NUMU TEKWAPUHA NOMENEEKATU NEWSLETTER July 2007 Vol. 10 Issue 3 The Comanche Language & Cultural Preservation Committee 1375 N.E. Cline Road, Elgin OK 73538-3086 www.comanchelanguage.org fax: 1-580-492-5119 e-mail: [email protected] Editor: Barbara Goodin

“Letter From The President” us can learn to read Comanche, and in Marvawekv the process we will began to build our Nvmvnvv,tvasv naznvmvnvv, isv tuasv Comanche vocabulary so that we can Nv Hazhaits3znvv begin to replace English words with Comanche. We have begun the Greetings Comanches, Relatives and process of learning to speak Comanche. Friends, This process may not be for The interest in our language among everyone, but it has proven to be Comanches seems to be on the rise, successful in the instance mentioned which is good! Our language is spoken above with our parents and so very rarely and it needs to be spoken grandparents learning to speak English. at all occasions where ever Comanches And now with the Learning to Speak gather, in the home, at church, at our Comanche Project, where 15 families CBC meetings, at the General Council, have learned to read Comanche and are Everywhere. reading to their children. The families There are many ways to accomplish are also learning to hear the sounds of our task (using our language again). our language so that they can perfect Now having said that, let us take a look their pronunciation of our language. at how our parents and grandparents learned to speak English. They were Soobesv Nvmvnvv svmv oyetv Nvmv forced to attend boarding schools, they Niwvnvzetv. Vkitsi nvnv tvasv Nvmv were forced to learn to read and write niwvn6hutui. Ub6nitu tvasv Nvmv English. With this knowledge they niwvn6hutuinvv. began to use English with the taiboznvv. Subet6 Slowly at first, they began to use English Vra in the home with their children, so that ______now we have so very few Comanches with the knowledge of speaking our BELOVED TREASURE LOST language. How are we going to use our We lost another of our beloved language at all occasions? Comanche Treasures in April. Lucille Slowly at first! Then with the McClung passed away on April 9, 2007, at knowledge we gain through learning to her home. read and write in Comanche, we can “LUCILLE CABLE McCLUNG teach our family members, our friends, Funeral for Lucille Cable McClung, 88, and others who desire to speak taa Cache, was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, tekwap6 taa Nvmv Tekwapv. April 11, 2007, at the Comanche Nation For instance, I attended a Museum Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Reaves Board meeting recently, where there Nahwooks, pastor, Rainy Mountain Kiowa was a prayer read in Comanche. All of Indian Baptist Church, Mountain View OK, She was preceded in death by a sister, officiating. Theresa Saupitty; and three brothers; Bruner A prayer service was held Tuesday, Cable, Bert Cable Jr. and Gayle Cable.” April 10 at Comanche Nation Funeral Home Chapel, Lawton. The Comanche Language and Cultural Mrs. McClung died Monday, April 9, Preservation Committee (CLCPC) will miss 2007, at her home. Lucille very much. She was an important Burial was in the West Cache Intertribal part of our efforts to preserve our language, Cemetery west of Cache. and was always willing to help. She was She was born July 12, 1918, at Lawton instrumental in the publication of a Indian Hospital, to Bert Tanisahi and Josie Comanche Language Dictionary published Namaquah Cable. She was raised in Lawton by Dr. Jean Carney in the early 1990s, and and attended Haskell Indian School in our own Comanche Dictionary compiled by Lawrence, Kansas. She moved back home the CLCPC. to help care for her parents. What I personally will remember most Her grandfather, George Cable, gave her about Lucille is that smile she always had the name “Tupsipia,” which means Dark for everyone, and the songs she carried in Girl in Comanche. her heart. She would sing at the drop of a Lucille worked for the OK State hat, and the stories she told always kept us Extension Service and as a sales laughing. representative for Stanley’s Home Products. We have many fond memories of her, She was a vocalist and sang with the Amos and she has left her legacy for children and Komah Indian Church of the Nazarene grandchildren alike in the many recordings Choir. and tapes we have in our collection. In her earlier years, she rode horses in Ron Red Elk spoke on behalf of our the Comanche Nation Fair parades. She was organization at the prayer service and told of a charter member of Cahoma Community the influence she had on his life. His ending Center in Cache, and was instrumental in was most appropriate when he said, community service for her Indian people. “Tupsipia, U kamakutu nu.” She served on the Oklahomans for Indian ______Opportunity (O.I.O.) Board for a number of years. She taught the Comanche language at “LEARNING TO SPEAK COMANCHE” the University of Oklahoma in 1991 and PROJECT FUNDED FOR A 2ND YEAR also for the Comanche pre-school program The “Learning To Speak Comanche” in Cache. She was a member of the project that was so successful in its first year Comanche Nation and Amos Komah has been funded for a second year, thanks to Memorial Church of the Nazarene, Cache. the voters of the Comanche Nation. Thank Survivors include two daughters and you to each of you who have confidence in sons-in-law: Francene and Phil Monenerkit, us that we can make a difference in Norman; and Patty and Thomas Fuchs, preserving our language. Noble; two sons: Larry McClung and Bert We now have fifteen more Comanche C. McClung, both of Cache; a sister, Betty families (for a total of 70 family members) Pete, Cache; a brother and sister-in-law, that can read, write and speak Comanche – Vernon and Gloria Cable, Cache; 13 not fluently by any means, but they have grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and acquired the tools to set their goals and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. attain them. For the second year we propose to work with another fifteen families and increase

