Sharon Burch – Colors of My Heart

1. Wee Play

Ałchíní yázhí da’ółta’, nizhónígo da’ółta’!
Ałchíní yázhí nidaané, nizhónígo nidaané!
Ałchíní yázhí da’alzhish, nizhónígo da’alzhish!
Ałchíní yázhí dahataał, nizhónígo dahataał!

The little children, they attend school to learn, in a beutiful manner, they learn!
The little children, they play, in a beautiful manner, they play!
The little children, they dance, in a beautiful manner, they dance!
The little children, they sing, in a beautiful manner, they sing!

2. Pigeon Corn

Shicheii bikéyah, áadi hasbidí,
áadi hasbidí, shicheii bikéyah.
Shicheii bikéyah, hasbi’di nidaat’a’,
hasbi’di nidaat’a, shicheii bikéyah.
Hasbídí bi’i’dą́ą́’, hasbídí bi’i’dą́ą́’,
hasbídí bi’i’dą́ą́’ , éí shį́į́ dajiyą́.

Shicheii bikéyah, áadi hasbidí,
áadi hasbidí, shicheii bikéyah.
Shicheii bikéyah, hasbídí nidaat’a’,
hasbídí nidaat’a’, shicheii bikéyah.
Shicheii bikéyah, hasbídí nidaat’a’,
bił shį́į́ dahózhónígo hasbídí nidaat’a’.
Hasbi’di bi’i’dą́ą́’’, hasbídí bi’i’dą́ą́’,
hasbídí bi’i’dą́ą́’ , éí shį́į́ dajiyą́.

On my grandfather’s land, there are pigeons.
On my grandfather’s land, the pigeons fly.
The pigeon corn, the pigeon corn,
that’s probably what they eat, the pigeon corn.

On my grandfather’s land, there are pigeons.
On my grandfather’s land, the pigeons fly,
the pigeons fly so happily and free.

3. We Are Here

Mother Earth says, “Now take good care of me.
Please do not hurt me.”
And Father Sky says, “Now take good care of me.
Please do not hurt me.”

And all living creatures say, “Now take good care
of us. Please do not hurt us.”

And we are here to be ourselves,
To be with one another,
To be with our surroundings,
To be, to be.

And we are here to take care of ourselves,
To take care of one another,
To take care of our surroundings,
Take care, to care.

And we are here to love ourselves,
To love one another,
To love our surroundings,
To love, to love, to love…

Nahasdzáán ání, nizhónígo shaa áhółyą́,
Nizhónígo shaa áhółyą́.
Mother Earth says, “Now take good care of me.
Please do not hurt me.”

4. Colors of My Heart

Tádídíín bik’eh atiingóó, bee naashá,
Tádídíín bik’eh atiingóó, bee naashá, bee naashá.
(The trail of the sacred corn pollen, I walk the good life.)

I want to draw the world the way that I feel,
With corn pollen sprinkles and the colors of my heart,
The orange feeling of daybreak,
The warm red feeling of the sun,
The cool blue mist of the ocean and the big blue sky,
The black of the night when day is done.

Yes, I’d want to draw the world the way that I feel,
With corn pollen sprinkles and the colors of my heart,
The taste of brown comes from our Mother Earth,
The green smells of the plants and trees,
The yellow haze of the afternoon light
Which reminds me, too, of the yellow moonlight.

Yes, I’d want to draw the world the way that I feel,
With corn pollen sprinkles and the colors of my heart,

The purple touch of the stormy rain showers
And the pure white air that I breathe and live by.
Yes, I’d want to draw the world the way that I feel,
With corn pollen sprinkles and the colors of my heart,

5. Don’t Be Afraid

Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid,
Don’t be afraid, my baby.

It’s only the thunder playing games up in the sky.
It’s only the wind blowing through the tree top.
It’s only the rain children dancing the flowers.

Doo níjíldzid da, doo níjíldzid da,
Doo níjíldzid da, shiyázhí.

Ii’ni’ nidaané, nízaadi, hót’áahadi.
Níyol dahataał ei tsin bílátahdi.
Níłtsą́ áłchíní da’alzhish ch’il bílátahdi.

(Hááyhóó, hááyóó, hááyóó, nizhóní yee’ ei,
Hááyóó, hááyóó, hááyóó hale.)

6. All is Beautiful

T’áá át’é nizhóní, t’áá át’é nizhóni,
T’áá át’é nizhóní, t’áá aanii.

