Just a Crazy Thought (prose)

I am struck by the similarity of the Cherokee (Tsalagi, ꮳꮃꭹ) word for "earth," which is "elohi, ꭱꮆꭿ," to the biblical Hebrew word "elohim," usually translated as "God" or "Lord." The Hebrew word, by the way, is plural in form, but we are told that this is an "honorific plural," though I'm not sure that it is found anywhere else in the language.

Now, I am not going to claim that there is any genetic connection between "elohi" and "elohim." To do that would be pseudoscience, and it would be absurd. But let's just imagine for a moment changing every occurrence of "elohim" (which I take to literally mean "gods") to "the earth," or "Mother Earth." Would it not be a better book?

Just a crazy thought.

Our Strength (+ud ꭴꮪꭹ, ptl, es, fr)

"Our strength is in our difference."
--Leonard Peltier

Our strength is in the respect
that we have for each other
and for the earth.

Our strength is in our honesty.

Our strength is in our courage.

Our strength is in our love,
including our love of nature.

Our strength is in our reverence
for the great spirit
that gives life
to us all.

[Udugi ꭴꮪꭹ]

aquatseli nulinigvgv gohiyuhi hawina
gado-usdi itsula uha didla siyvwi-soi
ale didla elohi.

aquatseli nulinigvgv aquatseli duyugodvo hawina.

aquatseli nulinigvgv aquatseli aligaliyvhi hawina.

aquatseli nulinigvgv aquatseli geyu hawina,
atloyasdisgi aquatseli geyu gvwao vhnai.

aquatseli nulinigvgv aquatseli adalvquododiyi hawina
didla equa adanvdo
gado-usdi adanedase vlenidohvne
didla itsulv nigadv.

ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᏄᎵᏂᎬᎬ ᎪᎯᏳᎯ ᎭᏫᎾ
ᎦᏙ-ᎤᏍᏗ ᎢᏧᎳ ᎤᎭ ᏗᏜ ᏏᏴᏫ-ᏐᎢ
ᎠᎴ ᏗᏜ ᎡᎶᎯ.

ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᏄᎵᏂᎬᎬ ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᏚᏳᎪᏛᎣ ᎭᏫᎾ.

ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᏄᎵᏂᎬᎬ ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᎠᎵᎦᎵᏴᎯ ᎭᏫᎾ.

ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᏄᎵᏂᎬᎬ ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᎨᏳ ᎭᏫᎾ,
ᎠᏠᏯᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᎨᏳ ᎬᏩᎣ ᎥᎿᎢ.

ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᏄᎵᏂᎬᎬ ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᎠᏓᎸᏉᏙᏗᏱ ᎭᏫᎾ
ᏗᏜ ᎡᏆ ᎠᏓᏅᏙ
ᎦᏙ-ᎤᏍᏗ ᎠᏓᏁᏓᏎ ᎥᎴᏂᏙᎲᏁ
ᏗᏜ ᎢᏧᎸ ᏂᎦᏛ.


[portunhol surenho]

Nossa forza está no respeito
que temos um para o outro
y para a terra.

Nossa forza está em nossa honestidade.

Nossa forza está em nossa coragem.

Nossa forza está no nosso amor
incluindo nosso amor pela natureza.

Nossa forza está em nossa reverencia
pelo grande espírito
que dá vida
para todos nós.


[español]

Nuestra fuerza está en el respeto
que tenemos el uno para el otro
y para la tierra.

Nuestra fuerza está en nuestra honestidad.

Nuestra fuerza está en nuestro coraje.

Nuestra fuerza está en nuestro amor,
incluyendo nuestro amor por la naturaleza.

Nuestra fuerza está en nuestra reverencia
para el gran espíritu
que da vida
para todos nosotros.


[français]

Notre force est dans le respect
que nous avons l'un pour l'autre
et pour la terre.

Notre force est dans notre honnêteté.

Notre force est dans notre courage.

Notre force est dans notre amour,
y compris notre amour de la nature.

Notre force est dans notre révérence
pour le grand esprit
qui donne la vie
à nous tous.