Interview · North Dakota · South Dakota · Jesse Taken Alive · OSEU 3 · NDNAEU 7
Themes: Language & revitalization, Kinship & family, Storytelling & oral tradition, Education & learning, Spirituality & ceremony, Values & generosity, Culture & continuity, Community & responsibility, Economy & livelihoods, Listening & observation, Children & young people, Self-determination & leadership, Intergenerational learning
Learn About questions
1. What are the spiritual connections for individuals who learn to speak their Lakota language?
2. What are the laws and policies that historically banned the speaking and learning of native languages? Why were these laws and policies passed? How were they overturned?
3. In what ways did the Elders “go underground” to save their language and culture? What are some of those stories?
4. When and how did tribal languages such as Lakota develop into a written form? Who did that and why was it done?
5. Are all Lakota speakers “happy” with the new language teaching developments done by linguists? What are the various perspectives?
Learn From questions
1. Have you learned any languages other than English? Have you learned a language any of your ancestors spoke as a first language? What was that experience like for you?
2. How do you feel about governmental policies that are designed to police or eliminate certain languages? Why do you think this was done?
3. Have you ever had to “go underground” about something? Are you willing to share that openly now? What was that experience like?
4. How do you feel about the preservation of endangered languages? How important is this issue for the native speakers? How important is it for the larger, global community?
Transcripts
Lakota Language - Jesse Taken Alive - OSEU 3
Watch this interview on YouTubeSo to see that rebirth…to feel that rebirth…to understand the spiritual connections with our language…and to see it was outlawed…and it was…attempts to banish it about a hundred years ago through governmental processes…to really appreciate the sacrifices our elders made. They said, “We’re going to continue on.” Whether you call it “going underground” or however you want to call it, we’re going to continue to share that and the language is here. There was a time…and here and there…we still hear, “The language is gone. It’s going to be lost.” And I understand that. I understand the reality of that. On the other hand, to hear all of the young people…a lot of little children beginning to speak and relearn our language. It’s an awesome time to be a Lakota as they say. It’s really exciting. I always tell my colleagues in the tribal government that we should probably draft a lot of our policies…everything in writing that we deal with…in our language. Understanding that our language, back in the day, wasn’t written. For the purposes of advancement and growth as a society, we see the need to write it. We’ve developed a way…along with some linguists…to write it in a different fashion where
non-speakers…once they read the way it is written…when they read the sentences or say a word…the way it is written makes it sound like they’ve been speakers for a long time.
And we’re happy and we just want to make certain that we continue to see it grow. There is a difference between speaking our language…as a fluent speaker…and being able to actually teach it. We feel humbled that we are on a track of a teaching way that’s being proven effective through the mouths and minds of our children. It’s truly exciting. It’s a spiritual language of course. To see that connection…as spirits…to see the number of relatives being given their Lakota names and what that means for them…is awesome. And to see that growth is really really awesome.
Resource text
OSEU 3: INTERVIEW WITH JESSE TAKEN ALIVE
WoLakota Project
From the current WoLakota source page:
Lakota Language
Jesse Taken Alive
Transcript
(deep listening, information)
(deep listening, information)
Teachings of Our Elders resource text:
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NDNAEU Alignment:
Some indexed text was extracted from scanned material. Check the original source for exact wording and spelling.
Source materials
Supplied transcript document. Text preserved as supplied; spellings and transcription uncertainties have not been corrected.
Additional source transcripts
Lakota Language
Lakota Language - Jesse Taken Alive - OSEU 3
So to see that rebirth…to feel that rebirth…to understand the spiritual connections with
our language…and to see it was outlawed…and it was…attempts to banish it about a
hundred years ago through governmental processes…to really appreciate the sacrifices
our elders made. They said, “We’re going to continue on.” Whether you call it “going
underground” or however you want to call it, we’re going to continue to share that and
the language is here. There was a time…and here and there…we still hear, “The
language is gone. It’s going to be lost.” And I understand that. I understand the reality of
that. On the other hand, to hear all of the young people…a lot of little children beginning
to speak and relearn our language. It’s an awesome time to be a Lakota as they say. It’s
really exciting. I always tell my colleagues in the tribal government that we should
probably draft a lot of our policies…everything in writing that we deal with…in our
language. Understanding that our language, back in the day, wasn’t written. For the
purposes of advancement and growth as a society, we see the need to write it. We’ve
developed a way…along with some linguists…to write it in a different fashion where
non-speakers…once they read the way it is written…when they read the sentences or
say a word…the way it is written makes it sound like they’ve been speakers for a long
time.
And we’re happy and we just want to make certain that we continue to see it grow.
There is a difference between speaking our language…as a fluent speaker…and being
able to actually teach it. We feel humbled that we are on a track of a teaching way that’s
being proven effective through the mouths and minds of our children. It’s truly exciting.
It’s a spiritual language of course. To see that connection…as spirits…to see the
number of relatives being given their Lakota names and what that means for them…is
awesome. And to see that growth is really really awesome.