12 Legacy of a linguist The late Durbin Feeling dedicated his life’s work to growing Cherokee language, lifeways
20 Cultivating the Cherokee language Tribal leaders developing master plan for new language center, speakers village
26 Celebrating 150 years at Sequoyah Sequoyah Schools began as an orphan asylum, now focused on unique cultural needs of students
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ON THE COVER:
The language of technology
A Cherokee Immersion School student uses the Cherokee syllabary as part of a lesson.
Tribe's first video game teaches Cherokee language in first-of-its-kind experience
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6 NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ The face of Sequoyah Cherokee Nation brings burgeoning technology to language efforts Immersive opportunities Cherokee Nation to create new Cherokee Immersion School in Adair County
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News briefs Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians protecting language, "Cherokee Voices Cherokee Sounds" radio broadcast celebrates 1,000th episode, Former Council Speaker Byrd named Special Envoy for Language Preservation Revitalizing indigenous languages First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Interior S ecretary Deb Haaland visit Cherokee Immersion School 12 PEOPLE ᎠᏂᏴᏫ Preserved in writing Sequoyah’s Cherokee syllabary continues to inspire generations Holding all the cards Adair County family creates Cherokee card games to teach others the language 28 CULTURE ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ
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Translating for the times Amid COVID-19, Cherokee translators played pivotal role in health outreach Melodic methods Cherokee language learners often rely on music to help with retention, comprehension Room for representation Cherokee artists are doing their part to ensure Native voices have a place in mainstream media
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ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᏂᏓᏳᏅᏅ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎩ MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF OSIYO. This year we celebrate the bicentennial of our written language – the Cherokee syllabary. One of the most iconic Cherokees in history, Sequoyah, developed our writing system in 1821 and four short years later it became the Cherokee Nation’s official written language. He saw it not only as a way to share the news of the day, but as a tool to keep our history recorded for perpetuity, not reliant on oral stories. It enabled Cherokees to read and write our language. With the written word, our culture and language endure. In the years since Sequoyah’s genius linguistic creation, his gift has truly advanced our people. Before Pre-Removal Cherokee citizens had a 90 percent literacy rate, and Cherokee Nation was the first tribe in the country to start a newspaper – the Cherokee Phoenix. But like the Cherokee people, the syllabary has evolved with time. Over the course of these past 200 years, we have celebrated many milestones: The Cherokee Dictionary and the Cherokee New Testament. In the modern era, we added the language on Unicode, which allows smartphones and computers to offer the syllabary. It is on all the latest technology, including
Editor Josh Newton Contributing staff Julie Hubbard Stephanie Remer Troy Littledeer Justyne Eden Samantha Robinson KenLea Henson Dan Mink Leann Reeder Jeannette Whitmire Gerald Wofford Roy Boney Arielle Barnett Jason McCarty Raymond Carey
Apple, Microsoft and Google platforms. Our language is also making its way into other innovative platforms like cartoons and video games. Sequoyah once said creating the syllabary was like catching a wild animal and taming it. For the generations of Cherokee that followed him, the end result was absolutely worth the struggle. The real power of the syllabary is keeping Cherokee culture alive and thriving. We owe him so much for this great contribution and lasting legacy to our people and our language. In that spirit, we continue to keep the Cherokee language revitalization effort at the forefront of our cultural efforts. We are investing in and expanding language programs like no other time in our government’s history. Our dream is that 200 years from now, we can celebrate even further advances for the Cherokee language and the Cherokee syllabary. Wado,
Chuck Hoskin Jr. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief
Scan here to watch a short documentary on the Cherokee language.
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
Watch “Sequoyah: Voice of the Inventor for the Bicentennial” here.
In honor of Sequoyah and this year’s bicentennial
real-time graphics and the voice and movements of firstcelebration of the Cherokee syllabary, Cherokee Nation language Cherokee speaker Steve Daugherty. has become the first Native American “Cherokee Nation has brought tribe to use motion and facial capture programming, infrastructure and industrytechnology to help preserve and promote leading technologies to Oklahoma,” said an indigenous language. Jennifer Loren, director of Cherokee In collaboration with the tribe’s Nation Film Office and Original Content. language program, Cherokee Nation “Cherokee Nation’s COVID Response Film Office and Original Content today Virtual Soundstage includes unique premiered “Sequoyah: Voice of the content creation tools that have never been Behind the scenes as “Sequoyah: Voice of the Inventor for Inventor for the Bicentennial.” available in Indian Country before now. the Bicentennial” is filmed at the Cherokee Nation Covid “Through the use of this state-of-theThis virtual is state-of-the-art a first of motion Response Virtual production Soundstage, using art technology and the incredible efforts its among tribal nations and an and kind facial capture technology. of our first-language speakers, we are excellent example of how emerging perpetuating the Cherokee language for technology can help us preserve and share many generations to come,” said Cherokee indigenous languages.” Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. The tribe’s virtual video production Fluent Cherokee speaker Steve Daugherty brings “For 200 years, Sequoyah’s invention implements a combination of video game Sequoyah to life through motion and facial of the Cherokee syllabary has truly engine and motion and facial capture capture technology. advanced our people, and it continues technology using a motion capture suit to move us forward today through new and innovative and headset to record body movements, facial expressions and technological breakthroughs.” language. Through a live render engine, recorded data was Filmed at the Cherokee Nation COVID Response Virtual then used to create a walking and talking digital character Soundstage, the production brings Sequoyah to life through of Sequoyah.
