Pepkijtemaqn

Pepkijetemaqn is Mi'kmaq for Drums, this song was created and sung by Johnny Cash. It is translated and sung in Mi'kmaq by Kylie Francis from Elsipogtog First Nation. This song is about the hard times Aboriginals have gone through and still hung on to our ways and traditions. Special thanks to Anne Marie Marchand for helping with the translation, Hubert Francis for providing the music and Jimmy Augustine for the recording. Welaliek !
Drums in english:
From the Indian reservation to the governmental school
Well they're goin' to educate me to the white men's Golden Rule
And I'm learning very quickly for I've learned to be ashamed
And I come when they call Kylie Jane though I've got an Indian name
Chorus: And there are drums beyond the mountain, Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near.
And when they think that they'd changed me cut my hair to meet their needs
Will they think I'm white or Indian quarter blood or just half breed
Let me tell you Mr. Teacher when you say you'll make me right
In five hundred years of fighting not one Indian turned white
Chorus: And there are drums...
Well you thought that I knew nothing when you brought me here to school
Just another empty Indian just first fool
But now I can tell you stories that are burnt and dried and old
But in the shadow of their telling walks the thunder proud and bold
Chorus: And there are drums...
Our old ancestors Michael Augustine, John Julian, Jean Peguitalouet, Jean Baptiste Cope
with sleeves so red and full. Anna Mae Pictou and Donald Marshall
Remember them as they are dead yet they are living as well as the great Membertou
Chorus: And there are drums...
Well you may teach me this land's history but we taught it to you first
We broke your hearts and bent your journeys broken treaties left us cursed
Even now you have to cheat us even though you this us tame
In our losing we found proudness in your winning you found shame
Chorus: And there are drums...

[@kelusitepitbeautifulwoman4154]

beautiful, i used to make up random songs in mikmaq while rockin kids to sleep,, nice to see few more mikmaq songs online. share the language. sharing is caring. keep it up. This is good stuff! easier to remember the words through song.

[@kendra9002]

Beautifully done! Love from Ojibwe nation.

[@evabernard4657]

Wow. That is my sad but only reaction to your beautiful song. Sorry that,being a MicMac from Membertou and Eskasoni I should have understood your song. I understood a few words and I know many, many people/children who were sent to the prison called, shubenacidy. I have vivid memories of the times when the government trucks came around our reservations picking up children some very young and literally dragging the child and throwing them onto the back of the truck. My grand mother left standing in the driveway crying her heart out. Ho how I hated everything about the day, the hour that they arrived, I referred to them as "they" as I was,never told who they were and why they were so, so mean. The truck was gone leaving my family in tears , I prayed for a long time after they left that it was a mistake and would bring my brother back home unfortunately no such luck. Everyone in our home was so sad, upset and angry that once again they came to take my brother and we were helpless. Wow I have to stop the picture from playing over and over in my mind and heart it was in the 40s and 50s but I see and feel today in 2021 the feelings I had as we watched the damp truck drive away. God bless all the children and their families that were so horrible treated. Amen Eva Bernard. 💔💔

[@entropycosmos5818]

I'm part maiti and cree I believe the feel of the drum and singing brings me home. I'm learning mig maw

[@danjeddore4667]

Taho ... not knowing my families language very well, it was a challenge but a welcomed challenge as the format changed from the words being shown prior to the singing to when the singing started then a short time after the words came up.. my mistakes were many but I enjoyed the challenge.

[@Mariposa77755]

Mi'kmaq sounds beautiful! :)

[@peachykeenlimabean605]

This is awesome!

[@johnsylliboy7835]

new fav here

[@tumaqn]

kelu'k tela'tiken tu's. 👍

[@mikmaq2008]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

[@Xkursion2009]

Love her voice ! nice job guys :)

[@MrKaperwolf]

beautiful rendition and very well pronounced.

[@jeandesmond4000]

I love this song.....

[@mikmawstonecarverstevelawt6482]

Wela’lieg

[@bernardjerome3157]

Makes me proud to be Migmaq - Gesgapegiag

[@andrewgeorge7811]

me too cuz

[@dillonpaul8404]

Very nice song keep it up!!!👍👍

[@jeanmariesock2806]

Every Child Matters ✨💖✨

[@JacquesTalon]

J'aime j'aime j'aime 🙏

[@tonyashannon7435]

my mother was a full blood mic'mag her name was mary thersea Ginnish from Burnt church Quebec, Canada. anybody know about this. area.i went there once with my mother and brother. is it near the sir Edward islands

[@brendasimon7587]

Burnt Church is in New Brunswick

[@marceljacques2330]

@@brendasimon7587 i was about to say that

[@entropycosmos5818]

Treaty 7 territory. Alberta. WA low wen

[@tohellwithgoogle4261]

Sad what happened over the years.

[@io9671]

Does anyone know chords?

[@surgeland9084]

Métis solidarity with Mikmaq people.

[@SEYMOURTUCHAS]

Emma Steven's voice?

[@io9671]

No this is from pretty long ago, Emma was kid when this was posted pretty sure

[@jordanmarshall5447]

Weltaq ti

[@porschaaubrey]

My great grandmother on my dad's side was kicked out of the tribe for marrying a white man, without permission.