Harry Achenam | Harry Achenam |
(1)pêyakwâw kayâs, nânitaw nê-mitanaw askiy ayiwâkêsîs, _ êkospi nikî-awâsisiwin, _ kîtahtawê nipêhtên nâpêwak ê-ay-ayimôtahkik, «mâskôc ta-nôtinitonâniwiw,» ê-itwêcik; «mâwacihitôwak âpihtâwikosisânak sîsîpi-sâkahikanihk.»1 |
(1)At a certain time long ago, a little over forty years ago now, -- I was a child then, -- it happened that I heard the men discussing some affair, and saying, «Perhaps there will be fighting; the halfbreeds are assembling at Duck Lake.» |
(2)namoya mistahi kîkway nikiskêyihtên ôm-ôhci; mâka iyikohk kâ-kiskêyihtamân nik-âtotên kâ-kî-itahkamikahk. |
(2)I do not know much about it, but as far as I know it, I shall tell of what happened. |
(3)nama kîkway kîhtwâm nipêhtên. ayis nitawâsisiwin; namoya kîkway ta-kî-âcimostâkawiyân. |
(3)I heard no more after that. For I was a child; I could not be told about things. |
(4)kîtahtawê mîna niwâpamâwak ayîsiyiniwak ê-takohtêcik ôta ôma askîhkân opîhtokahânapiwiyin, ôtênâhk sâkicawâsihk ê-itohtêcik.2 |
(4)Presently, again, I saw Indians arriving at the Reserve where we were, Pound-Maker, on their way to the town of Battleford. |
(5)êkosi pêyak oskinîkw ê-nisitawêyimak, «nîkinâhk itohtêtân,» nititâw. |
(5)Then a certain young boy whom I knew well I said, «Let us go to our house.» |
(6)êkosi nititohtânân nîkinâhk. êkosi nikakwêcimâw, «kîkway ê-nâtahkik ôki kâ-pimohtêcik?» |
(6)So we went to our house. Then I asked him, «What are these people going after, who are marching by?» |
(7)«namoya kîkway nikiskêyihtên. mâka nôhtâwiy nipimitisahwâw. ahpô êtokê ôm-ôhci sîsîpi-sâkahikanihk kâ-mâwacihitocik âpihtawikosisânak. âta wiya nikî-pêhtawâw nôhtâwiy êkosi ê-itwêt. kiyâm wîcêwin,» nitik. |
(7)«I know nothing of it. I am only following my father. It may well have been on account of this that the halfbreeds gathered at Duck Lake. At least I have heard my father say so. I should like you to come along with me.» |
(8)êkosi nikakwêcimâwak ninîkihikwak ta-wîcihiwêyân. |
(8)So I asked my parents to let me go along. |
(9)êkosi nôhtâwiy, «kîkway kê-nâtaman?» nitik; «konita ka-sêkisin. namoya miyo-kîkway k-ô-pimohtêcik. tâsipwâ âta namoya nicîhkêyihtên ta-wîcihiwêcik ôta ohci. namoya nika-tâpwêhtâkway, âta kitahamawakwâwi. âta tâni-tahtwâw niwîhtên êkâ ta-kita-kî-sâkôcihiht wâpiski-wiyâs.»3 |
(9)Then my father said to me, «What will you be going for? You will only get frightened. They are marching to no good purpose. In fact, I am not pleased that the people from here should go along. But they would not heed me, even if I warned them against it. To be sure, how often have I not said that the white man cannot be defeated?» |
(10)êkosi ê-itwêt, nikakwêcimâw tânêhki k-ô-itwêt. |
(10)When he said this, I asked him what he meant. |
(11)«ta-nôtinitonâniwiw,» nitik; «êwak-ôhci êkâ k-ô-nitawêyimitân tâ-wîcihiwêyan,» nitik. |
(11)«There is going to be fighting,» he told me, «That is why I do not want you to go along,» he told me. |
(12)êkosi âhci piko awa oskinîkiw, «kiyâm itohtêtân,» nitik. |
(12)But that young man still said to me, «Let us go there.» |
(13)êkosi tâpwê nisipwêhtânân; niwîcihiwânân. kisiwâk ê-ayâhk ôtênâhk pê-nakiskâkêwak nîso nâpêwak, ê-pê-pîkiskwâtâcik ôhi opîhtokahânapiwiyin. namoya ahpô nikî-wâpamâwak ôki kâ-pê-pîkiskwêcik, ayis nâpêwak wâsakâm ê-ayâcik. mîna namoya nipêhtawâwak tânisi k-êtwêcik. |
