The Cherokee Language

A bit about sandwiches:

As most of us have probably recognized in our lives, the English language is ripe with opportunities for miscommunication. If you are sitting at a table during lunch break you might say, “A sandwich would be so awesome right now.” Now, if another person sitting at the table is eating a sandwich they may wonder if you simply like sandwiches or if you are fishing around for an invitation to share their sandwich. Depending on the relationship between you and that other person they may decide you are simply commenting on the greatness of sandwiches and simply finish their lunch and go on about their day. However, if you were actually trying to get a bite of their sandwich you would likely feel slightly annoyed because they didn't offer. However, you didn't actually ask for some of their sandwich because you were counting on the other person to pick up on your language cues so that you wouldn't have to go through the social awkwardness of actually asking for some sandwich. Now, although this is a simple example of a miscommunication, they can be found in all aspects of our lives where language is involved.

You might be wondering why I’m writing about sandwiches in a blog about the Cherokee language but don’t worry, I’m getting there. If the same situation described above were to take place between speakers of the Cherokee language the miscommunication that I spoke of would not actually be possible. Here’s why: In Cherokee each thing has its own word. If you wanted a bite of sandwich you would have to actually say, “Your ham and cheese sandwich would be awesome right now; I would like for you to feed me because I see that you are able to do so,” thus communicating your interest in eating the exact sandwich that the other person is eating. It isn’t just that you would choose to say it this way either. This would actually be the only way to communicate what you are thinking because if you didn’t want some of the other person’s sandwich you would use a completely different set of words which would be something like this, “I would like to eat a ham and cheese sandwich. I will get one for myself.” Whatever you are trying to say in Cherokee, you must actually say it.

As you can imagine, a language where everything is extremely specific can be difficult to learn. The number of fluent Cherokee speakers within the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is low with most of the fluent speakers belonging to the over 50 population. Concern over the dwindling number of fluent speakers has led to the formation of the New Kituwah Academy (sounds like “new gah-do-wah”). The Academy is a Cherokee language immersion school, meaning that Cherokee is the only language spoken within the school. This is done in order to allow students to learn the language naturally—through listening and repeating—just like we all learn our first language. The school currently operates on two levels with programs for infants through pre-school age children and  K-5 age children. The school has been open for seven years and the upcoming year will be the first time that the school will have a 5^th grade class.

I spent some time at the Academy last week and was fortunate enough to be able to have an in-depth conversation with one of the teachers at the school. The woman that I spoke with comes from a family where her grandparents were fluent speakers. However, her mother was not raised speaking the language and so she picked up some things from her grandparents over the years but not enough to speak fluently. She spoke of feeling drawn to becoming a fluent speaker because she did not want the language of her heritage to die within her family. Although she is still not a completely fluent speaker her knowledge has grown tremendously and she is honored to be able to work in a school where she can share that part of her Cherokee heritage with the children of her community.

Teaching Cherokee, even in a community of Cherokee people, does not come without challenges, however. The biggest challenge is that everything must be made from scratch or translated. The teacher I spoke with is a math teacher so many of the worksheets that she discovers online must be translated before she can use them which means, essentially, she must prepare every assignment twice. In addition, the Cherokee language doesn't include some math vocabulary words like parallelogram so these words must be translated as they sound. Many of these words become very long when they are translated, making the young children wary of attempting to use them. Because Cherokee is not their first language and because Cherokee is difficult to learn many of the young children have difficulty staying in the Cherokee speaking mode. They know the word or phrase in English and see that it is often easier for them to give up and use English rather than Cherokee. Keeping children interested in and aware that they are preserving and promoting their culture seems to be the key to helping them to learn Cherokee.

Things I've Been Learning

*A disclaimer: All the information below comes from talking to people in Cherokee and listening to lectures in the Oconaluftee Indian Village. Because I am interested in Cherokee life through the eyes of the people who live here I did not back up this information with research. If you find yourself really interested though, feel free to do your own

The Cherokee had a matrilineal society, meaning that children belong to their mother’s clan with property and hereditary leadership being passed down through the maternal side of the family. The Cherokee considered women to be the head of the household.

