ozhashk@asab.fdl.cc.mn.us (Wilf Cyr) had a lot to say about why we as
indigenous peoples (FBI & mixed bloods) have an obligation to learn our
nations languages, and that without this educational strugle (in some)
cases)
>Otherwise we will never perpetuate a caring, sharing and
>loving belief system which will benefit all, not only us, but, equally to
>the melanin deficient peoples of the world, who are truly the minority
>population of the world.
hmmm... sounds AWFULLY strong to me, though it has given me a new word
(no, phrase) for my "politically correct" dictionary. I strongly believe
that we do have an obligation to learn our Nation's language, whenever
possible .... I also believe that it would be a LOT more feasible if we
all had access to CD Roms for this purpose, and endless other computer
resources, since SOME of us our thousands of miles from person-to-
person resources, have never had the opportunity to even visit/stay on
a Rez belonging to our own tribe, and never knew our parents or grand-
parents families, etc. My son, Kevin (also known as "Minkinak" by some)
and I drove about 80 miles per week for a semester last year to drive
up to Bezerkeley once/week to study Ojibwe Culture & Language, as spoken
in the U.S., as opposed to Odawa/Ottawa. We didn't learn as much as we
need to learn, but enough to be able to "pick out" our own Language,
tell which dialect it is, spot other "indigenous" Ojibwe people if their
name is any clue, etc.
We also learned that "our" language has the longest words in the entire
North American languages compendium, starting with the name of the
"little town" our Instructor, Dennis "Pebaamibines" Jones comes from in
the Treaty 3 area of Ontario: "Nigigooseminikaning"... The highway
commission in that area can't get the spelling correct on it for the
highway signs, but it doesn't matter because the tourists keep cutting
it down and stealing it! (How Charming!). Dennis also had a lot to say
about the Canadien govt and what they do to indigenous rights where your
own name is concerned. Some of the stories he told are priceless ... like
when they came to his father or grandfathers house to record the family's
"native names" and "assign" them "approved, anglicized" names (barf).
When asked for their "native name" one of them replied "nindizhinikaaz
-------(whatever), so the official wrote down that the guy's first name
was Nindizhinikaaz, and his last name was whatever the guy had said for
his first name (nindizhinikaaz means "my name is ...). Someone else,
when asked what their name was replied "Boshkaykin" ... so that is what
got written down, even though that means "it's up to you". Then the
official said something like "who is that guy over there?" and they
replied "Jackpot" (a nicknme for someone); so they wrote down "Jack Pot"
when asked who the other fellow was with him, they replied "Jackpot's son"
... you figure it out .... he became Jack Potson. Do I disrespect the
Canadien gov't where native rights are concerned? Whatever gave you
that idea.... but that is another story on which someone like
Peshewegunzh could comment (for hours).
Bottom line: This is the only KNOWN opportunity I have had in the psat
oops, past, 25 years to learn Ojibwe from an Instructor... I have found
out about some tapes, and a "friend" up in Washington state has a CD
Rom program that she is working from-- but all we have is an SGI Iris and
it doesn't have CD Rom capabilities ... yet. Kate Ojibway out in Michigan
when to a language & culture camp a couple of summers ago, and Dennis
spent last summer building a language camp in Ontario, but it costs big
bucks to get to Michigan and/or Ontario, so what about those of us "stuck"
in California? Does that REALLY mean
> ...we will never perpetuate a caring, sharing and
>loving belief system which will benefit all, not only us, but, equally to
>the melanin deficient peoples of the world, who are truly the minority
>population of the world.
I think that is a VERY EXTREME statement, that is totally unfair and
requires serious examination... especially as it pertains to the
"melanin-challenged" peoples of the world. I do believe that "we" should
do everything possible to learn our language and heritage, but there is a
LOT more to passing on a caring, haring, and loving belief system than
just speaking our language ... if that were true, then the reservations
and their inhibitants wouldn't be in such SERIOUS physical, economical,
educational, etc., condition.
Support your tribe financially and spiritually whenever/wherever you can.
NEVER stop research your heritage if you are thousands of miles from
"home" and keep track of your options ... and choose your associtions
carefully.
Mii sago minik waa-ekidowan
Chi Miigwech!
lyn
California niin nindoonjii; Onaabanigiizis o'apii ningii-debishkam
Niminwendaan gikinoo'omaagowaan ji nitaa-anishinaabemowaan
Baanimaa --
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"We did not weave the web of life. We | Lyn Dearborn; Naturalist/Person
are merely a strand in it. Whatever | Turtle Clan Ojibwe
we do to the web, we do to ourselves" | dearborn@anchor.engr.sgi.com
--"Walk gently on Mother Earth" -- | 415/ 321-1075
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