Patamaok Xinkwikaonink

They Prayed in the Big House Church . . . Told by Nora Thompson Dean to Bruce Pearson and Jim Rementer in 1968. The story says the Delawares had stopped their annual meeting but some events that happened, probably in Indiana, caused them to revive it.

English:

Everyone was in a strange state of mind, and they sat up all night.

Lenape:

Wèmi awèn chipelìntàm, opàni lëmatahpuwàk.

English:

The next morning it was cloudy, it began to thunder repeatedly and rain.

Lenape:

Opànke kùmhòkòt, alëmi pèpèthakhòn òk sukëlan.

English:

Finally the ground trembled, they were all afraid. They began to scream

Lenape:

Xantki kchùkhòkehële, wishas'hatuwàk. Alëmi sësalamuwàk

English:

and they fell down repeatedly and everything blew away, trees blew down.

Lenape:

këkaihëleyok òk wèmi kèku alëmxën, hìtkuk amihëleyok.

English:

Finally it stopped raining and the world was still.

Lenape:

Pàxkëlan xantki òk këlamixën xkwithakamika.

English:

Those wise men said, "We have done wrong.

Lenape:

Nèk lëpweìnuwàk luweyok, "Nchanilìsihëna.

English:

He is unhappy our father the Creator.

Lenape:

Mahtelìntàm èt wa kuxëna Kishelëmùkònk.

English:

We will pray each and every one of us."

Lenape:

Patamahënàch wèmi èntxiènk."

English:

One old man left, he went into the woods.

Lenape:

Kwëti hilusësa tòlëmskan, shinkèkink e.

English:

He was gone a long time. When he returned

Lenape:

Kwënake. Enta làpi pate,

English:

he looked pleased because he must have had a vision.

Lenape:

wëlelìntàmuwinakwsu èli èt ma linkwehële.

English:

The old man said, "I met a strange looking person

Lenape:

Luwe naka hilusësa, "Nakiskao kànkaminakwsit awèn,

English:

he wore a bear skin. In his hand he held

Lenape:

ahku màxkwi xès. Këlënëm

English:

a turtle rattle and he held his hand up

Lenape:

tahkoxi shuhënikàn òk àspintxke

English:

and said, 'Hoo! Hoo!

Lenape:

luwe, 'Ho-o! Ho-o!',

English:

and that strange looking person began to sing.

Lenape:

òk alëmi asuu na chipinakwsit awèn.

English:

He must have been a Manetu (a spirit creature)."

Lenape:

Manëtu èt mah nàn."

English:

When this had all happened, they began to make

Lenape:

Enta yu wèmi kìshi lèk, alëmi manituwàk

English:

a long building and they made faces on the inside,

Lenape:

kwènèk wikëwam òk wëshkinko manituwak lamunkwe,

English:

Then every Autumn they prayed

Lenape:

Na èshi tahkokën patamaok

English:

like they had done long ago when they lived in the east

Lenape:

alàshi lòmwe èlaihòsihtit ènta wikhatihtit wèhènchiopànk

English:

inside of the Big House Church for twelve nights.

Lenape:

lamunkwe Xinkwikaonink tèlën òk nisha piskèk. .

English:

Our departed ancestors said,

Lenape:

Luweyok kikayuyëmënaninkahke,

English:

"That is why there is the Big House Church, what happened at that time."

Lenape:

"Nal në wënchixën në Xinkwikaon, èlèk nìki lëkhìkwi."

Shè Yu Wëski Kèku

Alahòtuwàk

Mikwëna Tëlekhikàn Pwètanehëmaok Lënapeyunkahke

Moni Ta Nëni

Wàni Lënape Elixsit

Na Lënu Òk Nèl Mwekaneyëma