Meaning of Siouan word "Shke-ma."

[Jonathan Holmes]

Howdy,
I realize it is difficult to translate Siouan words from songs, but I have a question concerning the possible meaning or translation of an Omaha-Ponca or Siouan word which may be written as "shke-ma." The word was written in a transcription of Ponca songs sung and translated by Ponca singers Sylvester Warrior and Lamont Brown in 1967. The quote and it's source is listed below. Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.
Jonathan Holmes

"MoN-chu Shke-ma, that’s a Siouan name. We don’t know what it means. The only part we know is MoN-chu, that means (Grizzly) Bear. Our language is similar. Don’t know if it’s Spotted Bear or Black Bear, it’s a Siouan name. When this man arrived on the scene of the battle, this Sioux ran away." (Warrior & Brown, 1967, p. 24)


Warrior, Sylvester and Lamont Brown. 1967. Ponca Songs Sung and Translated. Recorded by Tyronne H. Stewart, in October of 1967 at Oklahoma City, OK. Transcribed by Earl C. Fenner and Jon Orens.



		
---------------------------------
Celebrate Yahoo!'s 10th Birthday!
 Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/siouan/attachments/20050309/a263c4f8/attachment.htm>