Long Lost Article

Heres something I found the other day! Archives from NVIT! Awesome place to be- BC's Aboriginal Post Secondary Institution.
Quality accredited educational programming, and a great staff, support of the Elder's Council, overall awesome atmosphere! I am so doing a blog on NVIT next time :D

This here is an 100% mini-paper I did for Sociology 101 (or something, lol) , back before I was married.  I think she was very generous and just loved my topic :P lol



Culture and Aboriginal LanguageJoella MacKenzie
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
February 2004

Culture and Aboriginal Language

      “The heart of a symbolic system is language, a system of symbols that allow people to communicate with one another” (Macionis, 2004, ch. 2). 
Aboriginal Perspective     Many people see the loss of the First language of Native people as a major problem for the whole Indigenous society.  Native people should be taught in two languages.  As Aboriginal people set in Canada for instance, none of this French immersion that occurs is beneficial to a Native child in regards to their sense of self-esteem, whole sense of self, identity within their cultures and heritage, other than those few Metis or others with mixed blood shared with French forefathers.  Nłeʔkepmxcin, a Native Language in regard to the Thompson River Salish is in Particular a language that is in need of immediate resurgence and perpetuation. 
     The thing that is occurring is that some people out there are referencing that the language acquisition is in an attempt to replace the English that is needed to thrive in society as a whole today.  The language should be seen as a compliment- not a detriment to the individual’s English (Morris, 1993).  The efforts that many Natives are putting forth now are not in an attempt to substitute English: Rather, education in the area is in an attempt to re-evaluate the self, perhaps reshape the images put forth in the past.  For instance, to try and erase the negative term ‘savage’ that is socialized in this society’s mind as deserved terminology, or other name calling derogatory terms. 
     On this earth as we know it today, there is no means for any language to outrank English.  The goal of language in the eyes of the Native is to feed our own spirits and hearts.  The energies alone that are felt when the language is spoken are very powerful.  The linguistic culture is a place where the Native can relate to his community.  Language is said to he the essence of human existence (Morris, 1993).  There are indeed many reasons why the language should be taught. 
Cultural Transmission     Many people would claim that culture is maintained through the language.  After all, “Native languages were first taught as  cultural inclusion programs” (Battiste, 1999, p.139). Language preservation is not a simple issue to be put away and forgotten about.  This is about our place in the universe.  Learning a first language is like looking inward and discovering such things as birthright, differences, reality, harmony, responsibility, as well as many other things that may be taken for granted.  According to the sociological perspective, cultural transmission occurs through language.  That means that through language each generation passes culture to the next through spoken and written language (Macionis, 2004, ch. 2).  It really is a difficult thing in this day and age to be aware of exactly where you come from, and what you stand for, especially in a diverse place such as Canada.  Hopefully the efforts of those who chose to undertake language adoption of First languages are not in vain. 
     “For many Indian groups, only a few elders still speak the groups Native language” (Reyhner, 1998, p.74).  Without further language renewal efforts, communication with elders and other fluent speakers would be broken down further, and not at the assimilation believers of the past.  Contrary to afore beliefs, learning language is neither to gain dominance nor to gain control over anything;  The idea is to be in harmony with all things.  Each person is to exist in harmony with his surroundings, and have his own contributions to the world.  The Native contribution is the culture shared by many generations upon generations since time immemorial.  A way for the culture to be shared is through language (Reyhner, 1998).  According to Macionis, Jansson, and Benoit, “language not only facilitates communication, but also ensures the continuity of culture” (2004, ch.2).  Through the elders and their knowledge of the language, there is the nature and origin of culture.  They are able to share what they know and put it together for the collective good. 
