tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78267304416956797582024-03-08T13:44:22.893-06:00Native Languages of the AmericasNative Languages of the Americas is a small non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting indigenous languages of the Americas. On this blog we respond to selected questions about Native American languages, folklore, and traditions that have been submitted to us.Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-71823963173188045612021-11-12T10:27:00.005-06:002021-11-12T10:29:16.532-06:00The Arawakan meaning of Cunucu<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: Ok I have another Arawak question. There is a breed of dog called the Arubian Cunucu. Apparently this kind of dog was bred by Arawak people in the Caribbean Islands and the name Cunucu is supposed to mean "country" or "countryside" in the Arawak language, but I can't find any confirmation of that. Is it true?<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: "Cunucu" (also spelled a few other ways such as cunuco, conuco, kunuku, etc) is a local Caribbean word for a farming field or for anything rustic. However, there is no word like this in any Arawakan language we are aware of. <br /><br />The best etymology I have heard suggested is that it comes from an African language. In Bantu languages of Africa, words like "kuna," "kunu," and "kukuna" mean to plant or sow, and -ko and -ku are common noun endings. There are many Afro-Caribbean people, and words of African origin have often become part of the languages of this region.<br /><br />Hope that is interesting, have a good day! <br /><br /><u>Further reading<br /><br /></u><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/famara.htm">Arawak languages</a><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/caribbean-culture.htm">Caribbean culture area</a><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/famara.htm"></a></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-11845568777275980732021-10-13T00:54:00.000-05:002021-10-14T16:31:18.747-05:00Interested in using your artistic skills for a language project?<p>We are currently developing a new worksheet series, Members of the Family. For this project, we will need pictures
of faces for a family tree-- so we are putting a call out for Native artists interested in drawing some for us!<br /><br />Send us an email at redish@native-languages.org if you are interested in working on this project. We need 12 faces, though we could probably be fine with 6 (male and female children, adults, and elders) as long as they have shirt or caps we could make different colors to tell the older and younger brothers apart and so on. :-)<br /><br />Thanks!<br /></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-71851136805153811502021-10-09T15:43:00.001-05:002021-10-14T17:24:27.752-05:00Blackfoot Numerals<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: Thank you for your page about the <a href="http://www.native-languages.org/blackfoot_alphabet.htm">Blackfoot alphabet</a>. But I only see letters on the chart, not numbers. How do you write numbers in Blackfoot?<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>:Using Arabic numerals, the same way English does-- 1234567890. Blackfoot, like most languages of the world, does not have its own numeral system. <br /><br />The only indigenous culture of the Americas I know of which had developed a full numerical system of its own is the Maya civilization. Here is a link to the <a href="https://www.storyofmathematics.com/mayan.html">Mayan mathematical system</a>, which uses Base 20 (as opposed to the Base 10 used by Arabic numerals.)<br /><br />New symbols for base-10 numerals were developed for Cherokee and Inuktitut in post-colonial times, but most Cherokee and Inuit people continue to use the 1234567890 numerals even when they are writing words in their own scripts.<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: If they didn't have numbers, does that mean they weren't able to count?<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: No. They had words for numbers ("one" is "ni't" in Blackfoot, "two" is "náátsi," "three" is nioókska," etc), just not special symbols for them. You don't need numerals to count, add or subtract-- only to do more complicated math, like the Arabs and Mayas did. Europeans didn't have a mathematical number system till the 12th century either, but of course they knew how to count and trade!<br /><br />Many Native cultures kept track of numbers with tally marks, marking down the correct number of dots or lines and then counting them later. Some South American tribes, like the Incas, recorded numbers on a sort of abacus made of knotted strings, called "quipu" in Quechua. Here's a website about this innovative accounting system: <a href="https://www.peruforless.com/blog/quipu/">Quipu, the ancient computer of the Inca civilization</a>.<br /><br />Hope that's interesting, have a good day!<br /></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-37504337600680140612021-10-01T00:46:00.000-05:002021-10-14T16:30:12.985-05:00The Arawakan meaning of Guajiro<p> <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: On Wikipedia, it says that the Cuban word "guajiro" (which means a campesino or farmer and is the name of a certain style of Latin music) comes from an Arawak word meaning "lord" or "powerful man" but it says this is from an unreliable source. Can you confirm if it is true?