Embedded Files
“Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh Flag.” Infobase, Facts On File. American Indian History,
“Pueblo of Tesuque Flag.” Infobase, Facts On File. American Indian History,
Identity
Sharing One Skin
Sharing One Skin
Jeannette Armstrong
The article ¨Sharing One Skin¨ by Jeannette Armstrong shares the idea of how identity and community is shaped on different aspects. Community can be shaped on emotions. Peoples hearts can shape community and identity. Their emotional well-being. How others interact with others, and how they could be comfortable to share their emotions creates a bond and an identity that can be viewed by others. With that bond, the community grows and forms a strong bond that will bring the community members closer and a bond that can not be broken. WIth a strong and healthy community, these communities create an identity that defines who they are as one whole.
I relate to this article in a few different ways. Just like the four capacities of self that the Okanagan people follow, we all follow core values here at SFIS. The way community is described and shaped. How we come together as one, shapes that identity that we are a strong community and have strong connections with one another. I liked this article because of the way I can relate to the reading, how it was eye opening on how similar our identities are from one another. We may have our differences in looks, personality, and identities, however we are a strong community and continue to grow.
Armstrong, Jeanette. 1996 “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community” Pp. 460-470 in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds.) The Case Against the Global Economy, San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.
How place names impact the way we see landscape
How place names impact the way we see landscape
B Toastie
While reading the article ¨How place names impact the way we see landscape¨ By B. Toastie, it seemed that I read a lot about how colonizers names the land and communities that we as Native Americans grew up on “incorrectly” and disrespected our names we have given these areas in our own languages. The author Laura Tone, is from the Navajo Nation and she argued that our land does have beauty and strength, that these names given do not coincide with the land itself. With these colonizers coming in and claiming our land, they destroy the natural beauty and the history behind these lands that we have been on for centuries. Our land may have names but the names given to these areas have connection to our life and our people, with these names, there is an identity that is shared and important to us.
I connect to this article by agreeing with Laura Tone. I do find that our land has more of a meaning than names. Much of our names that we give to our land, captured the identity of the history and beauty it holds. If our land and natural resources were to get polluted and destroyed, they lose their identity. It is very important that we as people, take care of our land so that the natural beauty and recourses maintains its identity of being beautiful not identified as a foreign name that unknown to our people.
Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know that West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way,
And I went to school
And I went to school
Joe Suina
While reading ¨And then I went to school¨ by Joe Suina, I read about the many different ways that the new era has affected John Sunia growing up. Joe was often punished for speaking his Keres Language. John and his classmates were told to “Leave your indian at home!”. With these teachers telling their students this, they're trying to erase their identity of being an Native American from Cochiti Pueblo and various other pueblos. Attending school was a new era that was a un-natural environment and was not apart of Joe and his friends identity growing up. The new education system made Joe and his classmates uncomfortable and made them feel as if they were losing their cultural identity through schooling.
I relate to this reading because I know how pueblo students were assimilated and were forced to lose their cultural identity, and to leave their indian at home. I enjoyed reading this article, how Joe talked about his experiences growing up and being forced to leave his cultural identity at home and to forget about who he is as a pueblo native. Joe was someone who grew up around his culture, I also grew up around my people and traditional ways and i is hard to live two lives in this new era then having to go back to our traditional life.
Suina, Joe. “And Then I Went to School” , the New Mexico Journal of Reading, https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/and-then-i-went-to-school/ Vol. V, No.2. 1985.
History
History
“Indigenous Language Learning in Early Childhood Development - Hilton Foundation.” Hilton Foundation, 13 Dec. 2024, www.hiltonfoundation.org/news/preserving-indigenous-culture-through-language-in-early-childhood-development.
Preserving Indigenous culture through language in Early Childhood Development
Preserving Indigenous culture through language in Early Childhood Development
Merrill Whatley
Merrill Whatley
After reading the article ¨Preserving indigenous culture through language in early childhood development¨, I read how the Keres language is being implemented into early childhood development. This is being carried out by Keres Children's Learning Center which is based in Cochiti Pueblo. One of the partners that is supporting this work is The Conrad N. Hilton Foundations Early Childhood Development that is encouraging this movement. These programs support the work in teachers and provide teacher training in their early childhood education programs. With implementing the Keres language in their early childhood program, this helps the younger students then start to gain knowledge and to begin speaking the language at a young age. Speaking at a young age, this helps the language become stronger as there are more young speakers to speak and teach others of their knowledge.
