Atikamekw (Atikamekw Nehiromowin)

Atikamekw is a variety of Cree, an Algonquian language, and is spoken in southwestern Quebec in Canada. According to the 2016 census, there are 6,165 speakers of Atikamekw. They live mainly between La Tuque (Capetciwotakanik), Quebec (Opictikweak) and Senneterre, and along the upper reaches of the Saint Maurice river. The language is also known as Attikamek, Tête de Boule, Attimewk, Atihkamekw or Atikamek.

The Atikamekw people, who call themselves Nehiraw-iriniw, are a politically distinct nation, so although Atikamekw is a variety of Cree, it is often considered a separate language.

Atikamekw is spoken by about 95% of the Atikamekw people. Most also speak French, though some are monolingual in Atikamekw. It is used in primary schools, in local government, on TV and online.

Atikamekw was first written by missionaries, and the spelling system was standardised by the Institut linguistique atikamekw (ILA), which was set up in 1986.

Atikamekw alphabet

Atikamekw alphabet and pronunciation

Long vowels can be indicated by a circumflex accent, but this is not often used in writing.

Download an alphabet chart for Atikamekw (Excel)

Sample text in Atikamekw

Weckatc ka pe apicician ni ki mireriten notcimik e tacikeian mamowi ninikihikok.

E takwakik ni kospihenan ka pe pipona nac kotc e iti miroskamik ka ickwa piponiciak. Ite ka ici nokiak ka niskwetinak icinikatew. Minawatc e ici mikawian nitata ko kicepa orapikatepan nicw otema.

Source: https://oraprdnt.uqtr.uquebec.ca/pls/public/gscw051.afficher_texte

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

Aci itew Cecoc: “Ekoni ke iteiekw e aiamihaiekw: Notawinan, ni nataweritenan kitci kicteritcikatek kiticinikasowin, kitci otcitciparik kokimawin.
Miricinan tato kickwa ke mitciak.
Kasihamawicinan nipactatowinana, kirano meka kit ici ponerimananak aniki ka matci totawimitcik. Kaie akawir pakitinicinan kitci kokwetcihikoiak kitci pactatiak.”

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/2342/LUK.11.ATMK

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Information provided by Wolfgang Kuhl

Sample videos in and about Atikamekw

Information about Atikamekw | Phrases | Numbers

Links

Information about the Atikamekw language and people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atikamekw_language
https://fr.wikiversity.org/wiki/Introduction_à_la_langue_atikamekw http://www.ethnologue.com/17/language/atj/
http://www.languagegeek.com/algon/cree/atikamekw.html
http://www.atikamekwsipi.com/la_langue_atikamekw
http://www.native-languages.org/atikamekw.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atikamekw

Atikamekw phrases
http://cr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atikamekw_arimwewin
http://www.atikamekwsipi.com/alphabet
http://www.atlas-ling.ca/pdf/ATIKAMEKW_Manuel_Conversation.pdf

Conseil de la Nation Atikamekw / Atikamekw National Council
http://www.atikamekwsipi.com

Algonquian languages

Abenaki, Algonquin, Arapaho, Atikamekw, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Chippewa, Cree (East), Cree (Moose), Cree (Plains), Cree (Swampy), Cree (Woods), Fox, Innu (Montagnais), Kickapoo, Malecite-Passamaquoddy, Loup, Massachusett (Wampanoag), Menominee, Miami, Míkmaq, Mohegan, Mohican, Munsee, Narragansett, Naskapi, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, Ottawa, Penobscot, Powhatan, Potawatomi, Quiripi, Sauk, Shawnee, Unami (Lenape)

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 17.10.24

[top]

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]