Click here to receive updates on Ghost Dance events, latest projects, and significant updates to this website.

Home : Songs : Cheyenne Ghost Dance Song Lyrics   Cheyenne Ghost Dance Song Lyrics These song lyrics were originally documented and translated by James Mooney in 1894. If you notice an error or have a suggestion how to make these better, please contact us.   1. O'tä Nä'nisi'näsists O'tä nä'nisi'näsists—Ehe'e'ye'! O'tä nä'nisi'näsists—Ehe'e'ye'! Mä'tesemä'moestä'nowe't—Ähe'e'ye'! Mä'tesemä'moestä'nowe't—Ähe'e'ye'! Ho'ivitu'simo'moi'ts—E'ähe'e'ye'! Ho'ivitu'simo'moi'ts—E'ähe'e'ye'! Nu'ka'eshe'väo'e'tse' Nitu'si'mitä'nun, Nitu'si'mitä'nun. Translation: Well, my children— Ehe'e'ye'! Well, my children— Ehe'e'ye'! When you meet your friends again— Ähe'e'ye'! When you meet your friends again— Ähe'e'ye'! The earth will tremble— E'ähe'e'ye'! The earth will tremble—E'ähe'e'ye'! The summer cloud (?) It will give it to us, It will give it to us. 2. Ehä'n Esho'ini' Ehä'n esho'ini', Ehä'n esho'ini', Hoi'v esho'ini', Hoi'v esho'ini', I'yohä'—Eye'ye'! I'yohä'—Eye'ye'! I'nisto'niwo'ni—Ahe'e'ye'! I'nisto'niwo'ni—Ahe'e'ye'! Translation: Our father has come, Our father has come, The earth has come, The earth has come, It is rising—Eye'ye'! It is rising—Eye'ye'! It is humming—Ahe'e'ye'! It is humming—Ahe'e'ye'! 3. Nä'niso'näsi'stsihi' Nä'niso'näsi'stsihi', Nä'niso'näsi'stsihi', Hi'tää'ni mä'noyu'hii', Hi'tää'ni mä'noyu'hii', Owa'ni tsi'nitai'-wosi'hi', Owa'ni tsi'nitai'-wosi'hi', Tsi'nitai'-womai'-wosihi', Tsi'nitai'-womai'-wosihi', I'häni'i'hiwo'uhi', I'häni'i'hiwo'uhi. Translation: My children, my children, Here is the river of turtles, Here is the river of turtles, Where the various living things, Where the various living things, Are painted their different colors, Are painted their different colors. Our father says so, Our father says so. 4. Nä'see'nehe' Ehe'yowo'mi Nä'see'nehe' ehe'yowo'mi, Nä'see'nehe' ehe'yowo'mi, E'nää'ne mä'noyo'h ehe'yowo'mi, E'nää'ne mä'noyo'h ehe'yowo'mi. Translation: I waded into the yellow river, I waded into the yellow river, This was the Turtle river into which I waded, This was the Turtle river into which I waded. 5. Wosi'vä-a'a' Wosi'vä-a'a', Wosi'vä-a'a', Nänima-iyä, Nänima-iyä, Ä'hiya'e'yee'heye'! Ä'hiya'e'yee'heye'! Translation: The mountain, The mountain, It is circling around, It is circling around, Ä'hiya'e'yee'heye'! Ä'hiya'e'yee'heye'! 6. Ni'ha-i'hi'hi' Ni'ha-i'hi'hi', NI'ha-i'hi'hi', Na'eso'yutu'hi', Na'eso'yutu'hi', U'guchi'hi'hi', U'guchi'hi'hi', Na'nisto'hewu'hi', Na'nisto'hewu'hi', Ga'! Na'hewu'hi, Ga'! Na'hewu'hi. Translation: My father, My father, I come to him, I come to him, The crow, The crow, I cry like it, I cry like it, Caw! I say, Caw! I say. 7. Hi'awu'hi—Hi'hi'hai'-yai' Hi'awu'hi—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Hi'awu'hi—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Ni'äsi'tano'ni—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Ni'äsi'tano'ni—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Hi'äma' wihu'i—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Hi'äma' wihu'i—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Ni'hihi'no'ni'—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Ni'hihi'no'ni'—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Nishibä'tämo'ni—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Nishibä'tämo'ni—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! Translation: The devil—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! The devil—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! We have put him aside—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! We have put him aside—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! The White Man Above—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! The White Man Above—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! He is our father—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! He is our father—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! He has blest us—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! He has blest us—Hi'hi'hai'-yai'! 8. Ni'ha—E'yehe'! E'he'eye Ni'ha—E'yehe'! E'he'eye'! Ni'ha—E'yehe'! E'he'eye'! Tsi'stamo'nohyo't—Ehe'eye'! Tsi'stamo'nohyo't—Ehe'eye'! O'täta'wome'mäpe'wä—He'eye'! O'täta'wome'mäpe'wä—He'eye'! Ni'mistä'tuhä'mi—He'eye'! Ni'mistä'tuhä'mi—He'eye'! E'hiwou', E'hiwou'—He'! Translation: My father—E'he'eye'! My father—E'he'eye'! When I first met him—E'he'eye'! When I first met him—E'he'eye'! “In the blue-green water—He'eye'! “In the blue-green water—He'eye'! You must take a bath”—He'eye'! You must take a bath”—He'eye'! Thus he told me, thus he told me—He'! 9. Ä'minû'qi Ä'minû'qi—I'yahe'yahe'e'! Ä'minû'qi—I'yahe'yahe'e'! Nistsishi'hiyo'honi'mäni'—Ahe'e'ye'! Nistsishi'hiyo'honi'mäni'—Ahe'e'ye'! Ni'shka'ni ni'stsishi'nutsi'mani—Ahe'e'ye'! Ni'shka'ni ni'stsishi'nutsi'mani—Ahe'e'ye'! Ehä'ni ni'nini'etä'ni—Ahe'e'ye'! Ehä'ni ni'nini'etä'ni—Ahe'e'ye'! Translation: My comrade—I'yahe'yahe'e'! My comrade—I'yahe'yahe'e'! Let us go and play shinny—Ahe'e'ye'! Let us go and play shinny—Ahe'e'ye'! Let us look for our mother—Ahe'e'ye'! Let us look for our mother—Ahe'e'ye'! Our father tells us to do it—Ahe'e'ye'! Our father tells us to do it—Ahe'e'ye'! 10. He'stutu'ai He'stustu'ai—Yä'hä'yä'! He'sutu'äi— [ad libitum] Translation: The buffalo head—Yä'hä'yä'! The half buffalo— [ad libitum] 11. Nä'mio'ts Nä'mio'ts—Ehe'ee'ye'! Nämio'ts—Ehe'ee'ye'! Nä'tosi'noe'yotsi'nots he'wowi'täs—E'yahe'eye'! Nä'tosi'noe'yotsi'nots he'wowi'täs—E'yahe'eye'! Nitsävi'siwo'mätsi'nowa'— Nitsävi'siwo'mätsi'nowa'. Translation: I am coming in sight—Ehe'ee'ye'! I am coming in sight—Ehe'ee'ye'! I bring the whirlwind with me—Ehe'ee'ye'! I bring the whirlwind with me—Ehe'ee'ye'! That you may see each other— That you may see each other. 12. A'gachi'hi A'gachi'hi, A'gachi'hi, I'nimä'iha', I'nimä'iha', Hi'tsina'yo, Hi'tsina'yo— Na'vishi'nima' yu'suwu'nutu', Na'vishi'nima' yu'suwu'nutu'. Translation: The crow, the crow, He is circling around, He is circling around, His wing, his wing— I am dancing with it, I am dancing with it. 13. Nä'nise'näse'stse Nä'nise'näse'stse nä'shi'nisto'ni'va—He'eye'! Nä'nise'näse'stse nä'shi'nisto'ni'va—He'eye'! Nä'niso'niwo', nä'niso'niwo', I'votä'omo'mestä'o—He'eye'! I'votä'omo'mestä'o—He'eye'! Nä'visi'vämä', nä'vi'sivämä'. Translation: My children, I am now humming—He'eye'! My children, I am now humming—He'eye'! Your children, your children, They are crying—He'eye'! They are crying—He'eye'! They are hurrying me along, They are hurrying me along. 