Wáhta Nikahá:wi

1. Tewarontahrá:raks ne wáhta okwire'shòn:'a nè:'e tsi wahón:nise shiwatákie tsi eh niionkwarihò:ten We tap maple trees because it is a traditional cultural practice

2. Wahón:nise, ionkhihsothokon'kénha í:iah tehotikhwaién:tahkwe shontahseróhetste, nè:'e ionkionhnhéhkwen

Long ago, our ancestors had no food after a long winter

3. Iotohsera'tsha'nihtòn:ne tsi wahontóhetste ne onkwehón:we Our ancestors passed through an extremely severe winter

4. É:so niionkwè:take wahontonhkária'ke Many people were hungry

5. Tánon é:so ó:ni wahotinonhwákten And also many were sick

6. Wa'akwaweientéhta'ne tsi ní:ioht tsi teionatawén:rie ne karió:ta We learned from the wild animals

7. Wáhta orontákeri kahnekákon ne enhshnekì:rahako Maple sap is good to drink

8. Wahonn i:ron kahwá:tsire wahshakotiiénawa'se iakohsinakarawáhton They say a family helped a girl with an injured leg

9. Nó:nen kahwá:tsire iakotiia'ténhawe tsi thotinónhsote akohwá:tsire wahonwatina'tón:hahse tsi ní:ioht tsi ahonnón:ni ne wáhta ohsésta tánon otsikhe :ta When they took her home, her family showed them how to make maple syrup and sugar

10. Onkonkwe'ta'shón:'a wahatiweientéhta'ne tahatihnekónkiehte ne orontákeri tsi níió:re enkahsestón:ni Our people learned how to boil down sap into syrup

11. Ó:ni wahatiweientéhta'ne tsi nikakhwákon nó:nen ohsésta kakhonnià:ton

They also learned how delicious foods were when they were cooked with syrup

12. Ononhkwà:tshera ne wáhta orontákeri Maple sap is medicine

13. Ohén:ton enhshnekì:ra ne wáhta orontákeri, enhsì:ron Before you drink maple sap, you will say

14. Niá:wen wáhta okwire'shòn:'a Thank you, maple trees

15. Tekonnonhwará:tons ne Takia'tíson tánon ne wáhta okwire'shòn:'a

I give you greetings my Creator and the maple trees

16. Wakatera'shwí:io tsi shé:kon sakatkátho wáhta wa'karontókha I am fortunate to still see the maple tree leak again

17. Kanonhkwa'tsherowá:nen ne orontákeri tánon ohsésta The sap and syrup are big medicine

18. Teiottenionhákie tsi niwenhnisero :tens The climate is changing

19. Ó:nen tho :ha í:iah thaonsontónhnhete ne wáhta ne Ahkwesáhshne

Soon, the maple trees will not be able to survive here in Akwesasne

20. Enta :'onk teniethinonhwará:ton ne wáhta okwire'sho n:'a tsi We need to thank the maple trees nikari :wes entewakwé:ni while we are able

21. Enta :'onk entsitewehia :rak ne óka:ra We need to remember the stories

22. Kén:tho tewéso nón:wa nikahá:wi ne :'e tsi ne wáhta ó:kwire wahontiiénawa'se ne ionkhihsothokon'kénha tahontóhetste We are here today because the maple trees helped our ancestors survive

23. Kanienkehá:ka Rotiianéhshon, Kanisténhsera tánon Kaié:ri Niiorì:wake Ronaterihón:ton aionkhihró:ri The Mohawk Nation leaders, clanmothers and faithkeepers they tell us

24. Ne ó:nen ionsakáhawe ne Wáhta enwaterihwahtén:ti It is now again time for maple ceremony to go on

25. Entákta Enniskó:wa áhsen niwáhsen enská:ra'ne Saturday, March 30 will be the date

26. Kióhton nitsiiowistá:'e entewatáhsawen ne Kanonhséhsne It will start at 9 am

27. Óshehrha, kanatarokhón:we, wáhta orontákeri, tánon atókwa, aké:ra tánon iehnekihrà:tha akè:ra entisewáhawe Mush, cornbread, maple sap, and a spoon, dish and drinking cup you all will bring

28. Akwé:kon ne onkwehón:we kahonkará:wi All Native people are invited

29. Ietshiretsiá:rons ne iaésewe ne Kanonhséshne They encourage you all to go over there to the longhouse

30. Ietshiretsiá:rons aésewatste ne onkwehonwehnéha sewatahkwénnia They encourage you all