Minnesota Humanitites Commission Native Language workshop

[Richard LaFortune]

We have a very good crowd (more than 80) of people
here today in St. Paul for this historic, day-long
workshop.  I first began working with the commission
about 9-10 years ago when I launched the Grotto
Foundation Native language research initiative (now a
$5.6M fifteen year long program).  

As state-wide legislative co-chair for the Dakota
Ojibwe Language Revitalization Alliance I approached
MHC again a little over a year ago & suggested that we
explore a Native language children's literature
initiative -- this workshop  presents the first step
in what we hope will generate several dozen beautiful,
hardcover Native language children's books in Dakota &
Ojibwe.  I created a tenative budget for about $2.25M
over a 2-3 period so that children's books, regional
dialect dictionaries & some master-apprentice work can
be used as the starting point for long-term
humanties/cultural conservation-based work with this
state institution.  If anyone on the listserve has
questions about how we put this together in Minnesota,
I'm on the organizing committee & I am happy to be a
resource --or of course you can contact the commission
administration as well.

peace!
Anguksuar (Richard LaFortune)
co-Chair, Dakota Ojibwe Language Revitalization
Alliance
612.267.1682



Dakota and Ojibwe Language and Literacy Workshop 
Monday, July 10, 2006
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Humanities Education Center, St. Paul

The Minnesota Humanities Commission is partnering with
Dakota and Ojibwe language supporters to offer a
workshop that honors these languages and cultures. The
emphasis of this workshop will be on materials for use
in early childhood (ages 0-8) language programs. Dr.
Anton Treuer, Assistant Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji
State University, will open the workshop with a
session on the importance of language revitalization.
Breakout sessions will highlight various immersion
program models; how to work together with elders in
language programs; and how to make books for use with
young children and their families. Exhibitors will
display and sell children’s books and other Dakota and
Ojibwe language materials for use with young children
and their families. This workshop is open to all
educators who have an interest in preserving Native
American languages. Registration for this seminar is
now closed.

Fee: $25, which includes lunch and a cassette
recording of From the Sky: Stories in Song from Native
North America.

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