Language/Mohawk/Vocabulary/Animals

Animals Vocabulary in Mohawk

Kwe! Mohawk Learners! 😃

➡ In today's lesson you will learn some vocabulary related to Animals in the Mohawk language.

Mohawk is a language spoken by the Mohawk people, who are Indigenous to North America. In this lesson, we will explore some common animals in Mohawk and their corresponding English translations.

Happy learning!

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Family, Months of the year, How to Say Hello and Greetings & Seasons.

katshé:nen - pet, domestic animal

Mohawk Language (Kanien'kéha)	English
katshé:nen tehshakóhsnie	veterinarian
è:rhar è:rhar owí:ra	dog puppy
takò:s	cat kitten
otsinó:wen	mouse
otsinowenkó:wa	rat
anó:tien	muskrat
tewahónhtes akoshá:tens	donkey, ass
iakohsá:tens	horse
akohsá:tens owí:ra	foal, (colt)
tsistekeriiá:kon	buffalo, bison
tiohnhónhskwaron	cow
tiohnhónskwaron rá:tsi'n	bull
teiotinakarontón:'a rátsin	ram
teiona'karontòn:'a, teiotina'karontón:'a	sheep
kaia'tákeras	goat [= "smelly"]
kwéskwes	pig
anèn:ta'ks	porcupine
taonhtané:ken kwà'ien	rabbit [= "with ears"] hare
otsi'niòn:karon	mole
tsisheró:hen	badger
aní:ta's, anì:tas	skunk
tawí:ne	otter
a'seranó:ha'	marten
aió:ha'	mink
tsaní:to	beaver
anonhwaráweron	groundhog
aró:sen	squirrel
tsítsho	fox
okwáho	wolf
ohkwá:ri	bear
othore'kéha ohkwá:ri	polar bear
oskenón:ton, (ateno:ti)	deer, hart
ska'niónhsa	moose, elk [= "large nose"]

otsi'tén:'a - birds

Mohawk Language (Kanien'kéha)	English
tekaweiowá:nens
á:kwe'ks	eagle
kahrhakón:ha	hawk, falcon
tsikarièn:taks	vulture
kwareró:ha tsistí:keri	owl horned owl
arenhare'kó:wa tio:ka'we	raven crow
orí:te'	pigeon, dove
ohkwesen'tarí:wase	pheasant
ohkwè:sen	partridge
skawiró:wane	turkey
skanaie'kó:wa	peafowl, peacock
kítkit rá:tsin	rooster, (cock)
kítkit	hen
só:ra só:ratsi	duck, drake wild duck
atewénnia'ks káhon'k	goose wild goose
o'nahsakén:ra	swan

otsi'nonwa'shon:'a - insects

Mohawk Language (Kanien'kéha)	English
o'nó:wa	beetle
tsike'nhontstókhi / tsiki'nhontstókhi	ant(s)
tsikenenstón:ko	cicada
taráktarak	cricket, locust
tsistá:rare	grasshopper
o'wahrátken í:waks	maggot
tsi'ks	fly
oneròn:ta	horse fly
takho'kó:wa	moth
tsiktsinón:nawen	butterfly
tsiktsinòn:wara	dragonfly
tewattsíria'ks	firefly
otsi'nonwahnhè:ta	earthworm
ohwhará:ne	caterpillar
ionatshinaká:te, oshinonton'kó:wa	centipede, millipede
iorahkwarónnion o'nó:wa	ladybug, (ladybird)
otsi'nahkontahkwà:ne	bee
atenawa'tstanentáktha	wasp
okariahtà:ne	mosquito
otsì:non	louse / lice
otsì:non	flea
oshéhton	tick
katsi'nonwákera's	bedbug
katsi'nonwahétken	cockroach
takwa'áhson	spider
takwa'ahson tehota'a:ronte	spider web, cobweb
iako'nekén:ni	praying mantis

kéntson - fish

Mohawk Language (Kanien'kéha)	English
tiotiá'kton	trout
kotihnawá:ra's	salmon
teiotién:tare'	sturgeon
otsáthen	herring
wenienakón:ha	sardines
teiotsahiò:tsist	anchovies
thón:na	tuna
tiaonhare'nihkó:wa	shark
oswakà:ronte	porpoise
tsionhó:wane, tsiohnhó:wane	whale
tsonentshakà:te	octopus
tsoshinakà:te	squid
otsi'eróhta	crab, lobster
a'nó:wara	turtle, tortoise
takwaré:re	oysters
tso'niskeróhtare	snail
tsirakwaròn:ne	leech
ò:niare	snake
waré:ron	bullfrog
otskwà:rhe	frog
tewatahsohkwaténies tó:tis	chameleon
tó:tis	lizard
teka'nikahkó:wa	dragon

