How Do You Say Mother?

How Do You Say Mother?

With Mother’s Day on the horizon, we queried our tribes and other language experts on how to address female family members in their Native languages. (We extend warm thanks to everyone who helped contribute to this and all our indigenous language posts.)

How many ways do you know how to say mother?

Arapaho, Wyoming

Mother	Neinoo
Daughter	Notoone
Sister, Elder	Nei
Niece	Neesebi
Aunt	Neheihoo
Grandmother	Neiwoo
Grandchild	Neisii

Catawba Language, Catawba Indian Nation, South Carolina

Mother	yaksu (yahk-soo)
My Mother	yaksuna (yahk-soo-nah)

Choctaw, Oklahoma

Mother	ishki
Daughter	ushi tek
Sister	i tek
Niece	ibihtek
Aunt	hokni
Grandmother	ippokni
Granddaughter	ipok tek

Denaakk’e (Koyukon), Alaska

Mother	Eenaa’e
My daughter (mother’s daughter)	seyots’aa’e
My daughter (father’s daughter)	setlaa’e
My older sister	sode
My younger sister	sedaadze’
My niece (woman’s daughter or niece)	seyots’aa’e
My daughter (father’s daughter or niece)	setlaa’e
My aunt (mother’s sister)	sokk’ʉye
My aunt (father’s sister)	sebaats’e, semaats’e
My grandmother	setsoo
My granddaughter	sekoye, sechoye

Gwich’in, Alaska

Note: In the Gwich’in language, we cannot have kinship terms without possession (my, your, his or hers, etc.)

My mother	Shahan
Your mother	Nahan
His/her mother	Vahan
Our mother	Diihan
Your (plural) mother	Nakhwahan
Their Mother	Goohan
My daughter	Shiyeets’i’’
Your daughter	Niyeets’i’’
My older sister	Sheejii
Your older sister	Neejii’
My younger sister	Shijuu’
Your younger sister	Nijuu
My niece	Shakhoo
Your niece	Nakhoo
My maternal aunt	Sheek’aii
Your maternal aunt	Neek’aii
My paternal aunt	Shitsuu
Your paternal aunt	Nitsuu
My grandmother	Shitsuu
My granddaughter (said by grandmother)	Shitseii
Your granddaughter (said to grandmother)	Nitseii
Your grandmother	Nitsuu

Hualapai, Arizona

Mother	jitha
Daughter	misi’
Sister, Younger	ginya
Sister, Older	niya
Niece	wisa
Aunt (Mother”s Side)	nithi
Grandmother (Mother’s Side)	goda
Grandmother (Father’s Side)	monya
Granddaughter	ko’

Inupiat Language, North Slope, Alaska

Mother	Aaqa
Older Sister	Aataaraq
Siblings	Aaviliatkutat
Younger Brother or Sister (plural, both sexes)	Nukaaluq

Mahican Dialect, Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe of Wisconsin

My Mother	Ngok
Your Mother	Kok
My Grandmother	Noʔom
Your Grandmother	Koʔom
My Older Sister	Meeth
Your Older Sister	Kmeeth
My Daughter	Neechãan
Your Daughter	Kneechãan

Mohawk, New York

Mother	Ka’nisténhsera
Daughter	Kheién:’a
Sister, Younger	Khe’kén:’a
Sister, Older	Aktsi’:’a
Niece	Kheienhwatén:’a
Aunt	Ake’nisténha
Grandmother	Akhsótha
Granddaughter	Kheiatere’:’a

Ojibwe Language

Mother(s)	Nimaamaa(yag)
Daughter(s)	Nindaanis(ag)
Sister(s), Older	Nimise(yag)
Aunt, Father’s Sister(s)	Ninzigos(ag)
Aunt, Mother’s Sister(s)	Ninoshenh(yag)
Grandmother(s)	Nookomis(ag)
Female Friend(s)	Niijikwe
Wife (Wives)	Niwiiw(ag)

‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language), Hawai‘i

Mother	Makuahine
Grandmother	Kupunawahine
Daughter/Girl	Kaikamahine
Sister (generally, and to a brother)	Kaikuahine
Older Sister (to a sister)	Kaikuaʻana
Younger Sister (to a sister)	Kaikaina
Niece (or Nephew)	ʻOhana Keiki

Paiute, Nevada

Mother	beah
Daughter	budduh
Sister, Older	hummah
Sister, Younger	buneh
Aunt, Mother’s Side	bedduh
Aunt, Father’s Side	buhwuah
Grandmother. Father’s Side	hootzee
Grandmother. Mother’s Side	mooah
Granddaughter/Grandson, Father’s Side	hootze
Granddaughter/Grandson, Mother’s Side	mooah

Pyramid Lake Paiute/Northern, Nevada

Mother	Pea
Daughter	Padu
Sister, Older	Hamma’a
Sister, Younger	Punne’e
Niece, Father’s Side	Hooza
Niece, Mother’s Side	Nanakwa
Aunt, Mother’s Side	Pedoo’o
Aunt, Father’s Sister (man speaking)	Pa’wa (Pa’wa)
Aunt, Father’s Sister (woman speaking)	Medo’o
Grandmother. Father’s Side	Hootse’e
Grandmother. Mother’s Side	Mooa’a
Granddaughter	Hoobe’e

Tlingit, Alaska

Mother	Tláa
Mother-in-Law	Chaan
Daughter	Sée
Boy’s Sister	Dlaak’
Giril’s Older Sister	Shátx
Girl’s Younger Sister	Kéek’
Niece, Sister’s Child	Káalk’w
Maternal Aunt	Tláak’w
Paternal Aunt	Aat
Grandmother/Grandfather/Grandparents)	Léelk’w
Great-Great Grandparent(s)	Daakanóox’u

Tunica, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

Mother

igachihchi

Twulshootseed, Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Washington

Mother	sk’ʷuy
Grandmother	kayəʔ
Aunt	pus

Note: The words and phrases in this post were provided by members of the tribes listedm but spellings and translations may vary. Also, some words may be missing accents or symbols due to limited characters on a keyboard.

We’re happy to add your language and/or hear corrections and suggestions on spellings and translations. Please feel free to contact us at info@aianta.org.

View more kanguage posts in AIANTA’s Native Greetings series.

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