Like link? idk how to use it LOL who's tech savy?
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Nłeʔkepmxcinm on facebook :D
I would like to have a way to get more Nłeʔkepmxcin out to more people. Heres a group,
https://www.facebook.com/Nlekepmxcinm
I support also the "page" that exists, and I definitely don’t want to step on any toes over there.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/119459678113872/
Ideally I would like resource sharing to occur, but I am still looking for a forum to do that. I was inquiring as to what First Peoples’ is doing with this new "language tutor," because they are an amazing source of generousity. I really get a sense that they are there to share and to collaborate. They host conferences, and give generously of resources, support initiatives, through very generous sponsors, and Canadian government dollars. ... hopefully I get a moment to update you on those soon :D
tutor.firstvoices.com
Check out this video about the language tutor initiative.. SOUNDS AWESOME!, but it takes work to get it up and going...
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/10041997?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10041997">FirstVoices Color Corrected Version</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/maystreet">May Street Productions</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
qʷəqʷent
:O I have missed November! here I am going crazy at university... and i have neglected you poor blog. poor poor blog, qʷəqʷent :P lol
I put some more energy into creating dialogue on the Facebook group of Mandy Jimmie’s but its not turning out to be so much of a dialogue, but me posting, and posting. I really can’t feel disheartened, just so you know, as I have been engaged in some research that is none other than inspiring
Nesuze wuł "Nłeʔkepmxcinm on Facebook"
Be sure to join and check out this group I mentioned, :D
Nłeʔkepmxcinm on Facebook :D
sćoqʷtetuze peł snək̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ wułuʔe!
If you join the group you can chat w/ fellow Nłeʔkepmxcin language speakers and learners, and find out about cool articles, and events that are happening with not only this beautiful language, but others that are indeed inspirational! post, help out the cause lol.
Kʷukʷsteyp te sƛ̓ʔekʔep
he xʷuy̓ qʷintuymn tk snənse
I put some more energy into creating dialogue on the Facebook group of Mandy Jimmie’s but its not turning out to be so much of a dialogue, but me posting, and posting. I really can’t feel disheartened, just so you know, as I have been engaged in some research that is none other than inspiring
Be sure to join and check out this group I mentioned, :D
Nłeʔkepmxcinm on Facebook :D
sćoqʷtetuze peł snək̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ wułuʔe!
If you join the group you can chat w/ fellow Nłeʔkepmxcin language speakers and learners, and find out about cool articles, and events that are happening with not only this beautiful language, but others that are indeed inspirational! post, help out the cause lol.
Kʷukʷsteyp te sƛ̓ʔekʔep
he xʷuy̓ qʷintuymn tk snənse
Monday, October 17, 2011
C̓eʔ xʔe he nscəwmekst!
Keʔ k swiktxʷ he nscuw? have you seen my work?
ʔex nukʷ (hanging) wuł NVIT. It is hanging in NVIT.
Nesweʔ meł ʔeł k̓ʷen̓ete. If you please, go and have a look at it in real life.
Nikne ł sil, ʔeł ƛ̓q̓uʔtene ł nscəwmekst. I cut the cloth, and I’ve sewn my handiwork.
K̓ʷmimimeʔ teʔe he nscew. This, my work is very tiny in details.
Nceweʔ c̓oqtene ł spilpiplexm nʔeye te snetene he nsƛq̓uʔm. I wrote a little story here to name aspects of meaning in what I have sewn
On the theme of Women and Strength -and in relation to women's art of the First Nations- here is what my creation [quilt block] represents.
The main thing that comes to mind as I think about what I have made is the aspect of Women's Strength as the continuance of our art forms.
- I created the child in the cradle board and the grandmother in her regalia to further communicate that continuation. I envisioned all that has been passed on to me from previous generations and also wanted to add others that have survived through women and being strong in traditions. [I actually knitted with toothpicks... of all things :P]
- Womens' art I chose to represent are cradle making, regalia as fashion and bead work, tanning of hides, and cedar art is represented as a hat [woven with ribbon, not real cedar :/ -and in need of repair :S]. Weaving and sewing are things that through the strength of the female ancestors continues.
