#chochenyo

Native Power: Language, Land, and Water NoDAPL

The actions at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota continue. On the night of November 20, 2016, militarized police forces used tear gas, water cannons and…

I haven't updated much over the weekend, as it was also my birthday! But the day after my birthday was the Ohlone Gathering, I posted something about it a few weeks ago on my blog. The Ohlone Gathering is the our biggest yearly celebration at Coyote Hills in the ancient Chochenyo village of Tuibun. I always love participating because I can see my friends, see what people have been working on, hear stories of strength and wisdom, and show the world how we really have indeed survived. My family came, we ate acorn, mingled with other Ohlone and really it was just wonderful. This year was a little different for a few reasons.

I just turned 26, and also this is the first year I hosted my own booth and kinda felt "on my own," even though I know I wasn't (as my family was there)... my table was focused on the Chochenyo language revitalization work I'm doing and I want people to be aware of it. I don't want to do things in hiding, without transparency, but instead being open about the work that I am doing so that my community knows. I lead a prayer that was solely in the Chochenyo language in front of the crowd... it was powerful for me, because a year ago I didn't know how to pray in my language. I didn't put paper in front of me, I remembered the whole prayer.

Bigger issues rose for me, because something I want trying to discuss more and more is something in my mind I call "ethical revitalization."

If anyone was determined, almost anyonecould work to bring a language back to life... but just because we have privilege and access to a wealth of language material our elders and ancestors left behind does NOT mean we can exploit it, or use it for personal gain, or glory, or solely profit, or anything that even raises questions of abuse.

An ethical revitalization, like what I am trying to incorporate with my work with Chochenyo, and I know the vast, vast majority of other California Indians believe in involves a foundation of respect, question what is right -- and if unsure erring on the side of sensitivity, being aware our languages have been exploited and abused enough in the past and should not ever be again, respecting the ancestors, understanding some words, and especially some songs are sacred and not meant to be used in social settings and have specific purposes, for specific people. Ask your community, be aware, make sure your heart is in the right place -- these are just a few things that are a part of an ethical revitalization for me, there's a lot more.

It's a fine line we are walking. We want our languages to be modern, to be used in social settings, to see our languages on Facebook updates and tweets, and heard on the streets, and in coffeeshops, and at our gatherings. This will and can and SHOULD happen. But just because this will happen, does not mean we do not have rules, guidelines we have to follow. We do, many of them.