A Story in Michif

(the following is a combination of fact and fiction, and is a short story that I decided to try telling in Michif as a way to make myself practice.  I'm not a fluent speaker, so don't take my grammar as God's truth either! :-)

Ooma listwer nimoshom-ipan nkiiachimik, kiiachimiko nishtam oopaapaawa, moñ naryer graañ per, pii nawach taar aeñ shovaazh mina kii-achimiko, neete kaa-ayaayit eetikwe ashpi  ee-ishpayiki ooma kaa-wii-achimoyaan.  Namoo eekwanima piiko, maaka nimoshoomak kii-atawaakimeewak  Wop May soñ airplane aeñ Tiger Moth 1948 chii-apachitahk ee-taashooheet daeñ li nor, pii ekoshpi miina kii-pehtamwak Wop May listwer ee-achimoyit.

Ooma taanishi kaa-kii-ishi-achimoyit aawa li shovaazh, aeñ gwichin.  Kii-itwew – nishtam nkiipehtawaaw aawa Albert Johnson mon kozaeñ nkii-itiyik ee-pashkishikot awiyak, pii mina nkii-itiyik saañ miil kaa-pimbahtaachik lii pwalis peeyak aeñ zhornii – kiyaamiko sis lii shyen ee-nipoyit.  Niya maaka, baeñ ashkaaw nkii-atoshkawaawak lii pwalis kom “special constable” eekohchi ee-wehchii-kakwechimikoyaan chii-pee-wiichiitohteyaan  kaa-otinamaachik aawa miseu Johnson. Boy kshinew! Mwaeñ sinkaen, pii Nkiipimbahtaanaan teut la shmaeñ eeka chii-ahkwachiyaahk.

Kaa-tahkoshiniyaahk niwaapahten kaa-miyo-waashikahikanihkiishtamaashot, mashkoch saañ pye la rivyer ohchi.  Shipwehtee! Kititaanaan, aata makeekwee itwew, itiko.  Ndatipashkishichikaanaan – aawa Johnson neeyap pashkishwew.  Mitoni kwayeshk pashkishwew, ndohchikshkeyhitenaan ee-kshkeyihtahk keekwaay ee-oshitahk.  Bimishinenaan ee-peehoyaahk li dynamite chii-tihkiteek, pii apre peeyak niiyanaan, aeñ pwalis nditeyihten, kiiashtaaw oñhi li dynamite aañ diseu daeñ li kovarcheur.  Metoni kiimishipooshkopayin!

Nkiipimbahtenaan aañ navaañ chii-kanawaapahtamaahk keekwee ee-ishpayit avik wiya.  Toudaenkou kiiyapich ati-pshkishichikew aawa Johnson! Baeñ, iliti den trou etikwe kaa-poshkopayit kahkiyaw, pii peepimbahtaayaahki  eekwa kii-ati-pashkishwew soñ fiizii kiiyapich.  Namoo nawach li dynamite nkii-ayaaanaan ekohchi ee-kiiweeyaahk dan l’aklavik ishi – por awa li Mountie, King kaa-ishinikaashot aashay li trwazyem fwe den semen.

Kiyuashpi neetee kaa-ayaayaahk makeekwee kii-itwew awa kaa-taashochiket ee-kiishkwet, peeyak keekwee piiko nkiipeehtenaan, kii-kihchii-paahpiiw kaa-ati-kiiweeyahk, tashkooch eei-kishkeyihtahk aashaay makeekwee chii-oshitahk chii-miyopayihk kahkiyaw.

Kaa-asheekiiweeyaahk neetee, araañ la rivyer li raadoo,  ashaa kayaash ashpin awa lom, soo ngii-ati-pimichishahikaanaan.  Lii shyen ngii-ayaanaan, wiya maaka makeekwee.  Lii sleigh ngii-wiichi-oochipitenaan, wiya kiitahkonew deu saañ pwa daeñ soñ doo.  (nayoomeew?), maaka kiyeuashpi peyak aeñ mil itohteyaahki, djeu kii-pimbahtaaw aawa – itwew.

Mashkooch 50 miles par zhour , avik sii rachet pezaañ.  Apre dzii jeur aashay saeñ saañ mil kii-itohtew.

Ooma la zhornii ngiipehten awiyek ee-pashkishwet eetikwe.  Kshinew, kahkiyaaw peehtakoshiw wahyaaw ohchi, soo nd-ati-pimbahtaanaan.  Ee-pee-tahkoshiniyaahk behtenaan Millen-wa kii-pashkishwew.  Piiko wiya aeñ pwalis neete, soo neeyap Aklavik ishi ndoo-itohtenaan chii-ohchi-kshkeyitamaahk keekwaay eekwa chii-oshitayaahk.

Ooma li swer enn taañpet pee-pootachikeemakan, aeñ vre vre taañpet. Sis, set –tikwe jeur ati-pootachikeemakan.  Ati-ndonamwayaahk awaa kiiyapich mooya nkiikshkeyihtenaan taandee ishi ee-itohtet.  Ndihteyihtenaan mashkooch ekwaana kiishipwehtew oo seu, maaka ee-ndonamwaayaahk neetee namawiyek ngii-mishkawaaw.  Eekwa eesa moñ boñ frer, dan li nor eagle plains ohchi ee-maachiit, lii pist waapahtam.  Waapahtam neete ita awiyek noo kwayeshk lii rachet kaa-apachitahk ee-pimohtet.  Itohtew pii wiihtamaaw lii pwalis keekwee waapahtahk.  Noo taapweemiko eesa – noo taapweehtamwak kashkitahk awiyak chii-aawaachimehk oñhi lii moñtaaygn, maaka kii-oshitaaw – kii-itohtew lot bor lii moñtaaygn richardsons den graañd taañpet, mwaeñ swasaañ ee-kshinaak, ee-tipishkaak.

