Our catch phrase is on its way.

Dear Fellow Earthlings,

Wonderful news! The Seneca person “Gentleman 9-10” has responded to my request to visit the Seneca Nation. Following is an edited version of his letter:

Steve,

Greetings, I hope that you are well. After talking to a few of our speakers, primarily from the Allegheny territory, there is one of our elders who is excited to work with you. Her name is “Lady 9-14” (to protect her privacy) and she is a great choice for you to work with on a one-on-one basis, with some visits to our other programs while you are here…We are willing to work with you and to see what you have to offer us… I think that our nation and people know and feel that it is important (to preserve the Seneca language), but only a few are totally committed to working on it to revitalize it and preserve it. People do not really know what they have until it is gone. And when the time arises when we will need it to justify who we are as a people, a culture and a nation, then they will be coming to look for it. And – hopefully -- when they do, we will still have it.

There are only 8,000 members in the Seneca Nation as compared to hundreds of thousands of Hebrews (See Installment 110.) I am not sure that makes a big difference in how language is learned, but it helps when choosing those who are motivated to come learn it. We are a small Indian nation and our elders are particular and cherish our language and cultural ways. We have had so much taken from us in the last few hundred years and more so in the last 60 years. They cherish it to the point where they do want it just for us and have had experiences where outsiders have come in and recorded and copied our language and ceremonies and produced books and films on it, prospering on what we are struggling to maintain and preserve. So it is not so much not wanting to have others learn as much as they want our own people to learn it.

“Lady 9-14” is one of the youngest (native speakers) that we have. She runs the “(name withheld) language nest” which houses two classrooms of 20 children ages 2-5.

I do not question your sincerity or wanting to help, but I just have to wonder and ask what your intentions are after you learn it? Will you be sticking around to be helping us teach our people or do you intend to go teach others the language? Or will you be just using it with just us?

I also would like to know more about what you do for a living and how this has to do with your work. I hope you do not mind my inquiry. Let me know what you think.

(signed) “Gentleman 9-10”

In tomorrow’s blog I will present my response to this very wonderful email.

Steve Walker, Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.