One student’s quest to save her native language

Davis, Laura

English

Name not available

Saving Language from Extinction

DigitalCommons@Linfield

Linfield Magazine Volume 2 Number 1 Summer 2005 Article 13 Summer 2005 Saving Language from Extinction Laura Davis Linfield College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/linfield_magazine Recommended Citation Davis, Laura (2005) "Saving Language from Extinction," Linfield Magazine: Vol. 2 : No. 1 , Article 13. Available at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/linfield_magazine/vol2/iss1/13 This article is brought to you for free via open access, courtesy of DigitalCommons@Linfield. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@linfield.edu. Saving language from extinctionAncient words have stirred alifelong ambition for one youngLinfield College woman.Jaeci Hall ’05, a Rogue RiverIndian raised in Veneta, is one of12 learners reviving Tutudin, aNative American language. In theprocess, she is helping to rekindlea fading culture. “I can’t put into words howimportant this is, how it feels tolearn this and connect myself to my heritage,” Hall said.“This is my life work. I will do this for the rest of mylife.”The Tutudin language was spokenby a number of Rogue River tribes,which separated in 1856 following theRogue River Wars when federal troopsforced natives to march on a “trail oftears” from Southern Oregon to reser-vations in Siletz and Grand Ronde.Gilbert Towner, 75, and his uncle,Eddie Collins, are the two remainingTutudin speakers. Both were fluent aschildren, but have spoken English mostof their lives. In 1993, Towner stumbledacross audio tape of an aunt speakingTutudin and, overwhelmed by thewords that had gone unspoken fordecades, he set out to revitalize thelanguage.In 2002, Hall attended the firstAgness Tutudin LanguageWorkshop, a two-week intensivecourse facilitated by languageexperts. With an incompletegrammar and only Townerto teach 12learners, experts initially deemed the language extinct.“But by the end of the two weeks, we were speak-ing the language,” said Hall, who has since helped coor-dinate the annual workshop. “We brought it back fromthe brink of extinction.” Hall and the others learned to read and write basicvocabulary and greetings that year – jala means hello –while sitting in a circle on the bank of the Rogue River.Since then, they’ve moved on to verb phrases and morecomplicated aspects of the language.“It was amazing to be able to say these words thathadn’t been said for years,” said Hall, who also speaksSpanish. “When we started learning, things began tohappen. Eagles would fly down over us and whirlwindswould come up.”The workshop changed Hall’s life.She returned to Linfield, switched hermajor to anthropology and immersedherself in language. She has since par-ticipated in the Northwest IndianLanguage Institute at the University ofOregon and is learning Chinuk Wawa,a Native American trade language, as avolunteer at the Grand RondeImmersion Preschool. Her senior the-sis, “How to Speak Grandma’s Tongue or Learning toLearn Tutudin: A Language Towards LanguageRevitalization,” focused on the methodology of lan-guage teaching. “Native American thought isn’t based on the linearacademic European model,” said Hall, who earned theGebauer Prize in Anthropology at Linfield for her effort.“Language is more than just grammar and vocabulary. It’scultural knowledge. If you don’t have the language, youcan't have that culture.”Hall’s work to revive the language is critical to pre-serving the culture, said Joel Marrant, professor ofanthropology.“The fact that it is a vision of revitalization, for anentire people and not just herself, suggests something ofJaeci’s unique character and personality,” he said. “I haveonly known a handful of students who even approachthe depth of her dedication to a vision. “It is hard to find the right words to describe Jaeci,”he added. “I am sure they exist in Tutudin. Maybe one dayI will have the privilege of knowing and saying them.”– Laura Davis“If you don’t have the language,you can’t have that culture.”Jaeci Hall ‘05 plays a hand drum to help her learn and teach Tutudin words. She and herbrother have created nearly 50 songs in Tutudin. The hand drum is also used in prayer.Student ProfileNew directorycoming nextspringLost track of a room-mate or want to re-connect with collegeclassmates? The new Linfield AlumniDirectory may help. The printed directory, which willcontain alumni home addresses, phonenumbers, e-mail addresses andemployment information, is updatedevery five years. The new edition ofthe directory will be organized alpha-betically, geographically and by class.Alumni will be contacted to updatetheir information by representativesfrom Publishing Concepts Inc. throughe-mail, phone calls, and letters, said LisaGarvey ’86, director of alumni rela-tions at Linfield. Alumni can purchase the directoryin either hard copy or compact discform for delivery in May 2006. Pencil us in!Coming soon – summerand fall events for Linfieldalumni and friends. Forupdated information on the calendarand events, please check the website.Aug. 11-14: Linfield weekend in SeattleAug. 19: Portland Beavers baseballSept. 24: Portland international eventOct. 11: Career Mentor Day, PortlandOn the road with Wildcat football,pre-game events: Oct. 8: Whitworth CollegeOct. 15: Southern Oregon UniversityOct. 29: Menlo CollegeNov. 12: Willamette University2 4  -  L I N F I E L D  M A G A Z I N EClass NotesAlumni web site to get faceliftA career change or the location ofa long-lost college buddy may soon beas close as the nearest computer.The Linfield College alumniweb site is getting a facelift.  Inresponse to alumni suggestions, thesite is being re-worked to allowbetter communication for alumni.Along with a new look the site willhave a variety of added featuressuggested by alumni in recent sur-veys including career networkingcapabilities, online class notes thatwill allow alumni to communicateAlumni NewsAlumni information:503.883.2492 • alumni@linfield.edu orwww.linfield.edu/alumnion theweb in web forum style, and an alumnidirectory that will replace the e-mail directory currently on the web.All improved components willbe secure and password protected.The site is expected to launch inthe fall.Alumni for whom the alumnioffice has an email address willreceive notification prior to thelaunch date. To assure that yourcontact information is up-to-date,email your address to alumni@linfield.edu.Be sure to include your name and class year.Homecoming ‘05 Oct. 21-22Special Reunions: Classes of 1945, 1950, 1955, 1965, 1980,1985, study abroad alumni, choir alumniPrograms, events and activities for all alumni:• Classes without Quizzes with Linfield faculty• Special tour of Duck Pond Cellars with Greg and Amber (Loeffelbein)Fries ’00 • Alumni BBQ and Children’s Activity Center• Wellness Trail walk for the whole familySporting events:• Wildcats football vs. Puget Sound Loggers, men’s and women’s soccer vs. Whitworth, volleyball vs. Whitworth and WhitmanRenew. Reconnect. Rekindle.Virginia (Zander) Anderson ’97, left, David Anderson ’97 and Brooke Payton ’04, right, exchange contactinformation during an April networking event in Portland. Over 30 individuals attended the program, whichwas organized by the Alumni Office to connect alumni who are looking for professional opportunities. TheAlumni Office plans to hold additional networking events in the future. Check the website for listings.  S U M M E R  2 0 0 5 -   2 5

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Saving Language from Extinction

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