In Relation to the Sapir-Whorf Thesis     The language that is first to Native people is of high value.  There is an idea ever present in many people’s eyes that languages are crucial in being able to identify among one’s nation, as well, among other nations.  The Sapir-Whorf thesis is that idea that “people perceive the world only in terms of the symbols contained in their language” (Macionis, 2004, ch.2).  On that note, just because the languages and symbols are different, this does not make them any more or any less, just contrasting in nature and purpose.  Language also adds its own value system and knowledge base.  It maintains individual and group identity, and transmits culture form one generation to the next.  Assurance that our languages will continue as a living force will enable our cultural strengths to grow and flourish (Morris, 1993). 
    Many people also believe that bilingual instruction will produce stronger minds.  Really seeing the importance of Native language retention will definitely provide the Aboriginal with insights into many aspects of existence.  Language may be able to call the helpful spirits of our ancestors to let them know that we are speaking for them today.  Our voices are being heard, and our soul is crying to get out of the walls resurrected within our own being.  It will be about the transformation of the knowledge pot that the world possesses, stirring our own lifeblood into the mix, so to speak by letting our languages settle into our own selves and be heard in the wide world.  This may also represent a higher level of rationality because of the Old Ones earlier insights, to reference the idea of Carl Jung and his collective unconscious theory.  Our languages suggest and inside scope, where our real power lies. 
     To regain these language skills that promote fluency will be an extremely challenging exploration.  This will be the task taken on by many Native people so that there is a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in their lives.  There are many things that are contained  in complex language.  Consider how a language is used, in stories, gossip, conversation, negotiation- all are among the crisis of Aboriginal language retention. 
     The saddest reality is that the methods used in teaching language are not the best that were once used in teaching the young Native child.  Things that were never taken into account are now involved in instruction, thinking, speaking, comprehension, reading, writing, as well as to [study the grammar] of the languages (Reyhner, 1988).  Once there was a time when each speaker held the knowledge that the collective people knew about language, and everything else thought, or believed, or experienced.  Life was oral, not written, “until very recently, the Native languages developed entirely in the oral mode” (Battiste, 1999, p.127).  Today a person’s worth is what is written.  In this largely English speaking world, a person gets something called a degree, a piece of paper, and that is his worth in society.  This paper caused our ancestors to realize the value of an education and in turn, English literacy is what has threatened the very survival of Native languages.  Consider educational institutions today, which all but force everyone to take on the dominant language (Morris, 1993). 
     Our ways of thinking, communicating, and establishing identities were forever changed.  There is a newfound reliance on written language.  This many be an undermining reason that the original people’s languages are disappearing, besides the obvious effect of language repression and assimilation of the early government and it’s churches. 
Conclusions      Culture determines how we communicate with each other, and in turn the language that we communicate with transmits culture from generation to the next.  For a sense of belonging within a community, language, or code/symbols have to be used correctly.  Neither Native culture, nor Native language can be fully understood when taught separately from the other. 


ReferencesAwadazi, K., Sanchez, O.  (n.d.).  Culture and Communication:  International Communications.  Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Pearson Custom Publishing, University of Florida.  website: http://www.pearsoncustom.com/link/socialscience/soc/soc/languageandculture.html
 Battiste, M., & Barman, J.  (eds).  (1999).  First Nations Education in Canada:  The Circle Unfolds.  Vancouver, BC, Canada:  University of British Columbia Press. 
 Gilliland, H.  (ed).  (1999).  Teaching the Native American.  Dubuque, IA, USA.  Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
 Macionis, J., Jansson, S., Benoit, C.  (eds).  (2004).  Society:  The Basics.  Toronto, ONT, Canada:  Pearson Education Canada Inc.
 Morris, S., McLeod, K., Danesi, M.  (eds).  (1993).  Aboriginal Languages and education:  The Canadian Experience.  Oakville, ONT, Canada:  Mosaic Press.
 Reyhner, J.  (ed).  (1998).  Teaching American Indian Students.  OK, USA:  University of Oklahoma Press. 
 Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs.  (1990).  “You Took My Talk:  Aboriginal Literacy and Empowerment.”  (House of Commons Issue No. 43)  Ottawa, ONT, Canada:  Queen’s Printer for Canada.