- The circle also represents continuance, I chose to alter my medicine wheel to show shifts and innovation that doesn't make the art any less traditional and is symbolic of all that our art has went through and still denotes the original product from our ancestors. Of all the peoples that have come to influence our ways there is still the stability in these arts (The Red, Yellow, White, Black, & other people).
teʔe k sxəkstene kenm us nke teʔe k sʔessk̓ʷƛ̓usc ł seytknmx. I don’t understand whats the matter with/why the people don’t have any faces.
- Dance is another area I wanted to depict through the free flowing movement of the fringe on the elder's regalia. This is another form of strength altogether for a woman. Then dancer is clean and sober, as well as prayerful.
ʔex nke teʔe k swet, I guess they could be nobody.
ʔeł ƛ̓uʔ ʔex nke tekm k swet I guess they could be anybody.
Kʷukʷscemxʷ ł nskʷuleyt tes n̓tes he scewkt Thanks to our professor for giving us this assignment.
cutem tekm nmimł he y̓e tk scəwkt All of us, we did good work.
c̓eʔ xʔe nmimł he scəwkt This is all of our work together.
Cunwen̓tem We did it!
y̓eminne I like it!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
ʔex kenm?
Hen̓łeʔ kp nək̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ
ʔex kp n̓ ƛ̓uʔ y̓e nek̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ
ʔex kn ƛ̓uʔ y̓e nceweʔ, ... nke
xʷʔit ł nscəw wuł skʷul
ʔesp̓aqʷsne te skʷuleyt wuł skʷulełxʷ tekm he siƛ̓q̓t (hehe)
qəʔnimne ł skʷuleyt te spilex̣ms ƛ̓ixʷeł te ʔesptinusms
ʔex kn nes wuł kekeʔłesełxʷ wuł "UofA"
nes kn wuł Economics,
Human Geography,
Education Psychology,
ʔeł ne ws sʔuyuʔs ł ƛ̓uʔsqayxʷ (ʔeł ƛ̓ixʷeł he seytknmx) nł Native Studies
ʔex kn nł Native Studies Faculty, netiyxs he ƛ̓uʔsqəyqayxʷ nʔeyeʔ "neechi"
ptinusmne netiyxs "Snək̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ"
ʔeł xʷuy̓ kn nes wuł Education Faculty.
Y̓e he nswewkʷ te sp̓entsne wuł skʷul
təʔtəʔe kn nes wuł skʷul tł ciykstłszenxʷ!.. uh... ʔeł y̓eminne te skʷul
ptinusmne c̓iʔ teʔe k sx̣ʷox̣ʷstmne te skʷuleyt kn ncewe
xʷʔit te swikne te sc̓əqʷc̓oqʷ (tekm te sixƛ̓q̓t)
y̓eminne ł nscəw
ʔeł ƛ̓uʔ y̓eminne ł nskʷəlkʷuleyt
k̓ʔesminne ł skʷulkʷuleyt wuł NVIT :D
xʷʔit he skʷəlkʷuleyt wułuʔe wuł Merritt, ʔex nukʷ ƛ̓uʔsqayxʷ
təʔteʔe k sc̓iʔ teʔe nʔeyeʔ nł UofA.
ʔex ƛ̓uʔ nł "Native Studies" teʔteʔ k ṣawaṣis xʷʔit te skʷəlkʷuleyt
ƛ̓ix̣ʷeł he seytknmx nʔeyeʔ
ʔex nke təʔe k snw̓ens wuł skʷul?
teʔteʔe k sx̣ʷoxʷtc nke tes scəwms te skʷuleyt?
? teʔe k snesc wuł skʷul te skʷəlkʷuleyt?
teʔe k sx̣əkstene?
....
c̓eʔ xeʔe he nsptinusm
c̓eʔ xeʔe he nswikm
sewne ł sməłmułec wuł he Aboriginal Support Services Center cʔeył
"when̓ ł qəłqəłmin?"
ʔeł, "ʔex n̓ ƛ̓uʔsqayxʷ te skʷəlkʷuleyt wuł Native Studies?"
TBC...