<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: Yes, this is true. It comes from the Wayuu word "washirü," which means "rich" or "powerful" and was also used as a respectful way to address a man, like "sir." This word became the name of a Wayuu settlement in Colombia, whose name then became La Guajira in Spanish, and the Wayuu people (who are an Arawakan tribe) also became commonly known as Guajiros.<br /><br />In Colombia, the word "Guajiro" can refer either to the indigenous Wayuu people, or to people of any ethnicity who live in the La Guajira region. In parts of the Caribbean, the word began to mean rural or rustic, and over time lost its association with Arawak or Indian people. In the well-known Cuban song whose refrain is "Guajira Guantanamera," that is not meant to suggest that the young lady is an Arawak, only that she is a country girl.<br /><br />Hope that is interesting, have a good day!<br /><br /><u>Further reading</u><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/guajiro.htm">Wayuu language</a><br /></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-20058325324168706322021-08-21T08:23:00.022-05:002021-10-11T00:30:13.947-05:00Cahuilla for Grandmother<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: My mother comes from the Cahuilla tribe </span></span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">and I am expecting my first child, I would like to know the word for "grandmother" for my son or daughter to call her. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: Congratulations! The answer depends on whether you are male or female. Children call their maternal grandmother (mother's mother) Tuutu in Cahuilla (pronounced too-too) and their paternal grandmother (father's mother) is Kaaka (pronounced kah-kah.)<br /><br />Hope that helps, have a good day!<br /><br /><u>Further reading</u><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/cahuilla.htm">Cahuilla language</a><br /><a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/cahuilla_kids.htm">Cahuilla culture</a><br /></span></span></span></b></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-13776955684878262822021-07-26T14:21:00.055-05:002021-08-24T16:36:26.630-05:00Kiwa'kwe<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: </span></span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do you recognize the (Penobscot?) word Kiwa’kwe, documented by Frank G. Speck? It was the name of a game children played about a man-eating ogre, and,
I understand, the ogre's name. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: Yes, this is a man-eating ice giant of Wabanaki folklore. It is spelled many different ways such as Giwakwa, Kee-wakw, Kiwahq, etc. The reason for all the spelling </span>variations is that the Wabanaki languages were traditionally unwritten. At the time Frank Speck wrote his book, there wasn't any standardized Penobscot alphabet. In the modern Abenaki-Penobscot spelling system, the word is spelled Giwakwa. Here's our online information about this legend: <a href="http://www.native-languages.org/giwakwa.htm">Giwakwa</a><br /><br />Our Abenaki and Maliseet volunteers have also heard this was the name of a children's game, but it's not one they ever used to play so we couldn't tell you how it goes! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /></span></b></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-15455985662556399822020-09-15T08:18:00.062-05:002021-10-15T09:20:19.056-05:00Mohawk Diacritical Marks<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: On your website you give the Mohawk word for "bear" as Ohkwa:ri. On another website it says the word is spelled Ohkw<span class="ILfuVd NA6bn"><span class="hgKElc">á:ri with an accent mark. Which is the right way for me to spell it and why?<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: Some Mohawk/Kanien'keha people use diacritical marks (accents over the vowels), and others do not. The accent mark doesn't indicate a difference in pronunciation, it just shows which syllable is stressed (usually the next to last syllable, as in this word.) The stressed syllable is normally pronounced with a rising tone in Mohawk--if it is pronounced with a falling tone the accent mark is written in reverse, like <b>à</b>.<br /><br />Fluent Kanen'kehaka speakers don't need accent marks to know how to pronounce a word-- after all, there are no accent marks in English to show where the stress is for each word, even though syllable stress in English is much more irregular than in Mohawk. However, the accent marks can be a useful tool for language learners--perhaps we should add them to our site!<br /><br />The colon, by the way, indicates that the vowel before it is long. Some older Mohawk people leave that off as well, so you should keep your eye out for vowel length when reading Mohawk.<br /><br />Further reading:<br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/mohawk.htm">Mohawk language</a><br /><a href="https://kanienkeha.net/the-mohawk-language-standardisation-project/">Mohawk orthography standardization project</a><br /></span></span></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-24436200646054218472020-05-09T14:37:00.067-05:002021-10-11T17:30:11.788-05:00Guajajara last names<p><b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>I was looking up an article about an indigenous activist who was killed last year, Paulo Guajajara. On the website I saw two other people, a politician (Sonia Guajajara) and an artist (Jahy Guajajara), who also have the same last name. But when I went to the links, I could not find any information to tell me if they are relatives or it's just a common last name for indigenous people in Brazil to have, can you explain?