The Heartbeat Of Our Tongue:

How Traditional Songs Strengthens

Our Language

Camry D. Sanchez

Hopi Tribe & Santo Domingo Pueblo

Hopi Protocol For Research, Publication, and Recordings. Tribal Information Exchange | Capacity Building Center for Tribes, 27 July 2023.

Sanchez, Jessica. "Portrait", October 25, 2025.

Santo Domingo Pueblo. “Home & Ndash; Santo Domingo Pueblo.” Santo Domingo Pueblo, 6 Aug. 2025, santodomingopueblo.com.

IDENTITY

Sanchez, Elvia. "Grandmas", May 14, 2006.

"Sharing One Skin": Okanagan Community

by Jeannette Armstrong

"Sharing One Skin" is an Okanagan philosophy written by Jeannette Armstrong. It highlights the profound connection between humans and the natural world, advocating for a deep, empathetic understanding of the environment. Armstrong analyzes the Western worldview that seperates humans from nature, leading to exploration and environmental destruction. She emphasizes the Indigenous perspective, where humans are an essential part of the ecosystem, sharing a corresponding relationship with the land and all living beings. Jeannette explains the key differences between the Okanagan views and practices of community, and highlights the responsibility of individual identity, community, and the environment being inseparable. She requests a shift in awareness, encouraging us to move beyond human-focused and embrace a worldview that prioritizes the balance of nature and sustainability. By "sharing one skin" with the Earth, it means we share more than a place, but our physical self, emotional self, thinking-intellectual self, and spiritual self.

Armstong, Jeannette. "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.

"And Then I Went To School"

by Joe Suina

"And Then I Went To School" by Joe Suina is an affecting reflection on the clash between Native American culture and the controlling American educational system. It explores the theme of cultural identity and the challenges faced by a young person navigating two different worlds: their home culture and the dominant culture of their school. The story revolves around Suina who feels disconnected and struggles to adapt their personal background with the expectations and standards of the school environment. Suina describes his early experiences attending a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) boarding school, which highlights the isolation and cultural disruption he faced. He emphasizes the restraint of his native language and traditions, replaced by an foreign culture that abandoned his heritage. In spite of these challenges, Suina's story also acknowledges the resilience and adaptability of Native American children by focusing on the assimilationist policies, and a call for culturally applicable education that respects and preserves Indigenous identities.

Suina, Joe. "And then I went to school: Memories of a Pueblo childhood. "New Mexico Journal of Reading, Winter 1985, Vol. V, No.2.

Sanchez, Camry. "SFIS Campus", May 8, 2025.

Sanchez, Camry. "Monument Valley", March 5, 2022.

"How Place Names Impact The Way We See Landscape"

by B. Toastie

In "How place names impact the way we see landscape," B. Toastie explores the deep influence of place names on our approach and understanding of the environment. Toastie argues that place names are more than labels, but are embedded with cultural, historical, and social meanings that shape our relationship with the land. These specific names constantly reflect the values, beliefs, and experiences of the people who named them, which reveals stories about the landscape's past uses, natural features, or impactful events. By analyzing how different cultures name places, Toastie demonstrates how place names can either strengthen or challenge main narratives about the environment, mainly affecting how we interpret and interact with the world around us.

Toastie, B. "How place names impact the way we see landscape." High Country News, 1 May 2022, www.hch.org/issues/54-5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape/.

HISTORY

Mexican, Gabriela Campos/the New. “Powwow on Santa Fe Plaza Draws Hundreds on Indigenous Peoples Day for Celebration, Healing.” Santa Fe New Mexican, 13 Oct. 2025

Gathering for a Powwow

by Cormac Dodd

"Gathering for a Powwow" by Cormac Dodd, mentions the 3rd annual Honoring Native Nations powwow that took place on Monday 13th, 2025 at Santa Fe Plaza. There were many dance groups and singers that participated at this event to celebrate Indigenous People's Day. Spectators like Rylee Manwell, Miss Jicarilla Apache and Steven Toya, drum maker and musician from Zia Pueblo were there to acknowledge that Native Americans are still here and that traditional singing is what keeps Indigenous people going in today's society. This article was able to explain how honoring Indigenous Day and the history of traditional songs is important to our identity as Native people and that it's important for the younger generation to continue our cultural singing.

Dodd, Cormac. "Powwow on Santa Fe Plaza draws hundreds on Indigenous Peopls Day for celebration, healing." Santa Fe New Mexican, 13 Oct. 2025

AIM Song. voices.pitt.edu/TeachersGuide/Unit9/AIMSong.htm.

"AIM Song"

by Elaine Keillor et al.

The article "AIM Song" mentions the origin of the AIM song and how it played a big factor in the American Indian Movement (AIM). The "AIM Song" is a Native American intertribal protest song that emerged around 1969 to oppose assimilationist policies. The song's roots trace back to the early 20th century and the Society of American Indians. It played a role in the occupation of Alcatraz Island and the Wounded Knee occupation where it sparked a new era of Native activism. Lastly, the article talked about the important role it played in many history events and how it remains a feature of aboriginal pride in powwows to the present.

