Dakota Tiwahe
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Volume 2, Issue 6 June 2014 Dakota Tiwahe Ważuṡtec̣aṡa Wi Strawberry Moon Beyond Oppression About 15 years ago a group of Dakota ple. Our collective intergenerational men and women gathered to learn the trauma appears when the memory of Dakota language. They were all adults, language awakens. OUR MISSION educated and enjoyed life long careers Later, almost a year after it was To preserve in their respective areas. Despite this started, a test was given. The results they all agreed that something was confirmed that the Dakota language Dakota as a amiss in their lives. was, indeed, a sacred language. living language, We were told not to be Dakota Learning the Dakota language requires and through it, We were told not to speak Dakota courage because revisiting the oppres- transmit Dakota We were told not to be who we are sion and pain of our ancestors is re- lifeways to quired. Through teaching the Dakota Learning the language started with language to the Dakota people we’ve future generations. them bringing gifts of different coffees, found a break in the hoop. teas, pastries, hugs and how grateful they were for the opportunity to learn We need tools for healing. We need to Euoituhs4m the Dakota language. About 7 or 8 be psychologically and spiritually em- months later the gifts stopped. The pathetic, providing the quality of sup- Wikoska Program port necessary to transport the wall of Naming Ceremony 2 hugs were far and few between. Wicinyanna Program Cliques were formed. Some didn’t history that separates our adopted iden- Tiwahe Gathering 3 bother to show up and no reason was tity from our true identity. GirlsBEST given. Fridays were set aside for field We have a lot of healing to do. This is 4 DW Curriculum trips. Complete with a 15 passenger one way. Contact Us van and money for lunch. In all, 2 field 5 Mitakuyapi owasin. Koska Program trips were taken. Glen Wasicuna Announcements 6 Today, dormant feelings of fear and Dakota Language shame interfere with reclaiming the Sunktanka Kick Off 7 Educational Director language and identity as Dakota peo- Program Calendar 8 Wikoska Program This month the wikoska participated in make ribbon dresses from Laverne Good- multiple activities including a naming thunder and Lisa Nez. They each had pre- ceremony and the Girls Best conference. viously picked out the fabric and ribbons They also had the opportunity to make on a previous day. When they started, their own ceremonial ribbon dresses and Vanessa Goodthunder, gave them a brief learn about the origin of Cansayapi. At a overview of what to expect at their nam- wikoska meeting, Vanessa Goodthunder, ing ceremony. The first day they worked taught them about what Cansayapi meant. on it they got quite a bit done but most She told them that Cansayapi meant were able to take them home and finish "where they paint/make the trees red". working on them there. She told them the story about how the Lower Sioux area got that name. Later, Susan Bucholz the wikoska, were taught how to sew and Wikoska Naming Ceremony On, May 10th, five of the wikoska re- wikoska came and helped prepare some and medicine wheels into their hair. cieved their Dakota names. The day of the food. Their friends and family After the ceremony, the wikoska were before the ceremony, the drummers and started arriving and they were each told taught how to care for their medicine others who were involved took part in a what to expect throughout the day. wheels. They later went to spend the sweat. They were able to take time to When the ceremony began, Joe Circle- rest of the day with their families. reflect on the names that would be bear, started off by having a prayer. given to each of the wikoska. When the During a ceremony each of the Susan Bucholz day of the ceremony finally came, the wikoska's godmother tied their plumes Wikoska Wicinyanna This month with our wicinyanna has Sewing is always a needed skill and one on May 25th; Belva, Susan, and Halie. been filled with achievement and cele- day they may pass that skill on to their At the party we did some fun activities bration. The girls have put in the final daughters. Luckily, after all the hard while waiting for supper to be prepared. touches to their beading projects and it work the wicinyanna have put in we After supper everyone enjoyed a big is wonderful to see all the beautiful de- thought to give them a little treat. Since slice of delicious cake and had some signs and colors that represent the this month is the last month with the very interesting conversations. Needless wicinyanna. The best part