Plains Indian Sign Language

[Davis, Jeffrey E (Jeff)]

What:   Sign Talk: Plains Indian Sign Language Documentary Project
Who:    James Woodenlegs (Northern Cheyenne) & Melanie McKay-Cody
(Chickamauga Cherokee/Choctaw)
When:  March 26, 2010, 11:00AM - Noon 
Where: McClung Museum Auditorium, The University of Tennessee 
 
James and Melanie are internationally recognized presenters and scholars
of Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), which was once used as a lingua
franca among American Indian nations of the Great Plains and cultural
groups bordering this cultural area.  PISL (also called Sign Talk) is
distinct from American Sign Language (ASL) that is used in Deaf
communities of the U.S. and Canada.  This historical case of a signed
lingua franca was unparalleled, spanning a large geographic area and
once used among members from dozens of distinct linguistic and cultural
Native American groups.  Today, PISL is an endangered language due in
part to its replacement by English and ASL in some instances; however,
it is still being used by some deaf and hearing members of the Plains
cultural groups-such as Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho, Crow, Lakota, and
Mandan-Hidatsa. 
 
Dr. Jeffrey Davis, Professor of Sign Language Linguistics at the
University of Tennessee is collaborating closely with James, Melanie,
and other Native signers to study and revitalize PISL, which is part of
the rich legacy of Native American cultural heritage.   Both presenters
are "walking encyclopedias" about this subject and about Deaf and
American Indian cultures.  This event is being co-sponsored by the
National Science Foundation's Documenting Endangered Languages Program;
College of Education and Human Sciences; Department of Theory and
Practice in Teacher Education, Linguistics and Educational Interpreting
Programs; and UT Native American Student Association

 

More about the presenters: 

 
James Woodenlegs (N. Cheyenne) is a Deaf Native signer of Plains Indian
Sign Language (PISL) and a direct descendent of Wooden Legs one of the
great historical chiefs of the Cheyenne.  James learned PISL natively
from his family growing up on the N. Cheyenne reservation in
southeastern Montana.  He currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He is involved in the revitalization of PISL and an active member of
Deaf and American Indian communities.  

Melanie McKay-Cody (Chickamauga Cherokee/Choctaw) teaches sign language
at William Woods University, Fulton, Mo.  Her research concentration has
been North American Indian Sign Language, and she is the first Deaf
researcher to specialize in this area of linguistic study.  For many
years Melanie has worked closely with American Indian/Alaska
Native/First Nation deaf and hard of hearing people, to promote
awareness of Deaf Native Studies and Indian Sign Language.

Research website:  http://sunsite.utk.edu/pisl/

 

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