Kukwèthakèxtun Eluwèt

What WhiteEyes Said . . . Translated by Nora Thompson Dean for linguist Bruce Pearson in 1968. Bruce asked Nora to translate a speech supposedly by Capt. WhiteEyes in retort to comments by Capt. Pipe. The speech was found in a book titled Charles Killbuck which was published in 1902.

English:

What WhiteEyes said.

Lenape:

Kukwèthakèxtun Eluwèt

English:

This warrior Munsi leader Hupokan

Lenape:

Wa ila Monsii nikanixink Hupokàn

English:

he told you that when a person wants peace he is a coward.

Lenape:

ktëlkëwoo ènta awèn kahtatànk wëlankùntëwakàn shwilae.

English:

Perhaps what he thinks is when he talks that way he can scare

Lenape:

Wèchi èt litehe ènta na lëtunhèt kàski wishamao

English:

a Lenape so that he will shut up?

Lenape:

Lënape tìlìch chitkwësin?

English:

Where is the coward? The man who follows another man

Lenape:

Tani hàch na shwilait? Na lënu ènta naolat pili lënuwa

English:

because he fears ridiculre

Lenape:

èli kwitànk pawchètëwakàn

English:

even if he does not know how many there may be

Lenape:

ìli mata uwatuwën kèxihtit, luwète nihëlàchi kèku èlitehat.

English:

I really do want peace.

Lenape:

Kehëla ni nkatatàm wëlankùntëwakàn.

English:

I am that peace Indian

Lenape:

Ni ta na wëlankùntëwi Mèxkeòhkësit

English:

to whom the Munsi leader refers!

Lenape:

èlimit wa Monsii nikanixink!

English:

Is there a warrior here who can call me a coward?

Lenape:

Ahpu hàch ila kèski luwihëlit shwilait?

English:

When the Ottawa leader Pontiac

Lenape:

Enta na Tawei nikanixink Pantiak

English:

sent to us the bloodied wampum belt and

Lenape:

pètanehëmalkwenk mhukhòsik kèkwi këlamapisu òk

English:

our councillors accepted it

Lenape:

lëpweìnuyëmënanàk wètënëmëneyo.

English:

I myself will lead these

Lenape:

Ni ntìli sahkakwënaneyo yuki

English:

Turtle clan members when they go to war.

Lenape:

Pùkuankuichik ènta mahtakenk.

English:

The way I fought was given to me by Netawatewes

Lenape:

Elahtakeya milukw wa Nètëwatëwès

English:

the head fighter of the Delaware tribe there.

Lenape:

nikanixink mahtakèt Lènapei èlhakeichik tali.

English:

I will try out the bravery of the Munsi warrior

Lenape:

Nkwëchilahtunch ilawakàna ilai Monsi

English:

if they want to have war I will go

Lenape:

kètatamihtit mahtakenk nëwitèch

English:

because I do not think about my life

Lenape:

èli mata kèku ntëlelìntàmuwën na lelëlexeokàn

English:

and I do not dislike doing anything.

Lenape:

òk mata ntihàshi shinkilìsin kèku.

English:

If the Munsi leader thinks that, or any other warrior in this council

Lenape:

Litehate na Monsii nikanixink, shìtako pili ila yushe ènta achimulsink

English:

because I stand and say, "White Eyes wants peace,"

Lenape:

eli nipaia òk luweya "Kukwèthakèxtun kahtatàm wëlankùntëmëwakàn,

English:

let it be known he will follow wherever I go or himself be a coward.

Lenape:

watëlasùch òk naolùkw tëtayuta eyaa shìtako nèkanè shwilait.

Shè Yu Wëski Kèku

Alahòtuwàk

Mikwëna Tëlekhikàn Pwètanehëmaok Lënapeyunkahke

Moni Ta Nëni

Wàni Lënape Elixsit

Na Lënu Òk Nèl Mwekaneyëma