ʔex kp n̓ ƛ̓uʔ y̓e nek̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ
ʔex kn ƛ̓uʔ y̓e nceweʔ, ... nke
xʷʔit ł nscəw wuł skʷul
ʔesp̓aqʷsne te skʷuleyt wuł skʷulełxʷ tekm he siƛ̓q̓t (hehe)
qəʔnimne ł skʷuleyt te spilex̣ms ƛ̓ixʷeł te ʔesptinusms
ʔex kn nes wuł kekeʔłesełxʷ wuł "UofA"
nes kn wuł Economics,
Human Geography,
Education Psychology,
ʔeł ne ws sʔuyuʔs ł ƛ̓uʔsqayxʷ (ʔeł ƛ̓ixʷeł he seytknmx) nł Native Studies
ʔex kn nł Native Studies Faculty, netiyxs he ƛ̓uʔsqəyqayxʷ nʔeyeʔ "neechi"
ptinusmne netiyxs "Snək̓ʷnuk̓ʷeʔ"
ʔeł xʷuy̓ kn nes wuł Education Faculty.
Y̓e he nswewkʷ te sp̓entsne wuł skʷul
təʔtəʔe kn nes wuł skʷul tł ciykstłszenxʷ!.. uh... ʔeł y̓eminne te skʷul
ptinusmne c̓iʔ teʔe k sx̣ʷox̣ʷstmne te skʷuleyt kn ncewe
xʷʔit te swikne te sc̓əqʷc̓oqʷ (tekm te sixƛ̓q̓t)
y̓eminne ł nscəw
ʔeł ƛ̓uʔ y̓eminne ł nskʷəlkʷuleyt
k̓ʔesminne ł skʷulkʷuleyt wuł NVIT :D
xʷʔit he skʷəlkʷuleyt wułuʔe wuł Merritt, ʔex nukʷ ƛ̓uʔsqayxʷ
təʔteʔe k sc̓iʔ teʔe nʔeyeʔ nł UofA.
ʔex ƛ̓uʔ nł "Native Studies" teʔteʔ k ṣawaṣis xʷʔit te skʷəlkʷuleyt
ƛ̓ix̣ʷeł he seytknmx nʔeyeʔ
ʔex nke təʔe k snw̓ens wuł skʷul?
teʔteʔe k sx̣ʷoxʷtc nke tes scəwms te skʷuleyt?
? teʔe k snesc wuł skʷul te skʷəlkʷuleyt?
teʔe k sx̣əkstene?
....
c̓eʔ xeʔe he nsptinusm
c̓eʔ xeʔe he nswikm
sewne ł sməłmułec wuł he Aboriginal Support Services Center cʔeył
"when̓ ł qəłqəłmin?"
ʔeł, "ʔex n̓ ƛ̓uʔsqayxʷ te skʷəlkʷuleyt wuł Native Studies?"
TBC...
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
Neswuzeʔ wuł NVIT!
Hey, go check out NVIT!
Hey, go check out NVIT!
 |
| Here's my 'o6 grad class, I am waaaay in the back with my Kix <3, ʔəł nskix̣zeʔ Momma Bear is front row betwixt Mary Louie and the other regalia clad elders |
but thats not the only reason I root for this school....
I <3
NVIT I need a swag to wear @ University of Alberta here in Edmonton! STAT! lol
I choose NVIT!-Highly Recommend!
Tuł he nweyc he cʔes wn. I am a hometown girl of the Nicola Valley <3, and at first all I wanted after I graded from Merritt Secondary -as far as I knew at the time- was to learn Nłeʔkepmxcin. I am an exceedingly proud Nłeʔkepmx, always was. I'm proud to sing, dance, ceremony, perform, share language knowledge, and even craft all things First Peoples heritagewise.
I enrolled in unclassified studies for *my language (*OUR, .. ;) I aim to share all I know, so WE can talk).
After Attending the initial Nłeʔkepmxcin classes that I did (back then they were INST courses), I knew then that I wanted to share what I learned as I grew in knowledge and respect for the language and also the academy itself.
I was intruiged about learning more in the arena of Indigenous Studies (ʔex kn nes wuł NS nʔeye wuł UofA), so I completed some transfer courses in the meantime, learning about college writting, and citing in English, INST coursework. I aimed to transfer to an offered Aboriginal/First Nations/Indigenous... ... education degree program. I feel privileged to be able to have learned at NVIT using a wealthful of knowledge in Indigenous sources- teachers, resources, authors and also having fellow Indigenous classmates, a support system of the Elders Council, and small class sizes.
