Shirlee Crow Shoe (Misamiinisskim - Long time Buffalo Stone)

[Music] Okay, Nick Sukoax, it's 6 months and up in 9 a.m. Let's do a goke, and do me don't do. Hello my relatives, I'm very glad to see you today. I am first one there, my name is Lisa Krochi. [Music] Before we get started today, I want to give you background for today's podcast. I am not a fluent speaker of 6G8's e-books in. When listening to 6G8's e-books in, I understand most of what is spoken, not word for word, but I get the gist of what is being said. What I learned about 6G8's e-books in, I learned from my parents and grandparents. Specifically, my grandmother, a non-English speaker, limited to single words or phrases like good girl or good boy. These family members taught me values and linked those to how I learned 6G8's e-books in. For this reason, I bring you a podcast that will attempt to link 6G8's e-books in with traditional values of our 6G8's it-to-be communities. It is my hope that by creating and sharing podcasts using 6G8's e-books in, to describe our it-to-be values that are communities, but specifically our 6G8's it-to-be youth, we'll understand our traditional ways of knowing and learning. Today we have elder Misami Niskim joining us and I'm so pleased to have her take the time today to be with us. Misami Niskim, please take a few minutes to introduce yourself. To talk to the white seat, I'm a non-English speaker. In the New York City, I'm working in a non-English speaker. I am still in the book. I was able to write the book. I was able to write the books. Greetings, my friends. I am known as long-time or ancient Buffalo Stone. I am from Picani. I had several names before. I got my name as a minuscum. I wasn't happy, you know, with my name. So anyway, my grandmother, Iki-stanwapata, all listened to woman, approached, she thought of her friend or relative, Ninamskaisisuyaki. Sacred or holy cutting, woman's, her name is translated. And she, I guess her English name was known as Melanie Part. So she approached her and she told her if she could give me an name. So the old lady was sitting there and contemplating on what name she should give me. And therefore, she named me Misaminiskin. So Ninamskaisisuyaki was contemplating on what name she was going to select for me. She gave me the name long-time or ancient Buffalo Stone. She said with her involvement, she sponsored sun dances. She was a, you know, other bundles that she had. And each one of those bundles had a Iniskin. And she had one word of Iniskin was an old HD Iniskin. So she named me after that. Along with that, she painted me and blessed me with the name. So today, I never changed my name for another name. I have kept on with the name that was given to me Misaminiskin, long-time or ancient Buffalo Stone. And I have lived, I am now 69 years old, I have lived that long with that name. That helped me with my life, her blessing was equally strong. And that which brought me to where I am today. Today, our podcast will focus on the six o' gate to the be value of Niteepochsen, speaking blackfoot. Niteepochsen is a value, and the definition of this word, how to a traditionally learned, the language that embodies the value, and the actions one can take in their life to show the value, will be addressed during this podcast. This podcast will start with the introduction of the Elder and Knowledge Keeper, then move to a short language lesson of values based words and phrases that you may hear during the storytelling segment. To conclude, the Elder and Knowledge Keeper will reiterate the words and phrases and provide English translation as needed. This is a mini six o' gate to you both see language lesson. Some of the phrases and explain them a little bit into what context. So the first one I could think of is Iakakemat. So the word Iakakemat literally translated is "try heart". Okay, so you think of the word "try heart". Whenever you're going to do something, you're going to try heart at that. That term whenever you go in from any simple way, you would say, "Okay, I'm going to use the term Iakakemat. I'm going to go and buy something at a used bookstore." Because in my mind takes instance, in my mind I'm thinking, "Okay, that's a used bookstore." So it must have books that were read by someone and now they have that opportunity for someone else to use that. Anything that you do, you can keep practicing and you can almost make something, I guess, next to perfect. So another one that comes to mind is "means suck eats it". Means suck eats it means you don't forget. Means suck eats it means okay, I'm going to forget it. I'm going to have nothing to do with it and that. It comes with the language in my teaching, like, you know, you had students that I taught when they were young and we taught them all this. And means suck eats it. So that's where, you know, I always try to ask them, "Okay, you pray." And, "Okay, well, use the school prayer, the school prayer, that you have been taught, that you've repeated how many times. So you didn't forget it, you still remember it. Kitsake, Kimatsu Sekitsi. So those are some of the ones that I feel, you know, portant part of our learning. I know like there were certain phases that we went through, probably after, I guess, different errors of our life, after the boarding school, those students that went there were, I guess, really taught, or they really were, that they have to forget about who they are, forget about the prayer, forget about this, it's not part of your life, it's Sekitsi. You just forget about that. I heard an elder in the late John Yellowhorn, I've heard him say this and that, and it's so meaningful. He would say, "No matter how hard you try, you're not going to let people in us. You'll never be a white person." You get Sekitsi, you're not going to let people in. You're not going to let people in. Because today I'm going to be a not people, and that will never happen. You're still recognized as a needsidapi. So this is what I guess, in the same manner, we have not been going to that turn around and they want to be full. You know, they want to be recognized as needsidapi. And right away we can sense or we can recognize "Oh yeah, that's a not people." Something about them that they, you know, that you pick up and that. I guess in another way there were, if people don't stay replaced with us, they were given to us, you know, and not going to see bad abuse, how we're supposed to live and that. It's very, sometimes it's hard in this world. Like, I once asked my mom, "I had the computer, I had my phone, I had that and set it up, and she was sitting beside me." And I asked her, "Aksa, what? Aksa is to bad to be you, but so you're going to only mock you." What is a source of all kind of creator? Can the creator recognize us? Or, you know, still acknowledges us? And she told me, she says, "It's stuck off, it's a lot different now, but Sakeon and Maki still recognizes it because you know needsidapi, we're real people, then he still hears us and Sakeon don't kill. And Sakeon is going to stop you, or Sakeon will not stop you, or you will be in that." So, she said, you know, she was trying to point out, we're still recognized, and you might have a kind of technology that we're living in, we're still recognizable, we're still in existence. So, those are just some of the things that I could, I guess, quickly think of. Another one that gagokustitsi, you're going to be interested. You're gagokustitsi, you're going to be interested in what gagokustitsi, and what you're learning. You're going to be interested. If you're not interested, it's not going to show if you're not interested. You have to put yourself gagokustitsi, you know. So, those are some things that I could think of right now. Let's set the scene for traditional Sakeon to be storytelling. Agatha B. Tniki, telling old stories, occurred at any time of the day when the situation presented itself, but it was most common that stories were told by the evening fires where families gathered together. Agatha B. Tniki, told of our cosmology, our connection to the universe, to the star people, the sun, the moon, of our ancestors who could traverse both worlds, to the gifts given six gates at a beat, humans, animals, plants, songs, ceremony, and to the values and protocols and traditional laws that six gates at a beat people needed to live in a good way. It's it to be happy. It's it to be happy through Agatha B. Tniki, is an old way and required a strong and gentle storyteller who would convey that to the listener the value found in the story. In this podcast, we attempt to do the same for you, the listener. In 1984, a Nixi, Omakineita, takes up oats in Miao Nixitabiapi, Nixi, takes up oats in Miao Nixitabiapi, I also have a small group of people who are not allowed to speak in the language of the language. I was very happy to see you, and I was very happy to see you, and I was very happy to see you. I was very happy to see you, and I was very happy to see you. And I also have a lot of experience in my life, and I have a lot of experience in my life. I was told that I was going to start working in the university, and I was told that I was going to work in the university. I was told that I was going to start working in the university, and I was told that I was going to start working in the university. It is said that if you do not do so, you will not be able to do so. You will not be able to do so, you will not be able to do so, you will not be able to do so. "Kenni no htsi am" and then "no htsi se tabi" I'm still here. "I kakai tabi", "somutabi", "is" and so on. "Kimatsuki neippa" and then "sake", "esake johte" and "iksimst". "Tesake johte" and then "ahsa" and "ohtsaui" and "ohtsomens" and so on. I was born in 1886 and I was born in 1886 and I was born in 1886 and I was born in 1886. and I want to say that I am a teacher. I want to say that I am a teacher of my own family, and I want to be a teacher of my own family. I was very happy to be able to do what I wanted to do and what I wanted to do, what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to do, what I wanted to do, what I wanted to do, what I wanted to do, what I wanted to do təsko maapinska ki á, təksks ne maatsdur ni cipoxen. Á, təkiputə, á, mə, á, sinopautuka ni təndsitəni, á, ki cipoxypui. Nəməkipitaki á, ki cistəva, nəmipitaki á, məsik jobtko nəvistə maatsdurko, mokni cipoxeni. Ki cikoxypui statu, mokkiaksi á, eskane maatsdurksi. Təmia kakin maatsdurksi, mənit hokanikko iniki. Ki təksi tə, bi, iso ki cikxih tatu, mokki tə, yaksxane maatsdurksi. Təmia kakin