Tribal Language

Maʔúⁿke Version

Wakonda ixamanyi. You are the creator. You are eternal time. You are eternal force. This person I am is impermanent. This person that I am came about due to certain causes and conditions. When these change, I will cease to exist. This is true for all the people I love. This is true for all my enemies. This is true for all sentient beings. Ignorance about impermanence causes suffering. Ignorance (about impermanence) prevents creating happiness every day. Ignorance (about impermanence) prevents showing compassion to myself and others. I am willing to commit to ending suffering through meditation even if I must do it alone.  Aho. 

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Jiwére Version

Heháⁿ::. [1] Hinkó. Máⁿ^Un Wakánda; [2] Ríre iháŋ​e níŋe sdin [i] [3] áñe ke. Ríre dagúre waxóñitan ki, [4] áñe ke. 

Míre jégi th^íyiŋedaha ñí ki. Wan^síge hinjénaŋe [5] wíjigrehi kirára éwa^úⁿna míre ñí ki. Tanhéda wíjigrehi nahá wídanda iwé  éda ñí géna ha^úⁿ hñe ki. Míⁿke aré^šuⁿ wan^síge bróge hewégrahi ki. Hédan mínke aré^šuⁿ ukíhšje mitáwe. Šigé ix^áⁿna bróge nahá hédaⁿ míⁿke ki. Ix^áⁿ go^óhšji nahá upárehi škúnanachi aréchi  wíthárehi ki. Wóparehi níŋeda náhje hinkíkit^úⁿ [6] škúñišgewi ki. Wówítháre géna ha^úⁿ hñe ki. Gahgé ihádayiⁿ [7] ki. 

Aré^šuⁿ  míšdáⁿ ha^ún hñe ki.  Aré gasúⁿ ki.         

 

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Edited Prayer version (Translation)

Alas, that poorly I be!  My Grandfather, Creator God!  You are without end, they say.  You are something mysteriously holy, they say.

I am here existing for a short while.  The person that I am (sitting here), by various reasons, causes it is that I exist.  When the reasons (circmstances) change, then I will cease to exist.  It is true indeed for all people I love.

Also it is true indeed, (for) my enemies.  Again, (for) all living things it is true.

Because life is quite short and (that) they do not understand it, therefore, it causes them to suffer.  When there is no understanding, we are not of a good disposition towards one another.  I will cause suffering to stop. 

Even though, I do it alone.

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[1] heháⁿ::  excl.  pitiful, poor me! alas! woe is me! I’m feeling low (down) ~ poorly! I’m sorry, humbled, remorseful, pitiful! [NOTE: This is an expression of a pitiful, humbled cry for spiritual help.  It is heard as “hého” in songs].   Héha:: wáxwataⁿ wích^e ke,  Poor thing that I am, (in a) humbled (manner) I speak.  **SEE: pity.

[2]   Máⁿ^Un; Máⁿ^Uⁿna; Máⁿ^Uⁿ Wakáⁿda  n.  Creator; Creator God (lit.: “earth maker”).   Wích^e “Má^uⁿna” nahá Š^áge iwáhuŋeñe ke, nú^a kó^o hánwegi Hotáŋe ich^éñe ke,  The term “Earth Maker” (Creater) was known by the Old People, but the Winnebago still say it today.

[3] **   ñi; ix^áⁿ; iⁿ (LWR)  v.i.  live; exist; be (am, are, is); be alive.   be; to be; exist (possessed of a quality)  v.i.  ñí: (I am..., ñí; you are..., sdí ~ srí ~ stí; we are..., híñiwi; they are..., híñe).

     Wan^shi'k^okeñi ñi' ke,               I am a Native American.

     Báxoje ñí ke,                                I am an Ioway Indian.

     Báxoje mín ke,  (FM)                     I am an Ioway Indian.

     Wa^ún wan^síge ñáñe  (ñí + áñe)  They say I’m a working man.

     Ríre wa^ún wan^síge sdin áñe,    They say you are a working man.

[4]   medicine power; s.t. mysterious and sacred

[5]   this one sitting.

[6]   náhje hinkíkit^ún ,  be kindhearted; have a good disposition, be merciful to.

[7]   gahgé iráyiⁿ ,  have made up one's mind. 

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(Endnotes from Jimm Goodtracks. November 22, 2022)

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