The M
I believe that the focus on Aboriginals, and community, elder inclusion was the best! and I believe it is to be credited with not only my success, but a lot of Aboriginal student's success
My best memory is hand drum singing @ my besties grads :) I always enjoy the honor of singing for the grads. I haven’t been there for a grad in a while though now.
Being on the cover of a program pamphlet was pretty cool too. :P (even though I thought the photo was frumpy)
The opportunity NVIT offers to Aboriginal scholars is invaluable. (Check out MyNVIT on Youtube, too!)
Unclassified, University Transfer, Academic & First Nations Studies Diploma, 3 (+) :) :P
I copied theses Nłeʔkepmxcin Course offerings from the NVIT site for your perusal.
NVIT is a goldmine for Nłeʔkepmxcin-in not only this wide array of formal instruction-by our number one advocate for the language, Mandy Jimmie-but you can go and sit with the onsite elders and soak up their stories and teachings, or take opportunity to use your words with fellow NVIT community members as well. NVIT is a good choice for not only this language, but whatever designation you choose wheither its Social Work, Business Administration, Natural Resource Technology, Aboriginal Early Childhood Education, Law Enforcement Preparation, ... or University Transfer. From my experience, the education you receive is highly valuable with accredited courses, and quality instruction.
Currently, I am a student @ the University of Alberta, in the Faculty of Native Studies, and enrolled in an Education Faculty Combined Degree program in Edmonton, AB. NVIT can be a valuable stepping stone to anything you wish to pursue, just as I have utilized the transfer program. Just keep going, if you are a youth just coming out of high school, or been out for a while working, strive to keep getting educated, especially with such a great opportunity before you-to attend NVIT!
P.S. IMU <3 NVIT
Also on a side note:
- NVIT's award winning facility hosts onsite Daycare, Lecture Theater, Student Success Center, Library, Administration offices, Bookstore, Cafeteria, Elders' Office, Campus Housing, Labs for computer/science
- Really cool site contained within NVIT's website is this Teit-Boaz Digitization Project, which contains myths, stories, history notes, songs, ... awesomeness.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Experience with Transcription
I always make reference to being a baby speaker, especially with this realization here in this massive city, never mind this massive city, this massive institution, University of Alberta. It has such a diverse population and instruction in so many languages.
I am going back to school, and I am so excited. My previous experiences may not have led me here, they would have led me into being underemployed still with the School District back home, trying to find odd jobs writing, tutoring, or crafting/sewing. ".25 time" I signed with them for four years, and had increasing obligation of my time to maybe ".5". I loved my time with the students and the staff @ four schools, 3 in the Nicola-Similkameen school district-Merritt Secondary, Merritt, Central, & Nicola Canford Elementary- and one independent band operated school within the Lower Nicola Indian Band. If only I could feed my family on love. :P
I mostly enjoyed pro-d (professional development), maybe a reason I want to teach is I love school. Of course, it hasn't always been that way. I was thinking on a topic for this long lost blog, and I thought explaining what my experience has been.
I'm not by any means an expert, I think to be deemed an expert you have to be someone like May Moses perhaps. wow! I am always in wonder with the complexity of speech in our language, especially when I hear her. I think of it as a ladder all the time. Elders, and my teachers' advisers are at the tip top, my teachers are in the next rungs, my aunts, my mother, my fellow learners and I fit in there, then our students, down to the real first time learners, whether they are actual immersion babies, or in "Thompson" class for the first time @ grade 5, or 9?
Through hearing immersion babies babbling, I am imagining the world and the people in it who speak or are learning our language as being born when they started learning? or comparing their knowledge of the language to if it was learned in a natural immersion setting. That is where I say I am a baby. I use a very simple structure in language, at time more complex only where I understand transitive subject and object, am able to add in more meaning with a conjunctive/ morpheme of some sort, maybe throw in an emphatic term if I remember.
