3/15/2017
Judith M. Maxwell, Ixq’anil
Louise Rebecca Schawe and Williedell Schawe Professor of Linguistics and Anthropology
As 2017 dawns, Tulane students have joined with members of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana for two Tunica Language Program intensive workshops, aimed at re-awakening this sleeping language of Louisiana. Participants pledge to use only Tunica during the immersions, 9-4 daily, though time-outs are granted for lunch and for working in groups to plan the following days’ lessons and activities.
The first workshop, January 2 and 3 was designed for the teen leaders of the tribe. The second workshop, January 10-13, is aimed at improving the fluency of the team of Tulane students and Tunica educators who are leading the language revitalization efforts. The immersion program progresses through a review of known vocabulary and grammar through to new topics and constructs, which will be elaborated and taught in the tribe’s Language Summer Camp this June.
The theme of this year’s summer camp will be “the sky”. The immersion workshop is piloting the lessons on celestial bodies, weather, months of the year, their climate, their typical activities, and their major tribal celebrations. Two important beings act to cause Tunica weather. Thunder Boy brings rain, hail, snow, drizzle, lightning and thunder. Sun Woman brings the sunshine, drives away rain, clouds and cold, sets and brings night. Sun Woman is joined in the sky by Grandmother Moon, who is constantly changing waxing, waning, and renewing.
The Tunica language is itself now renewing. The on-going collaboration between the Tunica-Biloxi Language and Culture Revitalization Program, headed by John Barbry, with Donna Pierite and Elisabeth Mora as master teachers, and Tulane University is bringing the language back to life for the tribal youth and for the adults. Tulane participants this year are Patricia Anderson, Megan Harvey, Tyler Whitaker, Brett Nelson, Nathan Wendte, Virginia Geddie, Mackenzie Walters, Craig Alcantara, Tom Lewis, Andrew Abdalian and Dr. Judith Maxwell. Lic. Ajpub’ García Ixmata’ of the Universidad Rafael Landívar of Guatemala joined the group for the teen immersion, cross-fertilizing Mayan revitalization efforts and those of the Tunica-Biloxi. This year saw the inauguration of the Tunica-Biloxi teen immersion and marks the fourth year for the adult workshop. Luhchi Yoroniku maruku. Lapuhch! (The Tunica Language is returning. That would be a good thing!)
Learn more about the Language Revitalization Summer Program offered through the Tulane School of Liberal Arts.
Tulane Students with members of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana participate in the emmersion program workshops.