Lots of my readers have expressed an interest in learning more of the various Indian languages. Following is a list of Indian words,some of which I have used in my books. I have found them in a variety of places, and cannot swear to the accuracy of their spelling or meaning.

Beautiful Feather
LAKOTA WORDS

ai - yes
an’petu kin - the day
a-oh - watch out
agli - to return
ahoappa - wheat
akicita - peacekeepers
amba - goodby
anapo - the dawn
anho - to count coup
ate - father
awi - they

can wakan - sun dance
cetan - hawk
cetan nagin - shadow hawk
cha - without
Chaka dee Wakpa - the Powder river
chante - heart
chatawinna - left-handed woman
chikala - little/small
chun - tree
cinks - my son
ciye - my brother (a man’s brother)
cola - friend
colapi - friends
cunks - my daughter
dho! - an exclamation
dopa - four

esnella - a loner ey-hee! - alas!

Haho! - look at this!
Hanhepi-wi - the moon
He wonjetah - One Horn
hecheto aloe - it is finished
hecheto welo - it is done well/ it is good
he-ay-hee-ee! - a call to the Great Spirit
heecha - owl
hehaka - elk
hehaka sapa - black elk
heyah - no
heyoka - clown
hin - yes
hohahe - welcome
hohe - enemy
hoka hey - pay attention!
hoppo! - let’s go!
Huhn - kill cry
hunkaschila - young man
huntka - god of the east

iktomi - trickster spirit
iku - chin
ina - mother
inyan - rock
inipi - purification rite/sweat bath
ishta - she/female/girl
iyotake - sitting

kaga - demon
kangi - crow
kapi - story
katiyimo - enchanted mesa
kiksuyapi - don’t forget/remember
kikukanpi - makes room
kin - this
kokipa - fear
kikipapi - fears
kola - friend (same as cola)
kte - dead/killed
ku - come back
kuwapi - is chased by

Lakota Oyate - the Sioux Nation
le mita - mine
le mita cola - my friend
le mita pila - my thanks
leksi - uncle
lela - very
lela oosni - very cold
luta - red

mahpyua - cloud
Mahpyua Luta - Red Cloud
maka - earth
maka mani - walk on foot
Maka Sichu - Bad Lands
mani - walking
mato - bear
maya owicha paka- fate/ he who pushes you off a cliff
maza - metal
maza canku - iron
maza chante - armor (metal heart)
maza ska - silver
mi - me
miyelo ca kola - I am friend
micaje - my name is
Mieyebo - I am
mila - knife
mila hanska - long knives
mitawa mine
minne - water
minne sosa - muddy waters
minne sota - many waters
minne-wakan - holy water (also whiskey)
mita kuye ayasin - we are relatives
mitawin - my wife/my woman
moksins - moccasins

na - and
nacacijin - loyal/faithful
napa lute - red hand
nagi tanka - Great Spirit
nimitawa ktelo - you will be mine
nita - yours
nituwe he? - who are you?
najin - stand/standing
niyaha - feather
nunpi - two

ocheti - seven
ohan! - yes!
ohinyan - forever
ohitika - brave/courageous
ohunko - false/untrue
onikare - sweat lodge
okute shooter
ocheti shakowin - 7 Sacred campfires of the Sioux
onsila - poor thing
onshimala ye - pity me
oo-oohey - it is time
oosni - cold
owa - wound
owa sicha - bad wound
owanka - floor
owatamla - straight tongue
ozuye - warrior
owanka wakan - sacred altar
owayyeke wasse - everything is good for the eyes

Paha Sapa - Black Hills
paha - butte/mountain
pahaska - longhair
pecokan sunpi - scalp lock
pejula - medicine

pejula sapa - coffee/black medicine
pejula wacasa - medicine man
peta - stone
pilamaya thank you
pila mita - my thanks
piskin - corral
pte - buffalo cow
ptesan-wi - white buffalo woman
ptecila - small buffalo

schila - old
skuyela - sweet
sheo - sage hen
shinte - tail
Shinte Galeska - Spotted Tail
shunkaha - wolf
shunke canku - iron horse
shunke-kan - pinto
sicha - bad
siha -foot
Siha Sapa - Blackfoot
siha sicha - bad foot
ska - white
sosho - snake
sota - many
skan - sky
sintkala waksu - sweat lodge
sitomni - all over
siyotanka - flute made of cedar wood with a long neck and heard of a bird
skunk manitou - coyota
sunkaku - younger brother ta - to sing
tanka - big/great
tashina - robe
tashina pte - buffalo robe
tashunke - horse
Tashunke-Witke - Crazy Horse
tasina shawl/blanket
tatoke - antelope
tahunsa - cousin
takuskanskan - power of motion/ power in anything that moves
tasunke hinzi - yellow horse
tatanka - buffalo bull
tatetob - the four winds
tatanka ohitika - brave buffalo
tantanka ptecila - short bull
tarca sapa - black deer
Tatonka Iyotake - Sitting Bull
to - blue
tokalu - fox
taku - something
tiyata - at home
toks’an - around about
tohan - when
tokiya where
tonkala - mouse
toksha ake wacinyuanktin ktelo - I shall see you again
tuki - is that so? (used only by women)
tunkasila - grandfather
tunka - stone

unci - grandmother
unktehi - water monster

wacin - I want
wacanga - sweet grass
wagichun wagi - talking tree (the cottonwood- sacred to the Lakota)
wahi - I am coming
wakina - thunder
wakuwala - chases
wakan - holy
wakan ankantu - great holy
wakan tanka - God
wakan tanan kici un - may the Great Spirit bless you
wakinyan - thunderbird
wana - one
wanagi - ghost/spirit
Wanagi Tacaku - Spirit path
wanagi yata - place of souls
wanbli - eagle
wanbli cikala - little eagle
wanbli luta - red eagle
wankala - tender/soft
waniyetula - winter
wasin - here
wanbli galeshka - spotted eagle
wasicun winyan - white woman
wasichu - white man
wasna - pemmican
Wa-sna-win - Storm Woman
wastelakapi - beloved
wayo kapi - it is the truth
waun - I am
waste - good

wi - sun
wichasha wakan - medicine man
wicksemna - ten
wicoti mitawa - my village
wicasa - man
wicasa tankala - Little Big Man
wicasa wakan - holy man
wickmunke - rainbow, or trap, or end of the rainbow
winchinchala - girl
winyan wanagi - spirit woman
witkowin - crazy woman
wiyan wakan - holy woman
wiwanyank wacipi - sun dance
wiwasteka - beautiful woman
wojapi - berry soup
wo-wakan - supernatural
wohitika - to be brave
wolakota wa yaka cola - peace without slavery
woyute - food
wonunicun - a mistake has been made

yamina three
yata - place
yunke-lo - death
yumni - whirlwind
yuta - eat

zunta - honest
zuya - warpath

Beautiful Feather
APACHE WORDS

A he ya eh - you are welcome
Ashoge - thank you

Baya - coyote
Besh - metal
Beso - coin
Bigan - his hand
Bigha - because
Bijii - heart
bu - owl

ch'ah - hat
chaa - beaver
Chan-deisi - Broken Nose
chawn-chissy - winter
chelee - horse
chickasaw - brother
ciye - my son
Cochinay - yellow thunder

dayden - little girl
Delshay - Wallking Bear
dit'ood - wet
dithith - black
diyi - medicine man
dloo - bird
doo - spring

Egogahan - until we meet again

gah - rabbit
giannahtah - always ready
gidi - cat
gode - shadow spirit who haunts dreams
golinka - skunk
gontee - four fingers
gosdoon - ribbon
gowa - wickiup
gunjule - be good
gusano - you worm

ha'andah - come in
haiga - very rich/powerful/crooked
hat'ugha - why
haua - all right
hesh-shea-gar - gun
heyii - where
hi-disho it is finished
holos - sun

ighaa fur
ikon - flour
inchi - salt
indi - they say
inju - good
isdzan - woman
ittindi - lightning
izee - medicine

Ka Dish Day - farewell/until we meet again
kah - foot
kih - building
klosen - hair rope

lupan - gray fox

maba - bear
mushka - hoop and pole game

naadaa dooltizh - blue corn
nadaa - corn
nah-lin - maiden
Nakai-ye - Mexican
natanh - corn flower
nantan eclatten - raw virgin lieutenant
nalyudi - he runs about
navezgane - killer of monsters
netdahe - death to allintruders
nepotonje - bear watcher
ni' - ground or earth
nkeez - time
nnee (nuhdee) (Nde) - people
nneezi - mustache
nzhoo - very good

piishii - nighthawk

quesa - water
sagozhuni - pretty mouth
shi’aad - my wife
shikaa - husband
Shils aash - my friend
shi ma - mother
shil nzhoo - I love you
shiwoo - my teeth
shozlitzogue - yellow bear
silaada - soldier
skee-kizzen - welcome, brother

taghaa - length
taglito - red beard
terte - earth
thii - horse
thog - fish
tsoch - carrying cradle
tu - water
tuzigoot - crooked water

yadalanh - farewell
Ya Ta Say (Ya a teh) - greetings/ hello

zastee! - kill!

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