Nehiyawewin wakotowin Taught in Ms. Linda Gladue’s Class

Kapawe’no First Nation – In a recent lesson, Nehiyawewin Keeper Ms. Linda Gladue, led a session on nehiyawewin conversational learning for Mrs. Halcrow’s grade 1-2 class. The focus was on wakotowin, which means kinship. The students learned the basic terms for family members, enhancing their understanding of cultural kinship connections.

Ms. Gladue taught the students to identify family members using Nehiyawewin terms in conversation, such as awa and oma; “nimosom” for grandfather, “nohkom” for grandmother, and “nikawiy” for mother. The lesson included terms like “nohtawiy” for father, “nitanis” for daughter, and “nikosis” for son, along with “nimis” and “nisimis” for older sister and younger sibling respectively. “Nistis” referred to an older brother, while “nohsimis” described a grandchild.

Awa (This is …) Oma (This is…)

• nimosom (ni moh soom) – my Grandfather

• nohkom (noh kohm) – my Grandmother

• nikawiy (ni ka wee) – my mother

• nohtawiy (noh tah wee) – my father

• nitanis (ni tahns) – my daughter

• Nikosis (ni koh sis) – my son

• nimis (nimss) – older sister

• nisimis (ni seemss) – younger sibling

• nistis (ni stees) – older brother

• nohsimis (noh sih miss) – my grandchild