Denai Karlee Garcia
Pueblo of Acoma
I am interested in early childhood language revitalization because I am intrigued by the importance of language. I was raised by my grandparents. I spent quality time with my grandpa and his brothers growing up. That is mainly how I learned to speak and understand Acoma Keres. Now, I am able to speak a little and understand. I credit my grandparents and elders for that. It all started when I was a little girl. Being around the language and getting it taught to me while I was little, really was worth it.
Garcia, Denai. October 2023. Authors personal collection
Garcia, Denai. March 2023. Authors personal collection.
In the article, “Sharing One Skin,” by Jeanette Armstrong, the main idea was the 4 selves of the Okanagan people. The first was the physical self, it relies on our external self. The second was the emotional self. It’s very different from the physical self because it relates to the heart. The third is the thinking intellectual self, the storage of information and memory. Last was the spiritual self, our true self. The center of our mind and heart.
Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470
Garcia, Denai. December 2023. Authors personal collection.
Memories and stories are connected to our land as described in B. Toastie’s article, “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” A main subject was place identity. Place idea is the concept of a theory to ease our perception of geography. Another main idea was how stories are tied to landscape. Stories identify how we perceive and connect to the land. They also tell us about ourselves and our past. They also tell us about ourselves and our past. They’re our sense of belonging.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape.
Garcia, Denai. December 2023. Authors personal collection.
In the article, “And Then I Went to School Memories of a Pueblo Childhood,” by Joe Suina, he makes a deep connection of identity by talking about his memories and the differences of how he was raised to how his life changed after assimilation. Suina felt like the Cochiti way of life was the only way of life until he was introduced to western society. School really changed his mindset to thinking he had to be like everyone else which made him not truly proud of where he was from. Instead, he was embarrassed and didn’t show pride in his true identity anymore.
Suina, Joseph. “And Then I Went to School, Memories of a Pueblo Childhood,” pp 1-6, Reprint with permission of the author from the New Mexico Journal of reading, winter 1985, Vol. V, No. 2, “Rainbird” illustrations by Tom Lea from H.P. Mora, Pueblo designs.
Garcia, Denai. October 2023. Authors personal collection
How Boarding Schools Tried to Kill the Indian Through Assimilation
In the article, "How Boarding Schools Tried to Kill the Indian Through Assimilation," by Becky Little, there was a few main points. A well known saying, "kill the indian in him and save the man," has many meanings. The government forced thousands of Native children to attend boarding schools to assimilate them. Natives struggled in schools and really affected them when they returned to their homes if they were fortunate to still be alive. The amount of abuse they endured cause trauma to them and affected the long term.
Holm, Tom. “The Navajo Code Talkers.” Code Talkers and Warriors, Updated Edition, Facts On File, 2018. Modern World History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE53&articleId=190603. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
Navajo Code Talker
In the article "Navajo Code Talker" by Ben Fenwick, the main idea was how Navajos viewed Earth and how they cherished it so much they enlisted in the military to fight in the war for the Earths peace. Once in the military, that's when the codes began. The Navajos language wasn't written at the time so it had a greater advantage. The Navajos replaced each character from English alphabet with a different symbol or letter from an intricate matrix. By the end of the war, the marines had over 400 Navajo Code Talkers enlisted.
Sonneborn, Liz. “Overview: Native American Boarding Schools and Assimilation.” Native American Boarding Schools and Assimilation, Facts On File, 2022. Modern World History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE53&articleId=643652. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
Garcia, Denai. November 2023. Authors personal collection
New Mexico pueblo attempts to save language from extinction
In the article, "New Mexico Pueblo Attempts to Save Language From Extinction," by Kathy Helms, there was a few main points. The pueblo wants to ensure survival by revitalizing the language. A way Acoma is ensuring survival is by getting assistance grants to implement time during the academic day of at least an hour of cultural immersion. In the schools on the pueblo, teachers are encouraged to speak keres in their time with students as a way to attempt to save the language. Acoma developed a written online dictionary by working with linguists.
The Keres Language: A Language Family Fighting for Survival
In the article, "The Keres Language: A Language Family Fighting for Survival," the main topic is language loss and how it was at risk of near extinction. Over time, the amount of speakers began to increase and is continuing to increase by having language taught in classrooms or at home to children.