Awa l’om namateew avek pat traes aryeñ etikwe, soo ngiikiiwaanaan dan l’aklavik ishi. Makeekwee ee-pehtaawayahk zeuskataañ moñ boo frer waapahtam Johnson sii traes-a. kii-itiko

Nimooshom kii-itik eeka oñhi lom kaa-aawaachimeeyit lii moñtaaygn, maaka kiinakishkaweew kotak aeñ nom neete amiskiwachiyawashakahikanihk, Edmonton kaa-ishinakaateek.  Oñhi  lom wop may kii-ishinikaashow, pii nimoshom kiindaweyihten soñ airplane shii-atawet.  Chii-taapweetamaan apre kiiataweew maaka nishtam kii-kakwechimew apishiish por ooma kaa-kii-oshitamiyit ee-ndopakimaayit oñhi kaa-kiishkwyit.  Wop May kii-achimiko por taanishi chii-pimiyaat lot bor lii moñtaaygn ishi,  nawaach mina kii-achimiko.

Kaa-peetahk King mashkooch lot bor lii Richardsons ee-pimipayiyit, kii-itwew, nkii-shipwechitchishaayik avek li maanjii por oñhi lii special constable.  Aeñ reporter Edmonton ohchi kakweechimeeyik kiishin kashkitahk chii-wiichiiyik, soo ngiidoopmiyaanaan chii-ohchikanawaapahtamaahk ayaachi ayiyek neete keema inoon. Kii-itwew.

Kaa-tahkoshiniyaahk neete ite kaa-waapahtahkik lii shovaazh sii-traes-iwaaw Johnson niishtanaan ngii-waapahtenaan oñhi. Maaka!  Kiyaamiko chii-miyaahk aan iitii neetee, maaka nookach ndaweyihten kiyapich chii-pmiyaayaan neetee aan niver. Kii-itwew.

 Aasha kii-ponipayiw li taanpet, maaka kiiyapich li vaan kiipootaachikeemakan. Djeu fwa keekach aeñ aksidaañ nkii-ayaanaan li vaañ ohschi.  Ngii-iteyihten pa graan saans chii-waapamak, pii wahyaaw maana ngii-miyaanaan eeka ee-waapamayaahk, maaka piiyish ngiiwaapahten sii traes-iwaaw, li bor la rivyer eagle kii-ashteyiwa. Kii-itwew.  Ekohchi ngiikishkeyihten taanishi ee-oshitahk, kaa-peeshihk pa lwaeñ la rivyer ohchi lii swer, pii pimbahtaaw lii zhornii aan diseu dan la rivyer daeñ li kariboo sii traes-iwawa, kii-itwew.

aeñ kariboo awa tashkoch la bish, maaka enn pchit – pii nawach oshamayetiwak dan li nor ashpichi dan li sud.

Eekoshe, kii-ati-achimiko maana.

La sis fevrii, keekach aeñ mwa i demii apre kaa-kii-paashkishwet Johnson Millen-wa, nkii-mishkawaanaan. Deu saañ mil a lest la rivyer li raa doo ohchi nkiimishkawaanaan, maaka noo ngishkeyhten tamayikohk lii mil kaa-kii-pimipayit ekwana, mashkoch hwit saañ mil?

Kaanatoonikechikeechik kii-peepichinaan Johnson ishi.  Peyakwaaw ee-waapamikot kii-machi-paapashkishwaatiwak.  Peeyak aeñ shovaazh kaandonikechiket kii-pichiw aan aryer Johnson-wa, pii kii-pashkishwew.  Kaa-poni-pashkishweyit kii-kanawaapameewak taanshi ee-ishinaakoshit – hwit fwa kiipashkishwaaw, maaka moo kii-poni-pashkishwechikew.  Kii-itwew

Apre kaa-tohtahayaahk dan li Aklavik ishi niishta niwaapamaaw. boy siit iifreyaan.  Yaenk aeñ pchi ekwaana, maaka keekach saañ pwa kiipimohtaataw.  Kiipimohtaataw mil pyas nawachiko, pii en swis rouzh por li maanzhii. Ekooma piiko. Kii-itwew

Eekwanima kahkiyaaw ee-kishkeyihtamaan por eekwanima li trapper kaakiishkwet.  Namoo ahpo eekishkeyihtamaan kiishin Johnson soñ vre nom, maaka shpaans namawiyak eekishkeyihtahk.  Nimooshomipan tahpitaaw kii-itwew “aeñ vre lom awa."  Nkii-itik teut lii zotr saseur dan li nor ohchi metoni kiikishiiteeyimeewak ekoñhi por ekooma kaakiikashkitamiyihk, ee-taapaashiiyit lii pwalis, kiikischiiteyimewak wiya eekohchi, akooz wiyawaaw ohchi wiiya, aeñ saseur.  Apshiishiiyaani niya nkiiachimik por oñhi, por gunanoot, por kahkiyaaw oñhi ishiyiniwa kaakischiiteyimikaashoyit.

Eekoshe pitimaa