Nakota Prayer

Air Date: January 17, 2023

Summary

In this episode, podcast host and producer, Lindell Haywahe practices a Nakota prayer created by language keeper, Amos McArthur. Learn both the pronunciation and the meaning behind this meaningful teaching.

• English Translation

  Short Prayer (male speech)
  Adé waką̨́tąga! ‘Father, Great Mystery!’
  Hó namá ȟ’u wo! ‘Hear my voice!’
  NAME emá giyabi! ‘(your NAME) they call me.’
  Adé waką̨́tąga, mitú gaši, mikú ši ‘Father, Great Mystery, Grandfather, midá guyabi i ̨́ š!
  Grandmother, my relatives too!’
  Ą̨́ ba wašté né wó pina wak’ú no! ‘For this beautiful day I give grateful thanking.’
  Adé waką̨́tąga! ‘Father, Great Mystery!’
  Midá guyabi iyú hana niyá wašté ‘For having provided my relatives with wįcá k’uc’ehą, wó pina tą̨́ga wak’ú (no)! good health, I give big grateful thanking.’
  Dá gu iyú hana: miní , pé da, maȟpí ya ‘For all things: water, fire, sky, rocks, i ̨́ yą, makó ce né , cą’ó na i ̨́ š. the land, and the
  forest too.’
  Wamą̨́kaškąbi; tatą̨́ga, pté , zitká na, ‘The animals: male buffalo, buffalo, birds, and hoǧą̨́ i ̨́ š. Wó pina tą̨́ga wak’ú (no)! the fish too. I give great grateful thanking.’
  Adé waką̨́tąga! ‘Father, Great Mystery!’
  Hó namá ȟ’u (wo)! Ų̨́ šigiya nawá ž į ‘Hear my voice!
  I stand humbly and I pray!’
  hi ̨́ kna wacé wagiya (no)!
  Ų̨́ ší mana (wo)! Piná mayaye (no)! ‘Pity me! I thank you!’

SERIES

Prayers

HOST & PRODUCER
Lindell Haywahe

Episode Guest

Há u, Amos McArthur emą́giyabi, Š iyó nide Nakota Oyate ž emá ca no! Dó ken yaʾų́ he? Armand McArthur miadé . Bev McArthur mi-iná . I am learning my language from the material and recordings my father has left. I grew up being involved in ceremonies because of my father. The one thing I did not truly learn was my language. Over the last couple years I really sat down and started to understand how to read the language. I am still practicing how to say certain words as some are tough but not impossible to learn. Just like anything else in life, if you want to be good at something you have to practice. To learn your language is part of your identity of who you are as indigenous person. I encourage everyone to learn a few words a week then gradually build on them.

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