Through the Eyes of the Eagle (American Indian translation in Chickasaw)
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A young Indian boy named Rain That Dances lived in a small Indian village. The village was near the foot of a high mountain. The big city was not too far away.
Chikashsha, chipota nakni Omba Hilha holhchifo, onchaba takchaka mako ahanta tok. Aachompa hopaki kiyoso.
Rain That Dances was a happy little boy. He liked to play with his friends.
Omba Hilha chipota nakni ishkannosi ma ayokpasi. Inkana alhiha ibachokoshkomo inchokmanatok.
He also liked to sing and dance with the men in the village.
Micha hattak nakni alhiha ayya’shaka ibataloowa micha ibahilhaka inchokma na tok.
On this beautiful day with the sky so blue, Rain That Dances was fishing along a small stream near his home. As he waited for the fish to bite, he saw a great bald eagle.
Shotikat okchamali nittak-at chokmasi, Omba Hilha-at nani hotosti afapoli inchokka milinkasnika. Nani ma imo-at impa apa chika, osi ishto ma pisa.
The eagle was resting on an old tree stump not far from where he sat. He had never seen this great bird so close.
Osi-at foha itti sipokni akoloka ma, hopaki kiyoso abinnilika.
Foshi ishto milinkasi ikpiso chatok.
Now eagles always fly away when a person comes too close. But for some reason, this great bird just stayed where he was as Rain That Dances came close to the bird. Rain That Dances thought the eagle was hurt and could not fly away. As he got closer, Rain That Dances saw the bird was not hurt at all.
Osi-at howakaa hattak-at milinkasi onama. Kanimika foshi ishto ma ikkannalloka Omba Hilha–at milinkasi onnaka. Omba Hilha-at osi mako nanna hotopa yammako wakaa kiyo ahoba imaba. Milinkasi onaka osi-at nanna inkanimo.
“Mr. Eagle, what is wrong with you?” Rain That Dances said out loud. There must be something else wrong with the great bird. But he did not know what it was.
Osi nanta chikatimi? Omba Hilha kallochi aachika. Nanna ila inkanimi foshi ishto ma. Yammikogiya ikithana kittok nanna inkanimika.
“Maybe the eagle will tell me what is wrong,” Rain That Dances thought to himself. So he asked the bird again, “What is wrong? Why didn’t you fly away when I got close to you?” The eagle looked at the young boy and said, “I am just too tired and sad because of all the things I see as I fly around this great land.”
Osi nanna inkanimi ma amanoli chim, Omba Hilha anokfillittok. Anowa foshi ma imasila, nanta chi katimi? Katimi ish wakaa kiyo, chi milinkasi onali ma? Osi ma chipota nakni himitta pisa cha imaachi ma sa tikahbi salami micha sa nokhanglo nanna momaka pisalika yaakni yappa chokma wakaat folotalika.
Rain That Dances gave the bird a surprised look and asked, “What do you mean? I look around here and it is just beautiful! See, the sun is shining. There are beautiful white clouds in the sky. The river has plenty of fish for you to eat, even though the fish won’t bite my fishhook. So there is nothing to be sad about.”
Omba Hilha foshi pisa cha imasilhhaa, nanta ishaachi? Folotali pisalika chokmasi nanna momaka. Pisa, hashi-at toomi. Hoshonti-at tohbika chokmasi. Abookshi-at nani lawa, ishpabika nani-at impa kiyogiya. Yammako chi nokhanglona
“You are right! It still looks beautiful!” replied the eagle. But the great bird thought about the stories the Old Wise Eagle used to tell about the things he saw as he flew to tell about the things he saw as he flew around. Now things had changed.
Ish ayalhlhi. Chokmasi katimi! Oshi aachikat. Foshi ishto ma anokfillika oshi sipokni imaachika wakaat folotalika nanna pisalika imanolitok. Makono nannaka ilattaha.
The great bird said to Rain That Dances, “As I soar high above the clouds, I see the beauty of the world around me. I see the high peaks of the mountains. I see the valleys below where the water flows in the rivers. I have seen Brother Sun greet each morning of a new day with sunlight. I have seen him say good night as Sister Moon comes to light up the dark sky.”
Foshi ishtoka Omba Hihla imaachikat hashonti aba wakaat otali ma yaakni-at chokmasi pisali micha onchabat chaha. Abookshi-at oka yanalika pisali. Nittak-at hashi toomi micha oklhilli taha ma ninak toomika ashoppla chimmi.
The eagle continued, “the Old Wise Eagle told me stories about the things he saw with each new day. He saw the bear, the buffalo, and the deer. And he saw the bear, the buffalo, and the deer. And he saw your people being very active.
Osi aachikat osi sipokni-at amanolika nittak ilakma nanna iila ish pisa chim. Nita, yanash micha issi pisa cha hattak alhiha nanna hokannimi ayya’sha tok.
Those days were hard. But your people all worked together and shared everything. Hard work and being active was a way of life for everyone.”
Nittak pila kash nanna ishshika kallonatok. Yammikogiya hattak alhiha ho ilbatoksali micha nanna moma ho ittikashshabli natok. Toksali kallo micha nanna ho kanimima ayya’sha na tok momaka.
