Editor’s note: The November and December 2025 editions of the print Hownikan will be combined into one Holiday edition. The column published here is available online only.
By Justin Neely, CPN Language Department Director
Bozho jayek (Hello everyone),
Ni je na ginwa? How are you all?
Here are some fall words. You can use the dictionary at potawatomidictionary.com to hear an audio file for these words. On Oct. 21 we will have had our community game night. We will let you know how it turned out next month. We should be hosting our annual Winter Story telling event not too far down the road, so pay attention for updates.
Shelly just wrapped up her Beginner Class and will be doing a four-week online course that will be wrapping up in November.
I am teaching an intermediate/advanced class which meets from 3-5 p.m. every Thursday, both on site and online. If you are interested in any of our language department offerings, please contact us at [email protected].
Our newest online course is at 7000.org. For a more detailed explanation of the course as well as how to use it, go to our YouTube Channel at cpn.news/7000tutorial. It is based on rooms in the house so kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom etc. It then expands out to going out to eat, doctors visit, etc. It is very audio heavy with little grammatical information, it’s just full of everyday sentences. Check it out if you get a chance.
Dgwaget kedwnen: Fall words
Zégkonye — he/she dresses up scaring (zahg cone yay)
Biskonye — he/she gets dressed (bees cone yay)
Giskonye — he/she gets undressed (gees cone yay)
Zégkonyewen — costume for Halloween (zahg cone yay win)
Mkede-kazho — black cat (mkuhday kah zhoe)
Kenandep — skull (kay nahn dep)
Nébowadzet — zombie
Nébowadzejek — zombies (nay bow wad zit)
Méndozet — witch (man do zit)
Gwétajchegen — scare crow (gwuh tach cheh gihn)
Zawbogya — leaves are turning color (zow bowg yah)
Watébgya — leaves are changing color (wah tehb geeyah)
Datbek — leaf (dot buck)
datbegon/datbegwen — leaves
Mawdoshk’an — rake something (mow doshke ahn)
Mawdoshkegen — rake (mow doshkay gihn)
Wabgon — pumpkin (wahb goen)
Tkéyamget — it is cool (weather) (tuh kay yam git)
Zég’a — scare someone (zahg ah) This has to be conjugated, as do all the verbs.
Zégze — he/she is scared (zahg zay)
Mshimen-bitojishkwegen — apple pie (muhsheemen beetojeeshkwaygihn)
Wabgon-bitojishkwegen — pumpkin pie (wahb goen beetojeeshkwaygihn)
Jibé gishget — Halloween (jeebay geeshgit)
Migwétch gishget — Thanksgiving (meegwech geesh get)
Dgwaget — fall (dgwah get)
Shkode — fire (shkoday)
Waboyan — blanket (wahbow yen)
Nmedne — my blanket (nuh med nay)
Mishkwén-dabyan — hay ride (meeshkwin dahbeeyan)
Washkbek — candy (washkuhbuck)
Noden — it is windy (nodin)
Zet pkwakwet — football (zet pkwah quit)
Short prayer for Thanksgiving
Mamogosnan — Creator (mahmoe gose nahn)
Migwetch jak she gégo ga gishtoyen — Thank you for everything you have created
Mine mno gishget — and this beautiful day. (meeg wech jock shuh gah go gah geesh toe yin meenuh minoh geesh git)
Kowabem kekyajek, penojeyek,shemagneshiyek mine gétmagzejek — Watch over the elders, children soldiers and those that are down and out. (ko wahb um keck yah juk, pinojay yuck, sheh mahg neshee yuck meenuh geht mahg zay juck)
Mishyak mnobmadzewen mine wjitmagewen — Give us good health. (Meesh yack minobe maud zeh win meenuh wjeetmahgaywin)
Zhewénem gi wéjandajek — bless those who have prepared the food. (zhewanum gee way johndah juck)
Migwetch ode mijem ewi wisneyak ngom. — Thank you for this good food we are going to eat today. (meeg wetch oduh meejum ewee weesnuh yack nGome)
Iw — End/amen (ee oh)