Keillor, Elaine, Tim Archambault, and John M.H. Kelly. "AIM Song' (Song, Ca. 1968)." The American Mosaic: The American Indian Experience, ABC-CLIO, 2025, americanindian-abc-clio-com.sfis.idm.oclc.org/Search/Display/1796347. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

(TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts)

Why Protecting Indigenous Languages Means Protecting Traditional Songs

by Dana Lepofsky et al

"Why Protecting Indigenous Language Means Protecting Traditional Songs" is an article that talks about why protecting traditional songs is the key factor to protecting Indigenous languages. This article mentioned the way songs have meaning and history to them, and how they represent the ways of humans and non-humans. Kwaxsistalla Wathl'thla, clan chief and keeper of hundreds of songs about his Indigenous people was able to teach these songs to his community to carry on the tradition. The article then mentioned how lyrics are embedded with meaning and history, and how different dialects, words, and expressions are only found in songs and not conversations.

(TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts. www.tvo.org/article/why-protecting-indigenous-languages-means-protecting-traditional-songs.)

CURRENT STATE OF THE ISSUE

The University of Queensland, 2025

Preserving Language Through Story and Song

by The University of Queensland

"Preserving Language Through Story and Song" is an article that adresses University of Queensland researchers creating and launching a digital project that explores new ways to prevent further language loss. This project was a collaboration between researchers from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit (ATSIS), and Univeristy of Queensland School of Music. In this article it stated five Indigenous and Torress Strait Islander community memebers were interviewed about their relationship between music and language learning. Many mentioned how language in songs and writing give a sense of pride, nostalgia, and misery. This means when they sing or speak in their Native language, they know they've done right by their people and proved they are strong enough to keep fighting through hardships that have been thrown at them.

The University of Queensland. (2025, May 28). Preserving language through story and song. News. https://news.uq.edu.au/2025-05-29-preserving-language-through-story-and-song

How Musicians Use Native Languages to Revitalize Their Cultures

by Devon Szczepkowicz

"How Musicians Use Native Languages to Revitalize Their Cultures" by Devon Szczepkowicz is an article that discusses how msuicians are using Native languages to revitalize their cultures. It highlights the Indigenous Voices of the Americas Program at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival that occured on Wednesday, June 26 to Monday, July 1, 2024. During this festival many vistors were able to listen to a variety of music, including rap and blues that were performed in Native languages. Musicians such as Wade Fernandez from the Menominee Nation and Sara Curruchich from the Kaqchikel Maya Nation used their Indigenous languages to tell stories and revitalize their cultures through song. During these songs, the musicians demonstrated on the importance of Indigenous languages in contemporary music and that their community are resilient people.

How musicians use native language to revitalize their cultures (n.d.). Smithsonian Folklife Festival. https://festival.si.edu/blog/indigenous-music-language

How Musicians Use Native Languages to Revitalize Their Cultures, n.d.

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

(Howell, 2024)

'The more you tell a story, the stronger the story becomes'

by Dr Gillian Howell

'The more you tell a story, the stronger the story becomes' is an article written by Dr Gillian Howell, talks about a community-led songwriting project in Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia. The project focuses on Indigenous educators and language specialists that create songs in their heritage languages of the Baya Giwiy initative. It supports cultural knowledge, language revitalization, enhances well being, especially among young children. The project, apart of the Sound FX community program has produced original songs and recordings to help children learn and sing in their native languages, and preserve cultural knowledge through the recordings. These songs and recordings have supported emotional wellbeing, especially during times of community adversity and continue to be a key factor in keeping the stress levels of younger generations down. The main idea for this project is that the more stories and songs are being told and shared, the stronger they will become, which strengthens old traditions and new community narratives coming upon today's society.

Howell, G. (2024, July, 9). 'The more you tell a story, the stronger the story becomes'. Pursuit-University of Melbourne. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-more-you-tell-a-story-the-stronger-the-story-beomes/

(Toth, 2022)

The Death and Revival of Indigenous Languages

by Katalina Toth

The article "The Death and Revival of Indigenous Languages" discusses the rapid loss of Indigenous languages around the world, where an Indigenous language dies every two weeks. This increase is caused by colonization and the dominance of international languages like English. The author explains how in Canada, the government policies, such as residental schools and forced removal of Indigenous children, are disrupting the communication of languages and cultures. She explores how ideas like education technology and distance learning can strengthen Indigenous-language education, and allow Indigenous students to continue learning their language while in their communities. These ideas can develop culturally customized educational resources and government-led initatives like language preservation policies. With these efforts, it creates a support system for Indigenous self-determination, stronger cultural continuance, and to help endangered languages survive for the future generations to come.

