Welcome to ta’saawanwaatoweeyakwe, the new blog series dedicated to the Shawnee Language Immersion Program’s happenings and language preservation work. From June 18-21, Shawnee Language Immersion Program apprentices, mentors, Community Language Preservationists (CLPs), and other guests gathered for their annual conference at the Emma “Mock” Donaldson Shawnee Language House. Many of the attendees live far away from Miami, OK, and this was a rare opportunity to visit and speak Shawnee with each other in person “we think about when we gathered at the Shawnee Language House”.
Read the English translations of their stories below! Log in to SLIPstream to read this post in saawanwaatoweewe [the Shawnee language]. Need to register for SLIPStream? Email a copy of your tribal ID to shawneelanguage@shawnee-tribe.com.
Sonni James (SLIP Apprentice)
Margaret Sewell makes music and sings. She writes songs to help children learn Shawnee language. Music helps everyone learn, so she brought her music to the conference. When we sing, we use parts of our brain that help us learn. Singing also makes us feel happy and connected. We are grateful to have Margaret and her Shawnee songs!
Ryan Conway (SLIP Apprentice)
I travelled far and I saw my Shawnee friends and Shawnee family so that we learn and speak Shawnee all together with everyone there. Anytime whenever we speak Shawnee, we tend the fire of the Shawnee people together. We listened to Shawnee stories. We tended the fire. We sang Shawnee songs. We tended the fire. We read Shawnee stories. We tended the fire. We looked for Shawnee plants. We tended the fire. My Shawnee momma Lynette told us Shawnee Indian corn stories. We tended the fire. I am a farmer, that’s why I loved when we sought plants and that corn story. Anytime whenever you do Shawnee things, we tend the Shawnee fire together.
Bailey Quishenberry (SLIP Apprentice)
We learn how to speak good Shawnee when we speak Shawnee together. During the language conference we all visited and talked. Once we went home we remembered our Shawnee language because we talked with each other. We spoke Shawnee during workshops, meals, and when we drove. We spoke in the classroom, our rooms, the restaurant, and then at the pool. Friends told us many stories and then we sang Shawnee songs. Now we have more friends to speak with. We will practice talking more with our students.
Steve Roach (SLIP Apprentice)
I am always glad to be able to visit with my family members. Everyone that is guarding our language is my family, that’s why I was glad that we were able to gather even if I had to drive all day to arrive there. I was happy to see my old friends but really liked to meet others for the first time. I was glad that we spoke Shawnee and hope we will speak even more when we meet again. One more thing I want to say. It sure felt good when we danced. I was very proud of my brother how he led a dance. That’s all.
By A. Gwynn Henderson and David Pollack On September 7, 1816, readers skimming the Niles’ Weekly Register might have noticed a story about two groups of Shawnee men visiting central Kentucky. It appears on a page with a variety of national and international news: an accounting of how many immigrants had arrived in America, details […]
On November 15, Shawnee Tribe’s Environmental Manager, Cindy Riley, participated in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s recycling event to explore new ways of collecting and processing materials—from electronics and batteries to tires, and many more items—and to bring those best practices back to our own tribal community. Key takeaways: Next steps: Together, we can grow our […]
Button cell batteries are the small, flat, round batteries found in watches, hearing aids, key fobs, calculators, toys, and medical devices. They may be tiny, but they contain valuable materials and can create safety hazards if thrown in the trash. Because they are so small, button batteries are often tossed with household waste. However, lithium […]
On October 22, 2025, the Shawnee Tribe was notified that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would pause operations during the month of November due to a protracted government shutdown. In response, the Shawnee Tribe developed the Temporary Emergency Food Benefit Assistance Program, which was established by October 29, 2025, to support Shawnee Tribe families […]
Meet Magdalene “Mag” Walls, a proud Shawnee citizen born on February 25, 1921, in Ramona, Oklahoma. Her early years were spent in Ramona before her family moved to White Oak, where Mag attended grade school and met her first husband. Together, they had two wonderful children, Deloris and Jim. In 1942, Mag embarked on a […]
On Monday December 8, the new Chief Ron Sparkman Shawnee Tribe Council Chambers, located at 29 S. Main Street, held its naming, dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The newly designed interiors included the main tribal chambers, private tribal chambers, kitchen and prep space, restrooms, and a private meeting space all adorned with modern flooring, walls, lighting, […]
Shawnee language learners of all ages and abilities are invited to join the Shawnee Language Immersion Program for the 2026 Language Fair, Dinner and Stomp Dance on Saturday, July 25 in Miami, OK. Citizens of all three Shawnee nations are eligible to participate. Over $6,000 in prizes will be awarded to the top three winners […]
Did you know that the average US Citizen throws away an average of 70 lbs. of clothing annually? The fashion industry is a major contributor to global pollution, generating about 10% of annual CO₂ emissions. Reusing, donating, or recycling clothing helps reduce its environmental impact. Clean Out Your Closet—Responsibly Finished cleaning out your closet and […]