Most XUSI designs carry a word in Cree (Nêhiyawêwin). People ask us about them at vendor events, in our messages and at the gym, which is exactly the point: a word on a shirt starts a conversation. Here is a short guide to the words on our clothing. The full meaning and story behind each design is on our Meanings page.
Words for strength and endurance
- sôhkahpinêw (ᓲᐦᑲᐦᐱᓀᐤ): to be resilient, to endure pain with inner strength. It is the word on our Wolf tee.
- âhkamêyimow (ᐋᐦᑲᒣᔨᒧᐤ): to persevere, to keep going, to push through. See the Âhkamêyimow tee.
- maskawisiwin (ᒪᐢᑲᐏᓯᐏᐣ): firmness, hardness, strength. It is the word behind our Bear tee.
- sôhkahtwâwin (ᓲᐦᑲᐦᑣᐏᐣ): resilience, inner strength, the ability to recover and remain strong through hardship. See the Resilience tee.
Words for renewal and coming back
- kitôskihtânaw (ᑭᑑᐢᑭᐦᑖᓇᐤ): we renew, we restore, we make it new again. It carries our Revitalize Culture design.
- kitâpisisininâwâw (ᑭᑖᐱᓯᓯᓂᓈᐚᐤ): you all revive, you come back to life, you rise again. See Wake From Death and Return to Life.
Words for relationships, beauty and place
- miyo-wîcêhtowin (ᒥᔪ ᐑᒉᐦᑐᐏᐣ): building strong, respectful relationships, with each other and the land. It is the word behind The Great Drive, in Sandstone, Limestone and Crème.
- miyosiwin (ᒥᔪᓯᐏᐣ): beauty, being beautiful, refinement. See the Rose hoodie.
- sâskwatôn (ᓵᐢᑾᑑᐣ): Saskatoon, the city on Treaty 6 territory where XUSI started. See the sâskwatôn tee.
- kîwêtinohk-kisâstêw (ᑮᐍᑎᓄᕽ ᑭᓵᐢᑌᐤ): in the North, it is hot and sunny. It is the word on Summer Heat.
Why we put Cree words on clothing
Language carries culture. Putting Nêhiyawêwin on what people wear every day keeps the words visible and gives people a reason to ask what they mean. Part of our vision for XUSI is to help revitalize Cree and Dene language through thoughtful products, and we write every meaning ourselves.
Want to go deeper? Read the full stories on the Meanings page, or shop Indigenous t-shirts.
Written by XUSI, an Indigenous-owned clothing and screen printing brand from Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory. Our story · What the words mean