The eagle told Rain That Dances how years ago, the men worked hard to take care of everyone in the village. They had strong, healthy bodies. They used to hunt for buffalo and deer for this was food for the village.
Osi ma Omba Hilha imaachika hopaki kash hattak alhiha hotoksali kallo micha ho tapila ayya’sha. Haknip-at kilimpi micha lokchina natok. Yanash micha issi ta howwata cha howapa natok.
The women worked hard taking care of their families. They planted seeds in Mother Earth to grow the foods that kept their families healthy and strong. The children helped with the chores. But they also played with each other.
Ihoo alhiha-at hotoksali kallo inchipota, ihattak apilaka. Osaaposhi nanna ho okchi nanna hoawapa chika ho kilimpa micha holokchinna chika. Chipota alhiha ho apila nanna kanimikma. Anowa ho chokoshkomo ayya’sha
“Now as I fly around, I do not see the children playing and moving around like the Old Wise Eagle used to see. Children are also eating foods that are not so good for them. That makes me sad.”
Makono wakaat folotalika chipota alhiha hochokoshkomo akpiso micha nanna ho kannimakma osi sipokni pisanatok. Chipota alhihat impa apama chokma kiyo apa yammi. Yammako sa nokhanglo yammi.
“Why should this make you sad?” asked Rain That Dances.
Katimi chi nakhanglo? Omba Hilha asilhhaka
“I am sad because this makes people get sick. They are not as healthy as they can be,” said the eagle. “Many of your elders are sick now with a disease they call diabetes.
Sa nokhanglo yammi hattak alhiha howabikaka. Yammako haknip-at
Ilokchina kiyo, osi aachikat. Po sipokni lawaka howabika shokola inchahaa, diabetes nahollo aachi.
And the young children will get it too unless they make changes in their lives.”
Chipota himmitta alhiha akoya ishshaachi nanna ila hokanimimakila
Rain That Dances was quiet for a few minutes as he thought about the people in the village. He thought of the elders who could no longer seethe beauty around them because their eyes could not see. He thought about the people who were sick. He also thought of the people who could no longer walk but used wheelchairs to get around.
Omba Hilhla chokkilissa cha hattak alhiha yamma ayya’shaka ishtanokfilli tok. Po sipokni alhiha nanna ho pisa kiyo. Hattak alhiha hoabika micha nowa kiyokit taha, ombinnili channali ombinnili mako aya.
He had never thought of these things before but now knew the eagle was right.
Tingbakash nanna yamma chomi anokfilli kiyokittok, makono ithana osi-at nanna aachikit ayalhlhika.
“You do have reasons to be sad,” said Rain That Dances. “Now I am sad too. What can I do to help my people be strong and healthy again?” asked Rain That Dances.
Chi nakhangloka hibika Omba Hilha aachikat. Anokogaya sa nokhanglo. Nanta katimalani, hattak alhiha apila sa banna, anowa ho lokchina chika Omba Hilha asilhha.
The eagle looked at the young boy and said, “I had a dream last night about this very thing.”
Osi-at chipota nakni pisa cha aachikat oklhililash yammako sa pokonnatok
Rain That Dances got a big smile on his face, jumped up and asked, “What can I tell them?”
Omba Hilha olali, malli cha asihha tok nanta imanolilani
The eagle said, “There is much to tell.” You can let your people know that that there are things they can do now. They can be healthy and will not have to get diabetes. Going back to some of their traditions, such as the food their ancestors used to eat, becoming active once again, and passing those traditions on to their children are important. In my vision, your people hold the answers. They just have to think back. Now it is getting late and you need to get home. If you come back tomorrow, I will be here. I will tell you more of what your people can do to be healthy and strong again.”
Osi aachikat nanna lawa imanolilaka. Chikashsha alhiha manolabika nanna hokanimachika. Ho lokchina micha shokala chahaa ikshochika. Falammat impa po sipokni alhiha howapat natok. Kocha ho nanna katimi natok micha chipota alhiha imanoli shki. Ano pisalika hataak alhiha ako ithana. Yammako nokfillima. Alhchibataha falammat chinchokka ishshiyamakila. Onakma ishlama yappa antalla chim. Chimanola chi anowa katish chi ish lokchinna micha chi kalimpi chika anowa.
Rain That Dances left the eagle. He will come back the next day. He knew what the eagle was telling him true. He had seen his people get sick with this disease. Now he has a chance to learn what his people can do to be healthy again. He also has a new friend, the great bald eagle.
Omba hilha-at osi ahantana ayat tok. Onnakma ala chim. Ayalhlhika Ithana tok nanna osi imachika. Chikashsha alhiha pisa hoabika, abika okpolo ma. Makono ithana katish chi hattak alhiha sakoffichi bikaka. Osi ishto ma inkana tobatok.
Tomorrow is anew day,” Rain That Dances said with a smile on his face. He waved goodby to the eagle. “I’ll see you tomorrow and I will bring my best friend with me.”
Onnakma nittak-at ila. Omba Hilha ollali micha ilbak-at ifahli osi-at. Onnakma chi-pisa-la-cho micha akana ishmintilacho.
To hear more of what I have to say, please join me, along with Rain That Dances, in “Knees Lifted High.”
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