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Commissioned 19th Century-style syllabary typeset used to mark ‘Sequoyah Day’ By Justyne Eden
In celebration of the 200-year anniversary of Sequoyah’s
of Oct. 15, 2021, being named by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. as “Sequoyah Day.” The actual printing process syllabary, a 19th Century-style typeset was recently took weeks to complete, as the language department had to commissioned by Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism first translate the proclamation and used to print a celebratory into Cherokee, then read the proclamation entirely in the syllabary typeset upside down Cherokee syllabary. and backwards in order to The typeset was translated by properly place the type on the the Cherokee Nation Language press for printing. Department and created in “It was quite an honor to Northfield, Massachusetts. The see how our Cherokee Nation tribe’s language department then Language Department used a worked with Bobby Martin, a printing press to honor Sequoyah professor of visual arts at John and his contributions to the Brown University in Siloam Cherokee people,” Chief Hoskin Springs, Arkansas, to finalize the said. “Holding a print that came special print. straight off of the press helps “The reason to make this set Cherokee Language Program Manager Roy Boney works with syllabary typeset. Watch video by scanning the QR code above. get a real sense of history and was to commemorate Sequoyah’s the significance of the 200th invention,” said Cherokee anniversary of Sequoyah’s syllabary. This work is an important Language Program Manager Roy Boney. piece of our celebration of the written Cherokee language.” The special proclamation was created and printed in honor Cherokee Nation Language Technology Specialist Jeff Edwards, Special Advisor Todd Enlow, Language Technology Assistant Zachary Barnes, Cherokee Language Program Manager Roy Boney, JBU Professor Bobby Martin, JBU President Charles Pollard, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Executive Director of Language Howard Paden display a proclamation in honor of the 200-year anniversary of Sequoyah's syllabary.
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ Cherokee Immersion School language teacher Betty Frogg writes syllabary during class.
Immersive opportunities Chief Hoskin announces plan to create Cherokee Immersion School in Adair County By Troy Littledeer
The Cherokee Nation is creating a new Cherokee language
immersion school in Adair County as part of the Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act signed by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. in 2019. The existing Cherokee Immersion School in Tahlequah began in 2001, and the new program in Adair County will be the tribe’s second immersion school where students are taught exclusively in the Cherokee language. “Elder Cherokees like the late Durbin Feeling have inspired younger Cherokees to learn our language because their philosophy and actions shined through the darkness that was the state of our language,” Cherokee Nation Language Department Executive Director Howard Paden said. “These lifeways reflected our original designed purpose and were so pure that they changed us; they made us better, not only as individual Cherokees but for the better with our families and communities, too. That's one reason I think an immersion school in Adair County will succeed. The school and community can take care of each other and restore this important part of the Cherokee culture.” More than 13,000 Cherokee citizens live in Adair County, Oklahoma – more Cherokees than in any other county.
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Denise Starr is a Cherokee citizen and life-long resident of Adair County. Her daughter Dayci has attended the Cherokee Immersion Charter School in Tahlequah since age 3. “The decision to send Dayci to the Immersion was hard,” Starr said. “But I did it knowing she would be a small part of history by being one of the few that could preserve our language. As she’s getting older, I have noticed that she is discovering there aren’t too many speakers left. She has speakers around her at home, like her grandparents, aunts and uncles, but she is just starting to realize that beyond them, it's just her. Discovering that is feeding her a drive to keep learning.” In the Cherokee Immersion School environment, students are taught to read, write, and speak Cherokee each day. The Cherokee Nation estimates only about 2,000 fluent speakers of the language are alive today. Chief Hoskin signed the Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act in 2019 in honor of the late Feeling, a leading Cherokee linguist, in an effort to both protect and perpetuate the Cherokee language through the largest language investment in the tribe’s history.
ᎧᏃᎮᏓ NEWS
"Cherokee Voices Cherokee Sounds" radio broadcast celebrates 1,000th episode The “Cherokee Voices Cherokee Sounds" radio broadcast with host Dennis Sixkiller celebrated its historic 1,000th episode in August. The show began more than 17 years ago. Each weekend, Sixkiller connects listeners to Cherokee speakers, songs in Cherokee, and lessons on the Cherokee language. “Cherokee Voices Cherokee Sounds” can be heard throughout the Cherokee Nation Reservation on weekends, including on radio stations broadcasting from Tahlequah, Vinita, Bartlesville, Claremore and Sallisaw. The show is also available to stream around the world through www. soundcloud.com/TheCherokeeNation.
Visit the QR code to listen to episodes of Cherokee Voices Cherokee Sounds.
Former Council Speaker Byrd named Special Envoy for Language Preservation Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. named former Council Speaker Joe Byrd as the tribe’s first Special Envoy for International Affairs and Language Preservation at a ceremony in Tahlequah. Byrd is a fluent Cherokee speaker and longtime public official with Cherokee Nation, serving in office as Principal Chief from 1995-99 and as a member of the tribe’s legislative branch from 1987 to 1995, and from 2012 until completing his term of office on August 14, 2021. Byrd served as Speaker of the Council beginning in 2013. As Special Envoy, Byrd will work closely with Secretary of State Tina Glory Jordan, Executive Director of Government Relations Kim Teehee and Executive Director of Language Programs Howard Paden.
Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians protecting language The Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina recently signed an agreement to develop collaborative projects and opportunities that will support and increase the use of the Cherokee language. The tribes agreed to share resources and to work with Western Carolina University on the creation of teacher curriculum and training. The tribes will share a strategic plan and hold quarterly meetings, and a seven-member delegation will be created to oversee the language, history and cultural interests. The Cherokee Nation estimates it has about 2,000 fluent Cherokee speakers and the Eastern Band estimates it has about 200.