I enjoyed reading this article because this article has a lot of information to which I can use to help me plan my action plans. I know a few people who work for KCLC which I have came in contact with to give me ideas on how to bring the language into an environment of beginner speakers. I am aware that implementing language at a young age creates a great chance of that young child to put their Keres/Tewa language as their first language. I know how important it is to bring the language into our schools as having a language class for an hour a day is not enough to learn a lot. I hope that more foundations and movements like this make way into more of the public schools where some pueblo students do not have a language teacher.
“Indigenous Language Learning in Early Childhood Development - Hilton Foundation.” Hilton Foundation, 13 Dec. 2024, www.hiltonfoundation.org/news/preserving-indigenous-culture-through-language-in-early-childhood-development.
Following Our Native Ties
Following Our Native Ties
Jazlynn Martinez
The video titled “Following our Native Ties” by Jazlynn Martinez was a film that I had watched for my research. Jazlynn and her Grandpa had talked about the boarding school era, the effects it had on our people and children. Boarding schools were put into place to wipe our identity away and force christianity upon our children. Boarding schools were to assimilate our children in hopes to erase our identity away and get rid of the Native Americans. These boarding schools were to wipe our identity, this is a big reason why our language is dying and struggling today. Another reason is that our elders that went through this trauma are afraid to speak the language sometimes because they are afraid to punished for speaking their language again.
The connection I have to the video is language. My topic is based on reviving language. I plan to work with youth and elders from my community. I know that the era of boarding schools has affected our language and culture, as our elders were punished while speaking their language while attending these boarding schools. I plan to bring the Tewa language into the school work place for my action plans to create an environment where the students will feel comfortable to speak Tewa and feel closer to their community. I know how assimilation affected our communities because our elders were not allowed to follow our way of life and to forget who we are. This is what leads to us losing our culture and language. I liked the video and how Jazlynn and her grandpa had shared their knowledge.
---. boardingschoolhealing.org/us-indian-boarding-school-history.
---. “Effort to recover Indigenous language also revitalizes culture, history and identity.” https://theconversation.com/effort-to-recover-indigenous-language-also-revitalizes-culture-history-and-identity-190733, Oct. 2022, https://doi.org/10.64628/aai.gwrf44xae.
Effort to recover Indigenous Language
Effort to recover Indigenous Language
Daryl Baldwin
The article titled ¨Effort to recover Indigenous language also revitalizes culture, history and identity¨ had talked about the efforts in making their language stronger. They had a few programs that were offered, many of the youth engaged and actively participating in many of the programs and activities that were provided by the community for learners and the youth. In these activities, they envolved art, food and games that were a part of their culture. With these topics focused on, they had many youth participants. With the youth being actively learning and participating, soon their youth started to speak the language and with the language being spoken, the language was growing and got stronger. Also, with the youth wanting to participate, their tribal enrollment rose rapidly because of the youth wanting to learn and engage more in these activities that were provided. This article was really interesting to read about. I hope many of our youth do get involved within our communities like they did here in this article.
I found this article interesting because of how they got their youth to participate in the programs they offered in their communities. I see how these programs have had a impact on their youth giving them the boost to get involved with their culture and language. I hope to see these type of programs being implemented within our communities to where our youth will be active and engages on learning our language. I have some connections with this article like attending language classes and events once a month when they are offered. I liked how this article had talked about the relationship between family members and community members strengthening with these programs. These programs and strong bonds allows them to communicate with one another in a unique way using their language like how we would in our own communities. Just like how it said in the article, ¨Myaamia tribal youth that participate in language and cultural revitalization programs are more engages in tribal activities¨, I see this in my own community with the youth singing songs and finding the story and meaning about the songs. This article was very enjoyable knowing that youth around the world are making efforts to reconnect with their culture.
