A word called Cree

Page 6

Basically what I'm about to say is that we, the "Cree" people, like all other peoples, have to be proud of what we are. We have to ask for and get respect from other peoples. The route I will use to develop this will be language.

Have you ever noticed that when a Native mispronounces a words of the Englis, I mean"English," language he is immediately ridiculed or corrected. Most often this happens when we are speaking with other Natives. Also, have you ever wondered where this word "Cree" comes from.

You'll of course know that we Natives have trouble pronouncing "s" sounds, as well as our "sh" sounds. We at times pronounce "s" as "sh" or vice-versa. We have trouble with words like "education" (sometimes we say "educasin"), "social (shocial), or nation (nasin), etc. etc.

Once a speech therapist friend of mine and myself theorized that this is due to something called human evolution, i.e. our speech mechanisms have not evolved to the point that we easily and comfortably handle the English language. Our throat muscles, vocal cords, jaw bones, etc., still possess those qualities and adaptations that are meant and required for the "Cree" language. It's kind of like the Blacks are biologically suited for hot climates (they possess unique perspiration glands), or the Inuit for cold climates , and only cold climates I might add. So that's why we don't accept this English language

so well: our speech mechanisms just have not evolved, or adapted to it. But yet, we are expected to magically, correctly and properly use it.

So what about this word "Cree."

You "Cree" speakers out there, ask yourselves, where does this word come from? I found, when I asked my Cree Instructor, Emily Hunter, that its usage is so old (and widespread) that even the authorities don't know where it comes from. But we can be sure of this: It comes from a word(s) that we used to refer to ourselves (someone out there might know where it comes from exactly). However, the "hi" (prounced "he" by some) in Nehiyaw could have been misheard as "Cree," and thus the whole word could have been further shortened to this. This could also have happened to "iyi" (ee) in "iyiniwuk" (ee no uk). (Both these words refer to our Nation and our people.)

Whatever the case may be, the word "Cree" comes from years of mispronunciation of a very important word to us. Not enough non-Nehiyaws had the courtesy to ask us if they were pronouncing our word correctly.

It's probably too late to change this now, plus it's convenient anyway. Every one knows what we're talking about when we use this word. But, we can stop our language from further being distorted.

So let's respect ourselves. Let's make sure they're saying "Tansi" when they say "Tansi." Our language is beautiful. Keep it that way.

Shee you, I mean "see" you, around.