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden and U.S.
impact all of Indian Country. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited the Cherokee “I want to thank First Lady Dr. Biden and Secretary Nation’s Cherokee Immersion School in Tahlequah Haaland for visiting the Cherokee Nation Reservation and in December to experience first-hand how the tribe is seeing first-hand how our Cherokee Language Department successfully making historic investments in preserving and is not just preserving our precious Cherokee language, but perpetuating the Cherokee language. finding innovative ways to perpetuate it so that it remains the The visit by First Lady Biden, First Daughter Ashley lifeblood of Cherokee culture for generations to come,” Chief Biden, and Secretary Haaland came just more than two weeks Hoskin said. “The Cherokee Nation remains committed after the First Lady unveiled to preserving our language The White House Native because we know it is at Language Memorandum the heart of our identity. of Agreement during December's visit by First Lady the 2021 Tribal Nations Biden and Secretary Haaland Summit. The two-day virtual provided us an opportunity summit in November was to discuss how critical it is the first gathering of tribal that the Cherokee Nation leaders since 2016 and was and tribal nations across the established to connect the country receive the resources Biden Administration with and support we need to act Third-grade Cherokee Immersion School teacher Cindy Collins, First Lady Dr. Jill tribal leaders across the swiftly and decisively to save Biden, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. listening country in a nation-toour unique languages, which to third-grade students Hunter Sanders, Henry Johnson and Riley Aimerson. nation setting. are cultural treasures.” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. was Discussion during the visit focused on the Cherokee a panelist during the summit and encouraged the Biden Nation Durbin Feeling Language Act signed by Chief Hoskin Administration to continue to have robust, meaningful in 2019 to invest a historic $16 million into preserving and dialogue on critical issues, policy initiatives and goals that perpetuating the Cherokee language. The Act has paved the
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that is close to my heart,” Secretary Haaland said. “Our way for the tribe to build a new state-of-the-art language hub indigenous languages are an important part of our culture to house all Cherokee language programs in one facility. The and who we are as a people. Our languages connect us to our Act is named in honor of the late Cherokee linguist Durbin ancestors and to our homelands and help us share indigenous Feeling, known as the greatest contributor to the Cherokee knowledge from generation to generation. Many of our language since Sequoyah. languages are at risk from being lost. That’s why In addition to highlighting Cherokee Nation’s language Native language preservation is so important and we preservation efforts, Chief Hoskin praised the recent multiare taking action.” agency Memorandum of Agreement on Native Languages First Lady Biden is a professor of writing at Northern which will help preservation efforts across Indian Country. Virginia Community College. Along with advocating for He also discussed the need for Congress to quickly pass the tribal communities, she is an ardent supporter of education, bi-partisan Durbin Feeling Native Language Act of 2021, military families, economic empowerment for women and setting federal goals for preservation efforts. girls, and cancer education During the Cherokee and prevention. Immersion School visit, First Secretary Haaland made Lady Biden and Secretary history by becoming the first Haaland joined third-grade Native American to serve Cherokee students for a as a cabinet secretary. She portion of their classroom is a member of the Pueblo instruction reading, writing of Laguna and is an ardent and speaking the Cherokee advocate for environmental language. In the immersion justice, missing and murdered environment, students learn indigenous women, and state-standard, grade-level Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Principal Chief Chuck policies that support Native curriculum but entirely Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, Cherokee Language Department Executive American communities. in the Cherokee language Director Howard Paden discuss Cherokee Nation’s historic prioritization of language. The White House Native throughout the day. Language Memorandum of Agreement unveiled by First Members of the renowned Cherokee National Youth Choir Lady Biden in November was signed by the Departments also performed a Cherokee hymn, “Orphan Child,” for First of Education, Health and Human Services, the Interior Lady Biden and Secretary Haaland during the visit. and numerous other federal agencies to help promote “As an English teacher, I have always believed that language collaboration on programming, resource development and is not just a collection of words. Language has the power to policy related to Native languages. The MOA also establishes create, defining the shades of our joy and sorrow, dividing a Native Language Workgroup with representatives from what matters from the mundane. It helps us tell the story of the Department of Education, Health and Human Services, our culture and traditions -- containing the wisdom of the and the Bureau of Indian Education to report annually on world that only we know. It connects us to our faith, naming progress related to the agreement. the divine and our relationship with it. It is a thread weaving Chief Hoskin, First Lady January Hoskin, Daughter through the past, present, and future -- the inheritance of Jasmine Hoskin, Deputy Principal Chief our ancestors and a gift we give to our children. The ability Bryan Warner, members of the cabinet, to speak our own truth in our own words is power,” said First Council of the Cherokee Nation, Special Lady Biden. Envoy for Language Joe Byrd, Executive The Biden Administration has proposed $220 million to Director of Language Howard Paden, help tribal nations around the country protect and preserve Watch more from Miss Cherokee Chelbie Turtle and many their native languages. the historic visit students and staff from Cherokee “It’s amazing to be at the Cherokee Immersion School here. Immersion School attended the visit. with our First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to highlight an issue
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
A
