Lenape Tribe Seal

Lenape Talking Dictionary

By English WORD or PHRASE

By Lenape WORD or PHRASE

Lenape Lesson #12 - Lenape Prayer

Alënixsitàm! 

Let's Talk Lenape!

Lesson #12

LENAPE PRAYERS

 

       Many tribal members have asked for information on how to say a prayer in Lenape.  Many elders said a prayer in Lenape should come from what is in your mind and heart and not a prayer learned by rote.  We will add more to this lesson at a later date.

 

Comments on Lenape prayers:  “It is our teaching that a prayer be addressed only to God, our Creator.  We are taught to pray according to what is in our heart, and we are not taught any prayers by rote or memorizing the same prayer to be said over and over without change.  Here are some words that are commonly used in prayer and each person as he or she learns more Lenape can then say what is in his or her heart.”  (Nora Thompson Dean, 1979)

 “We normally do not learn to say prayers by memory.  You pray based on what is in your heart and you select your words for what you want to say as you go along; however, since most people do not yet have enough grasp of Lenape, what follows is a sample ‘format’ for a prayer.”  (Lucy Parks Blalock, 1992)

 

 

WORDS COMMONLY USED IN A PRAYER


Sound Icon ahpamskan                                walk around 

Sound Icon ahpamskanèn                              we walk around

Sound Icon ahpin                                            be here

Sound Icon alàpaèk                                        morning

Sound Icon èli                                   because

Sound Icon ènta                                              when

Sound Icon kàski                               you can

Sound Icon kehëla                                         truly

Sound Icon kèxaptun                                     a few words

Sound Icon kenahkihi                                    watch over me

Sound Icon kenahkihaw                                watch over him

Sound Icon kenahkihinèn                              watch over us

Sound Icon kishkwik                                      today

Sound Icon Kishelëmienkw                           our Creator (speaking to Him)

     Note:  the word Sound Icon Kishelëmùkònk is used to talk about the Creator.

Sound Icon ktëmakelëm                                take pity on him

Sound Icon ktëmakelëmi                               take pity on me

Sound Icon ktëmakelëminèn                         take pity on us

Sound Icon lòkwik                                         evening

Sound Icon luwe                                           to say

Sound Icon luwèn                                         to say

Sound Icon mehëmichink                                 food

Sound Icon milinèn                                           give us

Sound Icon nipai                                             I stand

Sound Icon nipala                                             to stand

Sound Icon nipali                                              stand me up

Sound Icon nipalinèn                                        stand us up

Sound Icon nkàski                                            I can

Sound Icon nkata                                            I want

Sound Icon ntënxi                                            I can

Sound Icon nulelìntàm                           I am glad

Sound Icon nuxa                                              my father (voc.)

Sound Icon nuxati                                            dear father

Sound Icon tìlìch                                              so that

Sound Icon wanishi                                         thank you

Sound Icon wëli                                               good; well

Sound Icon wëlamàlsin                                   to feel well

Sound Icon wëlamàlsinèn                               we feel well

Sound Icon wichëm                                        help him

Sound Icon wichëmi                                       help me

Sound Icon wichëminèn                                 help us

Sound Icon xkwithakamika                             on the earth

Sound Icon yukwe                                          now

Sound Icon yushe                                this


LENAPE PRAYERS

         As previously stated, the elders say a prayer in Lenape should come from what is in your mind and not a prayer learned by rote. In the prayer format below the Opening and Closing are for everyone, but the Middle Section has three variables according to what you wish to pray for. In each section you will see words enclosed in [ ] and separated by //. This means that you select one of the two or three words thus marked which best suits your thoughts. Do not use both of the words together so choose only one. In one or two cases a word or phrase is enclosed in {  } with no alternative word given. This means the word can be omitted from the phrase if you wish. Under each line of Lenape is a literal translation of each word into English.

          In the prayer the Opening and Closing are for everyone, but the Middle Section has three variables according to what you wish to pray for.  In each section you will see words enclosed in  [  ] and separated by  //.  This means that you select one of the two or three words thus marked which best suits your thoughts.  Do not use both of the words together.  Choose only one.  In one or two cases a word or phrase is enclosed in [  ] with no alternative word given.  This means the word can be omitted from the phrase if you wish.  Under each line of Lenape is a literal translation of each word into English.