Acoma Pueblo's Emergency Push To Save Its Language
In the podcast, "Acoma Pueblos Emergency Push to Save its Language," by Marisa Demarco, the main topic is the effort of language revitalization by language speakers. Mostly only adults and elders speak the language. Acomas effort to language survival is to get the language written. Community members want to start documenting the language to be able to share it and teach it in classrooms and other places. "Language is who we are as people."
Can New Zealanders Save the Endangered Maori Language
In the article, "Can New Zealanders Save the Endangered Maori Language," by Amy Gunia, she talks about how although the language was endangered, New Zealanders attempt to save their language. Over time, the amount of Maori speakers increased. The New Zealand government hopes to have all residents to speak and know basic Maori words by 2040. In the past, they were forbidden to speak their language as a way of assimilation for them to lose their language and culture. Even non-New Zealand Natives attempt to learn Maori as a sign of respect to the culture. Now, it's common for New Zealanders to mix Maori words in their everyday conversations.
Why the Irish Language Declined
In the article, "Why the Irish Language Declined," by Sir John Davies, the Irish Penal Laws, the establishment of national schools, and the survival of the language were mentioned. The Irish Penal Law was that the Irish language was completely disassociated from any position of power. By the time Catholics were allowed to have higher professions and powers, the Irish language was forbidden in a way. In 1831, children weren't allowed to speak Irish in school. Punishment took place as a consequence of speaking the language. Punishment was supported by some parents. Over time, the amount of Irish speakers increases everyday. They now have language resources, digital content, and have government investment.
The Fight to Save the Dying Languages of Alaska
The Alaskan languages have gone through so much. In the video, "The Fight to Save the Dying Languages of Alaska," the loss of the Alaskan languages is a big worry. In Alaska, there are about 20 languages left. There are only less than 100 speakers of each language left. The governor of Alaska declared a linguistic emergency. In the places where the language is least spoken, you see more rates of self harm, substance abuse, assault, etc. People believe it's because of no sense of belonging without culture and language. Now, they are producing curriculum content which they plan to incorporate into the academic system.
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Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470
Davies, Sir John. “6 Reasons Why The Irish Language Declined - LetsLearnIrish.com.” Let's Learn Irish, 4 October 2022, https://letslearnirish.com/articles/the-decline-of-irish/. Accessed 7 February 2024
Demarco, Marisa. “Acoma Pueblo's Emergency Push To Save Its Language.” KUNM, 31 May 2017, https://www.kunm.org/local-news/2017-05-31/acoma-pueblos-emergency-push-to-save-its-language. Accessed 21 November 2023.
Gunia, Amy. “Can New Zealanders Save the Endangered Māori Language?” Time, 21 December 2020, https://time.com/5922833/new-zealand-maori-language/. Accessed 7 February 2024.
Helms, Kathy. “New Mexico pueblo attempts to save language from extinction.” The Durango Herald, 19 May 2017, https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/new-mexico-pueblo-attempts-to-save-language-from-extinction/. Accessed 21 November 2023.
Holm, Tom. “The Navajo Code Talkers.” Code Talkers and Warriors, Updated Edition, Facts On File, 2018. Modern World History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index? aid=18626&itemid=WE53&articleId=190603. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
Sonneborn, Liz. “Overview: Native American Boarding Schools and Assimilation.” Native American Boarding Schools and Assimilation, Facts On File, 2022. Modern World History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE53&articleId=643652. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
Suina, Joseph. “And Then I Went to School, Memories of a Pueblo Childhood,” pp 1-6, Reprint with permission of the author from the New Mexico Journal of reading, winter 1985, Vol. V, No. 2, “Rainbird” illustrations by Tom Lea from H.P. Mora, Pueblo designs.
“The Fight To Save The Dying Languages Of Alaska.” YouTube, 9 November 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn7mkEsxybw&t=126s. Accessed 7 February 2024.
“The Keres Language: A Language Family Fighting for Survival.” Atomic Scribe, 9 June 2022, https://www.atomicscribe.com/the-keres-language-a-language-family-fighting-for-survival/. Accessed 22 November 2023.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape.