I am Nez Perce, or Nimíipuu (pronounced: Knee-Me-Pooh). My tribe speaks the Nimíipuutímt (pronounced: Knee-Me-Pooh-Timpt) language. In the previous episode, we learned a meal time prayer. In this (long over-due) episode, we will discuss the words and their meanings.

The prayer in English is as follows:

"Thank you our Creator for this food you made for our bodies and for giving us life. This we want mercy, we ask in your Son's name. Thank you.

In Nimíipuutímt, it is as follows, with a phonetic spelling accompaniment:

"Qe'ci'yew'yew núunim hanyaw'áat,(Ka-stsee-yow-yow / new-nim / haahn-yah-wat)

kíi hipt 'ee néecnisem(key / hipt / ah / nahts-knee-some)

ciláakt'ayn sapóoq'is wíit'es.(tsee-lockt-eyein' / sapokis / wee-tis)

Kíi ku'ús yiyéewn 'inéhmuucix(Key / kah-oos / ye-youn / e-nah-moo-sty-hee[sound of the soft 'x']

'ímim miya'ácpa wen'íkitpe. Qe'ci'yew'yew."(e-mem / me-ah-oughts-paw / wen-neh-kipt-bay / Ka-stsee-yow-yow)

This link here is to the complete prayer in one go, but because this was my first time actually saying an entire conversational phrase at once, it might vary a little in what is being said. If that is the case, refer to the pronunciation in the first sets of links, for those had more accuracy in them.

In this section, I will state the word and then its intended meaning. Depending on the word/phrase, a definition will accompany it for more context.

Qe'ci'yew'yew = Thank you

Núunim = Father

Hanyaw'áat = Creator. This is a proper noun derived from Haní, which can mean "to make, create". Hanyaw'áat, or Haniyaw'áat, naturally means 'maker', but is used to translate 'Creator.'

Kíi hipt 'ee néecnisem = This phrase was difficult to translate, but the beginning (Kíi hipt) means "This, for" or "for this". The ending does not match up with other translations for the term 'food', but in like with the sentence, it would be in reference to the provided food.

ciláakt'ayn = Bodies.

sapóoq'is wíit'es = Referring to us being "given life".

Kíi = This.

Ku'ús = We want.

Yiyéewn = The root of this word, which is Yiyé·w, means to feel sorry for, sympathize with, or to take pity on; to indulge, grant as by favor. The word being used in the prayer, essentially, is "favors". It is an active participle that is used to translate for 'grace' and 'mercy'.

'inéhmuucix = Basically, this word refers to "we ask", but the actualy definition is more of "we invite".

'ímim miya'ácpa = Referring to an "only son". The prayer is asked in "your son's name."

Wen'íkitpe = Name.

This concludes this episode of the #realNDNtalk challenge for Nez Perce. I will be posting another episode soon. I hope sex̣ním' (fall) is treating you all ta'c (good). Qe'ci'yew'yew.