Let’s All Learn Gwich’in

Meet Allan Benjamin’s New Characters

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Our long time “Didee and Didoo” cartoonist and poet Allan Benjamin from Old Crow is excited to introduce his new Shoo’ii and Sheek’aii cartoons and poems. These new characters will appear in Gwich’in and English. Whenever you see Shoo’ii and Sheek’aii you can always be treated to a Gwich’in poem or Allan will simply have some vocabulary to share with you. Didee and Didoo will still make appearances but will be in English only for the time being. Allan is completely bilingual, he was taught his native language by his Didee (Grandma) and Didoo (Grandpa). Allan says there are so many fine poets in Old Crow, he hopes to inspire students to send their Gwich’in poems to What’s Up Yukon for you to enjoy as well. We’ll be sure to use the #SpeekGwichinToMe twitter hashtag when posting these stories.

Shoo’ii Sheek’aii

Shoo’ii means uncle

Sheek’aii means auntie

Shoo’ii wears Didee’s hat

Sheek’aii wears a handkerchief

They both wear mukluks

Shoo’ii & Sheek’aii are strong

Shoo’ii is always comical

Sheek’aii is always wise

Shoo’ii likes to hunt an’ fish

Sheek’aii likes to set snares

Shoo’ii always cuts wood

Sheek’aii makes dry meat

Shoo’ii mushes his dog team

Sheek’aii paddles her canoe

Shoo’ii makes snowshoes

Sheek’aii weaves the babiche

Shoo’ii likes his kicker

Sheek’aii likes her sewing machine

Shoo’ii plays his fiddle

Sheek’aii likes to dance

Shoo’ii & Sheek’aii talk Gwich’in

Shoo’ii & Sheek’aii calls Allan Chih Ahaa

Shizheh K’oo My Family

Jii shitr’ īinjòo t’iinch’uu This is my wife

Jii shitsuu t’iinch’uu This is my grandmother

Jii shitsii t’iinch’uu This is my grandfather

Jii shihanh t’iinch’uu This is my father

Jii sheek’aii t’iinch’uu This is my auntie

Jii shoo’ii t’iinch’uu This is my uncle

Jii sheejii t’iinch’uu This is my older sister

Jii shijùu t’iinch’uu This is my younger sister

Jii shoondee t’iinch’uu This is my older brother

Jii shichyaa t’iinch’uu This is my younger brother

Jii shiyeets’i’ t’iinch’uu This is my daughter

Jii shidinji’ t’iinch’uu This is my son

When I was a kid this Elder gave me a Gwich'in name"CHIH AHAA"

Translated it means "walking ahead"

Allan Benjamin - CHIH AHAA