CHEROKEE LANGUAGE SINGING

CHEROKEE LANGUAGE SINGING

September 10th, Wednesday, 7:00pm-8:15pm

For location and RSVP - mauramgarcia@gmail.com

Gohusdi Itse

Osiyo Nigada!

Hia gohusdi itse ale osta:   

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Jalagi.Gawonihisdi/

Hianasquu:  https://www.facebook.com/WCUCherokeeLanguage

Itsadastasdesti!

-Naisa

Language Learning at Home

Osiyo Nigadawu!

I hope y'all have enjoyed your break.  Just wanted to write again about resources that people may be able to take advantage of.   We are now in US holiday season and I know that things are about to get hectic for many people.  For some of you things are always hectic and you may not be able to even consider participating in a  regular language class or group.  I still hope all of us will have time and energy left over to continue learning in whatever way we can.  I've listed the options below because they allow one to learn when and where one wants.  Many are internet options and some are available via phone or mail.  Some are free, some are not.

Studying, and practicing speaking and listening a little everyday is also good for learning a language.  I am of the opinion that 15 minutes everyday is better than 2 hours once a week.  I find the following two practices to be very helpful:  making myself think in Cherokee when possible  and speaking all the Cherokee words I know whenever possible even if the people I am speaking to do not speak Cherokee.   I also try and listen to people speaking Cherokee while I am cooking or doing other things around the house.  Maybe you already are doing these things, but if not I hope you find the suggestions helpful :)

Itsadastasdesti,

Naisa



TUTORING/PRIVATE CLASSES

Private and/or small group tutoring:

Ahyoka Youngdeer: Ahyoka Youngdeer is a Cherokee Language / Lifeway’s Consultant and educator. Ahyoka is an active member of the Squirrel Ridge Ceremonial Grounds, where she serves as secretary, and is working to create a Cherokee Language Immersion School for the area. At the age of 23, she is the youngest certified Cherokee Literacy Educator to test at a master’s level. She currently assists in the Cultural and Community Outreach Program through the Community Services Department at the Cherokee Nation. Ahyoka has visited a number of at-large communities throughout the United States as a cultural and goodwill Ambassador for the Cherokee Nation. She assists in various Humanities and Language courses through Northeastern State University as well as the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Ahyoka also provides in-person and/or web-based group classes, private tutoring services, and translation. Additionally, she can be booked for public speaking events and workshops.

Email: ahyoka.youngdeer@gmail.com
Phone: 918.457.7624 
Facebook: Ahyoka Youngdeer

ONLINE CLASSES
Cherokee Nation online classes

ONLINE LESSON PLANS, MATERIALS & CURRICULUM
1.  CN Children's Curriculum (activity guide, handouts, etc)
2.  Online WCU class materials (handouts, powerpoints, etc) - NC Kituwa dialect
3.  Online language lesson units:  Cherokee Language  Online

CHEROKEE LANGUAGE BOOK AND CDS
Various Indian Peoples Publishing Company

For a free catalog, call 800-776-0842
ONLINE LANGUAGE VIDEOS + RECORDINGS

1.   Online language & culture videos: cnhistoryonline
2.  Online language & culture videos: Talking Leaf
3.  Online language & culture videos:  Black Gum Mountian
4.  Cherokee words and sentences pronounced in the NC dialect

ONLINE LANGUAGE VIDEO GAMES
Online Cherokee language video games: Talking Leaf

New Beginnings II: Wanting to see you, Wed night meeting and KUMC daytime meeting possibility?

A few more things to think about that I forgot to mention before:

1.  If you have not been to our meetings in a while and are scared to come because you have not been coming, please feel free to ignore that fear and join us!  :)  We are all learning together.  We are kind of starting over this fall, so now is a great time to come.