s a young boy, the late Cherokee linguist Durbin develop the Cherokee dictionary, digital versions of the Feeling watched as his father used a pencil to guide Cherokee language, co-authored about a dozen books and the young Durbin taught the Cherokee language through root words in the at multiple universities such as Cherokee language. It was the the University of Oklahoma, beginning of a path that the University of Tulsa, and would lead Feeling to learn the University of California. how to read and write In 2011, Feeling was named Cherokee. It also ignited an a Cherokee National Treasure incredible dedication that led for his work to advance the Feeling to become the greatest Cherokee language. champion to the Cherokee Though Feeling passed language since Sequoyah. away in August of 2020, his Feeling was born in Locust commitment to the language Grove, Oklahoma, and was has helped chart a new course a first-language Cherokee of language revitalization The late Cherokee National Treasure and Cherokee linguist Durbin Feeling signs copies of “Cherokee National Treasures: In Their Own Words” during a book release in 2017. speaker. He spoke only efforts within the Cherokee Cherokee until he was in the Nation – a course that will first grade. Feeling later served in Vietnam and ultimately impact the next seven generations of Cherokees. began working for the Cherokee Nation in 1976. He helped In 2019, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy
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Chief Bryan Warner announced legislation named in honor if we allow our language to perish. That will be a big part of of Feeling that provides an additional $16 million investment Durbin’s legacy: helping all of us fully realize how important – the largest in the tribe’s our language is, all while he history – into perpetuating personally dedicated so much the Cherokee language, of his life to giving us the including millions of dollars tools we need to carry on his for the Durbin Feeling far-reaching work.” Language Center. The Durbin Feeling “The Cherokee language Language Center will be the has always been the heart future home of all Cherokee and soul of our tribe. Our Nation language programs, language contains knowledge marking the first time these and ways of thinking that programs have been housed can never be fully captured together in one building, in translation,” Chief Hoskin including the Cherokee said. “One of the things Immersion Charter School, Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program Manager ᏩᏕ ᎦᎵᏍᎨᏫ (Ryan Mackey) and the late Cherokee linguist ᏙᏗᏳᎵ ᎠᏩᏂᏓ (Durbin Feeling) discuss which Durbin Feeling helped the Cherokee Language the Cherokee Nation's strategic plan for language revitalization in 2016. me fully realize is that of all of Master Apprentice Program, our accomplishments in health care, education and economic and the Cherokee Nation translation team along with other development could never make up for the loss we would feel programs and services.
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
All of this progress reflects the years of tireless work Feeling Affairs, which in August of 2021 passed a bipartisan bill contributed to growing the Cherokee language, according named in his honor. The Durbin Feeling Native American to Cherokee Language Language Act would direct Department Executive the president to review federal Director Howard Paden. agencies’ compliance with the “In the coming years, Native American Language we hope to make such Act signed by President advancements in our George H.W. Bush in 1990, language, philosophies, and and make recommendations learning that we can one day to improve coordination in build people up who will have support of Native American pieces of folks like Durbin languages. It would also Feeling in them,” Paden authorize a federal survey of said. “If we are successful, Native language use and the and we think we will be, unmet needs of languagethen Durbin’s world, a truly The late Cherokee linguist Durbin Feeling watches a preview of the tribe's first revitalization programs every animated series in the Cherokee language, Inage'i. Cherokee world, will five years. The surveys would always exist.” allow Native communities Feeling’s efforts have also been recognized at the federal and Congress to improve federal resources for Native level by the United States Senate Committee on Indian American languages.
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Cherokee Language department staff and Cherokee speakers break ground in May 2021 at the site of the future Durbin Feeling Language Center, an historic project that will house all of the tribe’s language programs under one roof for the first time.
“We are striving to honor Durbin’s legacy by continuing this work in his name,” Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “Cherokee heroes like Durbin are important because they inspire us to continue their work. Durbin’s vision was that our Cherokee language efforts would be more than just inside classrooms and offices. He foresaw how language preservation could build a powerful sense of community. That's what we're attempting to achieve today and every day. That vision is also why we owe a big thank you to Durbin Feeling.”
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PEOPLE ᎠᏂᏴᏫ
TAMING THE wild animal Sequoyah’s Cherokee syllabary continues to inspire generations Art and story by Roy Boney
When Sequoyah completed the Cherokee syllabary
in 1821, his reputation had taken a beating. Various historical accounts tell us how some people thought he had gone mad. They talk about how his property was neglected with overgrown weeds. Some thought he was in league with evil spirits. Others simply thought he was wasting his time. Had Sequoyah taken any heed of any of these statements and given up his work, the Cherokee people would have lost out on a major contribution to our success. Years later, Sequoyah was interviewed by the missionary Jeremiah Evarts through an interpreter. Evarts asked Sequoyah why he developed the syllabary. Sequoyah’s response was that if ideas were not preserved in writing they would eventually become lost. To Sequoyah it was like “catching a wild animal and taming it.” Thanks to his genius and perseverance, we have a unique gift that has helped our language endure 200 years after his invention was shown to be an effective tool of communication. We Cherokees are eternally grateful for that. The Cherokee Nation’s recognition of 2021 as the Bicentennial
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ᎠᏂᏴᏫ PEOPLE of the Cherokee syllabary is one way in which we can express our gratitude. No matter the political affiliation of a Cherokee person, their blood quantum, or even a Cherokee’s zip code, we all recognize the syllabary as a universal Cherokee cultural marker. Sometimes people mistakenly believe use of the Cherokee syllabary was only during the historic 19th Century, but the truth is syllabary has been in continuous use since its invention. It’s common for most Cherokee homes to have Cherokee syllabary in their home. Nearly every Cherokee family has a New Testament printed in syllabary. Many have copies of the syllabary chart hanging on the walls of their homes and in schools. Most Cherokee public gathering areas have signage in syllabary. It is always displayed with pride. In recent decades, the Cherokee language entered a period of decline though. Scholars often point to the 1960s as the turning point, as technology such as television and radio became common in the home and piped the English language more readily into Cherokee households. Eventually, a whole generation grew up without fluency or literacy in Cherokee language. During this decline, prescient Cherokees actively worked to create Cherokee language materials in syllabary. Some of these were handwritten documents that ranged from content such as word lists, church records, stomp dance meeting minutes, and even a driver’s education manual. Other materials were more formalized textbooks and curriculum typed using a syllabary typewriter. Regardless of how the materials were produced, the common feature was the use of syllabary. Sequoyah’s invention allowed us to preserve inherently unique Cherokee intellectual ideas and philosophies into the written word. As our communities saw language decline, the fact that so many records of Cherokee thought have been left behind was a
