Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2001)
Spilyay Tyrooo, Wqrrn Spun js, Oregon October 18, 2001 THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES LANGUAGE LESSON- To the People of Warm Springs: I have information that our program would like to share with you, so that you will remain up dated to what we are doing and what it means for our community and our children. Following is infor mation on fluent speakers in the community and how the Administration for Native Americans' Lan guage Grant will assist with our efforts to revitalize and maintain our three languages and cultures of Warm Springs. In January of 1999, an informal verbal survey conducted during gatherings, senior lunches, plan ning meetings and general conversations were com pleted of our Elders to identify fluent speakers. For all three languages, we found that all the fluent speakers were 50 years of age and older, had ac quired their language as their first language, and that approximately 1,500 community members between the ages of 25 and 50 knew simple phrases and words in one of the three languages. There has been no clear definition of what a 'fluent speaker' is. The surveyed Elders indicated that if a person can speak, understand and carry on a conversation, they are fluent. Conversely, if a person can understand a few words or phrases, but cannot carry on a conversa tion, they are not fluent. The following table sum marizes our findings. Tribe Language Fluent Males Fluent Females of Warm Springs population 5 years & older (3,576) . Warm Springs Ichishkiin 15 20 Wasco Kiksht 1 5 .2 Paiute Numu 1 6 .3 Age group is 50 years and older, with the Wasco age group 70 years and older. rr, f.,.t; ,-).-.. ,v.: (.,. . ; : ,,-,. The above information gave us a picture of the critical loss of all our fluent speakers over the next ten years. In the two years since the informal survey, we have lost four Elder fluent speakers, a loss ratio of 8 per year. During the 1997-98 school year, the Jefferson County School District allowed us to introduce hour language lessons as part of the curriculum. As a result, 97 Indian students were exposed to their native Sahaptin language. The 1999-2000 school year was the first year that twenty-five students were introduced to the Paiute and Wasco language. For the 2000 2001 school year, 226 students in grades K-3 are receiving classes in Sahaptin and 75 students in grades K-l are receiving instruction in Paiute and Wasco native languages. The lessons learned in the classroom however, are not reaching parents or the Tribal community at large, for the transfer and pres ervation of the language. In the present Warm Springs Language Pro grams there are currently 601 tribal members par ticipating in community-based and school-based programs. This translates into one of every six Tribal members with some native language skills. It also gives us a baseline for measuring growth and preservation. There are 12 fluent speakers involved directly with the current language programs. Our program emphasis will be on the recruiting and use of our Elders. The following is a breakout of baseline data for showing growth in each language. Participants Ichishkiin Kiksht Numu 0 to 5 years. 10 4 5 6-12 years. 310 45 25 13-20 years. 72 10 6 21-34 years. 18 3 6 35-50 years 23 9 6 50 40 4 5 Totals 601 473 75 53 Although we have 601 involved with the pro gram at various times throughout the year, we recog nize the need to focus more work on the development of fluent speakers in each of the three languages. With the ANA Grant funds, we will be doing some additional things, such as: $ Working closer with other elder fluent speak ers. $ Dedicating Fridays to immersion techniques. $ Audio and video recordings of information in language only. $ Development of materials to be used in homes. U Host week long immersion camps. H" Develop assessment tools based on bench mark system. U" Continue to seek advice from community on what works for them. ft Prepare fluent speakers for application for Native Language Teachers' Certification. In view of the endangered situation that our languages face, we would like to encourage those who may have an interest to please take the time to commit yourself to the efforts, to revitalize our lan guages of Warm Springs. As one of the elders made comment to at the Legislative Hearings in Salem: "If we lose our languages and culture, we will no longer be Indian." P P JL -2-.JL Ixt Makwsht Qawat? Lun P . P P P P a Watch for employment opportu nities with Culture and Heritage Language Program. IT Agency Language Classes the Language Trailer behind the Old Boys Dorm Paiute Language will start again October 24 Wed. 3:30-4:30 PM Sahaptin Language will start again October 22 Tues. & Thurs. 3:30-4:30 PM Wasco Language Thurs. 5:00-6:30 PM Simnasho Language Classes Sahaptin Language Simnasho Longhouse Sahaptin Language still going strong Tues. & Thurs. 6:00 to 7:30 Can you add in Kiksht like you children in Ms.Comingore, Graham and FisherVarela? ixt Makwsht Lun Lakt Gwenma Tem Senmawst Gutlqt Kw'is Yalilxam 1's Makwsht kwadau Makwsht Qawat? P n Makwsht kwadau Lun Qawat? P P P Gutlqt kwadau Makwsht Qawat? p p no p p an p p pp p p pp p p pp p p pp p p pp p p pp p P DP p p - pp Yalilxam kwadau Yalilxam Qawat? PP P PEP PP P PGP pp p pep pp P PEP pp p pen PP P PEP PP P PEP PP P EE3 PP , P PEP PP P PEP Makwshttliyal kwadau Yalilxam Qawat? 10's Yalilxam Makwshttliyal Luntliyal Lakttliyal Gwenmatliyal Temtliyal Senmawsttliyal Gutlqttliyal Kw'istliyal i Ixtliyal kamunaq PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PP PP PPPPPP PPPP PPPPPP Lakttliyal kwadau Makwshttliyal Qawat? Tai it'ukdi!