It made me so happy to see the newsletter begin with recognition of Red Lake College as an excellent center of education. I'm thrilled you will get to the new Minneapolis campus. Looking forward to hearing you at the Mill City Museum on Friday.
Start with mandatory bilingual road signs on the reservations (and ultimately the whole country - I can dream, can't I?) I make this observation every time we travel along the Mission Valley. My family must be sick of hearing it by now.
Sorry to bring up Cymru (Wales) yet again, but the parallels never fail to strike me, especially when it comes to language. In 2011 the Senedd (a semi-devolved parliament with law making powers separate from London) ruled that all road signs in Cymru must be in both Cymraeg and Saesneg (English), and Cymraeg must be given top billing. (The number of monoglot Saesneg who objected to this is an indicator of why it's so important to do it.) It acts as a constant, and after a while almost subliminal reminder of a language and culture that predates the Anglo-Saxons by millenia. Perhaps more importantly, it's a proud declaration of the language and culture's continued existence. And to more inquiring minds it can be the start of an interest in that language and culture, even if it's just wondering how the heck you pronounce Blaenau Ffestiniog.
"I would say that more than the interest and uses of the study of Welsh as an adminicle of English philology, more than the practical linguist's desire to acquire a knowledge of Welsh for the enlargement of his experience, more even than the interest and worth of the literature, older and newer, that is preserved in it, these two things seem important: Welsh is of this soil, this island, the senior language of the men of Britain; and Welsh is beautiful."
JRR Tolkien.
(On another matter, I think I read somewhere you'd be coming back to Butte later this year, but I'm damned if I can remember where I read it. I didn't imagine it, did I?)
Chris, thank you for flagging language. I've had the pleasure of speaking five languages, although all but English are now rusty. All were Indo-European, but even so, each expressed a culture in a unique way. It is said that to destroy a culture, first destroy its language, and nowhere is that truer than for indigenous languages. My thanks and best wishes to all fighting to keep linguistic and cultural diversity alive.
I would love to hear your Aginjibagwesi (what a word!) story sometime. I've noticed quite a lot of lesser goldfinches in our neighborhood recently, I think a signal of the changing seasons. (They're no lesser to me!)
This is so awesome, Chris! Absolutely love the documentation of your journey and all the incredible encounters you are having along the way! You shine a bright light on the importance of ancestral connection, language, and the necessity to be the next generation carrying the history and ways of those ancestors. The kids are never going to forget the impact you had on them and their future families. Just LOVE all of this! May your journey continue to be more than you expect. Blessings ~Wendy💜
PS Got my shirt order in JUST in time! So excited! ✨
Another deeply soul touching read. The one line statements each have me swaying into thoughts and wonderings. Need to sit with several and find words to respond. I have two more books to order for your signature and now three folks waiting on the recorded book....perfect holiday gifts from me. Just started my second read through of BLS...finding things I missed first read through. And learning your language, so important,, I have been seeing that growth in my many friends who come from Indigenous cultures, it is definitely a very important and good practice. May your travels and immersion in the language of your ancestors continue to bring a rich blessing to you.
If you need a stop along the Interstate 35 trip from Minneapolis to Duluth, there's Mia's Cafe, Mom's Cafe, or Cabina Coffee in Pine City -- not to mention an A&W if you're in the mood for a delicious greasy burger with a choice of cheese curds, onion rings, or chili fries. Planning to make my way down to Minneapolis on Friday!
I will come out to see you tonight and hoping to see you on Friday as well, juggling plans I made earlier to get to that one! James Vukelich and his word of the day videos has been a long time favorite of mine. So glad you have made it to this neck of the woods!
You’ve been super busy! I’m glad the book tour is going well. I’d love it you stopped by one of my local indie bookstores - especially Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, CO.
I was in central Idaho last month, and found myself listening to KIYE. https://kiye.org/ Have you been on their talk show? Anyway, from time to time, they teach words or phrases in Nimiipuu.
Happy that you are you 🙏🏻 greetings from the UK!
It made me so happy to see the newsletter begin with recognition of Red Lake College as an excellent center of education. I'm thrilled you will get to the new Minneapolis campus. Looking forward to hearing you at the Mill City Museum on Friday.