<br /><br /><b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Last names are not traditional in most indigenous tribes of South America. Many Native people have adopted Spanish or Portuguese last names, and some continue to use single names with no last name at all, but in some communities, indigenous people simply began using their tribal name as a surname. Guajajara is actually a tribe in Brazil, with almost 15,000 members, and most of them have the same last name. This is confusing to outsiders, but represents a strong sense of tribal identity to the people.<br /><br />As far as I know, Paulo Guajajara was not a literal relative of Sonia Guajajara, but they are members of the same tribe.<br /><br />Hope that helps!<br /><br /><u>Further reading:<br /></u><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/guajajara.htm">Guajajara language</a><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/brazil.htm">Indigenous people of Brazil</a><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/names.htm">Native American names</a><br /><u></u></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-57582725770291713252019-04-30T14:59:00.005-05:002021-05-31T17:14:25.592-05:00Terrapins<p> </p><div dir="ltr">
<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>I was told that the word "terrapin" means "good to eat" in Native American, but I can't find it again. Do you know what language this comes from?<br /></div><p>
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>"Terrapin" was borrowed into English from an Algonquian word-- probably the Powhatan word <i>torobe</i>, which means "turtle." The Powhatan language is no longer spoken, but there are similar words meaning turtle in related Algonquian languages which are still spoken today, such as <i>doleba</i> (Abenaki) and <i>tulpei</i> (Lenape).<b><br /><br /></b>None of them mean "edible," "good to eat" or "tastes good," though. They only refer to turtles. The Abenaki word for "good to eat" is <i>wigatôzo</i>.<br /><b><br /></b>Hope that is interesting to you. Have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u></p><p><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/powhatan.htm">Powhatan language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/abna.htm">Abenaki language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/lenape.htm">Lenape language</a><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/legends-turtle.htm">Native American turtles</a><br />
</p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-42696887916743792572019-04-24T16:08:00.001-05:002021-08-24T16:53:59.517-05:00Lakashi Tribe of Brazil<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: I am looking for information about the Lakashi tribe and it isn't on your page of Brazil Indians.<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: That's because there is no Lakashi tribe in Brazil. It was made up by a white author who has never even met an indigenous Brazilian person to be a mystical prop in a romance book. She named them after her favorite cereal brand, Kashi. That's really all you need to know about that.<br /><br />Hope that clears things up, have a good day!<br /><br /><u>Further reading:<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/brazil.htm"><br /></a></u><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/brazil.htm">Indigenous languages of Brazil</a><br /><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/literature.htm">Literature by actual Native American authors</a><br /><u></u></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-63847901302712667262019-02-11T16:33:00.129-06:002021-10-14T17:28:55.536-05:00The Gullah-Geechee and the Guale<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: Does the name "Gullah" come from the Guale tribe, do they have Native American blood? Is the Geeche Gullah language mixed with Native American?<br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: No, the Gullah are African-American people, and their creole language is a mix of English with West African languages. Since the Gullah community remained in the same region for generations instead of being broken up and moved from place to place like other enslaved groups, their unique culture survived the hardships of slavery and is still practiced today. The Gullah language (which is still spoken by some families today) is very interesting, but we do not have any resources about it ourselves--here are some good websites about the Gullah people and their language where you can learn more:<br /><a href="https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/american_latino_heritage/gullah_geechee_cultural_heritage_corridor.html">Gullah/Geechee Heritage<br /></a><a href="https://www.hiltonheadisland.org/gullah/stories-and-recollections/">Gullah Language and Stories</a><br /><a href="https://glc.