Ke Gwah – Do Not

Ke Gwah

Ke gwah, g’chi nisaa saa nend mo ken

Ke gwah, gah gwad dem sii

Be kaanih ngwodji niiwin bwoch we

Wade, Mino Ndowendji Ge Kaa

Nwii bi biiyaazhaa

 

Nii weh nkwesh kwaak dash Gete Nishnaabek

Ndah baabii go, aazh gwah ngii-giizhii taa maanpii kiing

Kiiwedinoong ngah ni nookshkaa

Aa-aazh wii-iing enji Waasnoodemgag

Ngah zhino maag Kiiwedin-Anang

 

Mii dash jinkwesh kwaag waa meozhaa gaa maajaajig

Ngah g’chi wiikdimin

E zhiinak kinah miijim gaa zhischi gaadek

Waasnoodeg seg megwaa

Ngag chi-baa-baapmin, meg waa aa-aatsoke yaang

 

Mii dash jini gdaakiiwe yang wade Maanido Miikaasing

Ehni namak Nangoohns Kwaaning

Nemownid yang nwiiji Nishnaabek ni dbikaak

Ge giin went ezhi Nishnaabeoying wade

Mino Ndowendji Ge Ka

 

Zhngos, megizi odoodem

 

Do Not

Do not feel Great Sadness

Do not cry to Excess

I have just gone to another place to visit for a while

A place we have come to know as The Happy Hunting Grounds

To Hunt, to Trap, and To Live as we always have

 

Now I must go to meet the ancient ones

They are awaiting, they have called

I will only stop momentarily at the North direction

Far beyond those Northern Lights

The Going Home Star will lead the way

 

I will meet up with the Ancient Ones long since gone

We will have a great feast together

On bountiful servings prepared for us

As colorful Northern Lights Dance About

There will be much laughter as we share many stories

 

We will then start the climb up the Great Milky Way

Among the vastness of the Starworld

A journey with all My Nishnaabe Relations to

The Promised Land Our People called

The Happy Hunting Grounds

 

Stewart King