women as keepers of the language

[Claire Bowern]

That was a totally gratuitous and unnecessarily sexist comment.
In Australia, I've lost count of the number of stories I've heard about
women who've gone to great lengths to pass on their languages, sometimes at
great risk to their personal safety. Haven't heard too many stories about
the blokes taking the same risks. Some of these stories are documented in
the 1997 "Bringing them Home" report; others in the 2003 FEL proceedings
from the conference held in Broome (both should be easy to find). It's also
fairly well documented in a number of remote Aboriginal communities in
Australia that community language programs are overwhelmingly run by older
women (in part because of demographics, more women live longer, in part
because of other factors).
Claire

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 4:15 PM, Rolland Nadjiwon <mikinakn at shaw.ca> wrote:

> **
> That is not so, the family, the community and each other were the users
> and learners of the language. It was not a responsibility of anyone:  it
> just was. Of course in. this neoculture age of illusion, anyone can start
> any 'tradition' anyone wants to and make it traditional because you say so.
> It doesn't need to have anything to do with or any connection with the
> people or the community. Put it in writing in all of the languages and it
> will have much more power of enforcement. I guess that's why 'the women'
> always tell the men to 'be quiet' or 'shut up'...so they will not pass on
> any language...hmmm...maybe you are onto something here...eh.
>
> wahjeh
> rolland nadjiwon
> _____________________________________
>  “*You won’t recognize Canada* *when I get through with it” *– P.M.
> Stephen Harper
>
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* Indigenous Languages and Technology [mailto:
> ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU] *On Behalf Of *Tammy DeCoteau
> *Sent:* May-08-12 3:13 PM
> *To:* ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
> *Subject:* [ILAT] women as keepers of the language
>
> Does anyone know of any writing that talks about women being the keepers
> of the language and it being the mothers and grandmothers that pass
> language down?  There is a mother's day event at which they are asking for
> our program to have a booth and I would like to create a handout and hope
> to quote something.
>
> Tammy DeCoteau
> AAIA Native Language Program
>
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