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Translation done by Josh Whyt, wahpeton college.
Okay here's my interpretation of the letter. I'm sure it's not perfect, but it's what I got.
Makoce deci ikcewicaṡta token wicoḣ’aŋ waŋke oŋṡpa cistiŋna ociciyakapi waciŋ.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about what the Indian’s activities are like over here.
Ikcewicaṡta taku uŋkiwaṡtepi ṡni wake.
I mean what isn’t good for Indian people.
Tona woope opapi kta kecaŋmi.
I think several will join the law [i.e abide by the law]
Uŋkaŋ tona hececapi hena ie s’a hecapi k’a eciŋṡniyaŋ ecuŋpi.
And then some who are like that are loudmouths and they do [things] incorrectly.
Uŋkaŋ koṡka waŋ waṡte k’a ie s’a ṡni.
And one young man is good and he doesn’t talk too often.
Taku waṡte k’a taku owotaŋna eceedan ecuŋ uŋ kiŋ he waciŋyaŋpi cee.
They depend upon the one who lives only doing what is good and what is upright.
Hecen iweciyukcaŋ.
That’s how I think about his [conduct].
Tuwe woope opa eṡta ie s’a tiiyaza aye ṡni.
Even though somebody has joined the law, the loudmouth takes him from house to house.
Woṡica kaġa hecen iweciyukcaŋ.
I think that his [conduct] makes trouble.
Uŋkaŋ nakaha makoce kiŋ den koṡka nuŋm kiciktepi.
And two young men just recently killed one another here [in] this area.
Uŋkaŋ ie s’a heca ktepi.
And a loudmouth was killed [also].
Napiŋ taŋyaŋ tipi.
They both lived well.
Taku wokażużu akinicapi kiciktepi.
They killed one another arguing over some payment.
Tuka hehaŋn ie s’a wicaṡta hena wocekiya opapi tuka he wicayaececapi.
Those loud-mouthed men joined church but they talked them into it.
Kiciktewicayapi.
They made them kill each other.
Hehaŋn ehaŋtaŋhaŋ waŋna waniyetu he wiyoḣpeyata Ḣeska kiŋ itahena Pahiŋskaska ktepi .
Then they had already killed Custer [that] winter on this side of the Rocky Mountains in the West.
Nakaŋḣ makoce den ni uŋ do.
He is now living in this area.
Koṡka kiŋ Oyemakasaŋ eciyapi k’a atkuku kiŋ Wakpiyuweġe eciyapi do.
The young man is named Grey Tracks and his dad is named Crossed the River.
Eya de woyakapi kiŋ decen eyapi heuŋ omdake.
Well they tell the story like this so I told it.
Koda, caŋtewaṡteya napeciyuze.
Friend, I shake your hand with a good heart.
Charles Ciwuyuksa
Onażica Etaŋhaŋ
March 26, 1906
This translation was done By my Ina. Lisa (Antoine) Taylor.
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