ê-kî-pîcicîyâhk ~ We Danced Round Dance

We followed the moon

from January to February

ê-kî-pîcicîyâhk

from dusk toward dawn.

We danced round and round

again and again

just as the sun moves round and round

again and again.

ê-kî-pîcicîyâhk

kâh-kîhtwâm

tâpiskôc pîsim kâ-isi-waskawît

kâh-kîhtwâm

They make a pleasing sound with the drums

so others can hear them from far away.

ê-takahkwêwêtitâcik

êkwa ê-matwêwêhwâcik

Aspen-Raine, her long

brown legs, her long brown hair,

her deep brown eyes, her

nine-year-old hope, dances

round and round

kâh-kîhtwâm

with her long, brown Dad

with her Dad’s tall woman.

The drummers, hurtin’-hearted men,

pound the drums.

Standing in a circle

each drum a heartbeat,

as small big-hearted boys,

aspire to be big-hearted men

pounding the drum.

ê-takahkwêwêtitâcik

êkwa ê-mâ-matwêwêhwâcik

And I hope my Dad and my Grandma

can hear the pounding from the earth

where they rest.

We danced round and round

again and again

just as the sun moves round and round

again and again.

ê-kî-pîcicîyâhk

kâh-kîhtwâm

tâpiskôc pîsim kâ-isi-waskawît

kâh-kîhtwâm

And the pounding can be heard

from far away.

ê-takahkwêwêtitâcik

êkwa ê-mâ-matwêwêhwâcik

The women, strong-hearted ladies,

show us the way to take

steps small enough to meet

the hurtin’-hearted drums,

show us the way

to follow the moon

from January to February

from dusk toward dawn.

ê-kî-pîcicîyâhk

kâh-kîhtwâm

tâpiskôc pîsim kâ-isi-waskawît

kâh-kîhtwâm

The hurtin’-hearted ladies know

just when the strong-hearted men

will tap those drums just so

softly, and the strong-hearted women

circle round the drums and the men,

and when those strong-hearted men

tap those drums just so,

those hurtin’-hearted ladies

sing a heart-song that resonates

with the beat of the drums

with the spirit of the heart.

ê-kî-pîcicîyâhk

kâh-kîhtwâm

tâpiskôc pîsim kâ-isi-waskawît

kâh-kîhtwâm

ê-takahkwêwêtitâcik

êkwa ê-mâ-matwêwêhwâcik