Language Meeting Update

From Maura:

The fall is a time of change and new beginnings.  For us as Cherokee people it has been a time of renewal since antiquity and the season during which our traditional new year begins.  In this spirit we will begin our Cherokee Language Group meetings.  We will be having a few changes:

1.  In order to avoid conflicting with the Lawrence Cherokee Community meetings, we will be meeting on Thursdays from 6:30pm to 7:45pm in De Soto, Kansas.  Due to the current space limitations, I will not publicly announce the location, but request that you contact me directly via email:  mauramgarcia@gmail.com or phone:  919.951.9758 for directions.  This way I can get an accurate head count.  If it looks like we will have too many people for the space to accommodate, I can reserve another meeting place.   We will try to meet weekly, but the schedule is flexible.  Changes can be decided by the group and updates will be sent out via the email list.

2.  We will try incorporating a new resource:  Western Carolina University (WCU)  Cherokee 101 Course:  https://media.wcu.edu/groups/cherokeelanguage/wiki/4774a/Cher_101_FL_2013.html

It is very user friendly and powerpoint presentations, mp3 listening files and handouts are all included in a central place. We will begin with the first lesson (see dates and/or number order) and spend 2 class meetings on each lesson.  One week will be spent doing the lesson.  Homework will be issued along with a practice handout.  The following week will be spent reviewing the homework and lesson.  We will then start another lesson the following week.  Though the course highlights the Kituwa or NC Qualla Boundary dialect, the teacher is a Cherokee from Oklahoma and the lessons offer the OK dialect as well with the appropriate pronunciation.

3.  We will talk about the possibility of hiring a Cherokee language tutor (a fluent speaker from Oklahoma who has translated for the Cherokee Nation and currently works in the cultural outreach department) to work with us via skype on some sort of regular basis. Depending on group needs, we can discuss whether or not this should be on Thursday or another night.

I hope that these changes and arrangements are agreeable to those in the group.  I realize that no schedule will be able to accommodate everyone, but please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or complaints and we will see what can be done.    

May your fall begin wonderfully well and I hope to see you soon.  

Howa nigadawu,

Kila dodadagohvi!  Itsadagastasdesti,

Naisa