POTAWATOMI LESSON ONE

[@Doerenee]

Im so excited to dive in! My son is a member of Potawatomi. his father who is Potawatomi passed away, and i want to keep his lineage going and keep the language alive. I want to learn with him!

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Glad to hear you enjoyed the lessons. Do you know which tribe your son belongs to? More lessons coming soon. Thanks again for watching and commenting greatly appreciated.

[@cathyhardy6563]

@@RavenPontiacMedia Thank you for this video and the lesson. May The Four Winds Bless you!

[@kathrynprice6779]

I am a Potawatomi indian. And it is so cool to learn the language of my ancestors.

[@stellamosshart1927]

Kathryn Price if you are CPN band there is a whole ?-years-long course where you can learn the whole language and they tell you the different dialects. I bet other bands have one too but I know that CPN have a good one that Im taking. These videos are great but they dont tell you why the words are the way they are, learning animacy vs. inanimacy you see the way our ancestors saw all life as sacred. It gives you a window into the culture.

[@jasondubois9711]

Ms.price I am also a Potawatomi my great great grandfather was Lewis view a chief of Potawatomi it is nice to find people that are of tribe hope we will cross paths someday

[@lydiabow827]

I'm prairie band potawatomi and live in Washington

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for watching and commenting I am Pokagon Potawatomi member but I am 3 fires (Chippewa, ottowa, potawatomi) a 7th gen grandson of Chief Pontiac.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Awesome Jason that makes us something like 2nd-3rd cousins twice removed or more.... I have a verrrry large family because of being a 7th gen pontiac grandson.

[@cristerowarrior1450]

We need to preserve Illinois culture, every school child in Illinois should have to learn Potowatomi because that is the original language of this land

[@seanhettenbach2101]

I got a good chuckle from this. Thanks.

[@bubblegumpink841]

@@seanhettenbach2101 what’s funny about teaching my people’s language????

[@seanhettenbach2101]

@@bubblegumpink841 "That is the original language of the land" I found that funny.

[@seanhettenbach2101]

@@bubblegumpink841 nothing about the teaching of the language or anything and not funny because its not true. Rather funny because technically it is true.

[@cathyhardy6563]

I grew up in Chicago and was taught the Native name meant bad smell because of all the onion fields that once were thriving in the area. I taught English learner students in Indiana that were Pokagan and one taught me to say "Hello" in the Potawatomi language. There are so many variations of the spelling of Potowatomi. Which one is correct??

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

ill be posting more lessons soon. these first 3 were for example to my tribal council n citizens to see another possibility to teach our language....thank you all for your comments n support....stay tuned n subscribe to stay up to date on more videos

[@ChiefOfYoutubeGaming]

RavensVideos1 I understand some, kiin is you niin is me wiin is he or she in ojibwe

[@MikeOfKorea]

My father's family descend from French colonists in Michigan. I am learning about the Bodéwadmi because my father insisted we respect the native peoples of Michigan. Language is probably the most intimate part of any cultural heritage, and I am happy to see this video.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for watching and commenting greatly appreciated. Sorry took so long to reply youtube had major issues with my comments and finally fixed it. Glad you enjoyed the video. More lessons are in the works.

[@michaelmetzger8802]

My ancestors were mixed very well multiple times Potawatomi and french, it has shaped my idea of being Indian, and my acceptance of others. I belong to the Citizen Potawatomi band and I believe that people who learn the language or customs and speak to help and work to preserve it should be adopted into the tribe to some extent as that is more in line with the traditional way. Maybe one day that will be the type of future we have. I hoped you learned true and made people face the reality of the past with truth. It is not history when all the issues continue today. I am happy to see this video and learn about the language that was lost to my family and supressed by schooling.

[@cathyhardy6563]

Mike, my paternal grandmother was French. I will research the Bode'wadmi.

[@lisarutledge2802]

Thank you SO much for allowing those of us, who cannot trace our heritage, to be privy to this kind of information! My family stems from an illegitimate union and my ancestry is lost forever... :( We took our 14 year old son to the 2017 Kee-Boon-Mein-Kaa Pow Wow and all he has talked about is how much he wants to learn our language. Be blessed in His will~

[@ucud_murphdog5452]

Fantastic video! We should prioritize the native language of our lands, without the teachings of people like you, the history we have now, of a time long passed, will be gone forever.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Miigwetch (thank you) This particular one here was done as an example to show my tribe a way to further our reach with lessons rather than just a small class of 10 max giving our people a way to learn at home. Thankfully an elder relative did these language recording and I did the video. An recently I myself have been doing the recordings so I become a better speaker and teach in the process. So thank you as I hope it helps others learn and preserves it for generations to come.

