I'm really loving our 'Native Voices' theme right now. This is partly because I am interested the languages that spring from the indigenous land I (and we all) live on. How do the various American Indian language sounds and meanings reflect the wind in the trees, the sound of water, the spirit of the sky, the relationships between people?
I am moved by Ojibwe writer Anton Treuer's telling of how English speaks of elders in terms of age, but in Ojibwe it's different. 'You don't have to tell Ojibwe speakers to respect their elders. The respect is built right in with every word one would use to refer to them. Even the gender-neutral term for elder in Ojibwe, gichiaya'aa, literally means 'great being' (Treuer, 85).'
I am also interested in the 'Native Voices' theme because I want to learn the songs that are meant to be shared for the healing of all nations, songs sung in languages rooted in the natural world and relationships of respect.
On this quest I have connected with Theresa Bear Fox, a singer of the Mohawk Nation. She's co-organizing the Mohawk Strawberry Music Festival at the Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community near Albany, NY. This festival is open to the public; it would be wonderful for you all to come! Theresa Bear Fox and many others will be singing there (link below).
The late Mohawk Chief Jake Swamp shares part of the tender Wiping of the Tears Ceremony which helps release the grief that sticks in our throats and makes it hard to speak. Once our grief has been cared for and our burdens released, we can speak again. This Wiping of the Tears Ceremony is something the Mohawk people can lead to help clear the sorrow of what has happened over the last five hundred years. Perhaps this will help open our voices to learn and speak the original languages again, too (link below...go to minute 48.31 when he comes on).
Anton Treuer appreciates European Americans showing respect for American Indians and sustaining American Indian culture through learning American Indian languages (Treuer, 160). Toward this endeavor I found a Mohawk Language Summer Camp in our area. Perhaps my son and I will go next year. What a great way to learn the local language of the people and the land, and also to give financially to the first peoples here (link below).
Mohawk Strawberry Festival! http://www.mohawkcommunity.com/festival.html
Women's Power Song; Theresa Bear Fox is in the center. They are singing in Mohawk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m85N5CFvUMg
Mohawk Chief Jake Swamp speaks on the Wiping of the Tears Ceremony. Go to minute 48.31 when he comes on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAlRwi9mnwA
Mohawk Language Summer Camp. Open to all.
http://www.mohawkcommunity.com/images/2016_Mohawk_Language_Camp.Flyer.pdf
Sareanda, I love your enthusiasm for what you are learning. It really shines through! I wish the festival was closer, it looks very interesting. I love that the Indians have avenues for clearing out or healing their grief and it's especially interesting that the voice constricts and is unable to speak due to the grief of the past. Maybe just as we say to someone who is suffering, "I don't know what to say." I also found this link that talks about a recent wipe away the tears ceremony regarding the tragedy of the World Trade Center that I thought you might find interesting: http://www.amerinda.org/newsletter/5-4/ceremony.htm.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the Strawberry Festival, we have a strawberry festival near me in Owego, New York but it's not related to Indian cultures although there are usually vendors of some sort selling items of Indian culture.
Thank you, Alicia. I appreciate you sharing the healing ceremony for the World Trade Center tragedy. Have a wonderful time at the Owego festival.
ReplyDeleteHello Sareanda,
ReplyDeleteYou defiantly know how to make your points and I love your enthusiasm. I wish I could of made it to the strawberry festival and enjoyed the culture. When you talked about the Mohawk chief and the Wiping of tears ceremony it gave me chills. I am glad you are showing respect to several tribes by enjoying to learn their language and culture. I wish I could of been there showing my respect with you. I enjoyed your post and hope you keep writing.