Usti Yona

(Little Bear)
2 &4
5

Shared and Transcribed by Alison Scott Edited by Mirna Y. Cabrera Cherokee Children's Folk Song

Scale: ?
q = 132

Us - ti

yo - na,

us - ti

yo - na,

os - ta

kle - gi,

os - ta

kle - gi,

&

Ji - ya

ki - lv - da,

us - ti

yo - na,

os - ta

kle - gi,

os - ta

..

kle - gi.

Translation & Cherokee Phonetic Guide Usti yona, usti yona (Oo-stee yoh-nah, oo-stee yoh-nah) Osta klegi, osta klegi (Oh-sta kleh-*gi, oh-sta kleh-*gi) Jiya kilvda, usti yona (Jee-yah kee-luh-duh, oo-stee yoh-nah) Osta klegi, osta klegi (Oh-sta kleh-*gi, oh-sta kleh-*gi) *G=hard G Ethnomusicological Background This is a Cherokee "lullaby", so to speak, because it is used to lull children to sleep--a song meant to appeal to children. My mother tells me that there really aren't any Cherokee lullabies, and any songs that can be perceived as such are really just whatever words are strung together to a simple beat. I learned this song as my mother sang it to me. Little bear, little bear, It's alright, it's alright. Go for a ride, little bear, It's alright, It's alright.