(13)So really we set out; we went along. When the marchers were close to the town, two men came to meet them and made speeches to those from Pound-Maker. I did not even get sight of these men who came and made speeches, for the men were all round them. And I did not hear what they said. |
(14)êkosi aspin ê-kîwêcik ôki kâ-pê-nakiskâkêcik, âta wiya nipêhtên nâpêwak ê-ayimôtahkik, «ê-kiyâskit awa kâ-pê-itikoyahk,» ê-itwêcik. |
(14)But when these men who had come to meet us had gone back whence they came, then, to be sure, I heard the men discussing it, saying, «He lied who came and told us these things.» |
(15)mîna namoya nikiskêyimâw awîn-âna kâ-pê-nakiskâkêt. êkosi cîki nitawi-kapêsinâniwiw ôtênâhk. êkwa ê-tipiskâk kotawânihk nitayânân. |
(15)Nor do I know who he was that had come and met us. Then we advanced and camped near the town. At night we stayed round the camp-fire. |
(16)kîtahtawê mîna nipê-miskâk awa oskinîkîs. |
(16)Presently that young lad again came and sought me out. |
(17)êkwa, «itohtêtân atâwêwikamikohk; maskihkîsa nîtawi-mîcitân,» nitik. |
(17)And, «Let us go to the store; let us go and eat sweets,» he said to me. |
(18)êkosi ê-isit, «nama kîkway nitayâwâw sôniyâs,» nititâw. |
(18)When he said this to me, «I have no money at all,» I answered him. |
(19)êkosi ômisi itwêw: «kik-ôtinamâsonânaw. kahkiyaw kîkway otinamâsonâniwiw.» |
(19)Then he said, «We shall simply take them. They are helping themselves to everything.» |
(20)êkosi sêmâk nikî-sipwêhtânân, ê-itohtêyâhk atâwêwikamikohk. tâpwê niwâpamâwak ayîsiyiniwak, mitoni ê-sâkaskinêcik. mîna nisêkisin ôma ê-isi-wâpahtamân. mâka kahkiyaw awiyak, ahpô iskwêwak, awâsisak mîna, maskahtôwak kahkiyaw kîkway. êkosi nôtinên nîsta maskihkîsa, iyikohk ta-têpi-mîciyân, mîna maskihkîwâpoy, êkwa ciscêmâs, êkwa wîhkwêpânak nisto, mîna papakiwayânasâkaya, mîna papakiwayânêkin, mîna pêyak akohp, mîna sîwinikan, êkwa kîskanakêwayâna nânitaw nikotwâsik. êkoyikohk nitêpêyihtên niya. tâpiskôc nama kîkway ê-otinamân, iyikohk kotakak ayîsiyiniwak k-ôtinahkik kîkway, misatimwa mîna mostoswa, pahpahâhkwâna ê-nipahâcik. |
(20)So we set out at once and went to the store. Really I saw Indians crowding the place quite full. I was frightened when I saw this. Everyone, even the women and children, was scrambling for all kinds of things. So I, too, took some sweets, as much as would give me my fill, and some tea, and some tobacco, three pairs of overalls, and some shirts, and some cotton cloth, and one blanket, and some sugar, and about six waistcoats. With this I was content. It was as if I took nothing at all, by comparison with what the other Indians took, for they also slaughtered horses, cattle, and chickens. |
(21)êkosi pê-sipwêhtêwak ayîsiyiniwak. nânitaw nêo tipahaskân ê-pê-nakatahkik ôtênaw, pê-aywêpiwak. nîso mostoswa nipahêwak, ê-kîkisêpâ-mîcisocik, mitoni ê-miyawâtahkik. |
(21)Then the Indians started back. When they had come about four miles from the town, they made a halt and slaughtered two head of cattle and breakfasted and celebrated. |
(22)êkosi êkota niwâpamâw nôhtâwiy, ê-papâ-nitonawit. tâpwê nimiskâk. |
(22)Then at this place I saw my father, who was going about looking for me. At last he found me. |
(23)«namoya niwî-pê-itohtâ, kâ-pê-sipwêhtêyan, kâ-pê-pimitisahotân,» nitik; «ê-kêhcinâhoyân êkâ ta-kî-sâkohihcik. mitoni kitimahisôwak ôki ayîsiyiniwak. niya wiya nipakwâtên ôma k-êspayik,» kî-itwêw nôhtâwiy; «êkosi ka-wâpahtênâwâw ôma k-êtitakok,» kî-itêw otayîsiyinîma. |