2 the number of Comanches knowledgeable in run-off there was a place where you could our language. The families from the first print out a request for an absentee ballot. year will serve as mentors for the second Finally, the Comanche Nation is coming year families, which will keep the into the Twenty First Century! Kudos to the Comanche language in the forefront of their IT staff. every day lives. We are accepting applications for the To see the latest report from the Comanche second year families at this time. If you are Nation Constitution Review Project, go to interested in being a part of this project, e- http://cncrp.com/. mail us at [email protected]. We will send you an application and the From George Ann Gregory, editor of guidelines for participating. Families must Anumpa Achukma/Good News online have children under six years of age, and Language Newsletter : “When we speak our pregnant women with no other children will own languages, we have a power that says also be eligible. we are not conquered people. We still know This project will center around your who we are. We still greet each day in our individual schedules, be it work, school or own languages.” other activities. It will be family-friendly for everyone. If you have other questions George Ann Gregory also offers the you would like addressed, please contact us following Language Learning Tip: “If at the e-mail address listed above. you are trying to learn your ancestral ______language from tapes, listen to the tapes at lease twice a week – just listen. Hearing the TID BITS…. language is an aid to pronunciation and From Lois Kane, Shoshone Language & acquisition. If you can listen to the language Culture Coordinator: “At the last every day, that is even better. Be patient, language conference I attended, they advised and keep listening.” teachers (of native languages) to praise their student’s learning efforts. It is important for On the Stoney-Nakoda First Nation the students to realize all the things that they Reserve in Canada, “Preserving their have learned since first coming to class – language is also a celebration of their culture things they didn’t know before. It will make and an affirmation that they are survivors them feel good and encourage them to keep and that they are not, as once believed, mere up the good work.” charges of the government, but instead, in control of their future and their identity.” If you have not visited the Comanche (*From the Good News online newsletter.) Nation’s official web site recently, take some time and go to The Truku of Taiwan say “Culture and www.comanchenation.com and scroll to the language are inseparable. The wisdom of far right and click on “Comanche our ancestors and our history are alive in the Veterans.” This section has a great deal of Truku language. Preserving the language is information that has taken years to compile. preserving our culture, our customs and our There is even a contact e-mail address if you traditions.” (*From the Good News online have further questions. newsletter.)

