Native Nations, Native Voices

[Gordon Bronitsky]

	At this point, it doesn’t seem that there will be enough funding for
Native Nations, Native Voices in New Mexico in 2005.  I’m waiting for
final word on funding from the City of Albuquerque, but I will almost
certainly call it to a halt next week.  However, there is strong
interest—the festival is under consideration in 2006 at the University
of Hawaii at Hilo (as part of the inauguration of their new doctoral
program in Native language revitalization), the University of South
Dakota, and the Pequot Museum in Connecticut.  Personnel at the US
embassy in Lima are discussing with Peruvian institutions the
possibility of hosting it there in 2006.  And I’ve also had inquiries
from Canada, New Zealand (Maori) and Norway (Sami).
	In addition, the power and passion of the Native language writers
themselves continues to fuel my own desire to make this festival happen
(see letter below, edited to preserve the writer’s identity).  So my
question is this—do you think it would be worthwhile to try and bring
Native Nations, Native Voices back to the Southwest in the future?
	I would value your input.
	Thank you.

Gordon Bronitsky

Dear Gordon:

Thank you for this latest update on Native Nations,
Native Voices.  Although you have not heard from me
for quite awhile, I've been benefitting from the
continuous update you've been sending my way.  I wish
to thank you and congratulate you for being so
earnest, dedicated, and sincere in trying to get the
festival this summer off to a flying start.

I've been very busy this past year.  I was successful
in staging two plays here XXX and I'm
getting ready for another production slated for
April-May this year.  I am looking forward to being at
the festival that has been scheduled for July of this
year.  I am seeking funding for this trip and it has
been a tremendous challenge since the indigenous
language of XXX here on XXX is not a priority
with government, business, and the community at large.
  You guessed it, CHamoru is not widely spoken here and
it is dying at a rate that, I'm afraid, the next
generation will not be speaking--unless my effort at
teaching it pays off in the long run.  You best know
what a tremendous challenge this is.  My attempts at
preserving it through my writings and plays is but one
in several thousands.  I've approached publishing
companies in Hawai'i and the mainland and the most
common question that I get prior to rejection is, "Is
there a market for your writings among the native
peoples?"  Of course, the answer to that is pretty
much discouraging.  But, as with my other counterparts
throughout the world as so succinctly presented by
you, I continue to plod along and do the very best.
However, this festival is something I am looking
forward to because of the fact that I will be among
dozens of others whose missions and values mirror my
own.

Gordon, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  It is
people like you who make our work worthwhile.  I hope
that the exact dates of the festival is cemented soon
as I need this information in order to make
arrangements from work to leave to attend it.

Write soon again.