhatomitanaw mīna niyānan mitāhatomitanaw – 1500

mīna kihtwām – until next time

 

Poll Results – Cree First or English First

The results of the Facebook poll show that a little more than three quarters are in favour of using Cree first in all my bi-lingual posts and pages. I think I will try to keep Cree first for translations in poetry or narratives (kāwitha macīthihta – Do not have bad thoughts) and dialogue in my stories that have Cree translations available (The Eagle Flies into the Past – mikisiw kayās isi pimithāw).

I wish I could do entire translations in Cree for my stories, however, that would entail a great deal of my time, time I do not have as a teacher.

I appreciate the response from all my followers. I hope you all continue to check out the website. I hope to update at least once a week.

ninanāskimon kā ayimihtāyin nitācathohkīwina. Thank you for reading my stories.

All comments are welcome.

Nōhkom and my Computer Occupation

My grandmother and her chapan, my daughter Caitlyn

When I started working with the Gift of Language and Culture in 2005, I moved into my maternal grandmother’s house in La Ronge, SK. Her name was Evelyn Venne, ōhōsis was her nickname, meaning little owl in Cree. She was happy to have me live there because I was her favourite grandson (according to me).

She asked me if I was still in school: “kīyāpic cī ī-tāyamihcikīn?” (Are you still going to school?)

I told her no, and that I started working in La Ronge. “tānsi māka īsi ī-ātoskīn?” (What are you working as?)

PC belonging to my daughter (nitānis)

I was anticipating that question way before the conversation, “Web Developer kīsi ātoskiyān,” I said. The look on her face was one of confusion. I did not expect her to understand in anyway and wondered how I could put it in a way she would comprehend. Out of nowhere, she said: “mamahtāwi-āpacihcikan?” (computer).

īhī, (yes) I said, ikotowa kīkway. She looked and smiled her beautiful smile because she knew she caught me off-guard. Lesson learned, just because a person is elderly, does not mean they are not paying attention to the changing world. She knew I was in a computer training program, so I guess she just put two and two together.

She used to enjoy looking at all the pictures I had in my computer and was always amazed at the things it was capable of. I would scan old pictures and she would ask me: “tamahkapihtayin” – make the image larger.

How would one say Web Developer? Kohkominahkīsīs iyāpiy kā osihtāt – one who makes spider web, haha, maybe not. It would likely be a reference to using a computer for work, I think. Something like, mamahtāwi-āpacihcikan katoskātahk – one who works with computers. I believe it would be the general term for maybe IT admin or computer support worker.

Maybe one of the readers of this blog has an idea, I would love to hear it. Any words having to do with computers or maybe mobile devices, would great.

Nōhkom – my grandmother

mamahtāwi-āpacihcikan – computer (astonishing/amazing device)

ōhōsis – little owl

kīsi atoskīyān – is how I work/make a living

īhī – yes

ikotowa kīkway – that kind of thing

tamahkapihtayin” – make the image larger.

Kohkominahkīsīs iyāpiy kā osihtāt – one who makes spider web

mamahtāwi-āpacihcikan kā toskātahk – one who works with computers

Thank you for visiting, I hope to include more about my late grandmother as I go along.

 

kikiyāskin/kikithāskin – You’re Lying (Plains & Woodland Cree)

kikiyāskin/kikithāskin – You’re Lying, as in not telling the truth (Plains & Woodland Cree) Audio available on here.

Plains Cree

you're-lying-plains

Woodland Cree

you're-lying-woodland