By Justin Neely, CPN Language Department Director
It’s been a very busy time in the language department. We have been working hard on our new online dictionary at potawatomidictionary.com. We are adding audio, example sentences, images and even video daily. We are hoping to be able to release a mobile app version of it by Festival. If you haven’t checked it out, please do, and give us some feedback as its still in the beta version right now.
We started a new adult class on Monday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cultural Heritage Center. For those who live farther away, we are also streaming it live in the Facebook group, cpn.news/langFB. Also, if you happen to miss it, the classes will archive there as well.
The department is very excited to announce that we have our first student for our Tecumseh High School class. We have been teaching the language online with students in Wanette for the last couple of years and are now able to offer the language in Tecumseh for world language credit. Students anywhere in Oklahoma can take the Potawatomi language for world language credit. Instead of taking two years of Spanish or French to graduate, students have the option of taking Potawatomi. All it takes to make it available in your Oklahoma school district is contacting the superintendent and drafting a short letter to the board of education. The class requires access to the internet as well as a person to sit in with the students to make sure they are staying on course.
Right around the corner is Family Reunion Festival, so we will start talking about upcoming classes in the very near future.
Potawatomi words
Tkaboya (tuh-kah-boe-yah) — a cool liquid
Gezhaboya (guh-zha-boe-yah) — a warm liquid
Mbish (mBeesh) — water
Posboya (pose-boe-yah) — a strong drink
Mkomiyaboya (mkome-ee-yah-boe-yah) — an icy liquid
Mnwaboya (mun-wah-boe-yah) — a good tasting liquid
Binaboya (been-ah-boe-yah) — a clean liquid/clean water
Winaboya (ween-ah-boe-yah) — a dirty liquid
Wishkebabo (weesh-kuh-bah-boe) — pop