SSBMI Language Department

Family Songs

Songs are a wonderful and effective way to learn, practice, and share your language. Here we have collected Nisenan songs that you can share with your loved ones, including traditional songs shared by Nisenan speakers and new Nisenan-language lyrics written by SSBMI staff that you can sing to familiar melodies. You can also learn additional words and phrases that we encourage you to use with your family.

Please follow the links below to listen to audio recordings of these songs and to learn more about them.

Lullabies

Túyc’e Wánay, as sung by Lizzie Enos

Wentín Tuyím Mi (You Are Sleeping Well), sung to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"

Other songs

Yan, Yan, Yanhaháp (Pick it, Pick it, Always Pick It), sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

If you would like to request a song for us to adapt with new Nisenan-language lyrics, please contact us at Language@ssband.org.

Esak’ábe mi? (Do you know?)

The SSBMI Language Department and Exhibits & Collections Center also collaborate to share Nisenan and Miwok stories through our Beeteyihí (Storytime) events and website and through the SSBMI Nisenan Storytelling Collection. If you are interested in hearing more Nisenan language, as well as in finding stories and activities that you can share with your family, we encourage you to check out these resources too.

To learn more about Beeteyihí, please click here. To learn more about the SSBMI Nisenan Storytelling Collection, please click here. For any other questions, please contact the SSBMI Language Department at language@ssband.org.

Menekɨ́m siyéebe hedém website-í? (Who makes this website?)

This website is maintained by SSBMI Language Department staff in order to share Nisenan and Miwok language learning resources with the Tribal Membership and other learners. Our current team consists of: Jonathan Geary, Richenda Ervin, and Skye Anderson. Unless otherwise noted, the Nisenan and Miwok audio recordings that you will find on this website are recordings of Jonathan, Richenda, and Skye. We are all learners of the Nisenan and Miwok languages, and we hope that you will join us in learning Nisenan and Miwok too!

Webpage last updated: 2024-05-04