Toth, K. (2022, January 19). The death and revival of Indigenous languages. Harvard International Review. https://hir.harvard.edu/the-death-and-revival-of-indigenous-languages/

(Belize, 2021)

A Language Facing Extinction: Reviving the Garifuna Language through the Arts

by Heritage Belize

In the article "A Language Facing Extinction: Reviving the Garifuna Language through the Arts", explains the efforts to preserve endangered languages that are at risk of disappearing. It highlights how the Garifuna language, spoken by Afro-Indigenous communities in Belize and other parts of Central America, have been decling among younger generations, caused by social change and the dominance of other languages. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) declared the Garifuna language endangered in 2001, as the everyday use of the language has weakened within time. Artists, educators, local activists, and members of the Belize community are starting to use arts to revive the language, which they are teaching to children and youth through songs, traditional music, dance, storytelling, and performing arts. Programs like the Habinaha Garinagu Garifuna Language Performing Arts are taking the action of strengthening cultural identity and keeping the language alive by making learning expressive in community art traditions.

Belize, H. (2021, February 28). A Language Facing Extinction: Reviving the Garifuna Language through the Arts — Heritage Education Network Belize. Heritage Education Network Belize. https://www.heritagebelize.org/blog/a-language-facing-extinction-reviving-the-garifuna-language-through-the-arts

PERSONAL CONNECTION

Sanchez, Elvia. "First Buffalo Dance". January 2016.

Ever since my childhood, I was always sung to by my dad, uncles, and grandparents. There was never a time where my family wasn't singing because it’s what we were surrounded by and it’s how I came to educate myself on the Hopi language. My dad taught me that our songs hold stories and messages for our people to hear and that they talk about the land, weather, animals, feelings, connection, and our history. During ceremonies or just at home, I picked up words from the songs to learn the meaning of them and translate them into ways I can understand. Since then, my traditional music has became a big part of my life and has taught me many lessons that I can continue to reminisce on in the future. To knowing my values that I hold and to always be proud of where you come from. With that, song is not just a musical tool, it's what connects us to our cultural identity and oral traditions.

With my personal connection to my topic, it encouraged me to not only focus on this topic but to also bring awareness to language revitalization in Indigenous communities. I decided to choose this topic because in my community, I realized the younger generation is having a hard time interpreting the language and they are not given the teachings on the importance of it. I want my community and other Native communities to know we still have time to learn our Native language and it is never too late.

ACTION PLANS

Action Plan 1: Striving to Reclaim Our Children's Education & Heritage

My first action plan took place on Thursday, the 15th of November in the high school rotunda. I invited Trisha Moquino from the pueblos of Santo Domingo and Cochiti to speak to a group of girls from my dorm caseload on Zoom, about the organization she works for and how she founded it. Trisha presented her topic on the Kewa Children’s Learning Center covering topics such as the different age groups they teach, what the children do on a daily basis, and how they teach using the Keres language.

At the end of the presentation, I had two activities that I provided which the first one included me playing a traditional Hopi song composed by my father, Charles Mahkewa. I then asked them how it made them feel and what they thought the song meant. Lastly, I translated the song for them after I got their input back on it. For my second activity, I wanted to know how the girls introduce themselves in their Native language and what they acknowledge when telling people who they are in their Native tongue. I provided index cards and pencils to write their introduction in the best way they can and then to explain what they address. I had good feedback from all of them as they were all able to write and explain their introduction.

Minjares, Neela. "Action Plan 1". November 15 2025.

Sanchez, Elvia. "Dad Singing". May 7 2026.

Action Plan 2: Songs from My Family to You

For my second action plan I decided to create a dance with hand movements to showcase how I teach myself to learn my Hopi language. The traditional songs that are sung by my father are about the people, weather, directions, and how we see our life. With this, I want to be able to show the meaning behind the song and how it’s not just a musical too to me, but also a lesson about my culture. At the end of my SHP presentation, I will perform a small dance and showcase the meanings of the song with hand motions.

MY SUPERSTARS

Sanchez, Camry. "Las Vegas WSTR". December 13 2025.

My parents have always told to be true to myself and to not be someone you are not. To never treat anyone differently because we are all equal in this world and everyone deserves respect. They emphasize these lessons to me everyday because they know it will get me far in life and it will show people the type of person I am. Their motivation and commitment to me is the reason I am the person I am today, and why I continue to push towards my limits. I can’t thank them enough for how much they have sacrificed for me and I owe all my accomplishments to them.

Sanchez, Elvia. "Sooh". April 5 2008.

Bernita Mahkewa was not only my grandma, she was the person who taught me everything I needed to know being a Hopi woman. She taught me my values, what role I have as a young girl, how to make traditional foods, what to do during ceremonies, and most importantly how grateful I should be to be part Hopi. The lessons she instilled in me about the importance of our dances, songs, and to always have respect, has brought me where I have wanted to be in life. Even though she is not with us today, she continues to be in my heart everywhere I go and reminds me of why I continue to stay resilient.