The Cree proverb “Kâ-miyikoyahk mîna, kâ-nânitawihiyahk.” carries a simple sentence on the surface, yet it holds an entire way of seeing the world. The English meaning, “What we are given, we must take care of,” speaks to responsibility, gratitude, and ongoing stewardship, not just possession.
This is not only about objects or property. It is about relationships, land, body, spirit, time, and opportunities. In many Indigenous worldviews, including Cree, receiving something creates a living bond. If something comes into your life, it is not just “yours.” It becomes part of your circle of care.
Translation and Nuance
The English line “What we are given, we must take care of” sounds almost like a polite reminder. In the Cree expression, though, there is a deeper sense of obligation and reciprocity.
You are not simply lucky to receive something. You are now responsible for its wellbeing and for how it affects others. The gift and the caregiver are tied together. To receive without caring is a kind of imbalance.
In this sense, the proverb is about more than gratitude. It is about active guardianship. Gratitude is feeling. Taking care is action.
Cultural Context and Origin
While it is difficult to trace a single “first moment” of a traditional proverb, sayings like this align closely with Cree teachings about:
- Interconnectedness
Humans, animals, plants, water, land, and spirit are seen as part of one related system. What touches one part affects the others. What you are given is never separate from the rest of creation. - Reciprocity
When the land gives berries, you give respect, careful harvesting, and protection. When the community gives support, you give back effort, kindness, and reliability. A gift is never one way. - Responsibility to future generations
What we receive is often borrowed from those who will come after us. Children, the land, language, and stories must be protected so they are still alive for those who are not yet here.
Because of this, the proverb can be heard as a quiet moral law: if something enters your care, you have duties now.
What We Are Given: Seeing “Gifts” in a Wider Way
At first, it is easy to think of gifts as only physical objects. But this proverb becomes much more powerful when you see how many kinds of “given” things we carry.
1. The Land and Environment
We are given:
- Water to drink
- Air to breathe
- Soil, plants, and animals that feed and sustain us
If we accept these without care, we break the spirit of the proverb. Pollution, overconsumption, and neglect turn the gift into damage. To honor the saying, we are called to:
- Use resources respectfully and avoid waste
- Protect rivers, forests, and wildlife habitats
- Make choices that keep the land healthy for those who come after us
Taking care of the Earth becomes an expression of gratitude, not just a political or economic choice.
2. Relationships and People
We are given:
- Family and kin
- Friends and partners
- Elders, mentors, and community
If someone lets you into their life, that trust is also “given.” The proverb reminds us that you must take care of:
- How you speak to them
- How you handle their secrets and vulnerabilities
- How you show up when they need you
Being given someone’s time, energy, and affection is not casual. It is a responsibility to be honest, kind, and reliable.
3. Body, Mind, and Spirit
You are given:
- A body to move and act
- A mind to think and imagine
- A spirit or inner life that feels and connects
Ignoring your health, numbing yourself constantly, or filling your life with habits that weaken you is a kind of neglect. The proverb points you back to:
- Rest, good food, and movement
- Honest reflection instead of denial
- Practices that keep you grounded and centered
If your body and mind are gifts, then self-care is not selfish. It is an obligation to the life you have been given.
4. Talents, Opportunities, and Time
You are given:
- Natural strengths and interests
- Lessons from hardship and struggle
- Chances to learn, work, create, and help
The proverb challenges passive living. If you are given abilities but never develop them, or opportunities but never act, it is like leaving a precious tool outside to rust.
Taking care of your gifts can look like:
- Practicing your skills instead of only talking about them
- Using your experiences to help others who are going through similar struggles
- Respecting your time, not wasting it on things that drain and diminish you
From Ownership to Stewardship
One of the deepest shifts in this Cree proverb is moving from ownership to stewardship.
- Ownership says: “This is mine. I can do what I want with it.”
- Stewardship says: “This has come into my care. I am responsible for how it is treated, for as long as it is with me.”
Under stewardship:
- A house is not just property. It is a shelter that needs maintenance, warmth, and safety for everyone inside.
- A child is not a possession. They are a life entrusted to you.
- A job is not just income. It is a place where your effort affects others and where your integrity matters.
The proverb quietly asks: Are you acting like an owner who takes everything for granted, or a caretaker who honors what they have?
Practical Life Lessons from the Proverb
Here are some concrete ways to live out “What we are given, we must take care of” in daily life.
1. Treat Every Gift as a Responsibility
If you receive something, ask yourself:
- What does taking care of this look like?
- Who else is affected by how I handle this?
- How can I leave this better than I found it?
This applies to borrowing a tool, starting a new relationship, accepting a role at work, or moving into a new place.
2. Do Not Separate Gratitude from Action
Gratitude should show up in behavior.
- If you are grateful for your health, show it in how you eat, sleep, and move.
- If you are grateful for your partner or friends, show it in how you listen, support, and communicate.
- If you are grateful for the land, show it in how you harvest, dispose of waste, and travel.
Feeling thankful is only the beginning. The proverb pushes you toward tangible care.
3. Honor What You Already Have Before Chasing More
In a world that constantly tells you to want more, this teaching brings you back to what is already in your hands.
- Fix and maintain what you own instead of always buying new
- Nurture the relationships that are already in your life
- Explore your current skills deeply instead of endlessly chasing new ones
Sometimes life changes when you treat what you already have as sacred, rather than disposable.
4. See Hard Lessons as “Given” Too
Not every “gift” feels pleasant. Illness, loss, hardship, and failure do not feel like blessings. Yet even these experiences come with something to be worked with.
Taking care of what you are given can mean:
- Facing pain honestly instead of burying it
- Learning from mistakes rather than repeating them
- Using what you have survived to bring wisdom and compassion to others
This does not mean romanticizing suffering. It means respecting your experiences enough to grow from them.
5. Think Generationally
Ask: if I truly take care of what I am given, what will those after me inherit?
- Cleaner or more damaged water and soil
- Stronger or weaker family and community bonds
- Cultural knowledge preserved or forgotten
- A personal example of responsibility or of neglect
The proverb stretches your sense of time. You are caring not only for your own life, but for those who will follow.
Bringing the Proverb into Modern Life
In modern society, much is disposable: products, trends, even relationships. The Cree proverb “Kâ-miyikoyahk mîna, kâ-nânitawihiyahk” pushes back against this mindset.
To live it today might mean:
- Repairing, reusing, and respecting objects instead of treating everything as trash
- Showing up for people consistently, not only when it is convenient
- Taking responsibility for your emotional impact on others
- Protecting and restoring natural places whenever you can
- Guarding your attention and time, using them in ways that truly matter
It is a quiet form of strength. Caring is not weakness. It is discipline, patience, and long-term vision.
Conclusion: A Guiding Sentence for a Responsible Life
“What we are given, we must take care of” is small enough to remember in a single breath, yet large enough to guide an entire way of life.
If you let it, this Cree proverb can become a test you apply to almost everything:
- If I am given this person’s trust, will I protect it?
- If I am given this land, will I respect it?
- If I am given this day, will I waste it or honor it?
Each time something enters your life, the proverb quietly repeats:
You have been given this. Now, take care of it.
