music and language

[Julian Lang]

Some 10 and 15 years ago there was a "recommendation" to de-emphasize using music/singing as a tool for language acquisiition. The idea was that memory studies suggested that music and language were stored in different parts of the brain and that by working with both concurrently caused more trouble with acquisition than benefit. 

As a Karuk tribal cultural leader and teacher I rarely see the value of compartmentalization and separating singing, ritual vs. secular language, gender or age-specific language. Our cultures are the unifying experience for each language groupl And our cultures require people and mutual, side-by-side experience. 

As tribal elder, Vina Smith, said yesterday. You have to bring the people together and be together. That's a tribal imperative and not a classroom objective (necessarily). 

I use music to demonstrate that language is our healing medicine. After a good language session we sing. It is our reward for being a Karuk Indian person: we are good singers with beautiul songs. 

thanks for the opportunity to say something,
Julian Lang Julian Lang
P.O. Box 2276
McKinleyville, CA 95501




Institute of Native Knowledge
517 Third Street
Suite 36
Eureka, California 95501
<www.instituteofnativeknowledge.com>


________________________________
 From: Phillip E Cash Cash <cashcash at EMAIL.ARIZONA.EDU>
To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 6:00 PM
Subject: Re: [ILAT] music and language
 

Greetings, I also want to add here that there is a rich but poorly documented aspect of 2nd language acquisition, that of ritual induced 2nd language acquisition.  Typically, in the ritual life, there is "music" present but not always.  I imagine that that there may be similar situations as in my own indigenous community where there are a growing number of younger practitioners who are 2nd language learners.  They acquire both the ritual practices and associated language simultaneously.  I will be addressing this phenomenon in my AILDI course offering here in Tucson in 2013. :)  Hopefully, we can find some supporting articles, etc.  Let me know if you find/know of any. 

Life and language always,


Phil Cash Cash
UofA        
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