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Every teacher at St. Labre feels that his or
her class is important; however, there is a special sense
of urgency in the Northern Cheyenne and Crow language
classrooms. In fifty years algebra and English
will still be studied, but will these Native languages?
Adeline Fox, the Cheyenne language teacher,
knows her efforts could determine whether or not the
language survives to the next generation.
“I’m one of the last in my generation to retain our
language,” she says. “The language already seems lost
to younger generations for the most part, but I am
doing what I can to teach Cheyenne to my own children,
grandchildren and to these students.”
The task is easier said than done. Language preservation
projects have come and gone on the western
Indian reservations with many curricular materials
being produced. However, the materials have not followed
a sequential curriculum. Lessons have been isolated
and recorded stories have not been
accompanied by lesson plans. Dictionaries have not
been tied to instruction.
Unfortunately, one cannot
begin instruction
with Book 1
of the Cheyenne
language.
Adeline goes on to point out that the language is
an integral part of the entire culture and that without
it, the Northern Cheyenne will lose their
identity. The materials she is producing in her classes tie tribal
culture and history to language
study. For example, the students
learn place names on the reservation,
the significance of directions, and
what is commonly referred to as
the “Journey of Life.”
In the dominant
culture, the directions
are pretty well determined: north, east, south
and west. But in Cheyenne there are terms for ceremonial
directions that cannot be translated into English.
There are also words for weather for which there
are no English equivalents.
The Cheyenne “Journey
of Life” illustrates the
cultural significance of
directions. When a
baby is born, her journey
begins in the east,
which represents creation
and the beginning
of life. Associated
with east are innocence,
the power of conscience,
light, morning,
receiving, and the baby’s nurturing
bond with her mother. The
color white is also associated with east. This brings up
a related point: The Cheyenne do not refer to colors
by one word only: “Ema’o”, translated, means, It is
red. “Emo’tavo” means, It is black.
The journey next moves to the south, which represents
youth. Associated with south are development,
growth and becoming knowledgeable and
powerful. South also represent fire, warmth, blood,
earth and home. The color red is associated with
south.
Next, the journey moves to the west,
which represents maturity. The west symbolizes the sun, ripeness, perfection and beauty.
The color yellow is associated
with the west.
Finally, the journey moves to the north, which represents old
age. Associated with the north are wisdom, harmony,
power in spirit, completion, giving, death and life.
North also symbolizes night, sleep, coldness, storm,
the end of war, the end of hatred and victory. Black
charcoal is used in the Cheyenne Victory Dance to
mark the foreheads of the dancers. The color black is
associated with the north.
As for Adeline’s students, they can’t wait to attend
class. Learning their Native language definitely is
something they want to do. When asked what she
hoped to learn in the class, Jamie, a junior, observed,
“I want to communicate with other Northern
Cheyennes in our language.”
Jeannette, also a junior, said, “This is a way to get
our culture back because our traditions are dying.”
If this language were no longer spoken, the loss
would be immense. Adeline is committed to doing all
she can so that the most intimate thoughts of the
ancestors, long gone, will continue to be heard. Most
assuredly, “urgent” does not adequately express the
importance of this project.
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