The pictures below are from the Square Grounds in the Oconaluftee Indian Village. The Square Grounds, located in the center of the village, were a sacred gathering place where people would dace as a form of prayer to the Creator. Everyone was included in the dances and celebrations, which usually included a feast. Celebrations would last anywhere from several hours to several days. There were seats surrounding the Grounds that were separated into seven sections representing the seven clans of the Cherokee.

I have been spending some of my time here learning to do many of the traditional animal dances of the Cherokee people. Visitors to the village sit in these arbors to observe the dancing each day. Before the dancing begins the dance leader calls out the name of each clan in the Cherokee language. The people sitting under the arbors respond when their clan is called by yelling out, "yo".

The Long Hair Clan: This clan was known for their wisdom and the chief (in times of peace) was chosen from this clan. Non-Cherokee who earned the right to be adopted into the tribe were most often adopted into this clan.

 The Blue Clan: This clan was known for members’ ability to create special medicine for children.

 The Paint Clan: This clan is named after the different paints, used in war and in healing, that they created for the tribe.

 The Bird Clan: Members of this clan were known to be swift messengers. This was important because the Cherokee territories were so large that messages often had to be carried by foot for hundreds of miles.

 The Wild Potato Clan: Members of this clan were known for their farming skills.

 The Wolf Clan: Members of this clan were known as protectors. The war chief often came from the Wolf Clan although the title was given to the man elected by the warriors, no matter which tribe he belonged to.

The Deer Clan: The members of this clan had a special bond with the deer and many were even said to keep the animals as pets.

The necklaces below are ones that the Cherokee use even today to help their infants through the pain of teething. Bull Nettle root is incorporated into necklaces along with beads. These necklaces are placed around the baby’s neck and are not removed, even for bathing.

This is a picture of traditional Cherokee canoe making. The Cherokee used the burning method to make their canoes. They began by locating a tree as close to the river as possible (usually a poplar tree) and packing clay around the base of the tree. Several small fires would then be built around the base of the tree with the clay acting as a fire control, causing the fire to burn inward and knock the tree to the ground. Once the tree had fallen the men would strip the bark and pack clay around the top of the canoe. More small fires were built until the correct area was burned out. The next step would be to chip away the charcoal and create a waterproof barrier using a mixture of animal fat and/or pine resin. This process would take about six months to complete.

Stay tuned because I will be posting tomorrow about the New Kituwah Academy, which is a Cherokee language immersion school for infants through 5th grade.

A Side Note: Please take a moment to check out the "Go Fund Me" link to the right of this post. The deadline is nearing for many of the things that we need the funding for. Any help, even just five dollars, will make a huge difference for us.

First Impressions

The drive in:

The first thing that that I really saw after entering Cherokee was the Bingo Hall. As a Bingo lover from way back, I was super excited (and still am) to go play one evening. The next big thing that I saw was Harrah’s Casino. It was about nine in the evening when we drove in so all the lights were on and the parking garage seemed pretty full from the road. There were people walking around outside and traffic was pretty thick right in town. I was eager to get to our rental and get Pheonix out of the car so I made my way to a gas station and called our land lady so that she could come out and meet us.

Around town:

Our first mission after we arrived was to get some groceries. We drove back toward the casino in the daylight and sheer volume of vendors aimed at tourists was overwhelming. Most of the shops have signs for things like arrowhead necklaces, moccasins, t-shirts, and pottery. As the casino came into view I noticed that there was a big new pawn shop with a “Cash for Gold” sign out front. I asked around at work afterwards and found out that my assumption (that the shop popped up because of the casino and the money people were spending/losing there) was correct. The pawn shop has only been open for a couple of months.

We noticed a small grocery store/smoke shop and decided that we would go ahead and get some basics there before we continued looking around town. As we got up to the door I saw a picture posted with a note that said so-and-so (edited for privacy) you are not welcome here. I noticed that the last name on the sign and the name of the shop’s owner. Because of my own background I already know that little dramas between friends and family  can get easily blown out of proportion in a small town so I made the connection that Cherokee, despite being a tourist area with a large casino, is definitely a small town.

Oconaluftee Indian Village:

Once I made it up to the top of the mountain where the village is located I was able to take in the scenery. The village itself is shrouded by trees and has a creek running through it. There are fires necessary at several of the crafting stations so there is always that smoky smell in the air. That smell is something I love because it takes me back to the wood fires of my childhood but I did find out that a previous intern had a smoke allergy that made it really difficult for her to be at the village.