beacon of light in a dark time. In recent years, Cherokee revitalization has become a huge priority and another beacon of light. The last generation of first-language Cherokee speakers is now at retirement age or older. The sense of security families often had in regards to language is slipping away. It was often too easy for someone to say that their mom or father or grandfather or grandmother spoke Cherokee. Those generations will not be with us forever. It is every Cherokee’s individual responsibility to learn our language. It is easier said than done and often it may seem like a monumental challenge. However, as Sequoyah endured through his critics, we should follow his example and do the same. Sequoyah could not have imagined a device like a smartphone would have the ability to utilize his invention. Yet, thanks to the work of decades of dedicated Cherokees, we made sure his invention was adapted to every form of writing technology that came along through two centuries, including printing presses, typewriters, word processors, desktop computers, smartphones, tablets, and beyond. We are at a turning point, but the syllabary is allowing us to ensure our language will not die and be forgotten. Two hundred years later it is our turn to take that wild animal and tame it. Future generations will look back and be eternally grateful.
To Sequoyah it was like “catching a wild animal and taming it ”
Cherokee Language Program Director Roy Boney is an awardwinning artist recently recognized as a 2022 Northeastern State University Sequoyah Fellow. His art and research have been featured in the Gilcrease Museum and in articles in the Oxford University Press, the University of Oklahoma Press, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, Oklahoma Today, Indian Country Today, Native Peoples and First American Art Magazine.
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Adair County family creates Cherokee card games to teach others the language By Troy Littledeer
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ᎠᏂᏴᏫ PEOPLE
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Dione
important to build different levels into the game so people could stay interested and build skills. We also wanted to take and Ramona Byrd wouldn’t leave their home in the Cherry the iconic image of the syllabary and take it off the paper and Tree community of Adair County unless it was absolutely be able to interact with it. You could feel necessary. Ramona studied the Cherokee syllabary in hopes and touch the symbols, and arrange them of learning how to speak the language. Dione doodled and in a 3D space.” colored in adult coloring books. The couple hopes their game can also “I asked Dione to color some cards that I can put syllabary be expanded upon by those who play it. symbols on to help me learn,” Ramona said. “Once he “We separated the syllabary into two finished the cards with different colors, I thought, ‘Those are parts because we wanted to break it so pretty.’” down and make it easier by playing Those cards snowballed into the creation of a card game in small bites. So you would play that can be used for teaching others the Cherokee language. Solitaire with the top half until you “We just started making games out of the syllabary cards,” can play it without looking at the Ramona said. “After a while, since there are 86 characters, we syllabary paper and then play started making the cards smaller so they’d fit on a table.” with the second half until you The Byrds created several initial game concepts. learn that as well,” Ramona said. Other games they created include one that provides points for creating two-syllable Cherokee words, and another that has been likened to dominoes and provides the players an opportunity to converse during game play. “In playing this in our neighborhood with full blood fluent speakers, we observed many conversations about the language, pronunciations, and different verbs, nouns and sentence “I’ve heard a lot of people saying that Cherokee is dying,” Caturestrum earumqui volore sit et aut delloribust, suntistrum structure use,” Ramona said. Dione said. “When that virus came, I told my wife we ought “The important thing about to make games out of the syllabary. We would sit in the this game is it can be played garage, day and night, trying to figure out games to bring to by an elder and a child, two families so the language will keep on going.” children, or two elders, but there The Byrds found early influence in entrepreneur and seems to always be some conversation businessman Bill Gates as they worked to create their first about the language.” game, having read a story suggesting the game of Solitaire The Cherokee Nation Language was installed on Windows operating systems to help new Department helped the Byrds design computer users master control of the mouse. the game cards and have them “We were thinking that the game of Solitaire in our cards professionally manufactured. taught the order and recognizing symbols of the Cherokee “I believe families are really going syllabary,” Ramona said. “Dione has always specifically to enjoy it. That’s how they’re going wanted a game you could play by yourself in a hospital, on an to learn the Cherokee language,” Watch a video on the Byrds airplane, or that an elder could play by themselves, and also Dione said. that children could play by themselves. We thought it was and how to play Saquu here.
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ
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ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES
As work continues on the historic Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation leaders are putting together a long-term master plan for the new facility and property that surrounds the site. Early preliminary plans would provide for the construction of more homes for Cherokee speakers along with walking trails, communal gardens, and other unique cultural components to help grow the Cherokee language in a community setting.
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ
Rendering of the future Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah, Okla.
