Apr 6, 2023

maalaakwahi ke’neemepe: Shawnee Language Immersion Program (SLIP)

(“Let’s look closer”)

Ready for Launch: Shawnee Dictionary Now Available Online

For the past three years, staff linguist Anastasia Miller-Youst has been gathering thousands of Shawnee words and phrases, leading teams of interns, and working with SLIP’s first language specialist George Blanchard and community language preservationists (CLPs) on a massive undertaking—creating a searchable archive and online dictionary for saawanwaatoweewe (Shawnee language).

Part of the Indigenous Languages Digital Archive (ILDA), the dictionary is now available to all Shawnee people and language learners. The Shawnee ILDA also serves as a central archive for the primary sources used by the Shawnee Language Immersion Program’s curriculum development and research projects.

“When Terry Hinsley joined the team as a CLP, I knew he had the understanding of the language to help make it a reality,” said Anastasia. “He took the materials I gave him, expanded them, and also added audio for every single entry.”

Anastasia and the SLIP team have populated the dictionary with over 3,000 words and phrases thus far and will continually add more. Users may also submit requests for words they’d like to see added by using the dictionary’s feedback feature.

“It really was a team effort because as Terry was making entries, he would ask me questions about grammar rules, and we would often go to George Blanchard with all sorts of questions to help us make accurate entries. We have already created such a valuable resource and we’re not even done yet.”

Sign up here for the Shawnee ILDA. 

Current users of SLIPstream, the Tribe’s online classroom portal, can access the Shawnee ILDA by clicking the announcement banner at the top of the homepage after logging on and requesting an account using the provided link.

If you are not enrolled in SLIPstream but would like access to the classroom portal, please email shawneelanguage@shawnee-tribe.com or call (918) 542-2441, ext. 109 for assistance.

TA KEEWAKI: Learn Shawnee Numbers and Colors with this Card Game

George Blanchard and Karl Meyer spent much of the last year hard at work developing ta keewaki (not yet!), a Shawnee card game for 3-10 players. Nostalgic and familiar as far as the rules of gameplay, ta keewaki helps players learn how to speak and read colors and numbers in saawanwaatoweewe (Shawnee language).

Citizens and SLIP participants may order up to three decks—pay only shipping. Shipping costs are $7 for 1 deck, $9 for 2 and $12 for 3.

Orders will be accepted through May 31 and will ship in early June.

Order Online 

or call (918) 542-2441 to place your order over the phone.

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