Tours of the village are provided every fifteen minutes for interested parties and they consist of visits to different stations where traditional crafts are being produced. The work that I saw during my tour was beautiful. Outside of the tours there are traditional dances performed every day (at least during May) at 12 and 3. The dancers were all dressed in traditional clothing and each performer brought their personality into the dance. I got a good idea about who I should start talking to first just from watching these dances. There is also a small demonstration of stickball, a traditional sport played by the Cherokee, at 1:30 each day. This demonstration was especially interesting because of all the history involved. It is the oldest sport in America and some version of this sport was played by nearly all tribes as a way to settle disputes and avoid war.

My initial idea of the village is that it is a really good introduction for anyone who is interested in Cherokee history and culture (including people who don't yet know that they are interested). The people working within the village know a lot about their history and seem genuinely excited to share it with others. I have begun interviewing different workers to get an idea of who they are and why they work here. After I have collected a few more I will start posting some bits of those interviews and the patterns that I see emerging from them.

My first update from Cherokee...

Today is my fifth day here in Cherokee and my third day working with the folks at Cherokee Historical Society. We spent our first two days mapping out the grocery stores and the farmer’s markets and looking for places to go swimming for free. We found all of that plus dozens of the typical tourist-type vendors selling everything from t-shirts to tomahawks.

What I’ve done so far:

Oconaluftee Indian Village—The Village is where I have spent most of my time in Cherokee so far. It is a reenactment village set in the 1700’s. There are finger-weavers, bead workers, wood and stone carvers, basket-makers, canoe makers, and more. Tour guides take you through the different areas and you are also free to explore on your own and ask lots of questions. Every day at 12 and 3 some traditional dances are performed in the village square. On my second day here one of the female dancers wasn’t able to dance and so I filled in for her. I am now on the schedule to dance two days a week. : ) I am posting a picture of me in the outfit I wore yesterday and hopefully Luke will be able to get some video of me dancing today so that I can post that.

 Me dressed up and ready to dance.

 Some of our bead workers.

 Some of the ladies working on their pottery. The cooked their pots on a fire instead of using a kiln. The hardness of the wood is what determined whether the pot would come out brown or black. Potters would often use a mix of hard and soft woods to create the multi-colored pottery you see in the middle of this picture.

 Some awesome carving.

Here are some baskets hanging to dry in the basket making area.

 Unto These Hills Drama—The drama chronicles some of the Cherokee history and performances will open to the public on June 1^st. I have been lucky enough to sit in on some rehearsal time and to meet many of the people who are working on stage and behind the scenes. Below is a picture of rehearsal and some of the background scenery.

This is a pretty short update but I will be able to get some more detailed posts up this weekend.

What is PLUR and why does it matter?

PLUR is an acronym for Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect and you will come across it several more times if you continue to read my blog.This acronym stems from the EDM/rave culture and is often cited as the raver's mantra. Each person has their own idea of PLUR and this is mine:

Peace: Peace is a state of existing in the same place as another simultaneously and without conflict or adverse reactions. Peace is a calmness you find within yourself and with those around you. Peace is a state of being that requires effort and reflection.

Love: Love is a feeling of great affection for another being. Love is an offering of friendship based on a shared humanity. Love is unreserved and available to others and to ourselves.

Unity: Unity is a creation of a community, no matter how large or small, where all beings can feel acceptance and come together as one. Unity is a state of mind that persists even when you are physically alone

Respect: Respect is twofold. Respect for yourself is knowing your mind and body and allowing your needs to be met. Respect for others is seeking to understand the the boundaries that they have set and consciously choosing not to cross them. Respect is allowing yourself to exist as you are and allowing others to do the same. Respect is distancing yourself from things that you may not like without trying to destroy the joy that it brings to others.

It is when these four elements come together that true joy and humanity exists. I believe that Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect are the keys to creating a just and beautiful world where all beings are accepted and loved as they are.  This is the world I hope for and my hope for this world. I believe that I have been called to teach in order to bring more PLUR into this world. My commitment to teaching is my commitment to a world defined by and for Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect

A piece of my teaching philosophy

I am posting this to give you an idea of where I am on my journey to understand what I believe as an educator.

What is the purpose of education?

