Lënapei Luwènsëwakàn

A Delaware Name

English:

Today I want to say a few words

Lenape:

Yukwe èntà kishkwik kèxàptun nkàtà kèku luwe

English:

and I want to do the way the old Delawares did.

Lenape:

òk nkàtà lënëmën xuwi Lënàpeyunkàhke ehëlënëmihtit

English:

when someone is given a name.

Lenape:

èntà àwèn milënt luwènsëwakàn.

English:

It is cold today, February is the date of this month.

Lenape:

The yukwe èntà kishkwik, Chkwali Kishux lahkimkwësit yu kishux.

English:

There are many things a person must do

Lenape:

Xaheli kèku kënch awèn lësite

English:

but because it is bad weather today

Lenape:

shëk èli mahtapàn yukwe ènta kishkwik

English:

at this place where I live I will do the best I can.

Lenape:

yushe tali wikia kèski ta lësia.

English:

First I want to say that my name is

Lenape:

Hìtamìch nkatà luwe ntëluwènsi

English:

Touching Leaves Woman is my Lenape name

Lenape:

Weènchipàhkihëlèxkwe èntà Lënàpeyëwènsià

English:

and when my "White person" name is said my name is Nora Thompson Dean.

Lenape:

òk ènta Shëwànahkwi luwènsia ntëluwèsi Nora Thompson Dean.

English:

and I am a full-blood Lenape.

Lenape:

òk mèschèsit Lënàpe nhàkày.

English:

I have lived for a long time in Dewey, Oklahoma,

Lenape:

Lòmwe yushe Dewey, Oklahoma, nochi wikin.

English:

I am truly glad because our Father [God] gave me

Lenape:

Kehëla nulelìntàm èli Kuxëna milùkw

English:

that I can do naming, to give a person a Lenape name

Lenape:

tìli nkàski wihëlan, milan awèn luwènsëwakàn Lënapei

English:

because long ago our now deceased ancestors said

Lenape:

èli lòmwe yuki kikayuyëmënaninkahke luweyok,

English:

a person must first have received a vision

Lenape:

(“Kënch ta awèn hìtami mëshëninke linkwehëleokàn)

English:

so he can give a person a name, he must have had a vision about something."

Lenape:

kënch kàski wihëlat awèn, kench ta linkwehëlate kèku.”

English:

Then me, when I was a young woman, I received

Lenape:

Na ni, uskixkweiane, mëshënëmën

English:

several visions when I was young,

Lenape:

kèxa linkwehëleokàna ènta wësksiane,

English:

that is the reason I can give a person a Lenape name.

Lenape:

nal në wënchi nkàski milan awèn Lënapei luwènsëwakàn.

Shè Yu Wëski Kèku

Alahòtuwàk

Mikwëna Tëlekhikàn Pwètanehëmaok Lënapeyunkahke

Moni Ta Nëni

Wàni Lënape Elixsit

Na Lënu Òk Nèl Mwekaneyëma