Make sure and say hello!
I've got 3 more books to buy for you to sign!
Start with mandatory bilingual road signs on the reservations (and ultimately the whole country - I can dream, can't I?) I make this observation every time we travel along the Mission Valley. My family must be sick of hearing it by now.
Sorry to bring up Cymru (Wales) yet again, but the parallels never fail to strike me, especially when it comes to language. In 2011 the Senedd (a semi-devolved parliament with law making powers separate from London) ruled that all road signs in Cymru must be in both Cymraeg and Saesneg (English), and Cymraeg must be given top billing. (The number of monoglot Saesneg who objected to this is an indicator of why it's so important to do it.) It acts as a constant, and after a while almost subliminal reminder of a language and culture that predates the Anglo-Saxons by millenia. Perhaps more importantly, it's a proud declaration of the language and culture's continued existence. And to more inquiring minds it can be the start of an interest in that language and culture, even if it's just wondering how the heck you pronounce Blaenau Ffestiniog.
"I would say that more than the interest and uses of the study of Welsh as an adminicle of English philology, more than the practical linguist's desire to acquire a knowledge of Welsh for the enlargement of his experience, more even than the interest and worth of the literature, older and newer, that is preserved in it, these two things seem important: Welsh is of this soil, this island, the senior language of the men of Britain; and Welsh is beautiful."
JRR Tolkien.
(On another matter, I think I read somewhere you'd be coming back to Butte later this year, but I'm damned if I can remember where I read it. I didn't imagine it, did I?)
Chris, thank you for flagging language. I've had the pleasure of speaking five languages, although all but English are now rusty. All were Indo-European, but even so, each expressed a culture in a unique way. It is said that to destroy a culture, first destroy its language, and nowhere is that truer than for indigenous languages. My thanks and best wishes to all fighting to keep linguistic and cultural diversity alive.
I would love to hear your Aginjibagwesi (what a word!) story sometime. I've noticed quite a lot of lesser goldfinches in our neighborhood recently, I think a signal of the changing seasons. (They're no lesser to me!)
My grandmother called this bird mountain canary. it was always exciting to see that bright yellow flashing in the pine trees.
Miigwech for sharing your journey with us here :-) This is only the beginning... Safe travels
This is so awesome, Chris! Absolutely love the documentation of your journey and all the incredible encounters you are having along the way! You shine a bright light on the importance of ancestral connection, language, and the necessity to be the next generation carrying the history and ways of those ancestors. The kids are never going to forget the impact you had on them and their future families. Just LOVE all of this! May your journey continue to be more than you expect. Blessings ~Wendy💜
PS Got my shirt order in JUST in time! So excited! ✨
Another deeply soul touching read. The one line statements each have me swaying into thoughts and wonderings. Need to sit with several and find words to respond. I have two more books to order for your signature and now three folks waiting on the recorded book....perfect holiday gifts from me. Just started my second read through of BLS...finding things I missed first read through. And learning your language, so important,, I have been seeing that growth in my many friends who come from Indigenous cultures, it is definitely a very important and good practice. May your travels and immersion in the language of your ancestors continue to bring a rich blessing to you.
If you need a stop along the Interstate 35 trip from Minneapolis to Duluth, there's Mia's Cafe, Mom's Cafe, or Cabina Coffee in Pine City -- not to mention an A&W if you're in the mood for a delicious greasy burger with a choice of cheese curds, onion rings, or chili fries. Planning to make my way down to Minneapolis on Friday!
I'm glad you are doing the work! Safe travels.
I will come out to see you tonight and hoping to see you on Friday as well, juggling plans I made earlier to get to that one! James Vukelich and his word of the day videos has been a long time favorite of mine. So glad you have made it to this neck of the woods!
You’ve been super busy! I’m glad the book tour is going well. I’d love it you stopped by one of my local indie bookstores - especially Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, CO.
I hope my sister-in-law came tonight!
I was in central Idaho last month, and found myself listening to KIYE. https://kiye.org/ Have you been on their talk show? Anyway, from time to time, they teach words or phrases in Nimiipuu.
Safe travels!