And by the way…the Comanche Nation The Oneida Tribe has a talking online web site has a new look with even more dictionary that helps keep their language information. For the recent tribal election alive. They also held a world premiere in

3 April for a new animated short film that There is no playbook on how to be a brings an ancient Oneida legend to the big modern Indian in a corporate world, so we screen. About a Raccoon and Crawfish, decided a few years ago to stop feeling “the animation is wonderful and incredible, guilty and to simply self-validate ourselves. and it’s scored for an orchestra with Ho-Chunk, Inc. is owned by a tribe, has a American Indian flutes.” (*From the Good board made up entirely of tribal members News online newsletter.) and is run by Indians. We decided that we wouldn’t be doing it if it weren’t okay. This To receive your own Good News self-validation is far easier to live under than Newsletter, go to [email protected] constantly worrying or feeling strangely and request that your e-mail address be guilty about our own progress. added to their mailing list. Cultural change isn’t a new concept. ______Culture has always followed economics. When Neanderthals hunted animals for a (*Editor’s Note: Following is an article living, their religion and culture were based written for Indian Country Today on on animal spirits. When Mayans developed February 17, 2005, by Lance Morgan, a farming, their culture and religion revolved member of the Winnebago Tribe and CEO of around farming. They developed a calendar Ho-Chunk, Inc. It is relevant to all of us as to know when to plant their crops. They Indian people.) might have gotten a little carried away with the human sacrifice thing, but to each his COLLECTIVE CULTURAL GUILT own. by Lance Morgan What we think of as traditional I run Ho-Chunk, Inc., a 10 year old tribal American Indian culture was also a product development corporation, and when we first of the economic realities of 150 years ago. started we had discussions about being “too If you were going to be a hunter and corporate” or “too white,” or losing our gatherer, you sure better know an awful lot cultural identity. I spent time balancing this about nature and how to coexist in such an issue, but I have decided that it is a non- environment for the long term. issue. It occurs to me that we (as Indian This nature-oriented coexistence is the people) are stereotyping ourselves. We have stage we were at when we had contact with an image of ourselves rooted in a culture the “white man.” Our contact with them based on an economic realty from a long- immediately changed our economic reality. distant past. The vast majority of Indians We became traders supplying furs. The are not living in the woods, hunting or quest for more furs caused a number of growing their food and making their own Indian wars and resulted in several tribes clothes. having to move west. The arrival of the Rather than worry about being culturally horse created an entire new economic appropriate, we should be focusing on our environment for the Plains tribes and a new inner core values as a people. How we culture began to emerge. Horses became make a living shouldn’t define us – that is valuable. The more you had, the better. the white world. What should define us is My point is simple: culture is whatever it how we view ourselves, how we view the is right now. It is a living, breathing system world, how we treat each other, and how we that is constantly evolving and changing. treat our families. To me, being Indian isn’t What drives the evolution of culture is our about hunting and gathering. It is about internal human desire to lead a better life something far more important. and provide for our families. I don’t think anyone should feel bad about being

