Irish poet Gabriel Rosenstock’s bilingual poem in Irish and English as a tribute to Native American advocate Ada Deer who died at the age of 88. More about Ada Deer here.
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Ada Deer
You belonged to the Menominee tribe.
According to folklore you’ve always been there
for you belonged to the Ancient Ones
the Kiash Matchitiwuk
older than trees – but their equal
upright like them, strong,
peaceful and trustworthy
When your people looked into
a river or lake
it was an honest face they saw.
Ada Deer
Ba leis an treibh Menominee thú.
De réir an bhéaloidis, bhíomhair riamh ann
mar gur bhaineamhair leis an bPobal Ársa
na Kiash Matchitiwuk
níos sine ná na crainn – ach ar comhstádas
a ndála féin, ionraic, téagartha,
síochánta agus iontaofa
Má chromamhair os cionn abhann
nó locha
aghaidh mhacánta a d’fhéach ar ais oraibh.