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Gullah%20Language.pdf">The Gullah Creole</a><br /><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/141017-gullah-geechee-heritage-corridor-lowcountry-coast-sea-islands-sweetgrass">Being Gullah or Geechee</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijl7Sg3ZAd0">Gullah Storytelling</a><br /><br />It is possible that the name "Gullah" could have indirectly come from "Guale," since an area of Georgia was named after the Guale tribe and some Gullah communities live in this region, so they might have adopted the place name as their own. However, it is more likely that the similarity in the names is a coincidence and that the Gullah people took their name from an African source. One of the websites above suggests that the name "Gullah" came from the same source as "Gola" in the West African country of Angola, where many Gullah people originated from. This seems plausible to us! In any case, there is no direct connection between the two communities, whose paths would never have had much chance to cross. The Guale tribe suffered a devastating epidemic in the 1600's century and dispersed into other tribes by the early 1700's, whereas the Gullah people began arriving in the 1700's and gained their freedom from slavery in 1865.<br /><br />Hope that is interesting, have a great day!<br /></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-31804408998565024112018-04-06T13:29:00.049-05:002021-09-16T14:16:12.196-05:00Pronunciation of "Acaxee"<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: </span></span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">How do you pronounce "Acaxee?"<br /><br /></span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span>: </span></span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good question. Unfortunately, the answer is no one knows for sure. The Acaxee language has not been spoken since the 1600's, and the one Jesuit grammar of the language has been lost.</span></span></span></b></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">We can make some good guesses though. According to Spanish spelling conventions in Mexico during the 16th and 17th centuries, we would expect a word the Spanish wrote down as "Acaxee" to be pronounced either ah-kah-shay, ah-kah-hay, or ah-kah-jay (with a raspy "j" as in "jalapeño.) The letter "x" was used to represent all three of these sounds at that time.<br /><br />However, if we look through other Spanish texts, we can see the name was sometimes spelled Acage or Acajee. Since "g" and "j" can both be pronounced as either "h" or the raspy "j" sound, but never as "sh," we can rule that out.<br /><br />And finally, it is believed that Acaxee was a Taracahitic language, similar to Mayo or Yaqui. Neither of those languages has any j-as-in-jalapeño sound, but they do both have an h-as-in-hay sound. It is a reasonable guess that Acaxee would have been similar.<br /><br />Therefore, our best guess is that Acaxee was probably pronounced ah-kah-hay. <br /><br />Hope that helps, have a good day!<br /><br /></span></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Further reading:</u><br /></span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/acaxee.htm">Acaxee language</a><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></b></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-39619037927671172732018-02-07T09:12:00.000-06:002018-02-07T09:15:14.173-06:00The letter "8"<div dir="ltr">
<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>In the section: How is the Abenaki tribe organized?</div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
in the final sentence, it reads "The leader or chief of each Abenaki band is</div>
<div dir="ltr">
called sagama or sag8mo in their language."</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I’m not sure but "sag8mo" seems like a typo.</div>
Thanks for the info.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Strange as it may seem, no... the "8" was an old
linguistic symbol, used by missionaries, to represent a nasal "aw" sound
as in "dawn," which is how the middle vowel in that word is actually
pronounced.<br />
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Since most
Native American languages were traditionally unwritten, the spelling
systems that have been used for them have sometimes been a little on the
unintuitive side.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
Hope that is interesting to you. Have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/abna.htm">Abenaki language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/abna_alphabet.htm">Abenaki alphabet</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/abenaki_kids.htm">Abenaki tribe</a>
<br />
<br />Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-76134551601322577422016-03-11T16:42:00.035-06:002021-06-18T16:59:13.792-05:00Amahuaca wife-beating sticks?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span></span>: I was on the museum website and I saw striped sticks of the Amahuaca tribe which were called "wife-beating sticks." What is that about? Why are they beating their wives?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span></span>: I had to ask a friend of a friend to get this answer for you. The Amahuaca are a small tribe and very remote. She says "It was a ritual. The people believed bad things came from dark magic. If a woman was infertile, they would beat her with a sacred stick to drive out the bad magic. They also had special whips that the shaman would whip men in a ritual to make them stronger and drive away dark magic. This is what I hear from older people. Amahuaca still do many of our traditions but not these ones."</p><p>Hope that answers you question, have a good day!<br /><br /><u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/amahuaca.htm">Amahuaca language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/amazonian-culture.htm">Amazonian tribes</a>
