Page 2 - Six Nations Community Plan 2019

WORDS BEFORE ALL ELSE

Our Ganǫhǫnyǫhk (Thanksgiving Address) is said at the beginning and end of each day, or when
there is a gathering of people. As we gather here to plan a bright future for our community, these words
prepare our minds to have gratitude for what is, so we may consider what can be.

Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Gayogo̱ hó꞉nǫˀ (Cayuga) English

Kentióhkwa! Sewatonhonhsí:iost Swagwe:gǫh, Swadahǫhsi:yohs Group of people here! Listen well for a
ken’nikarihwésha ne káti ohén:ton nigaihwa:kah short while, as we pass the words that
karihwatéhkwen enkawennohétston. come before all other matters.
Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Onkwehshón:’a Dędwadatnǫhǫnyǫh ne:ˀ Ǫgwehsǫˀah. We greet/thank the people

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh neˀ Etino haˀ We greet/thank our mother earth.
Ionkhi’nisténha tsi Ionhontsá:te Ohwęjˀadeˀ

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh neˀ Ohnegaǫ:nyǫˀ We greet/thank the waters all about.
Kahnekarónnion

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh Haˀdeyowęno hra:ge: We greet/thank the medicines.
Ononhkwa’shón:’a Onǫhgwatraˀ hniˀ

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh neˀ Gyǫnhehgǫh We greet/thank the harvest, the life
Kaienthóhsera , Tionhnhéhkwen sustainers.
Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Kahihshón:’a Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh neˀ Wa h yaniyǫ:taˀ We greet/thank the fruits.

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Okwire’shón:’a Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh neˀ Odehadǫ:ni: We greet/thank the trees.

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Dęyetinǫhǫnyǫh neˀ Etihso:t We greet/thank our grandfathers the
Ionkhihsothó:kon Ratiwé:ras Hadiwęnǫdagyeˀs thunder beings.

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Kaié:ri Dędwano hǫ:nyǫh neˀ Deyowawęnye:ˀ. We greet/thank the four winds
Nikawerá:ke

Tetshitewanonhwerá:ton ne Dęsedwanǫhǫnyǫh neˀ Sedwahjˀia:ˀ We greet/thank him our elder brother
Shonkwahtsí:’a Tiohkehnékha Ędehka:ˀ gahgwa:gyeˀs the sun.
Karáhkwa

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Ionkhihsótha Dęyetinǫhǫnyǫh neˀ Etihso:t We greet/thank our grandmother the
Ahsonthenhnékha Karáhkwa Ahsohehka:ˀ ehniˀda:gyeˀs moon.

Teiethinonhwerá:ton ne Dęyetinǫhǫnyǫh neˀ Ojihsǫdahsia:ˀ We greet/thank the stars all about.
Iotsistohkwarónnion

Tetshitewanonhwerá:ton ne Dęsedwanǫhǫnyǫh ne:ˀ We greet/thank him our creator.
Shonkwaia’tíson Shǫgwayˀadihsˀǫh

Ó:nen ká:ti tho niió:re Da:netoh nagatgwe:niˀ iˀgeh Now, then, that is how far we have gone
ia’tetewawenniháhrho. Tóka’ thé:nen agayagęhdahk Ganǫhǫnyǫhk with our words. If there is anything that
saionkwa’nikónhrhen, í:se ki’ né: ó:nen we have forgotten to mention, now,
sasewakwatakohá:ton. then, you could fix it or add to it.

Ó:nen wetewarihwahnhotón:ko nón:wa Danetoh Now we opened the day. Therefore, let
wenhniserá:te. Eh káti’ niiohtónhak ne our minds be that way (appreciative).
onkwa’nikòn:ra. Tho niiowén:nake. Those are all the words

**Mohawk translation from https://kanienkeha.net/blogs/ohenton-karihwatehkwen/ and Cayuga
translation from https://onlc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cayuga-language-Work-Book.pdf
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