By Justin Neely, CPN Language Department Director
Bozho, ginwa,
Hello, you all,
Ni je na ginwa emno gishek?
How are you on this beautiful day?
Bédo gde-mno bmadzem ngom. Wawyasto gi byé zhi Shawni odanek. Bgéji nshonajya mget nesh je shawniyek wi zhetonwa ewishkwzeyak.
Hopefully you all are in good health today. A tornado came to Shawnee. It messed stuff up a little bit, but the people of Shawnee will rebuild, and we are strong.
Shishibéniyek nakwnegewen nishokmagewat nekmek shena mine jayek widoktadwek.
The CPN government helped all over and everyone came together to help each other out.
Jeshek ngi-gishyéwimen shkwach shke-bodéwadmimwen kenomagewen.
We just finished our last beginner class.
Nishwabtek bémadzejek gi byé-kkéndaswek ode gde-bodéwadmi-zheshmomenan.
Twenty people came to learn our Potawatomi language.
Penojejek, kajkejek, kekyajek mine penojes gi byék.
Children, adults, elders and a baby all came.
Gaga she Bodéwadmimwen kakendasjek “apprentices” wi byék shode mine dnezwat nazh nish gisok. Gme gishet mine gbe gishget wi ndo-kkéndaswek, gé winwa yowat gé winwa bodéwadmimowat. Noek bémadzejek wi wij-kkéndaswek ode niben.
Soon Potawatomi apprentices will come here and hang around for two months. Every day and all day, they will study, use and talk Potawatomi. Seven people are coming to learn with us this summer.
Bédo manek shishibéniyek wi byék I Shishibéniyek mawjeshnowen gme-niben ode gtége gises. Nwi-o-kenomagemen natsek kenomagewnen mine chikemak “scavenger hunt” mine “Bingo” zhenkadenon.
Hopefully many Citizen Potawatomi will come to our annual Citizen Potawatomi Festival this June. We are going to teach several classes and have a scavenger hunt and play bingo.
Sengo zibiwes nwi-déwégemen. Wi wenet shena gishpen jésh Shishibéniyek byé-nimediwat. Migwéch gode nenwek byé-ngemwik.
Squirrel Creek will be drumming. It will be good if lots of Citizen Potawatomi come to dance. Thank you to these men who are coming to sing.
Jeshek mine ngi-gishyéwimen I skongemek kenomagewnen. Tecumseh, Shawnee, Seminole skongemek kakéndasjek ngi kenomowamen zhi tasomkekosek. Shawnee naw-skongemek mine shak neme-gishgek kenomagewen.
We also just finished our school classes. We teach students at Tecumseh, Shawnee and Seminole online as well as a Shawnee middle school nine-week class.
Bama mine ngoji gaga she gwi-wabmenmenwadek.
We will see you all soon somewhere perhaps.