https://creeliteracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021SR_Knowledge.m4a The reflection that follows was triggered by a respectful exchange between experts from two distinct worlds. One is Solomon Ratt the university professor, the other is his distant nephew Gerald McKenzie, who has won the title of King Trapper in competition no fewer than 11 times. It is no small irony that each has been so shielded from the world of the other, given their many shared ancestors and birth right.

kiskêyihtamowin nikakî-masinahikân

âkayâsîmowin mîna nêhiyawasinahikêwin

mâka namôya nikakî-pakitahwân

ahpô namôya nikakî-wanihikân

tâpiskôc kiya.

nikakî-kiskinwahamâkân

nanâtohk masinahikêwin mîna tânisi ta-isi-kiskinwahamâkêhk

mâka namwâc nikakî-mâcîn

namwâc nikakî-mâtâhwâw môswa

sâpo sakâhk ahpô akâmi-maskêkohk

tâpiskôc kiya.

nitaspêyimon masinahikana ta-wîcihikoyân

kâ-isi-kaskîhtâyân;

kiya wiya, kitaspêyimon kikiskisiwin

kâ-pê-isi-kiskinwahamâskik

kitânisko-wâhkômâkaninawak.

ᑭᐢᑫᔨᐦᑕᒧᐏᐣ ᓂᑲᑮ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑳᐣ

ᐋᑲᔮᓰᒧᐏᐣ ᒦᓇ ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐘᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐏᐣ

ᒫᑲ ᓇᒨᔭ ᓂᑲᑮ ᐸᑭᑕᐦᐚᐣ

ᐊᐦᐴ ᓇᒨᔭ ᓂᑲᑮ ᐘᓂᐦᐃᑳᐣ

ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᑭᔭ᙮

ᓂᑲᑮ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑳᐣ

ᓇᓈᑐᕽ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐏᐣ ᒦᓇ ᑖᓂᓯ ᑕ ᐃᓯ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᑫᕽ

ᒫᑲ ᓇᒹᐨ ᓂᑲᑮ ᒫᒌᐣ

ᓇᒹᐨ ᓂᑲᑮ ᒫᑖᐦᐚᐤ ᒨᔁ

ᓵᐳ ᓴᑳᕽ ᐊᐦᐴ ᐊᑳᒥ ᒪᐢᑫᑯᕽ

ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᑭᔭ᙮

ᓂᑕᐢᐯᔨᒧᐣ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᓇ ᑕ ᐑᒋᐦᐃᑯᔮᐣ

ᑳ ᐃᓯ ᑲᐢᑮᐦᑖᔮᐣ;

ᑭᔭ ᐏᔭ, ᑭᑕᐢᐯᔨᒧᐣ ᑭᑭᐢᑭᓯᐏᐣ

ᑳ ᐯ ᐃᓯ ᑭᐢᑭᓌᐦᐊᒫᐢᑭᐠ

ᑭᑖᓂᐢᑯ ᐚᐦᑰᒫᑲᓂᓇᐘᐠ᙮

Knowledge I can write

English and Cree writing

But I can’t set gill nets

Nor can I go trapping

Just like you.

I can teach

All sorts of ways to write

Or how to teach

But I can’t hunt

I can’t track a moose

Through the forest and across the muskeg

Like you.

I rely on books to help me

With what I can do;

And you, you rely on memory

The way you were taught

By our ancestors.