            The purpose of education is to teach people how to create their own knowledge. This is the most important thing that a person can learn because it gives them the ability to understand and navigate any situation that they come across. This is important to me because I believe that someday this can be a world where everyone feels confidant in themselves and their own abilities, alleviating the need for anyone to put anyone else down to feel good. I believe that someday this world can be defined by Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect. Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves and having the power to learn and to know is the biggest source of self efficacy that I know of. 

What is the teacher’s role?

If teaching students how to learn is the goal of education then the role of the teacher is multifaceted. A teacher should encourage students to develop the skills and abilities that they come into the classroom already possessing as well as encourage students to develop their skills in areas where they have weaknesses. A good teacher encourages students in whatever they are interested in while providing a base of knowledge that will help them get to where they want and need to be. A teacher should also model a desire to learn and be willing to share with students the different ways that learning has affected their life so that students might see that value that learning can have in their lives. The most important thing a teacher can do is support students in their learning and their growth as students and as people.

What is important to teach/learn?

A teacher must teach the necessary basic skills that students need to learn on their own like reading, math, and communication, both written and spoken. A teacher must also teach higher order skills like critical thinking and problem solving. The most important thing a teacher can teach, however, is how to ask good questions. Questioning is essential to creating knowledge because it moves students beyond simply accepting information that is handed to them and into a deeper level of knowledge. Asking questions allows students the opportunity to take what they already know about the world from their own experiences and use that to deepen their understanding of the material that is being presented to them. Asking questions also gives students the chance to develop their communication skills, which are vital in today’s fast-paced information centered world. Everyone deserves to be heard and appreciated and good communication skills facilitate the types of interpersonal relationships where that appreciation and understanding can happen.

How does learning happen?

Learning begins with what we experience and how we perceive those experiences because we take these things with us wherever we go. These experiences are important because they are the foundation for all the other learning that we do in our lives. We take these ideas that we already have and relate those ideas to the new ideas that we come across to form a revised version of one of those ideas or maybe even a completely new idea. Having time to think about our ideas is crucial to allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts we are trying to learn about.  The same is true of talking and sharing our ideas with others. The more perspectives that we can gain on the material we are learning, the more options we have in understanding and defining our own understanding. When learning something new our thinking might be more confused than it was before we began taking on this new concept; this is a positive sign because it shows that we are truly grappling with the new idea and what it means to us.

Mistakes are important parts of our learning process and should be appreciated for the marks of learning that they are. This means that it is important to be present in the classroom to address any questions and concerns that come up in the course of studying a given subject. This also means covering a topic that has already been covered in new ways so that students who are struggling with different aspects of the material can get a new perspective.

How can we understand what has been learned? (Assessment and Evaluation)

What I believe about how people learn means that holistic assessments and evaluations are important to me. Tools like portfolios give students a chance to take ownership of their own learning. This ownership increases the amount of investment that students take in their learning. When coupled with student reflections, portfolios give students the chance to evaluate their own work and decide where their strengths are, what improvements they have made, and where they want to go from where they are. At the same time, portfolios validate the experiences and knowledge that students bring with them into the classroom by allowing them the chance to talk about where they have come from and how that has affected the way that they are learning. Because students get to choose what materials to include in their portfolios they are in a position to choose whatever combination of works they feel best represents not only their level of understanding of the different materials from the class, but also what best represents their unique strengths and personal style.

Another important component to understanding what students have learned involves making an investment in getting to know each student through their work as well as one-on-one conferences with them. Taking these steps makes it easier to get a feel for areas where students have learned and areas where significant learning still needs to take place. Simultaneously, students will be able to ask questions and address issues that they may not feel comfortable bringing up in the context of full class discussions. Letting students know that you are invested in their personal journey as learners and as people is vital to instilling in them the confidence they need to learn and grow at their full potential; one-on-one time is an important part of that.

What is diversity and how does it impact teaching and learning?

My belief in the power of our experiences is especially important when I consider the diversity of the world that we live in. The obvious diversities that are a part of our lives like race, gender, class, and religion can and do have a huge impact on the types of experiences that we have had. Even when those obvious characteristics are the same for two people and their experiences are similar, there is still diversity in the way that they perceive and interpret what they have experienced. These perceptions and experiences are what shape the kinds of people and learners that we are. Teachers not only need to value these differences in students, but they must teach students to value these differences in one another by modeling the desired treatment of people who are different and exposing students to cultures, works, people, and ideas that represent the diversity of the world.