Construction of the 50,000-square-foot language center do not protect and grow our precious Cherokee language, is part of the Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act all other accomplishments will be for naught. Our great signed by Principal Chief Chuck Cherokee friend and linguist, the Hoskin Jr. in 2019, which invested an late Durbin Feeling, recognized this historic $16 million into preservation and dedicated so much of his life to and perpetuation of the Cherokee cultivating the Cherokee language so language. The facility will be the longthat it would be alive and thriving term home of the Cherokee Language for future generations. This is why Department, which is comprised of it was so important that we honor more than a dozen programs including Durbin’s work by naming these efforts the Cherokee language immersion in his honor. Much of his life’s work is school, the Cherokee Language Master being reflected in the creation of the Apprentice Program, and more. new language facility and also in the “The Cherokee language is the ongoing planning to turn the area in heart and soul of the Cherokee and around the language facility into a Nation because its contains lifeways thriving hub of Cherokee language Cherokee Immersion students Kyler Rowe and Lance and wisdom that could never be and lifeways.” Hummingbird look at the rendering of their future school. fully captured or translated into Preliminary plans would use a multiother languages,” Chief Hoskin said. “I truly believe that phased approach to build dozens of new homes for Cherokee no matter how much time, effort and money we invest into speakers west of the language facility. The tribe has already health care, education and economic development, if we constructed five Cherokee speaker efficiency homes near the
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The Official Cherokee Nation News
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES
facility in the Bonnie Kirk speakers village, named in honor language. Our plans are still evolving, but I can’t wait to see of a beloved Cherokee speaker and immersion school teacher what’s on the horizon.” who understood the importance of To the east of the language center, teaching younger generations to speak the Cherokee Nation plans to build and use the language daily. a new state-of-the-art Head Start “When we stop and look at the facility. Construction of the new Head potential that exists for the property Start facility is part of the Verna D. surrounding the Durbin Feeling Thompson Early Childhood Education Language Center, we see so many Act, which is investing up to $40 opportunities to create a community million to replace eight existing tribal setting that reflects traditional Head Start centers throughout the Cherokee values and lifestyles,” said reservation, including the Head Start Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “Placing campus in Tahlequah. all of these language programs into one Chief Hoskin also announced in facility and inviting Cherokee-speaking 2021 that the tribe is working on plans families to live nearby gives us a very to replace the Male Seminary Rec One of the five new Cherokee speaker homes built near the special opportunity. We can create a Center’s aging Markoma gymnasium in Durbin Feeling Language Center. totally immersive community where Tahlequah with a new, state-of-the-art our Cherokee elders are speaking Cherokee, our youth are wellness center. The new wellness center is included in the speaking and learning Cherokee, and all of those experiences master plan discussion for property near the Durbin Feeling combined will help us really expand our use of the Cherokee Language Center, as is the possibility of a farmers market.
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ
The language of TECHNOLOGY Cherokee Nation’s first video game teaches Cherokee language in first-of-its-kind experience By Julie Hubbard
While schools were closed and the world sheltered in
place from COVID-19, a national technology solutions company and leaders from the Cherokee Language Program quietly began collaborating to design the tribe’s first video game in Cherokee. The Cherokee Nation was researching ways to teach automated technology to speak Cherokee -- like Alexa can speak French, or Siri can speak Spanish -- and while that project hasn’t taken flight yet, it caused another conversation in early 2020 on what could be possible. “We knew with COVID, our immersion students would be at home distance learning, and many glued to their smartphones with apps and programs predominantly Screen grab from the Inage'i video game. in English,” said Howard Paden, the Cherokee Nation’s Language Program Executive Director. “We knew we needed more advanced technology to keep them engaged and learning Cherokee.” Paden had a family friend working at Presidio, a technology company with offices based all across the United States, and that family friend soon connected him with their Vice President of Strategic Accounts Kyle Hines.
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Twelve weeks after that connection, the tribe’s first Cherokee video game was born. “The thought was instead of trying to avoid smartphones, maybe you harness that and meet young Cherokee speakers where they already are and provide an experience that is both teaching them Cherokee language skills and keeping those skills polished, but also giving them a chance to use Cherokee recreationally,” Hines said from his home in Denver. Using characters from In-a-ge’i “In the Woods,” the Cherokee language animation that debuted in 2020 and is owned by the Cherokee Nation, the four main animal characters were also used to launch the video game. The three-dimensional open world video game is guided, but gives the player the autonomy to be a character — a bear, deer, rabbit or fox dressed in traditional Cherokee elements -- to explore their own tracts, all in Cherokee. The developers even incorporated parts of the Cherokee Nation Reservation into the game. The animated landscape features a fork in the river and rolling hills.
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES “To build out the topography of the game, we went to the Cherokee Nation and used the actual geographical profile in the game,” Hines said. The Fort Gibson Lake area and Cherokee County were used as the actual backdrop in the game. The video game is the first of its kind, and already garnering national attention. In 2021, it won Amazon’s AWS Public Sector Award for Most Impactful Solution. Presidio was recognized along with the Cherokee Nation for the Virtual Classroom Platform Screen grab from the Inage'i video game. developed as a custom-built classroom experience with a wide array of interactions beneficial to the learning process, such as video conferencing, an interactive whiteboard and integration into Cherokee Nation’s core learning management system (LMS). Hines and Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. talked about the importance of the video game and the award in an interview with theCUBE in June 2021.
“Our Cherokee language links us back to our past, and we only have 2,000 fluent speakers left so it’s a great challenge to save our Cherokee language that is truly endangered,” Chief Hoskin said. “What we are doing today, working with Presidio on this video game is indispensable.” The video game is being released to Cherokeespeaking students and Presidio hopes to expand the game with more levels, more characters and story lines. “There is a huge amount of interest in this because it is an innovative solution that is helping build a culture, the Cherokee culture, and showing how technology can help solve real life problems in a Nation,” said Liz Albert, senior director of marketing with Presidio.