(23)«I did not intend to come here, but you went off and came, and I had to follow you,» he told me; «But I am sure they cannot be defeated. These Indians are bringing great harm on themselves. As for me, I am pained by this which has happened,» said my father; «And so you will all see that which I am telling you now,» he said to his people. |
(24)êkospi mêkwâc ê-okimâhkâniwit wiya, kâ-kî-otinahk ôma askîhkân. êkosi kâ-pôni-mâyahkamikahk, kâ-pôni-pimâtisit, miywâsin askiy ta-kî-nanâskomiht.4 êwako kisêyiniw ê-kî-kakêkinamâkêt, êwako wâwikanihk-k-ôtamahoht. |
(24)At that time he was the official chief, appointed by the Government, having taken this Reserve. So when the troublous times were past, and he was no longer alive, people had reason to be thankful to him for the good land. This old man who had made the choice for them, was Struck-on-the-Spine. |
(25)êkosi ôki ayîsiyiniwak mâwacihitôwak kîskihkomâninâhk êkota ohci ê-papâmohtêcik, ê-papâ-nitonawâcik misatimwa mîna mostoswa. tahto-kîsikâw pêsiwêwak, mîna ôtênâhk ê-itohtêcik. êkwa mîna tahto-tipiskâw asawâpiwak, ayisk piko ta-pê-takosihkik simâkanisak, ta-pê-nôtinikêcik. |
(25)Thereupon these Indians assembled in the Cut-Knife district, and from there went about looking for horses and cattle. Every day they brought some, and also they went to the town. And every night they were watching, for it was certain that soldiers would come to fight. |
(26)kîtahtawê mîna nipêhtên pêyak ê-nipahiht payipêyikom, ita kâ-kî-astêki atâwêwikamikwa, êkota cîki ê-pimisihk. kîtahtawê mîna nipêhtên kotak ê-pêsîht oskinîkiw ê-miswâkaniwit. êkosi ê-nâ-nitawâpamiht, nîsta ninitawâpamâw. tâpwê niwâpamâw ê-pimisihk. |
(26)Presently I heard that a certain Nez-Percé Indian had been killed and was lying near where the stores had been. Soon afterward I heard that another man, a young man, had been brought in, wounded. When people went to look at him, I went, too. I saw him, where he lay. |
(27)«namoya ta-kî-pimâtisiw,» itwâniwiw. |
(27)«He cannot live,» they said. |
(28)êkosi tâpwê wîpac namoya pimâtisiw. |
(28)And really, soon he was no longer alive. |
(29)tahki âhtokâniwiw wâ-wîpac. kîtahtawê nitawi-kapêsinâniwiw kiskihkomân-otasawâpiwinihk, nânitaw pêyak tipahaskân nâtakâm isi. êkota mêkwâc ê-wîkihk, kîtahtawê mitoni kîkisêpâ pêyak kisêyiniw papâ-wîhtam, «wawêyîk! kôtihtikonawak kiciwâminawak,» ê-papâ-itwêt, namoya cêskwa ê-sâkêwêt pîsim.5 |
(29)Always, camp was moved at short intervals. Presently we went and pitched camp by Cut-Knife's Lookout, about a mile to the north. While we were camping there, early one morning a certain old man went about saying, «Make yourselves ready! Now our comrades are coming to us,» he went about saying, before the sun had risen. |
(30)niya mîna ê-pêkohikawiyân, niwayawîn. tâpwê nipêhtawâwak otâpânâskwak ê-pêtwêwêsihkik. êkosi mîna nâpêwak opâskisikaniwâwa ê-tahkonahkik, nâ-nâway ê-atimipahtâcik. nam-êskwa kâ-kîkisêpâ-mîcisocik, êkosi niwawânêyihtên tânitê kê-itohtêyân, êkâ cêskwa ê-mîcisoyân. wiya nikisêyinîmak wawêyîwak, ê-tapasîcik. êkosi ati-sipwêhtêwak. |
(30)I, too, was awakened and went outside. Really, I heard the rattle of approaching carts. Then came men carrying their guns, running along behind one another. It was before we had eaten breakfast; I was at a loss where to go, for I had not yet eaten. My old folks made ready to flee. Then, in due time, they went away. |
(31)niwîsâmikwak; «êkâ wiya itohtê kiya,» nitikwak. |