14. Ogo'ch—Ehe'eye' Ogo'ch—Eye'eye'! Ogo'ch—Eye'eye'! Tseä'nehä'si nä'viho'm, Tseä'nehä'si nä'viho'm. A'ae'vä, A'ae'vä, Nistsistä'nä' e'wova'shimä'nists, Nistsistä'nä' e'wova'shimä'nists. Ni'shivä'tämä'ni, Ni'shivä'tämä'ni. Translation: The crow—Ehe'eye'! The crow—Ehe'eye'! I saw him when he flew down, I saw him when he flew down. To the earth, to the earth. He has renewed our life, He has renewed our life. He has taken pity on us, He has taken pity on us. 15. Tsiso'soyo'tsito'ho Tsiso'soyo'tsito'ho, Tsiso'soyo'tsito'ho, He'stänowä'hehe', He'stänowä'hehe', Näviho'säni'hi, Näviho'säni'hi, Tse'novi'tätse'stovi, Tse'novi'tätse'stovi, Ä'koyoni'vähe', Ä'koyoni'vähe'. Translation: While I was going about, While I was going about, Among the people, at my home, Among the people, at my home, I saw them, I saw them, Where they gambled, Where they gambled, With the ä'ko'yo wheel, With the ä'ko'yo wheel. 16. Ni'ha—E'yehe'e'yehe' Ni'ha—E'yehe'e'yehe'! Ni'ha—E'yehe'e'yehe'! Hi'niso'nihu'—Hi'yeye'! Hi'niso'nihu'—Hi'yeye'! O'tätä'womi' mä'piva'—He'e'ye'! O'tätä'womi' mä'piva'—He'e'ye'! Nä'hisi'maqa'niwo'm—Ähe'eye'! Nä'hisi'maqa'niwo'm—Ähe'eye'! E'ta'wu'hotä'nu—He'eye'! E'ta'wu'hotä'nu—He'eye'! Translation: My father—E'yehe'e'yehe'! My father—E'yehe'e'yehe'! His children—Hi'yeye'! His children—Hi'yeye'! In the greenish water—He'e'ye'! In the greenish water—He'e'ye'! He makes them swim—Ähe'eye'! He makes them swim—Ähe'eye'! We are all crying—He'eye'! We are all crying—He'eye'! 17. A'ga'ch—Ehe'e'ye' A'ga'ch—Ehe'e'ye'! A'ga'ch—Ehe'e'ye'! Ve'ta chi—He'e'ye'! Ve'ta chi—He'e'ye'! E'hoi'otsi'stu, E'hoi'otsi'stu, Ma'e'tumu'nu'—He'e'ye'! Ma'e'tumu'nu'—He'e'ye'! E'ho'i'o'tso', E'ho'i'o'tso'. Nä'vi'sivû'qewo'nit, Nä'vi'sivû'qewo'nit. Nistä'kona'oe'vo, Nistä'kona'oe'vo. E'he'vo'o', E'he'vo'o'. Translation: The crow—Ehe'e'ye'! The crow—Ehe'e'ye'! The grease paint—He'e'ye'! The grease paint—He'e'ye'! He brings it to me, He brings it to me. The red paint—He'e'ye'! The red paint—He'e'ye'! He brings it, He brings it. I prepare myself with it, I prepare myself with it. It will make you strong, It will make you strong. He tells me, He tells me. 18. Nä'niso'näsi'stsi'—He'e'ye' Nä'niso'näsi'stsi'—He'e'ye'! Nä'niso'näsi'stsi'—He'e'ye'! Vi'nänä'tuu'wa o'gochi'—Ahe'e'ye'! Vi'nänä'tuu'wa o'gochi'—Ahe'e'ye'! Ni'stsivi'shiwo'mätsi'no, Nistsivi'shiwo'mätsi'no. Translation: My children—He'e'ye'! My children—He'e'ye'! Kill a buffalo (or beef) for the Crow—Ahe'e'ye' Kill a buffalo (or beef) for the Crow—Ahe'e'ye'! By that means I shall see you, By that means I shall see you. 19. A'guga'-ihi, A'guga'-ihi, A'guga'-ihi. Tsi'shistä'hi'sihi', Tsi'shistä'hi'sihi'. I'hoo'tsihi', I'hoo'tsihi'. Tsitäwo'tähi', Tsitäwo'tähi', Hi'nisa'nûhi', Hi'nisa'nûhi'. Tsitäwo'mohu', Tsitäwo'mohu'. Translation: The crow woman— The crow woman— To her home, To her home, She is going, She is going. She will see it, She will see it. Her children, Her children. She will see them, She will see them.