|
|
Canku Ota |
|
|
(Many Paths) |
||
|
An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America |
||
|
September 22, 2001 - Issue 45 |
||
|
|
||
|
Kiowa Language Survives in Tribal Member's Text |
||
|
by Marcia Shottenkirk Staff Writer News OK-September 9, 2001 |
||
|
art: Kiowa Ledger Art |
 For generations,
grandmothers and grandfathers taught their children's children the Kiowa way. They sat together at night and spoke
in the language, told the stories and sang the songs.In this culture, nothing was written. The Kiowa relied on their "working dictionaries" -- family members who knew the language and customs by heart. But, as they were swept into a sea of Western assimilation, the language began to fade. In the late 1920s, outside linguists tried to translate the language. Until now, no Kiowa member had compiled a book on the tribal language and stories. Tribal elder Alecia Keahbone Gonzales recently published the first teaching textbook, "The Beginning Kiowa Language." "The language is a priceless gift," the 74-year-old speech pathologist said. "It is a gift from our Creator that we should not lose or withhold. "We've been losing the culture of our family little by little. If I didn't do this, what would be passed down to my children and grandchildren?" Gonzales teaches the language and stories to Kiowa children at Riverside Indian School at Anadarko and to students at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha. She uses the 14-chapter book as her guide. Each chapter contains an objective, goals, facts to remember and a Kiowa story. Gonzales is writing intermediate and advanced Kiowa language textbooks. "It is my hope that these will be taken and used by our people and others to keep the Kiowa traditions alive." |
|
Kiowa Orthography |
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
| Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. | ||
|
Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the |
||
|
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001 of Paul C. Barry. |
||
|
All Rights Reserved. |
||
