unelanvhi uwetsi / ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎤᏪᏥ

The Cherokee translation of Amazing Grace is much more than a hymn. It was sung on the Trail of Tears, and has been sung countless times since then, to the point where it has become a sort of Cherokee national anthem. Here it is, in Cherokee:


unelanvhi uwetsi
igaguyvheyi
hnaquotsosv wiyulose
igaguyvhonv.

aseno yiunetseyi
iyuno dulenv
talinedv tselutseli
udvne yunetsv


ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎤᏪᏥ
ᎢᎦᎫᏴᎮᏱ
ᎿᏉᏦᏒ ᏫᏳᎶᏎ
ᎢᎦᎫᏴᎰᏅ.

ᎠᏎᏃ ᏱᎤᏁᏤᏱ
ᎢᏳᏃ ᏚᎴᏅ
ᏔᎵᏁᏛ ᏤᎷᏤᎵ
ᎤᏛᏁ ᏳᏁᏨ


I'm thinking of translating it into Udugi. This will be a challenge because, first of all, the meaning is different in Cherokee. For example, the first line does not mean "amazing grace," it means "child of the Lord, or God's child." Secondly, the Udugi version has to be just as singable as the Cherokee. Wish me luck!

Here is a link to the song, with lyrics, good pronunciation, and some English:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAb4bhnQ6aI

Here is a more beautiful and fuller version, sung by Walela (Rita Coolidge and her family):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_-GBZ4UZk8

Enjoy!