The University of Oklahoma’s Native American Youth Language Fair has come and gone. The kids did an awesome job. This year the three, four, and five year old students from the CPN Child Development Center competed.
Here’s a video of their preparations.
The kids sang five songs in Potawatomi, including a hello song, “Mary had a Little Lamb,” “London Bridge is Falling Down,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and a goodbye song. The kids sounded great.
Check out their performance here.
I am proud to announce that our students were named the winners and took first place in large group modern song category! Our afterschool kids also submitted a video entry and received an honorable mention in a very competitive division. It will be available on the Tribe’s YouTube page, CPN Hownikan, soon.
Mikaeja Neely also turned in a traditional story in Potawatomi and English and received an honorable mention.
Here in the Language Department we are extremely proud of the kids and all their hard work, as I am sure each of you is as well.
We are continuing the development of the beginner unit of our online, self-paced language classes. We are creating these classes so that people can engage with the language at times that are most convenient for their schedule and progress at a pace that is best for each student. We hope to have these up and running by August or possibly sooner.
I’ve included a few mnokme kedwnen, or spring words, for the new season below! Many of these will come into use as we begin work on our new CPN Community Garden.
Gmowen– It’s raining
Wenbisa – Drizzle
Gmowas – Light rain
Zigbisa – Downpour.
Tkeyamget– It’s cool
Mno gishget – It’s a nice day.
Waskonedo – Flower
Waskonedoyen – Flowers
Minkan-seed – Minkanen- seeds
Gtegan – Garden
Gtege – he/she gardens/ plants
Nwi-gtege – I am going plant.
Ngi-gtege – I planted.
Bgoj shegagosh – Wild onions.
Mnokme – Spring
Jigwek bmosewat – The thunders are walking. (It’s this time of year the thunders come back which indicates the return of spring.)
Wadopye – Mushroom
Wadopyek – Mushrooms
Zheshkwedo – Mushrooms (northern word)