---. “Effort to recover Indigenous language also revitalizes culture, history and identity.” https://theconversation.com/effort-to-recover-indigenous-language-also-revitalizes-culture-history-and-identity-190733, Oct. 2022, https://doi.org/10.64628/aai.gwrf44xae.
Current State of the Issue
“---.” New Mexico in Depth, 27 Apr. 2026, nmindepth.com/2026/yazzie-martinez-plaintiffs-ask-to-rewrite-education-reform-plan-themselves. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Native communities urge New Mexico to embrace language, culture in Yazzia/Martinez plan
Native communities urge New Mexico to embrace language, culture in Yazzia/Martinez plan
Bella Davis - New Mexico In Depth
This article by Bella Davis titled ¨Native communities urge New Mexico to embrace language, culture in Yazzie/Martinez plan¨, talked about how Yazzie/Martinez took the State of New Mexico to court for not incorporating Native American Languages and culture in the public school system. Yazzie/Martinez filed to address the lack of knowledge that is relevant for Native American students. The State of New Mexico provide low-income, native american students and english learning students with programs and classes in order to succeed in school and to prepare them for life. In 2018, the court ruled in favor of Yazzie/Martinez. The court ruled that the State of New Mexico were violating students rights . The State of New Mexico and the Public Education Department are required to come up with a plan that will provide students with programs and classes that will guide students to success.
I found this article interesting because of the approach the state is taking. This is not based on language but it is showing how the state is working on providing Native American students and other students with the right programs. I like how the state is addressing the issue and coming up with a plan to ensure that the needs for these students are met. I myself am coming up with plans to teach the language in a way that the students can understand without using english. I liked how this article was shaped and the explanation behind the case.
“---.” New Mexico in Depth, 27 Apr. 2026, nmindepth.com/2026/yazzie-martinez-plaintiffs-ask-to-rewrite-education-reform-plan-themselves. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
New CU Boulder Administrator Works to Draw More Native Students to University.” The Denver Post, 27 Nov. 2023, www.denverpost.com/2023/11/27/cu-boulder-native-american-affairs-benny-shendo.
Indigenous language-based schools bill making its way through the Legislature
Indigenous language-based schools bill making its way through the Legislature
Bella Davis - New Mexico In Depth
The article by Bella Davis titled ¨Indigenous language-based schools bill making its way through Legislature¨ addressed New Mexico Senate Bill 13 which is the State-Tribal Education Compact Schools Act which aims to revitalize the languages spoken by the Pueblo Natives by allowing tribes to create their own language based and culturally focused curriculum and schools. These schools would have the curriculum of aligning tribal need and research leading to improving their academic outcome for Native students with their languages and cultures when incorporated into their education. The bill seeks to address past educational failures and give tribes the opportunity and power to create an immersive language environment through their school structures.
I really enjoyed reading this article. I like how they are letting our tribal governments implement their own plans and curriculums into our school systems. It is better for our own tribes to come up with the curriculum rather then the public schools or school systems because they do not understand the differences of our language and cultures. I see how this is important for all Native students as this bill with benefit the students as they are following the curriculum of their own pueblo instead of having one teacher from one pueblo teaching students from various communities. I believe that it is important for a student to learn from someone who comes from the same community as the knowledge would be the same. I did like this article and how Benny Shendo is pushing for this bill to pass.
“---.” New Mexico in Depth, 13 Feb. 2025, nmindepth.com/2025/indigenous-language-based-schools-bill-making-its-way-through-legislature. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Global Connections
For Australia's Indigenous communities, preserving their languages is a matter of life and death
-World Economic Forum
The article ¨For Australia's Indigenous communities, preserving their languages is a matter of life and death¨ by World Economic Forum was about how critical risk faced by Indigenous languages and cultures due to colonization and assimilation. These factors lead to a loss of knowledge and highlights the negative impacts of the decline of the language and culture withing these Australia communities. Lyfe Langues is an online platform that aims to preserve Indigenous languages by translating complex medical terminologies to their traditional languages. This helps create new way of communication with elders. This is not just improving their language but also their improving their healthcare. The platform involves the exchange of ancient language from elders for youth to hear and learn. This program is expanding globally, with preserving language and their unique knowledge, this creates solutions for communities where language loss is crucial.
