Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Learn to sing two songs from the Catawba language!

Watch "Can I Sing That? Catawba Indian Nation Songs, Context and Colonization:" youtu.be/Er715P5L63E
Learn to sing “I Am Going to the West:” youtu.be/mz991-SHPtQ

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*WHERE ELSE YOU CAN FIND ME*
TikTok: songspeaksaro
Instagram: @songspeaksaro
Website: sarosings.com/​​
Facebook: facebook.com/sarosings​​

*Credits*
Producer and Editor: Saro Lynch-Thomason
Videography & Editing: Jennifer Bennett, jenbenmedia.com
Special guest: Roo/DeLesslin George-Warren, delesslin.com

Find out the names of the Indigenous peoples on whose traditional territory you live: native-land.ca
Catawba Indian Nation- catawba.com
Learn the Catawba Language- catawbalanguage.org
A message from Roo: “Catawba language, for the most part, is one where we are very sharing of it. My sense is if you are on Catawba land, you should learn how to speak Catawba. Learn some Catawba so you can talk to me next time!”

Lyrics:
tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
(Hello bird, what is your name?)
tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
(Hello bird, what is your name?)
Tiinde! Tiinde! Tiinde! Tiinde!
(Blue Jay! Blue Jay! Blue Jay! Blue Jay!)
Tαnakɛ! Tαnakɛ!
(Hello! Hello!)

tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
Wačαk! Wačαk! Wačαk! wačαk!
(Woodpecker)
Tαnakɛ! Tαnakɛ!

tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
Wiispαkpαk! Wiispαkpαk! Wiispαkpαk! Wiispαkpαk!
(Robin)
Tαnakɛ! Tαnakɛ!

tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
tαnakɛ kučin, yį yat tanenɛ
Ahą! Ahą! Ahą! Ahą!
(Goose)
Tαnakɛ! Tαnakɛ!

Counting to Ten:
Dαpine, nąpαri, naminα, pαrapαri, paktαri, dipkuura, wasisiniyα, dαbusa, wąɁča, pičinɛ