</p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-45115951190397702022016-02-21T11:39:00.000-06:002016-02-21T11:41:12.772-06:00Gvlieliga<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>What is the meaning and language of the word gvlieliga?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>It's Cherokee. It's a polite comment similar to the English phrase "you're welcome"-- something
you say in response to "thank you." Literally it means "I'm glad," or
"my pleasure."<br />
<br />
Hope that is interesting, have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/cherokee.htm">Cherokee language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/cherokee_alphabet.htm">Cherokee alphabet</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/cherokee_kids.htm">Cherokee tribe</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-60071760523634659312016-01-02T15:51:00.000-06:002016-01-02T19:53:15.994-06:00Pennacook Language<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>Hello. Not sure if I have the right person. But I was wondering how you say grandmother, Nana in Pennacook. <br /> <br /> Thank you<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Unfortunately the Pennacook language was never recorded. They may have
been speakers of the Abenaki and/or Wampanoag languages, or they may
have spoken their own Algonquian dialect of which we have no record. The
Abenaki word for "grandmother" is Nokemes (pronounced no-kuh-muss.)
Hopefully that is close enough for your purposes.<br /><br />Have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/abna.htm">Abenaki language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/wampanoag.htm">Wampanoag language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/pennacook_culture.htm">Pennacook Indian tribe</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-2740207746763239292015-12-07T19:54:00.000-06:002016-01-02T20:06:34.280-06:00Muskogee Words<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>Hello I'm learning to speak Muskogee. I'm trying to get back with my culture. I was wondering how you say "I love you" in Muskogee? Mvto!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Hesci! "I love you" is "Ecenokecvyēt os" (pronounced
ih-chih-no-kih-chuh-yeet ose.)<br />
<br />
Have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/muskogee.htm">Muskogee language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/creek_kids.htm">Creek Indians</a>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-25312466875275333642015-11-16T22:34:00.137-06:002021-09-30T23:28:25.461-05:00Inuit Giants<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Q</b></span>: I </span></span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">read that according to Inuit legends, the first people of Nunavut, who lived there before the Inuit, were giants. Do you know whether there is any truth to this legend-- could prehistoric people like the Dorset culture have been giants, and could this be related to Northwest legends of Sasquatch?<br /><br /></span></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A</b></span></span></span></b></span>: Well, archaeology is a bit outside our wheelhouse, so I couldn't tell you with any authority how tall the Dorset people were in real life. However, one thing you should keep in mind is that back then, Inuit men were 5'2"-5'4" in height and Inuit women were almost all shorter than five feet. So "giant" may have been a relative term! Ordinary Plains Indian men would probably have looked like giants to the Inuit ancestors.<br /><br />With that said, the Tuniit (giants) had many other supernatural qualities in Inuit legends. In some stories they could carry a walrus (which weighs more than a ton) or shapeshift into polar bears. So those would definitely not have been things the real-life Dorset people could have done no matter how tall they were! Either the Tuniit were not the Dorset people at all and were indeed mythological wilderness beings like Sasquatch, or else these legends were historical stories about the Dorset civilization which became changed and embellished over time to include supernatural elements.<br /><br />Hope that is interesting to you, have a good day!<br /><br /></span></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Further reading:</u></span></span></span></b></p><p><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/inuit.htm">Inuit people</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/sasquatch.htm">Sasquatch</a></p>Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-317315046200188932015-11-09T09:05:00.002-06:002015-11-09T12:47:26.443-06:00Gitche Gumee<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>I would like to know whether Gitche Gumee is a true Ojibwa name and if the popularly accepted translation is accurate. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Thank you for writing. Yes, that is the Ojibwe name for Lake Superior.