“For Australia’s aboriginals, indigenous language is health.” World Economic Forum, 3 June 2025, www.weforum.org/stories/2022/07/for-australia-s-indigenous-communities-preserving-their-languages-is-a-matter-of-life-and-death.
Mexico City Schools are making history as students can now learn the Indigenous language Nahuatl instead of English
-BELatina Daily
This article by BELatina Daily, ¨Mexico City Schools are making history as students can now learn the Indigenous language Nahuatl instead of English¨, talks about how Mexico City is taking a step towards preserving the culture and language by reintroducing Nahuatl in school. Nahuatl is the country's second most spoken language. This language will be added to the schools curriculum as students can have a choice in learning this language and culture. This move aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn Nahuatl as an elective as it will teach the deeper understanding of the culture of Mexico's original people. The schools are partnering with fluent speakers and hiring them as teachers, the program ensures that the language is being taught by authentic language teachers who grew up around the language and culture. This movement hopes to encourage students to connect with their heritage of where their ancestors came from.
“Mexico City Schools are making history as students can now learn the Indigenous language Nahuatl instead of English.” BFLatina Daily, 3 Mar. 2025, belatina.com. Accessed 7 May 2026.
Saving the Hawaiian Language
-UH Foundation
The article from UH Foundation titled ¨Saving the Hawaiian Language¨ talked about the Hawaiian movement started in 1841. The Kingdom of Hawaii started Hawaiian medium education in 1,100 schools. By the end of that century, over 90% of Hawaiians were fluents. But in 1896, the government banned Hawaiian medium education which lead to the decline in native speakers. From 90% of fluent speakers, they were only down to 52 total fluent speakers. The grandchildren of native speakers began to take charge in revitalizing the language by teaching it to their children, siblings, or in classrooms which lead to the creation of Immersion Education Movement. Keiki Kawai'ee is a founder of this movement, emphasizing the importance of preserving the Hawaiian Language. This movement faced a few challenges like finding teachers and coming up with a curriculum, which was no longer problem soon after. This movement grew leading to the establishment of the College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Keiki Kawai´ee continues to promote the language as the director of the college aiming to ensure that the programs continues for future generations.
Saving the Hawaiian Language. 206AD, uhfoundation.org/saving-hawaiian-language. Accessed 7 May 2026.
Global Connections
Martinez, Jalen, Action Plan, November 18, 2025
Action plan 1
Action plan 1
My first action plan was conducted on Monday, November 18 ,2025. I had invited my friend Domonic DeHerrera from Ohkay Owingeh. He is a Tewa Language teacher that works with students from the Ohkay Owingeh Head Start. I planned a group activity for each group to do that involved our Tewa language. I had talked with Mr. Robledo the Tesuque Pueblo Day School principal if it was okay for me to come and work with the students. We worked with two groups of students from grade levels Kindergarten -3rd graders, then grade levels 4th -6th graders. We played games that you would normally see on TV, like ¨Jeopardy¨ and we also played bingo. These games were both in tewa and english. Wv The Bingo cards had the names of animals, phrases, and times of days in our Tewa language, then the caller would name that Tewa word in English. This would get the kids to think and memorize what were saying. Then in Jeopardy, the categories were in english and they would have to answer in Tewa. The categories were based off of animals, greetings, time of day, and phrases that are often used in our Tewa Language. The students loved this way of learning. I am so glad that they were interested and wanting to learn this way. This shows that theres a great chance for the language to become strong again.
Martinez, Jalen, Personal Photo, March 16,2026
Action plan 2
My second action plan was conducted through a period of time. I had worked with Virgie BigBee who is my Tesuque Tewa teacher. We worked with clay while sharing stories and looking at the natural tools we use within our communities when working with clay. We looked at polishing stones and tools that are used from gourds. We then looked at tools created from plastic, wood, and paint made from factories. We created windchimes out of clay. This was something that we all agreed on and was something that we could all create our own unique piece. This project really helped us create sentences and encouraged us to speak Tewa with one another. We didn't use technology like phones, computers and vision boards but we did use the modern tools of clay work like the store bought tools and paints. My goals for this second action plan was share our knowledge of the language and to use modern tools to help us create our own pieces while creating the story of our piece in our Tewa language.
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