Speaking Place

THE ORGANIZATION WORKED ON SEVERAL PROJECTS DURING THIS PERIOD. HERE ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL: A) SPEAKING PLACE CARRIED OUT YEAR TWO OF A PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PASSAMAQUODDY TRIBE IN MAINE, USA. THE FULL PROJECT TITLE IS: KTOLATUWEWAKONON KCOCAHKUMON / OUR LANGUAGE IS OUR SOUL: A MULTI-COMPONENT LANGUAGE IMMERSION MODEL FOR TEACHING AND RESTORING PASSAMAQUODDY. THIS IS A THREE-YEAR PROJECT WITH SEVERAL INTEGRATED COMPONENTS: 1. TWO PASSAMAQUODDY IMMERSION PRESCHOOLS, ONE IN EACH COMMUNITY; 2. DEVELOPMENT OF A MODEL FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING FOR "FLUENT COMPREHENDERS" OF PASSAMAQUODDY LANGUAGE; 3. A FAMILY AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMPONENT; AND 4. AN UPGRADE OF THE PASSAMAQUODDY-MALISEET LANGUAGE PORTAL TO MAKE THE PORTAL MORE ACCESSIBLE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ESPECIALLY TO FAMILIES, IN ORDER TO GIVE THE LANGUAGE A LARGER PLACE IN THE HOME. SPEAKING PLACE STAFF HAVE BEEN CONSULTANTS ON THE PROJECT, INVOLVED IN TEACHER TRAINING, PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY OUTREACH, LANGUAGE REACQUISITION, AND VIDEO PRODUCTION. THESE SCHOOLS ARE THE LATEST IN AN EVOLVING SERIES OF EFFORTS MEMBERS OF THE PASSAMAQUODDY COMMUNITY HAVE MADE TO RE-ESTABLISH THEIR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE. THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY ANA, THE ADMINISTRATION FOR NATIVE AMERICANS, UNDER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. B) SPEAKING PLACE WAS A PARTNER IN THE NEW PROYECTO INTERINSTITUCIONAL DE DOCUMENTACIN DE LENGUAS EN RIESGO DEL ESTADO DE OAXACA / INTER- INSTITUTIONAL PROJECT TO DOCUMENT ENDANGERED LANGUAGES IN THE STATE OF OAXACA (MEXICO), IN COLLABORATION WITH PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSIDAD AUTNOMA BENITO JUREZ DE OAXACA (UABJO) AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS Y DESARROLLO DE LAS LENGUAS INDGENAS DE OAXACA (CEDELIO), AND INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE LENGUAS INDGENAS (INALI). THIS IS A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR UABJO STUDENTS THAT WILL PREPARE THEM TO USE SPEAKING PLACE METHODS FOR MEDIA-BASED LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DOCUMENTATION LEADING TO ENRICHED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FULL OR PARTIAL COMPLETION OF THEIR PRACTICAL PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES, SOCIAL SERVICE REQUIREMENTS, AND COMPLETION OF THEIR THESIS REQUIREMENT. MANY UABJO STUDENTS COME FROM NEARBY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WHERE THE LANGUAGES AND CULTURES ARE UNDERGOING RAPID CHANGES OFTEN LEADING TO THE EXTINCTION OF THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND TRADITIONAL CULTURE. THE PROGRAM TRAINS STUDENTS IN THE USE OF MEDIA-BASED DOCUMENTATION METHODS FOR EDUCATION AND CREATION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, FOR LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DOCUMENTATION AND REVITALIZATION, AND FOR RESEARCH. SPEAKING PLACE STAFF AND TRAINEES WHO COMPLETED A PREVIOUS PROJECT IN THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF TOTONTEPEC ARE TRAINING UABJO STUDENTS IN THE USE OF OUR METHODS, WHICH INCLUDE UNDERSTANDING THE NEW ROLE OF MEDIA IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN EDUCATION, USE OF CAMERAS AND RECORDING, WORKING WITH DATA FOR EDUCATION, AND TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS BASED ON THEIR MEDIA, RESEARCH, AND ASSESSMENT. STUDENTS ARE ALSO TAUGHT HOW TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DOCUMENTATION PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND USE FEEDBACK FOR FURTHER ENRICHMENT. THIS CURRICULUM WAS DEVELOPED IN INDIGENOUS MIXE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF SCHOLARS FROM OAXACA AND THE UNITED STATES. C) OTHER ACTIVITIES THIS YEAR INCLUDED PROVIDING TRAINING IN LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION METHODS. SPEAKING PLACE STAFF WERE INVITED TO PRESENT AT A TWO-DAY SEMINAR ENTITLED "LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION, TEACHING MATERIALS AND DIDACTICS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL AND ENDANGERED LANGUAGES?" WITH THE MERCATOR RESEARCH CENTRE (THE NETHERLANDS) AND SOAS WORLD LANGUAGES INSTITUTE (UK). THE EVENT, HOSTED AT MERCATOR RESEARCH CENTRE IN LEEUWARDEN, NETHERLANDS, TOOK PLACE IN DECEMBER. IN MARCH, SPEAKING PLACE STAFF GAVE A PRESENTATION VIA SKYPE TO A CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE ENGAGED HUMANITIES PROJECT IN THE LIBERAL ARTS FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW, POLAND. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY INVITATIONS FROM THE ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE-FARMINGTON AND THE AMERICAN-FRENCH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND. FINALLY, WORK CONTINUES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DOCUMENTARY FILM, INCIDENT AT SIPAYIK. THE FILM WILL BE USED FOR COMMUNITY EDUCATION, WITH A GOAL OF REDUCING PREJUDICE, VIOLENCE, AND COMMUNITY TENSIONS.