Mohawk is an Iroquoian language spoken in southern Ontario and the provinces of Quebec in Canada, and west of New York State in the USA.
The traditional name for the Mohawk language is Kanien’keha which means ‘people of flint’. The word Mohawk comes from a word meaning ‘cannibals’ used by their Algonquian enemies.
In 2016 there were about 990 Mohawk speakers in Canada, and there were about 2,050 Mohawk speakers in the USA in 2015.
The Mohawk was first written by French missionaries in the early 18th century. They developed a phonograph system based on French pronunciation and used it to produce Mohawk versions of various religious and legal texts.
The Mohawk have been taught in schools since 1970, and in 1972, a group of teachers, translators, and elders established a language orthography and Other spelling systems used for the Mohawk.
Currently there are Mohawk immersion classes for children and adults in Akwesasne and other Mohawk communities to build the understanding of language.
Mohawk Language Words and Phrases
Let us work now on Mohawk language translated to English language:
| English | Mohawk |
| hello | Sekon |
| hi | Khwe |
| hi there | Kwehkwe |
| goodbye | Ó:nen ki’ wáhi |
| bye then | Ó:nen |
| whats happening | Oh niiawenhátie |
| thank you | Niá:wen |
| thank you very much | Niawen’kó:wa |
| thanks a lot | Niá:wen ki’ wáhi |
| welcome | Tekwanonwerá:tons |
| friendship | Atenró:sera |
| flower | Otsi’tsa |
| flowers | Otsi’tsa’shón:’a |
| grass | Óhente |
| bugs | Otsi’nonwa’shón:’a |
| sunny | Ioráhkote |
| rainy | Iokennó:ron |
| all | Akwé:kon |
| fisher | Tyorahteken |
| butterfly | Tsiktsinenná:wen |
| on earth | Ohontsà:ke |
| spirit | Otkon |
| dragon fly | Tsikenon’waristak |
| peace | Skén:nez |
| mom | Ista |
| my mother | Akenistén:’a |
| dad | Raké:ni |
| my father | Rake’níha |
| grandfather | Rakshótha |
| grandmother | Akshótha |
| deer | Oskenón:ton |
| dog | É:rhar |
| elk | Atená:ti |
| fox | Tsítsho |
| horse | Akoshá:tens |
| mink | Aióha |
| mountain lion | Tako’skó:wa |
| mouse | Otsinò:wen |
| otter | Tawí:ne |
| porcupine | Anén:taks |
| rabbit | Tehahonhtané:ken |
| Raccoon | Atí:ron |
| Rat | Otsinowenhkó:wa |
| Skunk | Anì:tas |
| Weasel | Onón:kote |
| Wolf | Okwaho |
| Bear | Okwa:rí |
| Raven | syoka’wehkowa |
| Dove | Ori:te’ |
| Tree | Ó:kwire |
There are six Mohawk-speaking communities: Tyendinaga, Wáhta, and Ohswé: ken in Ontario; Kahnawà: then and Kanehsatà: then in Quebec, and Akwesasne / Ahkwesáhsne in Quebec, Ontario, known as the Reservation of St. Regis Mohawk over the New York State border.
History of Mohawk Community
The ancient villages of Mohawk were located on the river St. Lawrence near Montreal. In 1535, when rivals moved southward, the Mohawks built three fortified villages along the Mohawk River in northeastern New York.
Large oak stands, chestnuts, alders, beeches, and pine cover the Mohawk valley. Deer, turkeys, donkeys, bears, foxes and wolves provided meat and clothing. The rivers were teeming with fish, the Mohawk was salted and stored for the winter, and it was full of beavers, who traded with European settlers.
Traditionally, the Mohawks divided the workers by gender. Men spend a lot of time hunting and fishing and all the time fighting rivals, especially the Algoniquins and later the French. Women’s were involved in farming and was their main source of income. Maize was a staple crop and a staple food. The bottom of the rivers was full of good fruits of corn, beans, pumpkins and squash. After the Mohawk migrated to Canada and found a small deer, some men helped to farm.
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