In the modern Ojibwe spelling system it is spelled Gichigami (pronounced
gih-chih-guh-mih) and it literally means "big lake."<br />
<br clear="none" />
Hope that is what you were looking for. Have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/ojibwe.htm">Ojibwe language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/hiawatha.htm">Native American names in Longfellow's Hiawatha</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/legends-lake.htm">Native American lakes</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-70477933129667635272015-10-16T16:25:00.000-05:002016-01-16T16:38:55.422-06:00Blackfoot word for wolf?<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>Hi, on your Blackfoot vocabulary page you said the Blackfoot word for "wolf" is Omahkapi'si. But on another site I saw it is Makoyi. Which is correct? <br /> <br /><b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>They both are correct. Omahkapi'si is the usual word for a wolf. But Makoyi, or Makoyiwa, is another word for Wolf that is often used in legends and traditional stories, or as an element of Blackfoot names. That is why, for example, the Blackfoot name that was given to Chief Poundmaker, <span class="st">Makoyi-koh-kin, is translated as "Wolf Thin Legs."</span> <br />
<br />Hope that is interesting, have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/blackfoot.htm">Blackfoot language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/blackfoot_names.htm">Blackfoot names</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/blackfoot_kids.htm">Blackfoot Indian tribe</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-5883915594645933472015-09-27T18:33:00.000-05:002015-11-09T13:14:59.940-06:00O's with nasal hooks<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>I found the Apache word "Ts'iłsǫǫsé" which I would like to know how to pronounce. Using your online guide, I can figure out the "ts" and the "ł" but I still am a little confused by the "ǫǫ." Am I correct in interpreting that as two accented "o's"?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>The marks beneath those vowels are nasal hooks. It means they are
pronounced nasally, like the "on" at the end of the French word "bon." The fact that it's a double vowel means that the vowel is held longer than the others.<br /><br />The accent mark above other vowels, like the <i>é</i> in <i>Ts'iłsǫǫsé</i>, denote high tone.<br />
<br clear="none" />
Hope that is what you were looking for. Have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/apache.htm">Apache language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/apache_guide.htm">Apache pronunciation</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/apache_kids.htm">Apache tribe</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-47930381860003347142015-09-26T20:56:00.000-05:002015-11-09T13:04:57.894-06:00Black Hawk<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>An old Sauk woman told us that Black Hawk's name was mistranslated into English and should really be He-Who-Walks-In-The-Shadow-Of-The-Hawk or Shadow Hawk. My question is: how do I properly pronounce his correct name in his language. Names are important and should be spoken correctly. Any help you can give us to properly pronouncing Chief Black-Hawk's name in his own language will be much appreciated and gratefully received.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Black Hawk's name in Sauk was Mahkateewimešikeehkeehkwa. That is pronounced similar to mah-kah-tay-wih-meh-shih-kay-kay-kwuh. <br />
<br />
I'm
not really sure what the lady was trying to say about walking in
shadows. There's nothing in this name about walking or shadows, but
perhaps something was implied by his name that was only known to people
of the older generation. Traditional Algonquian names sometimes had clan implications beyond their literal translations. We can tell you that literally, what this name means is "great black sparrowhawk."