zoo

Mohawk Language (Kanien'kéha)	English
katsi'nónhtaks	monkey [= "it eats lice"]
katsi'nonhtakskó:wa	gorilla
tsonéntshes katsi'nóntaks	orangutan
tsohnà:tshote	baboon
tsikera'wístak	bat
tekáhskiaks	parrot
raónraon	humming bird
otsi'nekwáhrha	canary [= "yellow"]
washenrate'kó:wa	flamingo
kwanene'kó:wa	ostrich
kén:reks	lion
tako'skò:wa	[= "big cat"]
teiò:kaht tako'skó:wa	cheetah
tsoiéshons	hyena
tehahontaneken'kó:wa	lynx, bobcat
ionowakwá:ronte	camel
akohsá:tens kanonwakón:ha	zebra
kahnià:ses	giraffe
o'notsta'kó:wa	elephant
o'nionko'thí:ie	rhinoceros
kwéskwes kanonwakón:ha	hippopotamus
teka'nikahtón:ton	crocodile
teka'nón:ton	alligator
iohna'táhtsheronte	kangaroo [= "with pocket"]

Use the vocabulary: read this Dialogue

Here's a sample dialogue between two Mohawk speakers discussing animals and their Mohawk names:

• Person 1: Kwe kara, kánenhs. (Hello friend)
• Person 2: Kwe kara, tánon (Hello, how are you?)
• Person 1: Nia:wen (Good). Ka-ne-ne-hó-te (So), ní:wenh kah katihsón:ton ní:io nia:wen? (How have you been? I'm good)
• Person 2: Nia:wen (Good), katihsón:ton nihón:ten. (I've been doing well)
• Person 1: Kah tsi kah tsinónhkwas kah thónhia’kéhts ne a’kón:ni (So, what have you been up to lately?)
• Person 2: Kah tsi katihsón:ton ne onkwá:tho (I've been observing animals)
• Person 1: Oh, nihón:ten kah tánon ne a’kón:ni nia:wen (That's good, what kind of animals have you seen?)
• Person 2: Kah tsi katihsón:ton ne tsi nihón:ten, ne o’tén:ton, ne akwé:kon, ne ní:io (I've seen a bear, a deer, a bird, and a fish)
• Person 1: Oh, nia:wen! Kah tánon ne a’kón:ni nihón:ten kah tsinónhkwas nia:wen (That's great! What are the Mohawk names for those animals?)
• Person 2: Ne o’tén:ton nihón:ten kah tsinónhkwas "o’tén:ton", ne akwé:kon nihón:ten kah tsinónhkwas "kwé:kon", ne ní:io nihón:ten kah tsinónhkwas "ní:io", ne tsi nihón:ten kah tsinónhkwas "tsi nihón:ten". (The deer is called "o’tén:ton", the bird is called "kwé:kon", the fish is called "ní:io", and the bear is called "tsi nihón:ten").

Animals Importance in Mohawk Culture

1. The bear is an important animal in Mohawk culture and is often considered a symbol of strength and courage.
2. The deer is a common animal in Mohawk territory and is known for its grace and agility.
3. The wolf is a revered animal in Mohawk culture and is often associated with loyalty, family, and protection.
4. The turtle is a sacred animal in Mohawk culture and is often associated with creation stories and the foundation of the world.
5. The beaver is a resourceful animal that is known for its ability to build dams and lodges.
6. The snake is often viewed as a symbol of transformation and healing in Mohawk culture.
7. Birds are an important part of Mohawk culture and are often used in traditional ceremonies and songs.
8. The fox is known for its cunning and intelligence in Mohawk culture and is often used as a trickster character in traditional stories.
9. Fish are an important food source for the Mohawk people, and many traditional Mohawk recipes feature fish as a key ingredient.
10. The moose is a large and powerful animal that is often hunted by the Mohawk people for its meat and hide.

Other Lessons

• Geometric Shapes
• Transportation
• Clothes
• Family
• Months of the year
• Numbers
• Colors
• Fruits
• Medical terms