Photo: Kumeyaay woman, taken by Edward Curtis, woman of Santa Ysabel, in present day San Diego County, California, from 1907-1930, Wikimedia
Akekwii Kwa’chekwii Kuhetmii - The Big Grown-Up Questions (‘Iipay Aa)
Life can be seen as a process of constant growth. We can resist the growth and stagnate, or we can choose to pursue it. If we find ourselves in a state of suffering, in which our current ways of thinking or doing things are not sufficient, that is a sign that learning and growth need to happen. Another word for growth is maturing. If you reflect on situations involving yourself or others, you may find that there is always a more mature way it could have been seen or handled—perhaps one that called for more patience, deeper understanding, and less reaction. Naturally, the more mature viewpoint will lead to greater peace within oneself and in the world.
The Kumeyaay word for “elder” is kuhmii: “One who has grown”; someone who has matured. That is, someone who has grown not only physically but to a point within herself that she can see things from the most mature perspective, thus qualifying her to give advice and earning her the respect typically shown to elders. How does one mature? By putting the petty aside and getting to what is real. Growing up starts by asking: Who are we, really? What are we doing here?
‘Iipaych nyimvey hemii tewaa. Hemiih umaawvek, melay perewii. Hemii ‘uuchechu? Emaat ‘ehinch hemiih umaaw; iichaa, eyay, maathaaw nyemach hetemiis. Nyamehemiich, ‘uuchuch menur, nyaapum ‘uuchuch mewii maahans. Iinuypvek haylly kullypiiwarp kuperewiivech pily mewiih nyii ‘ewirh umaaw. Iinuypvek haylly mennemiivi, pily memaaw. Iinuypvek nyamaastikch hwally mii matt maaypch mapesiiw; pily ma’yum maayp ma’yum hwally miihm tuuyuuwhvu menurs. Pemeyuuch mehemiis.
‘Aalymis nyata’nyewaych, ‘uuchuch ‘ehmiiym ‘entuu-urps, iinuypvek “uumall kway’kuu” ‘ewuph umaaw. ‘Uuch nyukenaavu ‘ewip, ‘ewaa chemuyuuw ‘enekehap, ‘esuunaarr matt ‘elymash marway ekwaach ‘esuunatt, ‘uuchuch kwa’elymis ‘ewaarpvu ‘akechewich. Nya’achekwiich, ‘iipay weyaaych nya’hwin suunaarr, ‘ehmiiych ‘uuchuch ‘iikuum ewaarp: ‘elymash, ‘ewaa, kunuw, tarchach ‘ehanm, kwellyhiiw ‘ehmiiym. Peyap warvech wellichh umaaw, pes matwaamch nyapekwillym, ‘enyaawapch ‘ehetmiihlly ‘esekaayhvu ‘ewuphm tuuyuuws.
‘Enyaach ‘iikwich nya’eyuuch ‘ewaa nya’echamch, nyaapum ‘akekwii ta’am, “‘Uuch peyii ‘ema’wipa? ‘Iipatt peyaa ‘uuchechu, nyakwa’hana?” ‘Emat nyaamat ‘iipaych wiim metarchach, mesuatt, metoomh. “Ketarchach, kesaaw, kehma’, menyuumall ketoom, ‘iipay chawuuw kewuuw, ‘akechenaachvu kachepay nyii kakekwih kemaaw!” ‘Enyaach nyuk heyaay ‘emat peyaa ‘iipayvu ‘achepayh ‘emaaw ‘enurs; tellah. Pes ‘iipay ‘ehaanm achepay llya’ams. Pupch heyaay matt pily kupilly nyechewayps, ‘ekur matt helyepay, aachemuyuuwvech esally minyh.
‘Enyaach ‘achepayvu ‘uuchuch ‘iikuum nyamakekwiim, tehewilvu meyuuwh. ‘Enyaach peyaa ‘akekwii nyata’am, wal kwaachemuyuuw ‘ehin ‘ekepekuw ‘uuchuch ‘ehmiiym aachemuyuuws. Kwa’han hemayvu kenaapm ‘enurs. Nyaamat nurh umaaw, pes achuutuu ‘ehanm nyinych ‘uunyaa kwa’han ‘akewiihvu nyechaawuuws. ‘Uuch ‘ewiihlly ‘arvu ‘enurm ‘eyay taanak. ‘Iipay nyaamat ekwach pu’yuuhlly ‘ars.
‘Enyaach maap ‘eyuu? Marwaych nyahemilhch mat akekwiis, marwaych nyarakch, marwaych nyii kumyum akekwiih umaaw. Pes akekwii peyaa mechamh mellypuuwar; meyarvek puuch makewiih. Wal matt nya’wayk, peyaa mat makekwiihlly marh. Nyawihch mu’yuum umaawa? Memelay hemir, kwa’hanvu muuyaawhm tuuyuuw. ‘Iipatt peyaa ‘uuchechu? Tehewilvu, ‘enyaach ‘emelyaych nyukenaah ‘ellypuuwars. Pes mewuuwh, peyaa mat nyamakekwiim, ‘iipatt peyaa kumuwvech ‘esalyem ‘iiwalphs.
‘Uuchuch weyiw waamvek, kwa’han umaaw. ‘Uuchuch ‘enychewiichvech neyiwch naam; pupch ‘enyaawap weyuum ‘eyuuchaapvek, nya’epechehwiimk ‘eraapk ‘achpesiiwh. Emaatech nya’hwin perewii. Maa memaat ‘esuw mesaawvem wechuws. ‘Uuyuk weyiw—mu’yuuch maa weyuuha? Esally ‘ehin mepehwimvek, maach nya’hwin temewaah; nyimvey maa meyuuh. Iichach nyemach ‘uuyuk neyiw, kupilly nyaamat puurp. Miichachvu maach menyewich; maa meyuuh llyepuuwar. ‘Uuchuch nyeway tewaa; ‘uuchuch maa ‘ukuwaay purph umaaw. Puu mehemayhlly mars.
‘Uuch mewiihlly mar, ‘uuch miichaahlly matt machepayhlly mar, nyii nyukenaah ‘emaaw. Pes akekwii kwa’chekwii peyap kakekwina, kwa’hanvu kehmay. Nyamaawm, iinuypvek may’patt nyaamat miinyawpk ‘uuchuch nyaamat kumeheyaypvu metuuhwimh. ‘Uuch ‘iipatt peyii mema’wiihlly march meyu? ‘Uuch meheyaypa, nyamerakek nyimvey machepayha? Nyip makewiihvu ‘etiikay. Nyii ‘enyaa ‘uuchekapmh ‘emaawh! Nyaapum ‘iipatt peyaa ‘ehanm ‘ewiph. Peyapaches.