Watch theCUBE interview with Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Presidio's Vice President of Strategic Accounts Kyle Hines here.
The Official Cherokee Nation News
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ
Sequoyah Schools began as an orphan asylum, now focused on unique cultural needs of students By Troy Littledeer
Sequoyah Schools is celebrating its 150-year anniversary,
having experienced many changes from its inception as an orphan asylum in Salina, Oklahoma, to its present-day status as a learning institution focusing on the unique cultural needs of its Native American students. An underlying theme among Sequoyah alumni is “family.” What started out as an institution for orphans transformed into a place that was more than just a home for those who attended the school over the years. Gil Hooper is a 1969 graduate from Sequoyah High School, where he also met his wife, Vera. “There are a lot of memories of Sequoyah. The one thing about Sequoyah is that they always made time for us. The teachers and the staff really took an interest in us,” Hooper said. “Cecil Ship and his family took me in. I always told them, if it wasn’t for you all then I probably wouldn’t have graduated. They were special to my wife and I.” Sequoyah High School teacher and historian Don Franklin said that school was initially created by the Cherokee Nation as the Cherokee Orphan Asylum to provide care for the number of orphans as a result of the Civil War. “The big thing I think about when I think about the beginning is how resilient and how strong they were. Not just the orphans, but the people that ran it,” Franklin said. “They had to start a brand-new institution to take care of orphans while they had just gone through the Civil War, trying to re-
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establish a nation, and had just lost a Chief, John Ross, after 30-some-odd years. But they did it and it’s still here.” In 1909, the federal government took control of the institution and renamed it the Cherokee Orphan Training School and offered trade-skills classes. Initially, the school was for Cherokees only, but in 1925 the federal government opened enrollment to members of the other so-called Five Tribes. The name was also changed from Cherokee Orphan Training School to the Sequoyah Orphan Training School. Cherokee Nation now operates Sequoyah Schools, offering a curriculum and learning experience uniquely tailored to Native students. Ryan Helsley is a 2013 graduate who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He made his debut for the team in April 2019. “It’s been almost 10 years now since I was in class at Sequoyah High School. Sequoyah has a really amazing history and I’m proud that I am now a part of it,” Helsley said. “Sequoyah has been a lot more than just a school for myself and others. Even though it was always known as a sports school, the academic side was always a greater point of emphasis. I really feel like how the teachers and staff helped prepare us all for the real world and they genuinely cared about our future. The environment there felt like one big family and was a little community in its own.
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES
15 0
YEARS OF S E Q U OYA H 18 7 1
Cherokee National Council adopted a resolution to create the Cherokee Orphan Asylum near present-day Salina
18 7 2
Doors opened to the Cherokee Orphan Asylum in the Male Seminary Building with Rev. W.A. Duncan as the first Superintendent.
19 0 4
Students moved to the current campus near Tahlequah
1919
Formal start of competitive athletics (football, basketball, and baseball)
19 3 4
First 12th grade graduation class with 31 graduates
19 6 6
Current school building built
19 8 5
Cherokee Nation contracted to operate the school from the Bureau of Indian Affairs
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CULTURE
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ
R O O M
F O R
REPRESENTATION
Cherokee artists are doing their part to ensure Native voices have a place in mainstream media By Samantha Robinson
The culture of comic books has become an American
pastime, and a sizable portion of Hollywood blockbusters to hit the big screen today feature cinematic universes developed from comic book storylines. But long before the release of these blockbuster movies, comics have inspired Cherokee artists and storytellers. Marvel Entertainment is one of the world’s most prominent entertainment companies and recently announced its “Marvel Voices: Heritage” stories, which focus on a series of indigenous characters. Cherokee National Treasure Roy Boney, manager of the Cherokee Language Department at the Cherokee Nation, was asked by Marvel to design a cover for the project featuring the ghost rider character Kushala. “There’s a big conversation going on across all media about representation,” said Boney. “[Marvel] is trying to address that by bringing in Native artists to work on the stories of these characters. Hopefully that will lead to them creating new characters from indigenous creators.” A longtime fan of comics, Cherokee Language Technician Zachary Barnes recently created a roster of popular superhero and villain characters and translated their names
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into Cherokee as a personal project. He hopes the Cherokee translations inspire young learners to use the Cherokee language more. “The hardest was Lex Luthor,” Barnes said of translating the character names. “I didn’t want a sound-alike name, so I thought about what he did in the comics. He’s a master of business, ᏗᎦᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᏄᎦᏫᏳᏌᏕᎩ, and I went through a bunch of lexicons and glossaries to find something that matched. I had to describe who he was and not translate directly.” Barnes has designed a Cherokee version of Marvel’s Captain America character, but replacing his classic red, white and blue shield with the Cherokee Nation seal. He also developed a Cherokee Spider-Man character by incorporating the water spider. Boney hopes to see more indigenous voices included in mainstream storytelling, and more Native characters who can provide broader representation. “Comic book characters are an iconic presence in our country,” said Boney. “I think if you have a highly visible Native hero, they could reach mass audiences. Native people and kids could identify with that character.”
LEFT: Captain Cherokee art by Zachary Barnes. RIGHT: Marvel Voices Heritage cover art by Roy Boney courtesy of Marvel Entertainment.
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ CULTURE
The Official Cherokee Nation News
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CULTURE
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ
Cherokee Immersion School teacher Meda Nix uses music to help teach young language learners how to speak and write Cherokee.
