Alënixsitàm! 

Let's Talk Lenape!

Lesson #12

LENAPE PRAYERS

 

       Many tribal members have asked for information on how to say a prayer in Lenape.  Many elders said a prayer in Lenape should come from what is in your mind and heart and not a prayer learned by rote.  We will add more to this lesson at a later date.

 

Comments on Lenape prayers:  “It is our teaching that a prayer be addressed only to God, our Creator.  We are taught to pray according to what is in our heart, and we are not taught any prayers by rote or memorizing the same prayer to be said over and over without change.  Here are some words that are commonly used in prayer and each person as he or she learns more Lenape can then say what is in his or her heart.”  (Nora Thompson Dean, 1979)

 “We normally do not learn to say prayers by memory.  You pray based on what is in your heart and you select your words for what you want to say as you go along; however, since most people do not yet have enough grasp of Lenape, what follows is a sample ‘format’ for a prayer.”  (Lucy Parks Blalock, 1992)

 

 

WORDS COMMONLY USED IN A PRAYER

 ahpamskan                                walk around 

 ahpamskanèn                              we walk around

 ahpin                                            be here

 alàpaèk                                        morning

 èli                                   because

 ènta                                              when

 kàski                               you can

 kehëla                                         truly

 kèxaptun                                     a few words

 kenahkihi                                    watch over me

 kenahkihaw                                watch over him

 kenahkihinèn                              watch over us

 kishkwik                                      today

 Kishelëmienkw                           our Creator (speaking to Him)

     Note:  the word  Kishelëmùkònk is used to talk about the Creator.

 ktëmakelëm                                take pity on him

 ktëmakelëmi                               take pity on me

 ktëmakelëminèn                         take pity on us

 lòkwik                                         evening

 luwe                                           to say

 luwèn                                         to say

 mehëmichink                                 food

 milinèn                                           give us

 nipai                                             I stand

 nipala                                             to stand

 nipali                                              stand me up

 nipalinèn                                        stand us up

 nkàski                                            I can

 nkata                                            I want

 ntënxi                                            I can

 nulelìntàm                           I am glad

 nuxa                                              my father (voc.)

 nuxati                                            dear father

 tìlìch                                              so that

 wanishi                                         thank you

 wëli                                               good; well

 wëlamàlsin                                   to feel well

 wëlamàlsinèn                               we feel well

 wichëm                                        help him

 wichëmi                                       help me

 wichëminèn                                 help us

 xkwithakamika                             on the earth

 yukwe                                          now

 yushe                                this

LENAPE PRAYERS

         As previously stated, the elders say a prayer in Lenape should come from what is in your mind and not a prayer learned by rote. In the prayer format below the Opening and Closing are for everyone, but the Middle Section has three variables according to what you wish to pray for. In each section you will see words enclosed in [ ] and separated by //. This means that you select one of the two or three words thus marked which best suits your thoughts. Do not use both of the words together so choose only one. In one or two cases a word or phrase is enclosed in {  } with no alternative word given. This means the word can be omitted from the phrase if you wish. Under each line of Lenape is a literal translation of each word into English.

          In the prayer the Opening and Closing are for everyone, but the Middle Section has three variables according to what you wish to pray for.  In each section you will see words enclosed in  [  ] and separated by  //.  This means that you select one of the two or three words thus marked which best suits your thoughts.  Do not use both of the words together.  Choose only one.  In one or two cases a word or phrase is enclosed in [  ] with no alternative word given.  This means the word can be omitted from the phrase if you wish.  Under each line of Lenape is a literal translation of each word into English.

 

                                             LENAPE  PRAYER  FORMAT

Opening:

 

[Nuxa] // [Nuxati]  Kishelëmienkw, kehëla  [wanishi] // [nulelìntàm]

[Father] // [Dear Father] Our Creator, truly [thankful] // [I am glad]

 

 

 tìlìch   nkàski  [ nipai] // [ahpin]  yukwe  ènta  [ alàpaèk] //

that I can [I stand] / [I am here] now on this [morning]  //

 

[ kishkwik] // [ lòkwik].  [ Kèxaptun]   nkata   kèku   luwe. 

[day] // [evening].  [A few words] I want something to say.

               

Middle:

 

[If praying for someone else] 

 Wichëm   tìlìch   kàski  [ wëli  ahpamskan]

Help him       so that        he can         [well       walk around

 

/ [ wëli   nipain] // [ wëlamàlsin]   yushe   ènta  xkwithakamika.  

well] / [stand up well] // [feel well] here on earth.

 

[ Ktëmakelëm] // [ Kenahkihaw]   Nuxati. 

[Take pity on him] // [Watch over him]  dear Father.

[If praying for yourself] 

 Wichëmi   tìlìch   nkàski  [ wëli   ahpamskan] /

Help me so that I can [walk around well] /

 

[ wëli nipalin] // [ wëlamàlsin]   yushe   ènta  xkwithakamika.  

[stand up well] // [feel well]  here on earth.

 

[ Ktëmakelëmi] // [ Kenahkihi]   Nuxati. 

[Take pity on me] // [Watch over me] dear Father.

 

 

[If praying for yourself and others] 

 Wichëminèn   tìlìch   nkàski 

Help us so that we can

 

[ wëli  ahpamskanèn] // [ wëli  nipalinèn] // [ wëlamàlsinèn]   yushe   ènta

[we walk around well] // [we stand up well] // [we feel well] here on

 

 xkwithakamika.   [ Ktëmakelëminèn] //[ Kenahkihinèn]   Nuxati. 

earth.  [Take pity on us] // [Watch over us]  dear Father.

 

Closing:

 

 Wanìshi  èli  milinèn  mpi  òk   mehëmichink.  

Thank You because You give us water and food.  Then now this [I can] //

 

 Na  yukwe  në [ nkàski // [ ntënxi]  luwèn.   Wanìshi.

Then now this [I can] // [this is all I] say.  Thank You.

A Lenape Hymn

Our Creator in Heaven - A Lenape Hymn. . .

Sung by Cornelius Wilson to the tune of

How Firm A Foundation . . . recorded 1954

                     

 Go here to listen to him sing it:  http://talk-lenape.org/stories?id=31

 HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION (first two verses only)

      1.   Kishelëmùkòng òs'hakame ahpu,

            He-who-created-us  in-heaven  he-dwells,

            Our Creator lives in Heaven,

 

            Kiluna hàking gëmei ktàpihëna,

            We-people on-earth all-the-time we-dwell,

            We always live here on the earth,

 

            Kishelëmùkòng nèka wëlilìsu,

            He-who-created-us  that-one  he-does-good,

            Our Creator does good things,

 

            Kiluna kehëla këtëmakawsihëna

            We-people  truly  we-are-pitiful.

            We are truly pitiful.

 

 

      2.    Kishelëmùkòng ahi xingwilësu,

            He-who-created-us  very-much  he-does-great-deeds,

            Our Creator does very many great deeds,

 

            Kiluna  kehëla ktàngìti lësihëna;

            We-people  truly  we-do-only-small-deeds;

            We can only do truly small deeds;

 

            Kishelëmùkòng ahi chitanësu,

            He-who-created-us  very-much  he-is-strong,

            Our Creator is very strong,

 

            Kiluna kìchi sòmi kshawësihëna.

            We-people  really  very  we-are-weak.

            We are really very weak.