F.Y.I. Re: Pawnee Language Program

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Excerpts below are from the "Chaticks si Chaticks"  XV:1, pp. 8-9, Pawnee Nation Language Deptartment:

No wa (Hello)  ]ik stit ku <us pu <ee? (How are you?).  The Pawnee Nation Language Department enters 2006 with a great sense of purpose.   Due to the recent opening of Oo ka sa Child Learning Center, we realize the revitalization of our language is within our grasp.   By the Fall of 2007 we expect to hear the voices of our young speaking the Pawnee language throughout our community.
Our next step is to allow our Pawnee Language to find a comfortable place within the midst of our community.  We have began a banner and sign project which we hope to develop around the entire community.  Our first vinyl banner is located in the gym (of the local high school) and reads, "koo <ooks ka teet <a kook u <u ha <a  "Black Bear Pride."
...we are implementing a new writing style.  For many decades writing styles have been introduced to our community that are not easily understood by our local population.  ...we need to develop a writing system tht is easily understood by the community and helps in the language (Pawnee & English) development of our children.   ...   We have adopted a mixed syllabery and phonetic writing system that is a common sense approach to our languge and which becomes our very own.
NEW WRITING SYSTEM EXAMPLES
There are two new symbols in the writing system.  "<" is equal to the old "r", which was supposed to sound like a d, l, or (Spanish r) depending on the word.  "]" is equal to the old "ts" or "ch".  Neither of these sounds exist in English and that is why a syllabery for these two distinct Pawnee sounds has been developed.
English    Current Pawnee Writing    New Pawnee Writing
Two        pitku                                pit koo
Four        kskitiiks                           skee tiks
Eight        taw iksapits                     <o wik sa pits

This system will allow our children to advance in Pawnee and English compositon and prepare them for the public school system.

Oo ka sa Child Learning Center   
...provide quality curriculum and instruction for the three, four and five year olds.  ...   Four Oo ka sa teachers are currenly certified as Pawnee Language Teachers, Mastery Level One.  This corresponds to the Pari Pakuru textbook and CD one, lessons one through five.  This semester the teachers are taking Pawnee Cultural Studies, Pawnee Nation Academy.  
(Pari Pakuru, Educational Research Associates, Albuquerque, NM.  1979. [Library of Congress catalog #79-63051].  Language Course Books, Audio Cassette kits and Teacher's Guide via Research & Cultural Studies Development Section, Institute of American Indian Arts, BIA, Santa Fe, NM).

Pawnee Language After School Class (Grades K-7)
This class meets at the Pawnee Elementary School on Tuesdays and Thursday...from 3:20pm to 4:30pm.  ...  We are currently working on learning handgame songs, Pawnee hymns and a lullabye to perform at the 4th Annual Native American Youth Language Fair to be held n March (2007)... University of Oklahoma (Norman).  There are lots of games and activities...to learn our colors, numbers, animals and conversaional phrases....

Pawnee Nation Academy, American Indian Studies Department, Pawnee Language II
...provide Pawnee language at the college level for credit.  ...  The focus is on learning conversational Pawnee such as greetings, responses, and useful everday phrases.  The main goal is to go beyond memorizing words and to start "thinking in Pawnee".
Teacher Training Program
The language program is currently in the planning, orgainizing and creation stage for a teacher training program that will be accredited by the Pawnee Nation, Northern Oklahoma College (at Tonkawa, OK), State Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma State Deptartment of Education.

HUKASA TEACHER RECOGNITION
Friday, March 3, 2006
The Hukasa Child Learning Center works...to train teachers who will asist...language to three to five year olds.  ...have been learning the Pawnee language since the end of August 2005.
...the teachers voluntarily gave up their lunch breadk three times a week while the kids were sleeping.  This initial phase of training took place from August until December 2005.  ...  Learning the Pawnee language takes a good strong commitment as it is not an easy language to learn.

 


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