XML version dated February 14, 2024. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.

146

A Prayer to Mother Moon and a

Midwife's Song for a Newborn Infant

Mary Gillette


tsu tiwenétkUx.
But here I sit.
wetaatuuneeríštA tanáhaʾ witituunawiíšA niiweNAxkuraaNAxwé.
I am going to stand up for it, Buffalo Shakes Himself, that you are seeking.
čiraátoʾ nikukooxiraa- čítA čeésuʾ šinootAsštawiiruútIt.
Perhaps that is what will happen yourself that they will look after (ie guide) you.
Axtóh kanawitiiwiroohuúnuʾ.
Surely it is strong (ie nothing stands in its way).
čituúʾuʾ noowituhneswaawiíšuʾ.
All then it knows.

wah – Axtóh – tiiháʾ wekohnihneesiíšuʾ nikunakuútA čeésiʾ
Now – surely – here it must know it its being that way yourself
weNAxkUxIštáNIt huuNAxaánuʾ.
that you are going to get a name.
nikuwešita- tohnehkúxtA.
That is what we are going to call you.
nikuwetataraapakuunúxtA tanáhaʾ witituunawiíšA.
That is what we are going to call you: Buffalo Shakes Himself.

nawáh – čeésuʾ taanikutatuhnaanaʾíhkuʾ.
Now, – myself this is what I mean.
tsu – neetuhnaa- naʾíhkuʾ niiweNAxIskáʾA číkuʾ NIhúhtš aatohneésš
But – I mean it what you want some a little 'that I learn'
tsu niikohnatUsuxtaakakáʾIt – niikooNUsuuxiruutikú – saNIsahníš
but how we used to live – what things used to happen – Indians
nataraakunuuwaáWI – aniinuhnaaʾuúʾA – witinatoonaahnaniWI- síku.
we who are living – the way it is – we who have (ie bear) children.
tsu tiiháʾ nikuwetAxihnaaniráʾ tsu witiNAxkuutuuneerikú.
But here this is what you want to know but for you to protect yourself.

nawáh Axtóh kaNAtčitáwiʾ.
Now surely I am not in authority.
hawá šeeniíʾU atináʾ páh – niiʾAhnatakuhnaakeeštanaáhNA –
Also the main one Mother Moon – she who has (certain) days for us, –
wah Axtóh nikuwetAtwakaraanúʾAt nikuʾaaxuútA atíštIt
now surely that is what I am now praying for that it will be thus well
NAxkuwaawanú číkuʾ nookananakuuraákUx
for you to be living, that nothing bad (ie no bad way) will be,
kananakuhnaanaawiʾuúčI AhnaakoowikoókUt.
those which are not good (ie evil spirits) that it just befall you.

wah čeésiʾ nikuwetAxunaanóxtA tanáhaʾ witituunawiíšA.
Now yourself that is the one you are going to imitate, Buffalo Shakes Himself.
wah taanikutatuhnaanaʾíhkuʾ.
Now this is what I mean.

wah wenetwaakáxtA – niiNAxWIskáʾA – čeésiʾ
Now I am going to say (ie sing) – what you want – itself
niiʾaNUsuxtaaʾuúʾA tíštIt wenakuhní- WIs šiNIhkurikuunú.
what used to be the way (ie tradition) well when it appeared (ie came to life) when they sang the lullaby.

tsu taanikutiráʾ atináʾ tiNAhunásA.
But this is the way (of) Mother (on) this earth.
atináʾ nikuwešitsiinaaniwóʾ neéšuʾ.
Mother she is the one we are beseeching Corn.

wah tsu wetAtwaakáxtA niiʾaNUsuxtaaʾuúʾA
Now but I am going to say (sing) what used to be the way
šiNIhkurikuunú wenakuhníWIs piiráʾuʾ.
when they sang the lullaby when it appeared a baby.

tsu niikohnuhnaáʾuʾ tiwitinatoohnaahnaniWIsikú.
But that must be the way when we have our own children.
čiraátoʾ koxtuunapáhNIš.
Perhaps I will be truthful.
wačéh tatiniisuuxaakUhuu- naawaanúʾ čeésiʾ atíštIt NAxkuwaawanú.
Poor thing, I used to do things for them, yourself well for you to live.

číkuʾ niinaakukatakUxiína
Whenever you run up against something (ie have misfortune),
nikuwetAxuutaaníštA naakuhneswátAt.
this is what you are going to do: for you to think of it.

tiweneetuutaaníštA.
I am going to do this.
tiwenetwaakáxtA čeésiʾ atináʾ páh.
I am going to say (sing) herself Mother Moon.
nikuwetAtwakaraanáwoʾ.
This is what I am praying for.

First Stanza či natuuneéRIt A tsi ratuunaarika [aha] naaríčI.
Here I stand,
B ariitsi [hiiʾu] Chorus: hawá išehniihiíʾU.
Where he stood. Also its being the main place.
hawá išehniihiíʾU.
Also its being the main place.
Second Stanza a tičé noonakuútA išeewenanuhčitáWI.
An d whatever will be, The main personage (ie his being the cause).
Chorus: hawa išehniihiíʾU hawa išehniihiíʾU.
Also its being the main place, Also its being the main place.
Third Stanza wekohnaraasšteehuúʾU natuuneeríkA.
They must be thankful, My standing (here).
Chorus: hawá išehniihiíʾU hawá išehniihiíʾU.
Also its being the main place, Also its being the main place.

kaakAtčitáwiʾ – witituunawiíšA– čeésiʾ niiwenatuu-
I am not in authority – Shakes Himself, myself what I am
NAhnaaniwó atináʾ tinaaríčI nikunakuútA čeésiʾ
asking of them (ie the spirits) Mother this for it to be herself
nakUheštaniWIsátA tíštIt NAxkuwaawanú na niikooNAxunaaWIskawaawáʾ.
to take the days to the end well for you to live and (in) whatever you might undertake.

hásI atináʾ tatakuhnaahnaaNAsíštA.
Look, Mother she watches over us.
tatakuhnaačiríkUx.
She watches us.
nikohnatakuraakaweeširuutíkuʾ nikunakuútA niiwešiNAsiWI- skáʾA niinoonakuuxaWIstaáʾU.
In whatever ways we are negligent let it be what we want (of her) whatever it might even be.

čiraátoʾ nikukooxiraačítA – witituunawiíšA – čeésiʾ niišinanuutaáNA.
Perhaps this will be the way – Shakes Himself – themselves what they'll do for you.
niikohnaakatakUxiiníhuʾ a – nikunakuútA čeésiʾ – šinaakuhnaawikUxIšuukawaakaráʾU.
Whatever (problem) you run up against and – let it be yourself – that things will be lighter for you.
taanikutatuhnaanaʾíhkuʾ.
This is what I mean.

čituúʾuʾ kaakíʾ niiNAxkuutAsšuúʾA.
Everything you mus t not have (ill) feelings about it.
šuxtaahuuniíNIš.
Believe in it!

tíštIt – wetAxuutaánuʾ wačéh – weNAxkuhnaakIštata- toóhAt.
Well – you are doing, poor things, – your helping us.
tiweneeraakaapaátš.
Here we are pitiful.
tiroohuuNIhuúʾU wekananaatuh- naahneesšú – tsu
There is plenty that we do not know, – but
niiʾaNUsuxtaaʾuúʾA tiiháʾ – čeésiʾ
the ways that used to be here – yourself
weNAxkuhnaakuuneéRIt atináʾ.
when you are standing up for us (ie reviving them) (of) Mother.

taanikutátskaʾ aatawaákA.
This is what I wanted that I say.
nawáh.
Now!