"Tânisi! With the help of this book, you can learn to speak Cree! Designed as an introduction for Cree language learners, mâci-nêhiyawêwin: Beginning Cree acts as a self-study aid--a much-needed resource in today's world where few can speak Cree fluently. Basic grammar units and everyday vocabulary items guide the student through the building blocks of the language, and expansion drills and exercises reinforce lessons and prepare the student for further study. With over 100 illustrations, this text grounds the language in traditional and contemporary contexts. Solomon Ratt was born in a trapper's cabin along the banks of the Churchill River. He went to Residential School in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He attended the University of Regina, graduating with two BAs and a Masters of Arts. He has been teaching the Y-dialect of Cree at First Nations University of Canada (formerly SIFC) since 1986. Holly Martin is a Swampy Cree artist, originally from Moose Lake First Nation. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Regina."