(31)They bade me come with them; «Do not you go there,» they told me; «Come and eat,» they told me. |
(32)«kiyâm nika-nâtâw nicêmisis,» nititâwak. |
(32)«Let me go get my pony,» I said to them. |
(33)êkosi tâpwê ninâtâw. |
(33)So I went to get it. |
(34)mêkwâc ê-otinak, kâ-pê-takopahtât pêyak oskinîkiw, «kipâskisikan awihin,» ê-isit. |
(34)Just as I was taking it, a certain youth came running up and said to me, «Lend me your gun.» |
(35)ômisi nititâw: «niwanihtân. maywês waniskâyân kî-otinikâtêw. namoya ahpô nikiskêyihtên awîna k-ôtinahk,» nititâw; âta wiya êkoyikohk miywâsin nipâskisikan, mâka osâm ê-pêyakwaskahk. |
(35)I answered him, «I do not know where it is. Someone took it before I got up this morning. I do not even know who took it,» I told him. In fact, my gun was quite a good one, though only single-barreled. |
(36)êkwa, «nitawâpahkêtân mahti kê-tôtamihk nôtinitohki,» nitik. |
(36)Then, «Let us go see what happens, if there is fighting,» he said to me. |
(37)êkosi tâpwê niwîcêwâw. mwêhci ê-ati-sipwêpahtâyâhk, âsay kâ-matwêwêk ita ê-â-atimipahtâcik ayîsiyiniwak. nitati-pimitisahwânânak. âsay mistahi pêhtâkwan ê-matwêwêk. |
(37)So, accordingly, I went with him. Just as we ran off, the sound of firing came from where the Indians were running along. We kept following them. Soon we heard much firing. |
(38)«ôki kâ-mihcêticik ati-wîcêwik. mahti nikêtohtân ôma ita k-ô-pê-ma-matwêwêk. êkosi ita ê-mihcêtihk kik-ô-tako-kitâpahkân.»6 |
(38)«Do you go with all these people I am going where the shooting is. You can look on from where all the people are.» |
(39)kîtahtawê kâ-wâpamak pêyak kisêyiniw ê-nipahiht. mitoni nipakwâtên, êkwêyâk ê-wâpamak ayîsiyiniw ê-nipahiht. kêkâc êtokê âpihtâ-kîsikâw. mitoni ninôhtêhkatân. |
(39)Presently I saw an old man killed. I saw much shocked, for it was the first time I had seen a man killed. It must have been near noon. I was very hungry. |
(40)«kiyâm nika-nitawi-mîcison,» nitêyihtên. |
(40)«I had better go eat,» I thought. |
(41)êkosi nitati-sipwêhtân, ê-nitawi-mîcisoyân. âta ê-kîsi-mîcisoyân, namoya êkwa ninôhtê-itohtân. osâm nipakwâtên k-êsi-wâpahtamân; êkwa nikisêyinîmak namoya nipakitinikwak t-êtohtêyân. mâskôc ê-pôn-âpihtâ-kîsikâk nânitaw kâ-pôyohk, ê-tapasîcik simâkanisak, ê-nôhtêsihkik. |
(41)So I went from there and had my meal. But when I had eaten, I did not want to go back. I was too much shocked by what I had seen; and my old folks did not give me permission to go. It must have been a little after noon when they ceased, the soldiers fleeing without having gained their end. |
(42)mâcika êwako kisêyiniw kâ-wâpamak kâ-nipahiht, napatê-kîsik isiyîhkâsôw. kotak mîna kisêyiniw kâ-nipahiht k-ây-atâhkôwit, kotak mîna maskihkiy isiyîhkâsôw, kotak mîna opwâsîmôsîsis, kotak mîna payipêyikom.7 êkosi niyânan kâ-nipahihcik. êkosi wiya namoya nikiskêyihtên tâni-tahto kâ-nipahihcik simâkanisak. pêyak piko nikî-wâpamâw. êwako k-âcimak ôtênâhk kâ-nipahiht, êkwa kâ-nôtinitohk kâ-nipahiht, êkosi nîso ôta kî-ayâwak payipêyikomak; mêscihâwak, ê-kî-pêtâmocik ôta kâ-nôtinikêcik kihci-môhkomâninâhk ohci.8 |
(42)Now, the old man I had seen killed was named Half-Sky. Another old man who was killed was Star-At-Times; another was called Medicine; another Little-Assiniboine; and another was a Nez-Percé. Thus five were killed. And I do not know how many of the soldiers were killed; I saw only one. What with the one I told of as having been killed near the town, and this one who was killed in the fight, there were two Nez-Percés here; both were slain; they had come here in flight from the United States after their war. |