Anyway, this is my idea of a Point Form Summary Report for you on Transcribing Nle'kepmxcin:
I am going back to school, and I am so excited. My previous experiences may not have led me here, they would have led me into being underemployed still with the School District back home, trying to find odd jobs writing, tutoring, or crafting/sewing. ".25 time" I signed with them for four years, and had increasing obligation of my time to maybe ".5". I loved my time with the students and the staff @ four schools, 3 in the Nicola-Similkameen school district-Merritt Secondary, Merritt, Central, & Nicola Canford Elementary- and one independent band operated school within the Lower Nicola Indian Band. If only I could feed my family on love. :P
I mostly enjoyed pro-d (professional development), maybe a reason I want to teach is I love school. Of course, it hasn't always been that way. I was thinking on a topic for this long lost blog, and I thought explaining what my experience has been.
I'm not by any means an expert, I think to be deemed an expert you have to be someone like May Moses perhaps. wow! I am always in wonder with the complexity of speech in our language, especially when I hear her. I think of it as a ladder all the time. Elders, and my teachers' advisers are at the tip top, my teachers are in the next rungs, my aunts, my mother, my fellow learners and I fit in there, then our students, down to the real first time learners, whether they are actual immersion babies, or in "Thompson" class for the first time @ grade 5, or 9?
Through hearing immersion babies babbling, I am imagining the world and the people in it who speak or are learning our language as being born when they started learning? or comparing their knowledge of the language to if it was learned in a natural immersion setting. That is where I say I am a baby. I use a very simple structure in language, at time more complex only where I understand transitive subject and object, am able to add in more meaning with a conjunctive/ morpheme of some sort, maybe throw in an emphatic term if I remember.
Anyway, this is my idea of a Point Form Summary Report for you on Transcribing Nle'kepmxcin:
Challenges on hearing what is being said:
- Words unknown used in vocabulary
- “Slurred” sounding speech
- clarity or dialectal differences, life-experience differences
- Very rapid speech
- difficult to differentiate where the words, roots and morphemes end and begin
- sounds not heard that are detrimental to comprehension
- Varied patterns in structure of speech, sentences
- wording, transitive, intransitive, variations of more complex language, word order
- difficult for new speaker to understand
Successes when hearing:
- Enunciated wording, familiarity
- Consistently structured phrases familiarity
- Repetition, easily recognized
- Finding resources/ assistance when needed
Paragraph Summary:
On being enlisted to do the transcription of some selected recordings of elder’s stories for the First Voices Project, here are some challenges and successes that have been met.
Challenges were experienced overall in the areas of not knowing some select vocabulary that had been presented. Notably, some speakers were more versed in Nłeʔkepmxcin. From this experience, there is support in the belief that there is always lifelong learning to be done with this language.
Among the challenges to be overcome, there were also dialectal variants such as lost sounds because of both speed and what one can only describe as an evolution of distinct sounds that seem to be disappearing in speech.
Perhaps the last challenges were apart from the norm, uniquely structured sentences used some cases. Perhaps it is an issue of passive and active voice?
Successes were evident where individual interviewees used clear sound pronunciation, and used consistency with their language structure, and repetition was another thing easily recognizable. The last point that I thought it fit to mention is availability of getting help where needed.
It has been a pleasure to hear and learn about these lessons and entertaining stories.
* Transcription of Daisy Major's story on the “Ugly Boy”
* Transcription of “Transformer” Story by Cəlmencut
* Transcription of Cəlmncut telling about the “Little People”
* Transcription of “Kəʔkeʔłes Ekʷu tk Kʷəṣo” by Amelia Washington
* Transcription of “3 Bears” by Amelia Washington
Check these stories out on First Voices! keep in mind what I said before about the site. and like I said no one is an expert, especially because it is a relatively new thing to write and read language, but its fun to learn and improve everyday.
(Apologies for not posting in a LOOOONG while. I am ultimate excuse maker, I was ACTUALLY thinking I couldn't post because I lost my mic, LOL, what a world :P)
Check these stories out on First Voices! keep in mind what I said before about the site. and like I said no one is an expert, especially because it is a relatively new thing to write and read language, but its fun to learn and improve everyday.
(Apologies for not posting in a LOOOONG while. I am ultimate excuse maker, I was ACTUALLY thinking I couldn't post because I lost my mic, LOL, what a world :P)
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