Omaha language

[Mark Awakuni-Sweltand]

02 July 2002
Aloha All:
Colleen Webster Flores is a member of the Omaha Tribe... and one of my
granddaughters. Isn't it "refreshing" in a Machiavellian way to be
blindsided by one of your own relatives? I do not know which website she is
refering to (perhaps brother John Koontz's?) ... nor do I know the NY fellow
Bob mentions.

Language ownership, control, and the presumption of financial gains to be
garnered by such control routinely surfaces as a topic of debate at Macy.
Naturally all of us scholars are filthy rich by our ill-gotten gains from
ripped-off indigenous languages... we just hide the wealth, enit?

I will email Colleen directly and inquire for details about the website and
her concerns.

best
Uthixide
Mark


Mark Awakuni-Swetland, Lecturer
Anthropology/Native American Studies
University of Nebraska
Bessey Hall 132
Lincoln, NE 68588-0368
402-472-3455
mawakuni-swetland2 at unl.edu

----- Original Message -----
From: "R. Rankin" <rankin at ku.edu>
To: "Siouan list" <siouan at lists.colorado.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 8:35 AM
Subject: Fw: Omaha language


> Folks,
>
> This is a note I received from someone, presumably an
> Omaha, who was inquiring or complaining about
> someone -- I'm not sure which.  Above the original
> message is my reply to her.  Anyone know her or who she
> might be talking about?  I thought it was possible she
> might be with the group that fellow from NY was
> representing at the Siouan Conference in Bloomington.
>
> Bob
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: R. Rankin <rankin at KU.EDU>
> To: Colleen Flores <cflores at nuihc.com>
> Cc: Bob Rankin <rankin at KU.EDU>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 10:30 AM
> Subject: Re: Omaha language
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I received your note.  I'm not sure what web site you
> > were looking at, nor do I know what Omaha tribal
> > members and/or linguists you're troubled by.  My own
> > work is mostly with the Kaw Nation of Oklahoma.  The
> > Kaws spoke a language very much like Omaha and Ponca,
> > so I generally find any publication on Omaha to be
> very
> > helpful to me in my own work.  As you say, every
> little
> > bit helps, and having something is better than
> nothing
> > at all.
> >
> > All of the linguists studying the Omaha language that
> I
> > know are very interested in working with the Omaha
> > people and would be more than happy to try to help
> out
> > in any way they could those individuals you describe
> > with degrees in education.  I think all you'd have to
> > do is contact them.  People who know languages with
> > relatively few speakers almost always argue a bit
> among
> > themselves over the meanings of words and correctness
> > of grammar and pronunciation.  It is natural that
> each
> > of us follows the usage of our own family elders.
> > There's nothing wrong with this -- language is always
> > changing bit by bit and meanings and usage do vary
> from
> > family to family and person to person.  This is just
> as
> > true of English as it is of Omaha actually.  What is
> > important is that groups like the Omahas get together
> > and work these little problems out in a friendly
> > manner.  If they split into factions, it just becomes
> > that much harder to preserve the language and teach
> it
> > successfully.  And as we all know, learning a
> language
> > isn't all that easy to begin with!
> >
> > I will pass your message along to Ardis Eschenberg,
> > Catherine Rudin and John Koontz, all of whom have
> > academic interests in the Omaha language and people.
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > Bob Rankin
> > Linguistics Department
> > University of Kansas
> > Lawrence, KS 66044
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Colleen Flores <cflores at nuihc.com>
> > To: <rankin at lark.cc.ukans.edu>
> > Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 9:05 AM
> > Subject: Omaha language
> >
> >
> > > I just came across the web.  I am disappointed that
> > the real people of
> > > the OMAHA have not been included in the credits of
> > the Omaha language.
> > > We have excellent people who have BS. Degrees in
> > Education, whom I know
> > > personally that are disappointed in what is being
> > written and published
> > > without full consent of the real PEOPLE who speak
> and
> > use the daily in
> > > the home.  None of these people have use the
> language
> > on a daily basis.
> > >
> > >
> > > The dictionary by Swetland is somewhat of a slang
> > usage.  Numerous
> > > meanings have been omitted.
> > > But this is better than not having anything to work
> > with.  If sir, you
> > > have any material available to share with me I
> would
> > appreciate it.
> > > I do know Mr. Swetland personally, right now he is
> > recovering from
> > > surgery.  I like to explore any information
> > pertaining to the Omaha
> > > language.
> > > Colleen Flores Omaha
> > > cflores at unihc.com <mailto:cflores at unihc.com>
> > > fax(402)43-7180
> >
> >