The Things We Do For The Ones We Love: ‘Uunchuch A’wii ‘Iipay Anyehewar (Kumeyaay)

Image: Honoree of Quinciñera dancing, Ai-generated

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Synopsis: Last July, my youngest daughter turned 15. As a Latina, she asked me if she could have a Quinciñera, which was a big ask. I wanted to say no. I understood the hard work and the expense both physical and emotional it would require of me, but she asked me with tears in her eyes saying she wanted to honor her culture in this way. And so, I agreed to it under certain conditions. She would have to take a Spanish class in school, as well as sing a song and give a toast in Spanish. So, we planned for it, decided on the location, the colors, the theme, made the guest list, choreographed the waltz, and the surprise dance. Needless to say, July was a whirlwind for us, but at the end of the day, I had a daughter who felt loved and supported. That is worth the time, sacrifice and energy that was poured into this right of passage.

 Shahook ‘enyaa haylly, ‘enyaawapech ewa kenowm uunyaa kwakull etaanuw. ‘Mat say weshullym, ‘ewaa kwenuur weshullym, Matetay weshullym. Denverm, Nyaama, ‘enyaawapch paam. puuch naa puknaach mat aayum  ‘ehkwan sinych, Carmen chuuhii, tuuyumk shaahuk maay saarap ‘enyaach hekwanyp. ‘Enyaach ikuukches!

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Carmen wii fyeest wars. ‘Enyaa pachany iichach yachish chehekaayp ‘enyaawapch temaa pes ‘uuchuch wars iichaa rraw. Nyapuum, chu’wach ‘echuw. Haykuu aa Weyaawh, ‘echeyuw mat uuwiichh, chekwar wechuwh.

 ‘Ehkwany siny tehiilly esemaay hepishiiw tehiillyp hwall aanak ekwach. Enyaataat hemnyaaw kuu-uup. ‘Uuchuch llyewii ‘iikwiich hetmii uuyaaw. Nesoom elymaam. Nyipily nyemay. Nyapuum Enyaataat Carmen echemaach maayaay cha’yaaw nyakwaaw cheyuuw gitaarr shkily. Nyaamat yip. Nyaamat uuwiw. Marway wemich.

 Kway, pechkuu, Steven,  Maay ‘Ehaa enyaawapch chewayp, empanadas, pasteles, kukwaayp, jamal, wepaap ‘Iipay  nyamaat wesuw. Ya’suum wepaap meyulk aahkay. ‘Esuw ‘ehmiiy tawa. Nyii nyakwar umaaw aakkwaykch ‘ewaa keway waaches nyechiiwar etuum ekwach.

Penesily, Mollie, nyawaayp, ‘enyaawapch briindaar. Nyehay chewuuw wesich.

 Nyapuum, kweleyuw aachan, Cha’yaawch hemall aakullchis nyawihch ‘iipay nyaamat wemann iimaa yuully nemesap, ewaa shuupiit hemir.

Akehap temurchis ‘iipay Carmen wemirr ekwach. Hunnch temurchis iichaa nyii maaykiiwayk umaaw…nyii kumyum umaaw.

Nyawim, chepamchis. Wetapch a-aam. Tehill uushuh, ‘iipaych ‘ewaam waam. Carmen ‘Enyaa ‘enyaawapch California kuuyum wenir. Metaawar tawaa, pes enyaa enyekwin hechap. Metpay tawa pes enyaa enyekwin temuechis. Nyanyinyuy, ‘enyaawapch ‘ehiink, pez enyaa enyekwin anyehewar ‘enyaawapch aatewyiw yachishm nyeway iichaa nyeway.

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 Nyumvey, maap nyamemirrvek, ‘uuchuch maawíphes peyaa. Tiikay, apesiiwchis pes iinuyp ‘uuchuch peyap war. Wemirrch nyii ‘emiiwann umaawchis. ‘Emaay ‘Ehaa ‘etalych wechuw. Carmen ‘Enyaa mat nyuwich. Kenyeway mat uuwiich. ‘Enyaa, muuyu sekwii wecham. Mat ow muuyu sekwii wecham.  Wemirrch nyii iichaa ehiink, pez iichaa ‘iipay nyamat. Carmen nyahekwany siny, parewii mawiih. Puknaach kenyeway may peshuw. ‘Uuchuch iikuu iipatch Carmen keway, ‘uuchuch peyap ikuu eyiiwvi.

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