05 Marc Bluestone: Languages

Hey there is a long-standing history and among the tribes here of our elders that seems to exist a little bit of something there but you know you know I did even though we’re in the entirely or near elders that we’re at Helder status you know are getting in there that’s right at that right there you know we’ve really worked hard at staying out of those battles we figure let them take care of that you didn’t even myself you know I don’t know that mr.Moran has been heavily involved with the they had some workshops at the college you know for a few years on language and you know the whole thought process a long time ago we were when our tribal Constitution can’t we’re called girland you know we weren’t hit anza and so but they were supposed to be hit Anza and so then so I came out that way they came to hit Anza so things changed now you know the college instead of become you know the the Fort Berthold Community College they’re saying then nuit a-- hit odds astonish college and you know people are starting to call themselves by what they are sana sh nuit a Hadassah and that’s a good thing even the new language books and guides that they came out with their kind of interesting because that’s the whole change because if you look that the way it’s written now we’ve always looked at a head on to the H I hid a TSA well if you look at it now it says HHH IRA ACA and you know normal person if you didn’t know the you know that particular alphabet process would say Haraka you know and to change my thought process where I’ve learned only known hit Adso it takes time to process that for people so what our kids know it and so by the time they get done with you know fifth grade sixth grade seventh grade get up here it’s just the way it is and so they’ll they’ll write it hir ACA whereas old-timers all right h i dat si and so but that’s a good thing too because then they’re looking at how that’s promoted as well and so they’re learning from that book and those guys and they’re gonna be our next generation the leaders anyway and so the more knowledge base they have to promote that then the better it is for all of us but for a lot of people and I don’t speak behind for elders in any form or fashion I’m just getting into that group you know those other kind of arguments over you know which language should be taught which shouldn’t be taught I uh if I had the opportunity I would have had Sonic’s language taught here many years ago and we did we did but it’s always predicated on can you find an instructor can you find someone who’s willing to actually come in it is just because your language teacher doesn’t or a language speaker doesn’t make you a language teacher because there are all the things to make that classroom go so successfully that’s not building relationships it’s understanding kids it’s understanding that there’s also things that you have to do as a teacher such as lesson plans grades how do you assess things you know and realizing that this and that and that’s where we struggle a lot with language teaching and people that want to be language teachers they don’t get that this is a full-time position I mean we’re here eight ten to four can our teachers are here Monday through Friday you know it’s not like I can take off at any given time and Oh mr.Moran has kind of a little special unique thing because in our district we have community service so like if you’re like myself I’m part of the American Legion Post 271 you know if we go to a funeral and like you know mr.Hunter who was just with you know just interviewed like he myself and other veterans can go work at a you know go to a funeral veteran’s funeral because that’s what we’re here to do to help with and so we can just take time and we get paid to go do it so and our school board is gracious enough to say that is one of the norms in our community and if you are a service provider such as that we have a veteran’s program that’s second to none on November I mean we actually help grow where we’re at now with all the people that come and each year it gets bigger we try and top it off a little bit better next you know the next time what kind of gifts are we going to give and we you know seeing the right kind of veteran songs and thing and you know there’s great pride coming in bringing our own colors in our own school system so any chance we get that for flag-raising which will have than any other events that we want to come in you know bringing it in close to 71 or 906 1 or 253 you know more than welcome to be part of that and that they understand I understand you know that veterans are treated specially in the sense Peschel II in this district and community in our reservation because they put their lives on the line for everyone else so that we can go to McDonald’s so we can go to a movie and go them all they put their lives on the line to do that and that’s important as well and that’s why we recognize veterans so well and know you know and I’d heard chairman Fox talk about who’s also a Marine veteran chairman mark Fox he talked about we treat our veterans better here than almost any place else and and I’d say that’s true you know as being a you know a veteran myself or having children that are veterans one act of military man it’s captain in the United States Army they’re treated really well and they you know when they come home mr.Hunter and talked about that you know one of those kind of things on those ceremonies when you come back home safely from war you know and how the community comes together to welcome you home what an event that it is a beautiful event to have and it’s because of that putting their life on the line for that and now we have lots of veterans I know we have a veteran hiring policy within the school district we I wish I had more veterans that would work here you know sometimes tough to work with kids though kids