2.  This week we will meet on Wednesday, Oct 23rd from 6:30 - 8pm in De Soto.  If you are going to the Breast Cancer walk/run at Haskell, please feel free to come on over afterwards, even if you are late.  I run on NDN time anyway :)  Please contact me directly for directions to the location.  Due to the fact our group is so small, we reserve the right to change the day in accordance with the folks who are able to attend. I will post weekly updates about the schedule.

3.  Because some people have mentioned daytimes being more convenient, I am reconsidering doing a daytime session at KUMC.  Please post, email or text your day and time preferences if this works for you.  

4.  Please see the Lessons Materials page so you can follow along with us if you are unable to attend.

Howa, I think that is all folks!

Kila!

Naisa

New Beginnings

The fall is a time of change and new beginnings.  For us as Cherokee people it has been a time of renewal since antiquity and the season during which our traditional new year begins.  In this spirit we will begin our Cherokee Language Group meetings.  We will be having a few changes:

1.  In order to avoid conflicting with the Lawrence Cherokee Community meetings, we will be meeting on Thursdays or Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 7:45pm in De Soto, Kansas.  Due to the current space limitations, I will not publicly announce the location, but request that you contact me directly via email:  mauramgarcia@gmail.com or phone:  919.951.9758 for directions.  This way I can get an accurate head count.  If it looks like we will have too many people for the space to accommodate, I can reserve another meeting place.   We will try to meet weekly, but the schedule is flexible.  Changes can be decided by the group and updates will be sent out via the email list.

2.  We will try incorporating a new resource:  Western Carolina University (WCU)  Cherokee 101 Course:  https://media.wcu.edu/groups/cherokeelanguage/wiki/4774a/Cher_101_FL_2013.html

It is very user friendly and powerpoint presentations, mp3 listening files and handouts are all included in a central place. We will begin with the first lesson (see dates and/or number order) and spend 2 class meetings on each lesson.  One week will be spent doing the lesson.  Homework will be issued along with a practice handout.  The following week will be spent reviewing the homework and lesson.  We will then start another lesson the following week.  Though the course highlights the Kituwa or NC Qualla Boundary dialect, the teacher is a Cherokee from Oklahoma and the lessons offer the OK dialect as well with the appropriate pronunciation.

3.  We will talk about the possibility of hiring a Cherokee language tutor (a fluent speaker from Oklahoma who has translated for the Cherokee Nation and currently works in the cultural outreach department) to work with us via skype on some sort of regular basis. Depending on group needs, we can discuss whether or not this should be on Thursday or another night.

I hope that these changes and arrangements are agreeable to those in the group.  I realize that no schedule will be able to accommodate everyone, but please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or complaints and we will see what can be done.     

Many thanks to the Cherokee Nation, Western Carolina University and all of the individuals, whose names I may or may not know, who are responsible for making sure we have access to excellent resources for Cherokee language learning!!

May your fall begin wonderfully well and I hope to see you soon.  

Howa nigadawu,

Kila dodadagohvi!  Itsadagastasdesti,

Naisa

Meetings end for now

ᎣᏏᏲ ᏂᎦᏓᏭ!

It has been a real pleasure and honor to facilitate our language meetings.  I have learned alot myself and hope that you all have as well.  I know we were originally going to continue until June 11th, but in the light of dwindling attendance ( 1 then 0) and the busy season of May, I think it best that we suspend meeting for now.  We have had atleast 8 sessions which is a good start.

If any of you want to continue to meet at another time and/or have any questions, suggestions or ideas , please do not hesitate to contact me.

I appreciate all of you :). I don't think we did half bad!

Best wishes,

Maura
919.951.9758
mauramgarcia@gmail.com

"Off Meeting" - Conference Call, WEDNESDAY May 8th, 8pm

Osiyo nigadawu!

 

 

 

Here are this week's plans :) 

 

Conference call class with Guest Jayce Lowe  

 

Wednesday

May 8th, 8 to 9:15pm 

(8-9 for the main class and 15 minutes for questions & clarifications.)

 

Please contact me directly for call-in instructions prior to class.