The idea of diversity becomes even more complex when I consider that I won’t just be learning about all the different students in my classroom, I will be trying to teach them the English language skills that they will need to make it in a world full of people who are just as diverse as they are. In a room of twenty-four students there will be twenty-four different and important sets of needs. This means that I must also consider the diversity of learning styles that my students will bring into the classroom with them. Students will need different levels of help with different concepts and the same students will not always need the same things. I will have to present material in ways that are helpful to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners so that all my students have the same level of learning opportunity.

What kind of learning environment will I create?  What will I do in my classroom because of what I believe about teaching and learning?

            In my classroom I will encourage inquiry by modeling inquiry. It is important to me to create a learning environment where students feel comfortable voicing their opinions and asking questions about the concepts and materials that we are covering. I will help them do this by asking questions about the material that I cover and try to really probe into what it means in the world. I will address whatever issues come up as well as I can and if I don’t know something, I will work with my students to get the information that they need. I will model for them where and how to find information and to evaluate it so that they can explore whatever issues interest them throughout their life in an informed and conscientious way.

I believe that our differences are just as beautiful and important as our similarities. To show this I will create an environment where everyone feels like their voice is heard and their perspective is valued. I will encourage students to embrace their diversity by using material that reflects the diversity of my classroom and the world that my students are a part of. I will do whatever I can to create experiences for my students that help them step outside of their comfort zone and look at the world in different ways so that they will be better able to look at things from other people’s perspectives. I will make time to meet with each of my students individually so that I can know them—know what makes them unique, know who they are, know what they need to learn effectively, and  know what connects them to their peers, their communities, and their world. I will show that I appreciate what their perspective contributes to my classroom by displaying the works that are important to them where they can be seen. I will also work diligently to provide opportunities for my students to share their learning outside of the classroom setting in the context of the larger student body and in the community because I believe that learning is a communal act that is more meaningful and better developed when it is shared and explored by many people. I believe that modeling Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect is the key to changing this world for the better. I believe that I have been called to teach so that I can be that model. My commitment to teaching is my commitment to a world defined by and for Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect.

Who am I and What am I doing?

My name is Morgan. I am an English Education major at a small liberal arts school. I have dedicated myself to the art of teaching and the challenge of life-long-learning.

For the next eight weeks I will be living and learning with the Eastern Band of Cherokee in Cherokee, North Carolina. This experience is a part of an Education Studies course entitled "Enriching World Visions".  As a (future) teacher it is essential that I am able to teach all of the students that enter my classroom and not just those students that have the same type of background as me. A previous course, "Education and Culture", was a venture in understanding just how diverse my students will be and the different ways that I value, understand, uplift, and connect with them.This summer is my opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and experience the "otherness" that many of my students will experience during their schooling.

A large part of our focus in the education program at my school involves understanding and embracing diversity. This course experience is designed to immerse each participant in a culture where they are the “other”, allowing each of us to experience the cognitive dissonance that comes with that experience. By adding depth to my understanding of diversity I will be better able to promote equality in my future classroom. By extension I hope to instill a respect for diversity and human kinship in each of my students who, in turn, will pass that respect on to the people that pass through their lives.



What will I be doing:
1. I will be working with Cherokee historian Davey Arch to create a cultural garden trail.
2. I will be working inside the Ocunaluftee Village assisting with craft classes and learning the history of the Cherokee people
3. I will be assisting with the Unto These Hills drama production learning how the facility operates and getting to know the crew.
4. I will be spending time with the people of the Cherokee Tribe and getting to know them personally.

What are my goals:
1. To more clearly understand the history of the Cherokee people from their perspective
2. To develop a sense of how modern Cherokee people in this area live
3. To develop an understanding of the impact that Cherokee history and culture has on these people and their experience in the world
4. To help the Cherokee Historical Association in their  mission to "perpetuate and preserve the history and culture of the Cherokee People"
5. To expand my understanding of diversity to include the feeling of "otherness" in order to more effectively and respectfully create experiences for my students that foster a desire to become life-long learners
6. To grow as a human being in ways that will positively change the world that I live in


The goals that I have listed here will surely expand and change as the summer unfolds. Through this blog I will attempt to relate and reflect on my experiences with the Cherokee People so stay tuned...