 


                                             LENAPE  PRAYER  FORMAT

Opening:

 

[Sound IconNuxa] // [Sound IconNuxati]  Sound IconKishelëmienkw, Sound Iconkehëla  [Sound Iconwanishi] // [Sound Iconnulelìntàm]

[Father] // [Dear Father] Our Creator, truly [thankful] // [I am glad]

 

 

Sound Icon tìlìch  Sound Icon nkàski  [Sound Icon nipai] // [Sound Iconahpin] Sound Icon yukwe Sound Icon ènta  [Sound Icon alàpaèk] //

that I can [I stand] / [I am here] now on this [morning]  //

 

[Sound Icon kishkwik] // [Sound Icon lòkwik].  [Sound Icon Kèxaptun]  Sound Icon nkata  Sound Icon kèku  Sound Icon luwe. 

[day] // [evening].  [A few words] I want something to say.

               

Middle:

 

[If praying for someone else

Sound Icon Wichëm  Sound Icon tìlìch  Sound Icon kàski  [Sound Icon wëli Sound Icon ahpamskan]

Help him       so that        he can         [well       walk around

 

/ [Sound Icon wëli  Sound Icon nipain] // [Sound Icon wëlamàlsin]  Sound Icon yushe  Sound Icon ènta Sound Icon xkwithakamika.  

well] / [stand up well] // [feel well] here on earth.

 

[Sound Icon Ktëmakelëm] // [Sound Icon Kenahkihaw]  Sound Icon Nuxati. 

[Take pity on him] // [Watch over him]  dear Father.



[If praying for yourself

Sound Icon Wichëmi  Sound Icon tìlìch  Sound Icon nkàski  [Sound Icon wëli  Sound Icon ahpamskan] /

Help me so that I can [walk around well] /

 

[Sound Icon wëli nipalin] // [Sound Icon wëlamàlsin]  Sound Icon yushe  Sound Icon ènta Sound Icon xkwithakamika.  

[stand up well] // [feel well]  here on earth.

 

[Sound Icon Ktëmakelëmi] // [Sound Icon Kenahkihi]  Sound Icon Nuxati. 

[Take pity on me] // [Watch over me] dear Father.

 

 

[If praying for yourself and others

Sound Icon Wichëminèn  Sound Icon tìlìch  Sound Icon nkàski 

Help us so that we can

 

[Sound Icon wëli Sound Icon ahpamskanèn] // [ Sound Iconwëli Sound Icon nipalinèn] // [Sound Icon wëlamàlsinèn]  Sound Icon yushe  Sound Icon ènta

[we walk around well] // [we stand up well] // [we feel well] here on

 

Sound Icon xkwithakamika.   [Sound Icon Ktëmakelëminèn] //[Sound Icon Kenahkihinèn]  Sound Icon Nuxati. 

earth.  [Take pity on us] // [Watch over us]  dear Father.

 

Closing:

 

Sound Icon Wanìshi Sound Icon èli Sound Icon milinèn Sound Icon mpi Sound Icon òk  Sound Icon mehëmichink.  

Thank You because You give us water and food.  Then now this [I can] //

 

Sound Icon Na Sound Icon yukwe Sound Icon në [Sound Icon nkàski // [Sound Icon ntënxi]  Sound Iconluwèn.  Sound Icon Wanìshi.

Then now this [I can] // [this is all I] say.  Thank You.



A Lenape Hymn


Our Creator in Heaven - A Lenape Hymn. . .

Sung by Cornelius Wilson to the tune of

How Firm A Foundation . . . recorded 1954

                     

 Go here to listen to him sing it:  http://talk-lenape.org/stories?id=31


 HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION (first two verses only)


      1.   Kishelëmùkòng òs'hakame ahpu,

            He-who-created-us  in-heaven  he-dwells,

            Our Creator lives in Heaven,

 

            Kiluna hàking gëmei ktàpihëna,

            We-people on-earth all-the-time we-dwell,

            We always live here on the earth,

 

            Kishelëmùkòng nèka wëlilìsu,

            He-who-created-us  that-one  he-does-good,

            Our Creator does good things,

 

            Kiluna kehëla këtëmakawsihëna

            We-people  truly  we-are-pitiful.

            We are truly pitiful.

 

 

      2.    Kishelëmùkòng ahi xingwilësu,

            He-who-created-us  very-much  he-does-great-deeds,

            Our Creator does very many great deeds,

 

            Kiluna  kehëla ktàngìti lësihëna;

            We-people  truly  we-do-only-small-deeds;

            We can only do truly small deeds;

 

            Kishelëmùkòng ahi chitanësu,

            He-who-created-us  very-much  he-is-strong,

            Our Creator is very strong,

 

            Kiluna kìchi sòmi kshawësihëna.

            We-people  really  very  we-are-weak.

            We are really very weak.