Melodic methods Cherokee language learners often rely on music to help with retention, comprehension By KenLea Henson
While there are many methods to learning a new language, it isn’t always limited to workbooks and classroom study. Music can be a powerful tool and is playing a meaningful role in helping young Cherokees learn to speak the Cherokee language. “It is a proven fact that people learn more quickly when what they are trying to learn is set to music. So, when you put a group of people together who have age, ethnicity and music in common, wonderful things can happen,” said MaryKay Henderson, director of the Cherokee National Youth Choir. The Cherokee National Youth Choir performs traditional and contemporary songs in the Cherokee language. Since
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its inception in 2000, the choir has become a living symbol, demonstrating that Cherokee language and culture continue to thrive in modern times. While the choir is continuing to keep Cherokee youth engaged and learning the language, it is also inspiring them to continue sharing the language with others. “Will all of our students become fluent Cherokee speakers? No, but some do. Others become music teachers who share their culture and language with their students,” Henderson said. “So, we are kind of like the first step; we are planting the seed for our youth to continue learning or sharing our language.” The Cherokee Immersion School in Tahlequah is also
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ CULTURE using music to help develop the next generation of Cherokee “Singing is so beneficial to our students. They are language speakers. The Cherokee Immersion School is a learning the Cherokee language but in a different and fun language preservation way,” said Nix. “Singing program where all helps their retention instruction is taught and it also strengthens exclusively in the Cherokee their pronunciation and language to students in comprehension of the kindergarten through Cherokee language.” sixth grade. In addition to improving While many of the retention, Nix said singing is students enroll at the also helping her students Immersion School with their reading and knowing few or no writing skills. Cherokee words, by "I use songs as a writing incorporating Cherokee exercise, too. They sing hymns and songs into the it as they write, so they Music remains an important part of Cherokee culture and the Cherokee language. curriculum, students are are constantly repeating retaining the language syllables as they write. This more efficiently according to Meda Nix, a fifth-grade teacher repetition helps them to remember the sounds and helps at the Immersion School. them with their pronunciation,” she said.
Cherokee Immersion School fifth grade student, Edwin Dunn, reads a chorus from the Cherokee Hymn Book.
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ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ
Translating for the times Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Cherokee translators play a pivotal role in communication By Arielle Barnett
Preserving and protecting the Cherokee language and
overcome any public perceptions about vaccine safety. We wanted to protect our cultural resources, so we prioritized culture has been a top priority throughout the COVID-19 them right along with our frontline healthcare staff. We pandemic, which has posed a significant threat to older quickly found it most effective to invite Howard and his Cherokee language speakers. In order to clearly communicate team to work alongside health staff at the Outpatient Health the impacts of the greatest public health threat to face the Center in Tahlequah to provide translation services in real Cherokee people in decades, the tribe relied on its expert time,” said Jones. team of Cherokee speakers and Translation wasn’t limited to the translators to help keep other Cherokee Nation health system, speakers educated about the virus. but also reached across reservation Initial response efforts included borders. Cherokee Nation translators the launch of a call center with worked with the U.S. Centers for lines dedicated to Cherokee Disease Control and Prevention to speakers, and connecting patients interpret fact sheets for the Pfizer, with Cherokee-speaking providers Moderna and Johnson & Johnson and nurses to answer COVID-19 vaccines, making education available related questions. in the Cherokee language. “We discovered early on that we “It was essential to give the would need further assistance as our Cherokee speakers the information COVID operations were expanding. on the COVID-19 pandemic and We collaborated with the Cherokee the potential dangers that it could Language Department to provide cause,” said Cherokee Language translation services to our speakers,” Program translator John Ross. “I Cherokee Language Program translator John Ross reviews said Cherokee Nation Health documents translated for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control was proud to be a part of this Services Executive Director Dr. R. and Prevention. translation team and to be able to Stephen Jones. explain about COVID-19. The information was to make it as The Cherokee Nation health system included Cherokee plain as possible and accurate, and I think we accomplished speakers and Cherokee National Treasures in its prioritization doing that.” of vaccination distribution along with frontline healthcare Cherokee speakers also recorded videos in the Cherokee workers, all of which began in December of 2020. The language to help share important news about the COVID-19 departments worked together to ensure elders, speakers and virus with fellow speakers. In fact, the translation team National Treasures were educated about the vaccine and that worked diligently to decide how the COVID-19 virus would it was easy and safe to receive. be explained in Cherokee, ultimately settling on ᎥᏳᎩ ᏐᏁᎳᏚ “Cherokee Nation Language Department Director or “vyugi soneladu,” which literally translated to “germ,” Howard Paden and his team helped us coordinate focus “virus” or “illness” with the addition of the number “19” to groups, prepare community education, assisted in the identify the term in relation to COVID-19. creation of videos, and made personal phone calls to
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ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ CULTURE
The Official Cherokee Nation News
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ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ
Learn how to prepare ᏏᏆ ᎭᏫᏯ
Hog meat
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ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ CULTURE
Family recipes Cherokee Nation Youth Council member Lauryn Fields prepares a dish often served at Cherokee family gatherings.
ingredients: 3 pounds hog meat, cubed Water Salt Lard
To prepare hog meat: 1.
Preheat cast iron pot or pan on a stovetop at 350°.
2.
Add 3" or more lard to bottom of pot. Preheat.
3.
Rinse meat in cold water, if needed.
4.
Salt - add 1 or more tablespoon to each pan. Repeat each time you add more meat.
5.
Place meat in hot lard.
6.
Stir meat occasionally with ladle.
7.
Cook meat until it browned.
8.
Remove hog meat from heat, serve. Serves six.
Watch Lauryn prepare hog meat.
Download the complete Cherokee National Youth Council cookbook here.
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