Coffee and Cree

This weeks special guest is Shirley-Anne Lazaruk.Shirley is originally from Waterhen Lake, Sask but has lived in the Slave Lake, AB area for decades.Shirley is a retired registered nurse who is also a fluent Cree speaker.As one of the only home care nurses who is fluent in nehiyawewin, Shirley was often consulted to also interpret for doctors. Shirley shares some great words related to nursing and health care, including Diabetes, heart conditions and more. Shirley also shares some fond memories of learning valuable lessons on the land with her father. She also teaches us some words we can use for modern inventions like televisions and texting. She even teaches us to say Hippopotamus!

Rick Mirasty is a fluent Cree-speaking criminal defense lawyer based from Big River, Saskatchewan. Rick calls Alberta home and has practiced Law throughout the province and is known for his work in criminal defense, often advocating for Indigenous clients.Rick has been described as a "road warrior" for his extensive legal work in rural communities.Rick has openly shared his personal journey of resilience, overcoming challenges in his early education to practice law for over 20 years.In this weeks episode, he joins Rellik to teach some some words related to spring time, including weather related terms, spring cleaning and more. He also shares some personal stories from growing up and spending time in the local swimming pond to mentions of other fames members of Indigenous law in Alberta.

In this weeks episode we are joined again by Les Skinner. Les is a Cree Teacher with the Canadian Native Friendship Centre as well as the Edmonton Public Libraries.and online classes. Les also teaches nēhiyawēwin classes through Concordia University and Grant Macewan University.Les has been teaching the Cree classes for over ten years, after attending them himself to regain his language.He aims to create a community among the students, as well as preserve the language and the traditional knowledge it holds.anohc kâ-ispayik itwēwina - This weeks wordsSâkahikan - LakeSîpiy - RiverNipimohtân sisonê sâkahikanihk - I walk beside the lakeNipakâsimon - I SwimWâpos - rabbitTâpakwân - snarenitâpakwâhâw Wâpos - I snare a rabbititê kâ-mâtâhat wâpos, tâpakwê - Where you track a rabbit, set a snarePihêwak - prairie chickensNanâtohk - different kinds, variety ofPaskwâwi - plains, prairieOskâhtak - jack pineWîhkasin - it tastes goodimâcihowin - way of livingMêskanâs - small road, small pathNîpisîs - small willow, willow branchOskan - boneOskon - liverNiwîkin - I live / resideWîki - homekapêsiwinKatawasisin - it is beautifultahkâyâw - it is cold weatherMihta - pieces of wood (plural)Iskotêw - fireKotawân - campfireKotawânâpisk - a stoveNitâskatahimihtân - I chop fire wood ( Independent)Ê-tâskatahimihtêyân - as I am chopping firewood (conjunct)Ninikohtân - alt verb for saying it I chop / gather / prepare firewoodKîskipocikan - a hand sawNikîskipocikân - I am sawing woodPôna - build a fire ( command)Nipônên - I build a fireMihca - kindling , small pieces of woodWâskahikan - house, cabinmistiko-Wâskahikan - A log cabin

Aaron Fay is a Cree language learner with Metis roots in Saskatchewan. Aaron is an advocate for the Cree language and has garnered much notoriety through his social media presence and online learning via ⁠Tiktok⁠.He currently calls West Kelowna his home but spent much of his life between Edmonton and Rocky Mountain House.Aaron is also the developer of ⁠Kiyanaw.net⁠ ( translates to “all of us” ), a website dedicated to learning the Cree language containing tools and resources.Aaron joins us to give an in depth breakdown of VII, VAI and VTI's and also go into detail regarding animacy within the Cree language.

Aaron Fay (@otipeyimisow) joins us for back-to-back episodes to continue where we left off.In this weeks episode we take an in-depth look at VTAs ( Animate Transitive Verbs ) and also go over some examples, while creating simple sentences combines VTA's and VAIs. We also go over some key survival phrases that you can use in everyday conversations with fluent speakers, which were first created by Wayne Jackson.