Mahkateewi means black, meši means big or great, and keehkeehkwa is the
word for a sparrowhawk.<br />
<br />
Hope that helps, have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/meskwaki-sauk.htm">Sauk language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/sf_kids.htm">Sac and Fox people</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/legends-hawk.htm">Hawk mythology</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-76004410558458251092015-09-11T20:53:00.000-05:002015-11-09T13:20:06.733-06:00Hopi congratulations<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>Can you please tell me how to say "Congratulations!" in the Hopi tongue? <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Interestingly, our Hopi speakers agree that there is no real translation
for "congratulations" in Hopi. It just isn't the sort of thing that is
traditionally said. Hopi culture tends to be very modest and community
based, so perhaps making an announcement like "congratulations" just
would not be done ordinarily. One of our Hopi volunteers
suggested "Itam ung kyaptsiyungwa" which means "we have respect for you" or "we really
think well of you."<br /><br />Hope that is close enough for your purposes!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/hopi.htm">Hopi language</a><br /><a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/hopi_kids.htm">Hopi people</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-72147530318289639542015-08-14T17:56:00.001-05:002021-09-30T23:36:00.613-05:00Names that could be offensive?<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>Hello. I hate to bother you, but before reading your website, I never realized that some<br />Native American names could be offensive, so I was wondering if you could clarify what sort of names one shouldn't take for a child. I don't want to accidentally be that guy. Thank you. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Thanks for writing. The most important thing is to avoid the names of
historical figures unless you're a direct descendant of theirs. The
names of people who have died are considered very sacred cultural
property by many tribes, so giving a baby a name like that could indeed be offensive. The names of tribes, like Dakota and Cheyenne,
are not necessarily considered offensive as baby names, but they definitely seem to be on the odd side to many Native Americans, because they're the
names of nations. It would be like naming babies "Netherlands" and
"Mexico." Native American names of animals, plants, stars, and so on are not ordinarily considered offensive and are commonly used as everyday first names, but you still
should probably do a little bit of research first-- some animals have
negative connotations in some tribes but not in others, for example. You would not want to give a child a name meaning "owl" in the language of a tribe where owls are ill omens of death.<br />
<br clear="none" />
Hope that is the information you were looking for. Have a good night!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/names.htm">Native American names</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/legends.htm">
</a><a href="http://www.native-languages.org/languages.htm">Native American nations</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/legends.htm">Native American mythology</a><br />Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826730441695679758.post-56979712961848009402015-06-10T12:45:00.000-05:002015-11-09T12:57:24.494-06:00Nihzoni<b><span style="color: blue;">Q</span>: </b>Hello! I found your website. My fiance is in love with the word Nihzoni. Is this a name suitable for a baby boy? <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A</span>: </b>Thanks for writing. Yes-- you have the spelling slightly off, it is
really spelled Nizhoni. But this name definitely means beauty and
harmony in the Navajo language.<br />
<br />
I can't say I've ever heard of it
used as a boy's name before. I know one woman named Nizhoni, and have
heard of several others. But the word itself is gender-neutral in
Navajo, so there would be no reason why you COULDN'T use it as a boy's
name, just that it isn't typically done.<br />
<br />
Hope that answers your questions, have a good day!<br />
<br />
<u>Further reading:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/navajo.htm">Navajo language</a><br />
<a href="http://www.native-languages.org/baby.htm">Native American baby names</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bigorrin.org/navajo_kids.htm">Navajo people</a>
Native Languages of the Americashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401256673556335048noreply@blogger.com0