(43)êkosi ê-pôni-nôtinitohk, ati-picinâniwiw, ê-mâhipicihk, sîsîpi-sâkahikanihk ê-ispicihk. mîna ati-mêkwâskawâwak otawatâsôwak. kayahtê piko nipêhtên otawatâsôwak ê-môskîstâhcik; namoya ê-wî-nipahihcik, mâka mîciwin ê-wî-otinahkik, mîna kotak kîkway kâ-pimohtatâyit. êkosi pêyak kâ-manâskwêt awa môniyâs, ê-pâ-pâskiswât nêhiyawa, mâka kî-nipahâw. êkosi kahkiyaw otinamwân onîmâwiniwâwa; mîna tahto kîkway kâ-pimohtatâcik kahkiyaw otinamwân. |
(43)Then, when the fighting ceased, the camp was moved downriver, toward Duck Lake. Then the couriers were headed off. Suddenly I heard that the couriers had been attacked, not with intent to kill, but to take the food and the other things they were transporting. Then, when one of those Englishmen had resorted to his arms and had shot a Cree, he had been killed. So all their provisions were taken, and all the things they were transporting were taken. |
(44)âhci piko ati-sipwêhtâniwiw, sîsîpi-sâkahikanihk ê-itohtêhk; mâka namoya takohtâniwiw. nôhtaw pê-ohci-kîwâniwiw, ê-pêhtamihk ê-pakicîcik âpihtawikosisânak. êkosi mîna piko ta-pakicîcik opîhtokahânapiwiyin. êkosi ôtênâhk nimitaw isi kapêsinâniwiw, ê-mâwacihtâhk pâskisikana, ê-itohtatâhk ôtênâhk. |
(44)Again we moved away, going to Duck Lake; but we did not reach it. Before we got there, we turned back, for the news came that the halfbreeds had surrendered. Then there was nothing left but that the Pound-Maker people also surrender. Accordingly, camp was pitched south, near the town, and the guns were collected and taken to the town. |
(45)«mitoni kî-âyiman,» itwêwak kâ-kî-itohtatâcik. |
(45)«It was very hard,» said they who took them. |
(46)êkosi kâ-kîwêpicinâniwiw. êkwa mwêstas â-otinâwak ayîsiyiniwak; â-oyasowâtâwak. mihcêt kî-môsiskwêwiwak. |
(46)Then all took their camps home. Later various Indians were arrested; they were brought to trial. Many women became widows. |
(47)tânisi êtokê kêhcinâ kâ-isi-mâcihtâhk? osâm nikî-awâsisiwin. namoya mitoni nikiskêyihtên, âta wiya âpihtawikosisânak wiyawâw tâpiskôc kâ-kî-misihâcik nêhiyawa. |
(47)How, I wonder, did it really all begin? I was only a child. I do not know much about it, but it did seem as if the halfbreeds had betrayed the Cree. |
(48)êkosi anohc nikî-itohtân sîsîpi-sâkahikanihk. pêyak niciwâm kî-wâpahtam, ita nêhiyawa kisêyiniw ê-nakiskawât simâkanisa, êwako nistam kâ-pâskisokot, otitwêstamâkêwa ê-wî-atamiskawât. êkosi ana kisêyiniw nipahâw. êkosi êkota k-ô-mâci-nôtinitocik; nitâcimostâkawin. |
(48)Now, recently I went to Duck Lake. A friend of mine saw how a Cree, an old man, met the soldiers and was the first to be shot by them, when he was about to address the interpreter. So that old man was killed. This was the beginning of the fight; that is the way it was told to me. |
(49)êkosi mâskôc namoya kîhtwâm ta-kî-ispayiw. êkwa miyo-wîcêhtonâniwiw. tânêkâ kâkikê miyo-wîcêhtohk! êkosi kahkiyaw awiyak ta-miyoskâkôw. ka-nitotamawânaw kôhtâwînaw kisê-manitô, kâkikê ta-miyo-wîcêhtoyahk; êkosi ohcitaw ka-miyikonaw. |
(49)Doubtless such things will never happen again. Now we are good friends together. May there always be peace! So everyone will be benefited. Let us pray to God, our Father, that we may always be friends; surely He will grant it to us. |