maatsdurksi, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. Təmia kakin maatsdurksi, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. Mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. Mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. Mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko. Mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko. Mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki, mənit hokanikko iniki. Kuzur sumohta, the intent was to teach blackfoot language, but you know the way it was taught, like it's copying a basic conversation of hello how are you. So those were simplified. It was a long journey, during rabbit and myself she taught the older kids and I taught the younger from K4 to K4. K4 to K3, those were my students that I taught. Anyway so we searched around, I think today we would be charged with stealing. We would find a book with photocopied, okay we could use. See what we were trying to do is we were trying to attract. We were trying to copy the teachers, the regular teaching staff method, their method of teaching and that. So you know we would see them, we would sit in there, you know I used to just really envy because there came their teaching staff that they were going to use and they were in books and they were in, you know they came in boxes of the resource material to enhance what they were going to teach. So we wanted to do that, we wanted. So a year after we had accumulated so much material and Doreen having a master's degree in teaching helped because she was able to format a table of content of how we should be teaching. And so we started with that, it was on, you know, and then Rosaline Crochew came on, she was working at the Pinscher Creek at the public school and then she came and so she started working, you know, along with us. And we worked on developing some kind of curricula so that we could use that and you know, which will help us. Today if I were to go back and revisit, there'll probably be a lot of changes that I would add and I would probably just question why we had picked that, especially the Blackfoot. Because today, you know, the Blackfoot language is being learned by new learners, but you know, I'm beginning to find out that I don't think we taught the full conversations. I would hear the old people that would visit and that and their conversations. We basically, because we were geared away, we were given the novelty of the Western system of teaching, like meeting, reading, type of thing. We followed that, it was a struggle, we were successful in a way, we were able to teach Blackfoot language to some of the, at the time they were young and now they're adults. And I could, you know, pick up and hear some of them bringing up or. for repeating what some of the language they had learned. I just wanted to thank you very much for sharing your story. It's a personal story, but sharing it with us and with the listeners so that they have an understanding of kind of the processes that you went through the years that it has taken to really start looking at learning or a block foot language. So at the beginning of your story, you were talking about Nitsitabapi and then you talked about kind of like how you're grounded and you talked about that in your introduction and your name and who gave you your name. And then you went to talk about Nitsi Boksen. So my question is, how do you connect Nitsitabapi and Nitsi Boksen? Why would a young person need to connect those two things? It's the knowledge, you have to learn that language in with Nitsitabapi, because you have your Nitsitabapi, your cultural learning and your basis Nitsi Boksen, learning the language because there they all connect. The whole, I guess, keep at it, Boksen, our life is all connected, it's all connected in that. Just an additional comment and I don't know why. We had people that went to boarding school and they hung on to their language. They came up, there were still fluent speakers, but there was something, there was that whatever gap, Nelson or our students were not learning or not speaking, you know, that you had to learn that Nitsi Boksen. So like some of the elders will stay so quick to step each each, that's how we fully understand you know, something that's Nitsitabapi. I think you know what you're saying is important that in these podcasts we're talking about values, we're talking about like compassion, love, caring, but in itself Nitsi Boksen is a value, all by itself, not that you attach value or other things are valuable around it, but in itself I think the language is a value. If you know, are you considered a value that you go to the next step which is making connection and building relationship with old people, you know, or speakers of the language because they're the ones that can connect you to that Nitsitabapi, you know, how you're feeling about yourself, how you feel about community, you know, you know, relationships and things like that. So I just think that's, you know, really important that you said that. So one of the other things I was going to ask was when you were speaking, you talked about our young people kind of when you and the other lady were teaching that you really had age level teaching and learning Nitsi Boksen, how do you think that worked out for students or children? Well, probably the earlier years, the teaching method again was based with the Western education system, okay, they would go and they would categorize a four-year-old which is a K-4 to 13-year-old, 12-year-old. And so they categorized, but, you know, in our way of life, the child, you know, we know now that a young, let's see what, two or three-year-old, that's when you start teaching because that's when they're learning. There's something in their system and they want to learn everything. I don't know if we'll ever get away from that categorizing, well, these, you know, because we're thinking the Western, these ones won't understand what this is. And I think that's one of the, you know, mistakes that we did. In the research that I've been doing, you know, that age category that you said are most receptive to language learning is to, you know, that once they start speaking, from that age to the age of nine so that two to nine-year-old is when they are very receptive to language. And what I notice in looking at research, academic research, there's a huge gap from their right-till adulthood. So there's really no way of trying to understand, I shouldn't say there's no way, there's limited ways in trying to understand how a youth, somebody that's in junior, senior, high can learn language. There's been very little research on it. So we still use those Western systems up, well, we're going to teach them like they're little, we're going to teach them like they're adults. But how does their brain work? How does a junior high or senior high student, students brain work to get them to be receptive to language learning, and I think at that age it's about self, about identity, they have to make it about them, you know, everything they do at that age level is about them. They're kind of some, oh, I don't want to say ecotistic, but they're looking at themselves because they're starting to get ready to become an independent person. So I think that in that age group, you're really trying to look at what do they value, what do they want to know, what do they need, as part of their identity and self, like belonging, I shouldn't say self identity, but belonging piece, so I think that's important. So how do you think our young people today, our youth, can bring Nizi, Oxen into their lives? Just watching and observing that teenager, and that's just the one group that I'm thinking of, the other day at the university, I had a university student and he's going to be graduating. He could not say his black foot name, he could remember part of it and that, but he couldn't say "Ninamska is Setsikitan", which is black foot name. "Ninamska is the medicine by the Bals", "Ninamska is Setsikitan". So I told him, I said, "Oh, you know, you went to a vegany school and remember we taught you Setsikitanics, Setsikitanics as Setsikotamiao". And he clued and he caught on and he said, "Oh, Setsikitanics, so he must have remembered so, you know, and then just adding that "Ninamska, Ninamska is Setsikitan". So whoever gave him that black foot name, wow, they're medicine by Bals. Yeah, a very powerful name for that young person, sometimes we don't, you know, with our young people, they get cues off things, they have their memories need to be kind of brought back about. Remember this from your past, remember, you know, when you did this, they're queued that way because, again, that's the time of their lives when there's often so much distractions, especially now with people we're talking about, the media and how social media is really distracting, can remind them that they have so much knowledge already, that, you know, they just have to pull it back out, and they would use it that way. But thank you very much. Yeah, Nizipovsin, when you hear the word Nizipovsin or when I hear the word Nizipovsin, that's Nisto, me, my talk. Then you hear the word "Setsikitanics, Nizipovsin", right away I can distinguish, this is Nizipovsin, I can separate who, that, at 6 a.k., both of them, this, when they all come together. They're all speaking the same language. I attend a lot of gatherings where there's, you know, the three or the four, and I still understand each one of them. I could still understand them, there's a few, I guess I can call them, variations that they would use. And if I don't understand what they had said, then I'll post them and say, "Well, what does that really mean, you know, since that you get out on it?" You know, so that's where I would ask them, but you can tell right away, sometimes we get into this thought pattern that you would say, "Well, no, 6 a.k.a. 6 a.k.a. 7 a.k., both of them is the only best one. Or 5 a.k.a. both of them is better, and then people have referred to it as, "Bekani Awanoki, 7 a.k.a. and Awanoki." The same with Amscapi Bikani that they're literally in English, they try to, you know, yeah, words for word. I was fortunate to hear, to be with you know, Isabel Kichigwiz, fluent speakers of Amscapi Bikani, and then I was also fortunate to be, you know, with Hichigwiz. I was fortunate to be with Hichigwiz from Siksigai and Kainai, so I have that knowledge. Siksig Hichigwiz from Siksigai and Kainai. Siksig Hichigwiz from Siksigai and Kainai, so I have that knowledge. Once again, thank you for joining us today. [BLANK_AUDIO]