Mohawk language program launched (fwd)

[Wayne Leman]

I wish this Mohawk program, and others like it, the best success. But after 
many years of observation, I have concluded that the "traditional" 
(traditional according to federal schools "whiteman" education) teaching of 
indigenous language colors and numbers does preserve a language 
conversationally. Nor do computers, as much as I value the use of computers 
for preserving language *data*, or providing some supplemental assistance 
for children with indigenous language reinforcement.

It seems to me that the *only* way indigenous languages can be preserved as 
living languages for communication between individuals, that is, as a medium 
for conversation and other kinds of communication, is for social groups, 
such as family and clan units, to begin using the indigenous language again. 
Children need to be immersed in a rich environment where they are exposed to 
language the way any baby or toddler learns language, by listening to it as 
it is spoken and imitating it. Federal monies can help if they go toward 
helping social units actually speak the language to children extensively.

I'm sorry if this comes across negatively. It pains me deeply to see our 
indigeous languages dying. My father's indigenous language died in front of 
eyes when I was a child. He married an Anglo lady, not a Native American, so 
English was spoken in our home, but I heard him speak his language 
extensively to his mother and siblings. And just from that I learning quite 
a bit of the language.

Children will learn languages if they are exposed to them by their primary 
caregivers, OR if they are taken out of their homes and put in boarding 
schools where they are forced to speak a certain language. And we all know 
the terrible things the boarding school language thing did to our Native 
American and First Nations people.

I suggest that our First Nations people need to return to truly traditional 
ways of language teaching, which take place in the home. It can be 
supplemented in schools, but it is difficult for children to learn a 
language to be able to communicate in it in school, unless it is total 
immersion, such as in a boarding school environment. Perhaps it would work 
today if we had truly total immersion schools where the First Nation 
language is the only language used in school by everyone, even if parents 
and grandchildren speak English or French to the children when they return 
home.

We cannot depend on state, provincial, or federal governments to help us 
preserve our languages. We have to do it for ourselves. If we need outside 
money to help us do it ourselves, that's fine. But the actual teaching has 
to be done by primary caregivers and it must be rich language, including 
commands, questions, and everything else that we do with language. all done 
*naturally*, as part of language as life is lived each day.

Painfully,
Wayne
-----
Wayne Leman
Cheyenne website: http://www.geocities.com/cheyenne_language

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "phil cash cash" <cashcash at EMAIL.ARIZONA.EDU>
To: <ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2007 11:36 AM
Subject: [ILAT] Mohawk language program launched (fwd)


> Mohawk language program launched
>
> Elisabeth Johns  /  Standard-Freeholder
> Local News - Saturday, August 11, 2007 @ 08:00
> http://www.standard-freeholder.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=648925&catname=Local%20News&classif=
>
> A program to preserve the Mohawk language was launched Friday as a way to
> keep the traditional native form of communication in tact.
>
> The project, called, Let's Speak Mohawk Again, was lauded as a unique way 
> to
> preserve Mohawk history and encourage current generations to speak their
> mother tongue.
>
> The Kanien'keha (Mohawk) Language Centre was opened thanks to two grants, 
> a
> $100,000 grant from the Akwesasne Community Fund and $75,000 grant from 
> the
> Ontario Trillium Foundation.
>
> The money is going towards purchasing new computers and new software
> technology which will help to teach the language to children within the
> Akwesasne Mohawk School Board and adults at the learning centre. It will
> also help to fund the staff and translators who will implement the
> software.
>
> "Our language is the very key to our survival," said Karen Mitchell,
> executive director of the Akwesasne Economic Development Agency. "It is
> what makes us who we are today."
>
> Akwesasne Grand Chief Tim Thompson agreed, adding that the language has 
> been
> lost over many generations.
>
> He even admitted many of his own family members aren't fluent in Mohawk.
>
> A demonstration of the technology showed beginner students could learn
> simple words, like colours and the names of different animals by listening
> to an audio recording.
>
> They then can see the how the word is pronounced and attempt to recite the
> word on their own. Their recitation is recorded and they can see whether 
> or
> not they pronounced the word correctly, Mitchell explained, adding that it
> will be available for the Akwesasne school board this fall.
>
> Classes are also available through the Mohawk Language Learning Centre.
>
> The classes are $200 for six months. People can call 613-932-2923 for more
> information.
>
>
>
> -- 
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>