4 successful. White people don’t. We didn’t attack is very effective because we are so used to. Individual wealth was respected used to worrying about culture and our and something to be shared with all of the desire to hang on to it that it often gets in the members of the tribe. I bet if I were a Sioux way of helping improve our lives today. It 150 years ago, I would be bragging about also is a way to hurt people, especially how many horses I had and somebody young educated Indians who are vulnerable would be jealous and probably try to steal to this type of attack because they are them. constantly reminded that they have Even our modern traditional activities somehow changed. are based largely on economics. Would we I have always been proud to be a really be making all this beadwork and art if member of the Winnebago Tribe. It has we couldn’t sell it? Would our modern pow always made me feel special. This strange wow system be the same if not for all the internal pressure we place on ourselves to be prize money? The answer is no. These a stereotyped figure from the past is not activities are a form of pride and culture, but necessary. Being Indian is about our inner they also are a way to make a living. values, our spirituality, how we treat each Unfortunately some of us can’t dance, can’t other and how we view the world. It is not sing and can’t paint. about whether the meat on your table was I wonder if this idealized notion of bought at the store or killed while on a hunt. ourselves developed because the life we I do believe that the answers to our were forced to lead by the “system” was so modern problems lie in the wisdom and horrible. We didn’t want to view ourselves traditional values of the past, but I believe as poor and unable to provide for ourselves our true challenge is to hang on to those and for our families, so we turned to the values while weaving them into our modern image based on past pride. This image was life. I asked a friend and mentor of mine, fed by the movies and popular mythology. “Famous” Dave Anderson, what he thought My mother has a theory that alcoholism of this issue and he said it best: “Our culture hit our male population so badly because the has always just been about survival.” “system” took away our men’s pride and ______their opportunity to succeed and provide for their families. I think that our battle with (*Editor’s Note: Following is a reprint from alcoholism does center on pride and Christian Science Monitor, Tuesday, March economics. If we can provide opportunities 22, 2005.) for our people to take a traditional function “ SPOKEN HERE” (provide for families) in a modern context (a by Diana West good job), then we have a much better Lost City, OK. Proud first graders can now chance of dealing with our social problems. say, “Cherokee spoken here.” We need to stop stereotyping ourselves. Their parents were mocked for speaking No one really wants to go back to the way it. Their grandparents were punished. But we lived in the old days, but our self-image for three classes at Lost City Elementary is so wrapped up in who we were that it is School in (northeastern) Oklahoma, hard to balance it with who we are now. Cherokee is the only language spoken in the Even worse, we often use culture and classroom. Lost City is one of the first perceived cultural purity as a weapon to hurt public schools in the United States to each other and halt progress. I have immerse students in an American Indian witnessed several good projects or ideas language. killed by someone attacking the idea or The program started in fall 2003 with person on cultural grounds. This form of kindergarten and classes for 3-year-olds.

5 This year the program expanded to include But since Lost City also started a night first grade. class to teach Cherokee to Grades 5-8, staff, “We do what other classes do but it's all and parents, he says interest has started to in Cherokee,” says Anna Christie who grow. An instructor volunteers his time, and teaches a combined kindergarten and first use of the school facility is free, so there is grade class at the school. Ms. Christie talks no cost to the community for the night class. to them in Cherokee, calling the children by About 65 of the 100 students enrolled in their Indian names. At naptime, she tells the Lost City Elementary School are Matthew Keener or “Yo-na” (Bear) not to Cherokee. Some non-Cherokee students put his mat too close to Lane Smith “A-wi” have opted to learn a second language and (Deer). belong to the immersion classes, although Cherokee songs play softly in the room. participation in the program is entirely A Cherokee calendar hangs on the wall. voluntary. Students practice writing words and All eight grades are exposed to Cherokee numbers in Cherokee. First grader Casandra at a weekly “Rise and Shine” assembly Copeland, “Ji-s-du” (Rabbit), counts aloud where they begin by saying “o-si-yo” in Cherokee. meaning hello. They discuss the Cherokee It's called an immersion class because character word for the week. One week it the children speak nothing but Cherokee. was truthfulness or “du-yu-go-dv.” The in nearby Tahlequah, Next year immersion classes will include Oklahoma creates the curriculum. second graders. “The goal is to get them fluent,” says Kristen Smith, who teaches the 3-year- Harry Oosahwee, the tribe's language olds, was 5 when she learned the Cherokee project supervisor. “If we don't do anything language from her grandparents. Her son, about it, [the language] is not going to be Lane, who is in the first grade class, comes here for the next generation.” home every day with a new word or phrase. It is estimated that presently fewer than “Now Lane and I can talk in Cherokee,” she 8,000 of 100,000 Cherokee people speak the says. language and most of them are over 45 years Lane also teaches some Cherokee words old. to his 11-year-old brother, Kristian. “This is Mr. Oosahwee, who grew up speaking something the whole family can share,” their Cherokee as his first language, says, “I feel mother says. fortunate that I was able to communicate Fonda Fisher, Lane's great aunt, says, with my grandparents and aunts and uncles.” “He automatically responds in Cherokee. He Now these children can talk to their even sings Cherokee in the shower.” parents and grandparents. She adds, “Lane is learning what it is to “I can talk to my grandpa,” says be Cherokee and to be proud.” Matthew Keener. He is also teaching his ______mother to speak Cherokee. Oosahwee says at first there was mixed COMANCHE LANGUAGE CONFERENCE feelings from the community about the The Comanche Nation Language program. Department will hold a language conference Some parents were excited while others on Monday, July 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 were hesitant. “They didn't want the kids to p.m., with registration starting at 9:00 a.m. experience negative reactions like they had.” Tomah Yeahquo, director of the tribal He can identify with that because he was department, will host the conference that mocked and ridiculed as a child for speaking will include presentations from all his native language at public school. community language programs.