Now the Mother Earth and the Father Sky meeting,
Joining one another, helpmates, helpmates, ever they.

All is beautiful, all is beautiful,
All is beautiful, indeed, indeed.

7. Cradle Song

She’awéé’ ałts’ísí t’áadoo nichaaí, t’áadoo nichaaí.
Hazhó’ígo íłhosh, hazhó’ígo íłhosh k’ad,
hazhó’ígo íłhosh.
T’áadoo nináá’ dah łizhiní, hazhó’í íłhosh, nidishní!

She’awéé’ ałts’ísí t’áadoo nichaaí, t’áadoo nichaaí.
Hazhó’ígo nits’áál bii’ sínítį́įgo íłhosh,
Hazhó’ígo nits’áál bii’ sínítį́įgo íłhosh.

My baby, little one, do not cry, do not cry.
Softly may you sleep, softly may you sleep now,
softly may you sleep.

Don’t show me your dark eyes. Softly may you sleep…I’m telling you now!
My baby, little one, do not cry, do not cry.
Softly in your cradleboard may you lay, now sleep.

8. Spotted Horse

T’ááłá’í, naaki, ałk’édisí ashkii,
T’áá’, dį́į́, łikizh bilį́į́’,
Ashdla’, hastáán, haajį́’ naadą́ą́?
Tsosts’id, tseebíí, télii dobilį́į́,
Dootł’izh bininaa, náhást’éí neeznáá!

Neezáá, náhást’éí, tseebíí, tsosts’id, hastáán,
ashdla’, dį́į́, t’áá’, naaki…

One, two, sweet candy boy,
Three, four, owns a spotted horse,
Five, six, where’s the corn?
Seven, eight, he owns a donkey too,
With blue eyes, nine, ten!

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…

9. Sweet Dreams – Ha’ át’íísh Baa Nijiiyeeł

Yiits’a’, yiits’a’, yiits’a’, yiits’a’.
Awéé íłhosh, nizhónígo íłhosh.
Ha’át’íísh baa nijiiyeeł?
Hazhé’é dóó hamá shį́į́ baa nijiiyeeł.
Yiits’a’, yiits’a’, yiits’a’, yiits’a’.

Listen carefully and you can hear
The baby sleeping, sleeping beautifully.
What is it dreaming of?
Perhaps it’s dreaming of its father and mother.
Listen carefully and you can hear.

10. Little Star Shine – Nizhóní Yázhí At’ééd

At’ééd baa hózhǫ́, sǫ́’ bik’ijį’ hólǫ́.
Sǫ’ dadisǫs, sǫ’ dadisǫs.
Aniłt’ánii biyiin dadiits’a’.
Tsidii bit’oh yii’ daneezhjéé’.
Doo íits’a’í da, doo íits’a’í da, doo íits’a’í da.

Łikánígo nayíyeeł, łikánígo íłhosh, łikánígo nayíyeeł.
Nizhóní yázhí At’ééd.

Happiness surrounds the girl as the stars shine down on her.
The stars twinkle brightly, the stars twinkle brightly.
Songs of the crickets are heard
While the birds prepare to curl up in their nests.
All is quiet, all is quiet, all is quiet.

Deliciously may you dream,
Deliciously may you sleep,
Deliciously may you dream,
Beautiful little girl, my beautiful little girl.

11. Corn Pollen Boy

Tádídíín Ashkií
Bináá’ dootł’izhogo bitsii’ dahłitsogo
Naadą́ą́’, naadą́ą́’, naadą́ą́’, naadą́ą́’,
Bitahgóó nijiné, nijiné.

Tádídíín Ashkií,
Aniłt’ánii At’ééd, Aniłt’ánii At’ééd
Ch’ééh hainitáágo naadą́ą́’
Bitahgóó nijiné, nijiné.

Corn Pollen Boy with turquoise eyes and yellow hair that shines.
The corn, the corn, in the corn field he plays.
Corn Pollen Boy and Cricket Girl, he tries to find her.
In the corn field she plays.

12. Earth Child

I am an Earth child.
I live in beauty all around me.
I am the Sun’s daughter.
I do believe in love and peace,
With all the beauty that surrounds me.

Nahasdzáán biyázhí nishłį́.
T’aa ałtso shinaagóó hodiyin.
Shándíín biyázhí nishłį́.
Hózhǫ́ dóó k’é holǫ́ bee sezį́,
T’áá ałtso shinaagóó hózhǫ́.

Lyrics by – Sharon Burch