Photo: the author on guitar
Cheepuuyu’yam (Our Friends)
Language - Maarrêngatwich (Serrano)
by Mark Araujo-Levinson, (marklevinson123@gmail.com)
Synopsis: Growing up can feel impossibly hard, especially when surrounded by people who tear you down instead of lifting you up. Bullies and harsh words can break your confidence bit by bit—but sometimes, a single kind person’s belief in you is enough to help you rebuild and remember your worth.
Pehpa’ Joieann
Wii’wanin ‘iviy newerrewe’niktti’ ‘amatunga’. Necamqana’ ‘ivi’ ‘ater’ac. ‘Ivi’ hakup ‘ater’ac nehuunav shevêk. Nehuun cherrupk puchuk maqayeewp nehuun meme’k mutu’. Qayn tum haym mermerher’ keryikkeryiik. Puuyu’chemu’ kwahkim mutu’. Huchkaynu’ Wirrukt’ Akiiv payika’ warrêngk qaynu’ ‘ap ‘angkwa’ yanga’yangahk. Mit netamer’vu’ wacha’ ha’ maharc pavay’pa’nu’ Moreno Valleyka’ hunu’k. Nehuun qay’ yawk pee’wi’ ‘ata’mer’, mit 2000 hamukpi’ 2001. Qayn wii’wan ‘iviy nehaktti’. ‘Ahuunav ‘enanpa’. Patay wii’wan newerrewe’niktti’ ‘amatunga’. Nena’ ‘ami’ neye’mu’ widdapk ‘uvya’. Necamqana’ ne’nu’ neya’ pemya’ nepk. Kwa’nu’ nena’ti’ xhaypa’n hihii. Nenyu’ ‘ahuunav ‘enanpa’vu’ ‘atewan Landmark. ‘Ahuunav ‘enanpa’ ‘ayulałki’shevêk. Taaqtam peetaqayka’mu’ naashu’ ‘ami’mu’ naam hawayt pana’. Qaynu’ wuuwerham nepuuyu’yam qac. ‘Amay’n kiti’ taaqtam ‘enan. Pavay’pa’nu’Landmarkp qac, paahi’nu’ na’imam yaanam. Qaytan peetewani’ teerhiv maqayeewp qay’ ‘ater’ac. ‘Aammenu’ ‘i’ihma’ ‘ami’menu’ mecaani’na’n. ‘Uyu’kinaymenu’. Merkanaymenu’ hawayt pana’. ‘Aammenu’ “’Emi’m hayhi’ ‘ami’ puchuk wipt” key. Nehuunvu’ kesha’ hawayt pana’. ‘Ahoongani’kaynu’ hawayt pana’. Qaynu’ haypa’n yuuhyu’. Tum hiitvu’ nehuuni’ ‘ami’ neteyi’ kesha’nivan. Qaynu’ haypa’n ‘iviy teer ‘amatunga’. Teerqaynu’ shevêk. Howpk taamyatnu’ howpk chichinti’ merkan. ‘Apervi’nu’ verna’xkin puchuk. Neteyvu’ harruurrharrurru’n. ‘Ayee’ pammu’ chichinam chernernk. Mutu’n ‘ahoongani’k, netey haya’xqayvu’ mutu’. Nowk qacinu’ mutu’. Nepuuyu’yam qay’vu’ qac. Warrêngk patvu’ howpk naasht. ‘Ama’vu’ hakup ‘a’ay ‘ami’ namqt. Pehpa’n ‘iviy ‘uushan. Maja amaur, piihanin ‘emey. ‘Ama’ nepuuyu’ mutu’. Nepuuyu’ ‘uvihpec. Qayn wii’wan high schoolti’ newerrewe’niktti’ ‘amatunga’. Mittan ‘amay teerhiv ‘amatunga’ Ne’ ami’ ‘ama’ cheetaq chiishk. ‘Ama’ huunatan, ‘ahuun ‘a’ay, ‘ama’ hakup ye’aye’a’n. ‘Ahuun ye’aye’a’n shevêk. Pavay’pa’nu’ kwahkit mutu’, nehuun kesha’ puchuk. Nowk nepkaynu’ hawayt pana’. Pahikow, Ne’nu’ CBUka’ mih’. Qaynu’ chiishk patay ‘êskwêêla’ti’. Qayn ‘enan pana’ nyaawnk. Netamer’vu’ wahmarc pehpa’ wachkovik pavay’pa’nu’ collegep qac. Nehuun ‘ami neteymu’ kesha’. Qaynu’ taaqtam wuuwerham pemeka’ werrawerra’n. Necamqana’vu’ peernat. Necamqananu’ nehuunav, taaqtam qaym ney chiishk. Nehuunav nowk qacinu’. Necamqana weerr ‘ami’ wii’waninu’ netaq ne’ecaktti. Howpk taamyat, necamqana’vu’ weerr hamek. Nehuunvu’ tahi’tahi’n ‘ami’nu’ nekiika’ yaa’. Weer ter’ranti’nu’ qwa’i’. Nepuuyu’venu’ hih ‘ami’nu’ ‘angkwa’ hwink. ‘Ayee’venu’ paahi’ taamyat pupkcu’. Shu’aacaynu’. ‘Amay’n xhaypa’n shu’aac. Qayn tum haym mermerher’ ‘iviy teer ‘amatunga’. Wii’wanin nehiikti’ ‘ami’ ne’tan ‘ahiik nyiiv. Nepuuyu’ ‘atewan Joieann, ‘ama’ven mamayawk hawayt pana’. ‘Atey ye’aye’a’n. ‘Ahuun ‘a’ay. ‘Ama’ qay’ newerrafktti’ werrawerra’n. Qay’ Maarrênga’cu’ ‘ama’. ‘Ama’ qay’ tum hiiti’ ‘enan. ‘Ama’ven “’Emi’m taaqt ye’aye’a’nka’, metey ye’aye’a’n. Qayc ‘ahoonga’ik qac. Kwa’m meme’ ‘ayee’ ne’tan meme’kiv waha’. Qayc ‘aqarmki’ qac.” ‘Ama’ ney piihan. ‘Ichamc mahmamq hawayt pana’ pavay’pa’ch piipsh nepk. ‘Ama’ ‘enan nehuuni’ ‘amecaani’ktti’. ‘Ama’ wii’wan ‘amamayawktti’. ‘Ama’ven ‘enaac werrawerra’n pavay’pa’n yuu’. ‘Ama’ neteyi’ ‘anuwmini’ ‘ichu’kin. ‘Ama’ nepuuyu’. Xhaypa’n, qaynu’ ‘amay werrawerra’n maqayeewp necamqana kwa’n chaaki’i, qayn wii’wan ‘amay nechaaktti’. Nepuuyu’yam, qayc teermq qac. Qayc teermq taaqtam pemeka’ ‘eewerrewe’niktti’. ‘Eehuun ‘ar’nk. Howpk taaqt kwa’ ‘eem mamayawk. Kwa’ ‘eehun kesha’, xhami’ werra’n. ‘Ama’ ‘a’ay, ‘eenyam ‘eem piihanim. ‘Eehuun turrux. Nenahtavuniniacvenu’ “Mehuun turrux” teer hawayt pana’. ‘Amay’ven ‘amay key mutu’. Yawaminayn ‘iviy shevêk. Qayc haypa’n shu’aac. ‘Eememc puuyu’ ye’aye’a’n. ‘Ami’ Joie peyixka’, hakup ‘a’ay. Piihanin ‘emey ‘ami’ wii’wanin ‘emey newi’ktti’. Mit. Qayn ‘enan. ‘Ivi’ qay’ hiit huwac nehaka’. ‘Ama’ ‘ayee’.
