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MORNING CREE PRAYER

I say this prayer like this:

Nohtawiyinan Kise Manito ——————— Our father the Great Spirit

Wicihinan mena Kanaweyimina—————— Help us and keep us

Anohc Ka Kisikak ————————— this day

Niyanan Kitawasimisak———————– Your children

Napewak, Napesisak ————————All men, all boys

Iskwewak, Iskwesisak ———————– All women, all girls

Ekwa Kakiyaw Kotakak Isinowak—————–And all other people

 Ota Askiy——————————— On this Earth

Kitatamihinan Ayhay————————-We thank you

This is how I remember this story:

     My late grandfather John Cabry was born about 1884 sometime during the winter months in the United States. He was born Sioux and he use to talk about remembering being wrapped up in a mossbag when he was a baby. He had also remember seeing a cannon in front of his parents tipi as a child and  his parents were killed in a massacre when he was about three years old. The only way that he survived the massacre was that his auntie and his brother took him away and brought him to Canada. He remembers walking at night and sleeping during the day hiding from the army it took them about one year of travelling like this to get to Canada. At that time they arrived and settle at Sharphead and during that time when they were at Sharphead Maskipiton adopted him. It was said that his auntie and brother returned to the United States and that is how he lost all contact with any family members that were still alive.

     My grandfather was a long distance runner in his youth and he used to talk about running long distances for example to Edmonton. He was registed into Hobbema (Maskwacis) tribe when he was a teenager at the time they put his registration date as his birth date. I do not know where he got the name John Cabry but at the time of the registration that is how the Indian agent registered him. They probably could not say his name and they named him John Cabry.

     My grandmother Nancy was given to my grandfather when she was 13 years old and he was close to his 30′s at the time. How this came to be is actually funny it all started out as my grandfather was trying to court my grandmother’s older sister and her parents thought that he was trying to court my grandmother. So they gave my grandmother to my grandfather and it worked out they were together for more than sixty years. They had about twenty children all together and three aunties are still here today. So with this I have to say that I have Sioux/Cree heritage and I am proud of this.

I would say it like this:

Nitanskotapan —————- My great grandmother or my great grandfather on both sides of the family

I would say it like this:

Nisis ———- My uncle on my mother’s side of the family or my father in law

I would say it like this:

Nohcawis ——— My uncle on my father’s side