with the com- wicinyanna program we thought to to say the wikoska can’t wait until next pletion of this project was seeing the throw them a party to show how much year when the wicinyanna program girls’ joy in creating something so we have enjoyed teaching them, and starts up again! beautiful with their own hands; hope- sometimes them teaching us . The party fully the skills we taught them will be was also a celebration for three of the Halie Wilhelmi ones that they will always use in life. wikoska that are graduating high school Wiciƞyanna Page 2 Dakota Tiwahe Tiwahe Gathering Haƞ Mitakuyepi, mahed waniwe kte (When it’s summer I will swim in the This month at the tiwahe gathering, we split up into two lake).” Then, the last week of May, the tiwahe worked some groups, one group was the wakaƞyeża (the children) and the more on fishing vocabulary and played a fishing game where other group was everyone else like the wiƞyaƞ they threw their line over and caught a mystery prize. We (women),wicạ ṡta (men), wiḳoṡka (young women), koṡka asked the question, “Táku duza he? (What did you catch?).” (young men), winuḣcadaƞ (older women), and wicạ ḣcadaƞ (older men). We did this because the Tiwahe Gatherings are During the month of May, we had two growing in numbers and we wanted to make sure we have a special guests come and share at Tiwahe. chance to have everyone speak and get their time to share. Roland “Trulo” Columbus came, he is The group of wakaƞyeża learned some new wicoiẹ (words) one of the five remaining first speakers like how to say birds, colors, and what they do, for example left in the State of MN. He brought his kiƞyaƞ (flying). hand drum and sang the “38+2” song, the The other group learned the phrases: food song and did the meal prayer. Af- Question: terwards, he joined us for some games and helped with the language lesson. It’s “Daḳota ia (Word or Phrase) toḳed eyapi he? an honor to have him and hope he visits In Daḳota, how do you say __________________. us again soon! Answer: “Daḳota ia (Word or Phrase in Daḳota) eyapi ye/do.” In Daḳota, they say ________________________. With these new phrases, a learner can ask someone else in the language what a certain word or phrase is in Dakota. For example, If I wanted to say “every day I walk usually”, but I didn’t know how to put the words in order or how to say that sentence in Dakota, I could ask somebody; Mary Louise Defender-Wilson, “Wagmuhawin” (Gourd Woman), came from Standing Rock Reservation and shared “Daḳota ia __Everyday I walk usually___ toḳed eyapi he?” some storytelling with us. Mary teaches Dakota Language at Then the person could give me an answer like; Sitting Bull College. She stayed for three days, sharing sto- “Daḳota ia _Aƞpetu iyohi mawani cée eyapi ye.” ries, language and laughter with Dakota Wicohan staff, youth After we learned these phrases, the group played a game programs and the Tiwahe Gathering. It’s always a special where four team mates were chosen from two teams, they time for us when she visits! stood in a line, got a paper with a wicoie (word) on it, and Next month, we invited some more special guests to come had to get in order to make the sentence make sense. For ex- share with the Tiwahe Gathering families, as well as con- ample, one team got the wicoie “wadowaƞ, kte, waƞna.” tinue speaking about everyday things that you want to learn. Then they unscrambled themselves to make the sentence, If you don’t come to Tiwahe Gathering, we strongly recom- “Waƞna wadowaƞ kte. (Now I’m going to sing)” This al- mend that you stop on by one of these Wednesdays from 6- lowed them to think of where things go in a sentence and let 7:30 PM. We eat together and have fun while learning the them make their own sentences as well since they thought of Daḳota iapi. If you are unable to make it, you can like us on all the wicoie(words) for the oṡkate (game). Facebook. We have two pages; DW Tiwahe Night and Da- Later in the month, the Tiwahe all thought about the question kota Wicohan, you’ll see what we are up to each week. “Bdoketu kiƞhaƞ táktoḳanuƞ kta he? (What are you going to Henakca, Tokṡta aḳe, Taƞyaƞ Ihduhapi, do when it’s summer).” Some of the answers were “Bdoketu kiƞhaƞ howaḳuwa kte (When it’s summer I will fish).” or “Bdoketu kiƞhaƞ hokuwapi bde kte (When it’s summer I will Vanessa Goodthunder emákiyapi ye. go fishing).” Some other answers were, “Bdoketu kiƞhaƞ bde Sna Sna Wiƞ de miye. Volume 2, Issue 6 Page 3 GirlsBest On May 9th four of our wikoska had mentors and the youth separated and our feature leaders and how all those the privilege of going to Edina for a went off to do their own activates.