6 To pre-register, call 580-492-6089. PRODUCTS FOR SALE ______Comanche Dictionary. Compiled entirely by Comanche people, this dictionary contains over 6,000 WHAT DO WE DO??? Comanche words with Comanche to English and What do we do? That is probably the English to Comanche sections. $30 plus $5 s&h. most asked question we get for the CLCPC. Comanche Lessons, set #1. A set of four Comanche For those that reach us through our web site Lessons, complete with a word list for each lesson on the internet, they already know what we and a CD. $20 plus $5 s&h. Picture Dictionary. 26 page Primer explains the do because they have read our site. Comanche alphabet and sound of each letter. Everyone else is probably aware that there Includes a CD. $12 plus $3 s&h. are several language programs here in Comanche Song Book. Collection of 116 songs Comanche Country – and each one serves its written in Comanche with an English translation, plus own purpose. a set of 3 CDs of the songs. $20 plus $5 s&h. Comanche Flash Cards Set. Three sets of 48 Flash In existence since 1993, the CLCPC’s Cards using simple Comanche words, accompanied first decade was spent gathering and by a CD. $12 plus $3 s&h for all three sets. compiling information to preserve our Comanche Language Tee-Shirts. Comanche language and culture. The first part of this language logo in full color on left chest. Available in second decade was devoted to putting the solid red or royal blue. Children’s sizes small (6-8), medium (10-12), and large (12-14), $10; Adult sizes information into a format that could be small through XL $12; Adult sizes 2X and 3X $15. easily utilized by Comanches wanting to Specify color and size when ordering and add $5 per learn their language. Now it is time to get shirt s&h. this information into the hands of the Authentic Handmade Comanche Dolls. Beautiful Comanche people. 20” soft bodied dolls, dressed in traditional clothing. Both girl and boy dolls available. $40 each plus $5 Last year, 2006, at the Comanche Nation s&h. (Special Order: Allow 6-8 weeks delivery.) Fair we gave away 1279 items that included Tote Bags. Navy with red trim. 16”x12”x5” with song books, picture dictionaries, flash cards, back pocket. Front has the Comanche Language ink pens, dictionaries, bumper stickers, CDs logo. $12 plus $5 s&h. and DVDs. We have given away hundreds Ball Caps. Royal blue with red bill and Language Logo on front. $10 plus $5 s&h. of other items at other times during the year. Lapel Pins. 1 inch round Cloisonne pin with colorful That is what WE do. We provide the C.L.C.P.C. logo and “Numu Tekwapu” in center. $5 language learning tools for Comanches that includes s&h. have an interest and make a commitment to New Lapel Pin. 1 1/8” Silk screened lapel pin with learn the language of our ancestors – before clear epoxy finish. Exact replica of our colorful CLCPC logo complete with feathers, on gold plating. it is too late. $5 includes s&h. We successfully administered the *For faster service, please send orders with “Learning To Speak Comanche” project last check or money order to: CLCPC Attn: year and will start year two this Fall. Our Barbara Goodin, 1375 N.E. Cline Road, Elgin children are singing Comanche hymns. Our OK 73538. Orders will be shipped the children are speaking Comanche words. following day, most by Priority Mail. Please Our children will carry our beautiful include your e-mail address when ordering in Comanche language into the future. That’s case we need to contact you. If ordering what we do. multiple items contact us first at ______www.comanchelanguage.org, as we can usually ship more items less than quoted here.

Attention Tribal Members: Please contact us “Sumu Oyetu Tana Nananumunuu” before sending in your order, as we give (We Are All Related) discounts to enrolled Comanches. Ronald Red Elk ______

7