[@eveosiris3039]

Listening to this makes me feel incredibly at peace. Still can't speak the language and yet it has released some of the traumatic feeling of being fluent in naught but English

[@theears995]

Thank you so much for uploading this! I'm from the area of the Potawatomi, so I figured I might as well learn my ancestor's language! :) I'm only partly native, but I'm still native! :)

[@marahstarrett1537]

Migwetth my friends for sharing this knowledge of our ancestors.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Miigwetch Hoping to have some more videos in the near future. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Andromeda2976]

It´s very similar to tifinagh, we also say Iye in Atlas Mountains, thanks for sharing!

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Miigwetch deshmowin (thank for sharing your words) :)

[@unclebob1959]

I'm a Neghanquet family member. I've always wanted to learn my native language. I haven't been to Shawnee in years but I love the history!

[@stellamosshart1927]

Uncle Bob you are CPN like me! Bozho!

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

There is no bye in our language... But. Until we meet again/see you later is BAMA PII. (Pronounce Bah-ma pee)

[@shaypatrick2831]

now i know my native language awesome!

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for watching glad you enjoyed the lessons, I am working on doing more soon. Sorry took so long to reply youtube had issues with comments and finally got it fixed

[@danid8448]

Hi there! I’ve been learning Bode’wadmi from Don and these videos for a while and I just realized it might not be respectful for me to do so…I am a White Settler living in so-called chicago currently. I grew up and lived most of my Life up until now in “illinois” suburbs. This has been my home my whole Life, but I recognize that this was many other People’s home for millennia long before my Ancestors settled here. I deeply want to connect with the Land and the Beings I cohabitate with here. As I’ve learned some of the original language of this Land (Bode’wadmi), I’ve been speaking to the more-than-human Kin here with the little that I’ve learned. I just wanted to ask if this is appropriate. I realize that some may not want me to speak their native tongue when myself and my Ancestors have been the ones who colonized this Land, and this language and Culture has been stripped from their mouths by my Ancestors. I do love connecting with Mother Earth in a language that she understands, but don’t want to do so if it is disrespectful to her Original Stewards. Thank you so much for these videos, and your time in educating me 💜

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thank you for sharing this with me. I am glad you enjoy the language lessons. Though there are people who may not like non-natives to speak our languages they need to get over it. We as a people share this language as it lives and breathes the same as we do, it continues to evolve and develop new words and phrases as the years go on as it has become hard to reference modern times within the language with some of the older words which is how the language is seen as living because its not the same as it was 100-200 or even 1,000 years ago. We are also taught that we should share our language, and teach those who wish to learn no matter what the ethnicity they are or what their primary language is. So its appreciated that you are learning and sharing what you have learned as it will help the language to continue to live and shared with others. Thank you again for watching the lessons and sharing your thoughts. Hoping to have more lessons up in the near future.

[@tanitabec3614]

Gracias por compartir!!y siga preservandose todas las culturas originarias para bien de la humanidad!!saludos y mis mejores deseos para ustedes!desde México!😊😊😊😊

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Gracias por ver el video y comentar. Saludos y mejores deseos para ti también. Siempre es agradable saber que nuestras relaciones en Centroamérica todavía reconocen nuestra parentesco indígena. (Thank you for watching the video, and commenting. Greetings and best wishes to you as well. It's always nice to know our central america relations still acknowledge our indigenous kinship.)

[@Lretrotech]

I am not of potawatomi descent, but of a strange tribe which I do not know the origins of. However, it is amazing that I can simply type something in a search bar and seconds later have the resources to learn a language which I have ancestral ties to.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@SuperChad1313]

I had know idea that my people had this to learn from. Pokagon in Mn.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

I did this as a demo for our tribe as a way to teach our people. The tribe now does a variety of lessons, our tribal newsletters have a word featured in them in each newsletter. We also have a channel for the tribe that posts language videos as well as one of our language teachers who posts videos with language lessons as well. I am in the process of building out more language lessons as well to post here on this channel. Miigwetch (thank you) for watching and commenting.

[@davewilson13]

This is a truly amazing video, thank you sir.

[@Nstone53]

Wow this is really neat! I always wanted my grandmother to teach me some of this, but she has forgotten most of it. Her mother and father were both Potawatomi but her father was not fluent. So they didn't speak it much around her. I've tried downloading some text books on the language but quickly realized I was in way over my head.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

The sad part is many of our elders who did not seems fluent were in fact fluent until they went to the boarding schools and were beaten and abused for using our language. Some feared teaching their children because fo the abuse they suffered for using the language so they stopped using it. Yes trying to pick up the language just from a book is a hard feat as it dont give context or help with the pronouncing and etc. I am working on doing more lessons soon. Glad you enjoyed this video thank you for commenting.

[@user-nv5wq5ug5q]

Trying to learn the language... Finding it very difficult. Thinking I might need to move north in Wisconsin and stay among the people. I have taught others most of my life but this is difficult to learn. Thank you my brother.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

it is definitely a bit hard to learn but it gets a bit easier after awhile. glad you enjoyed the videos.

[@user-nv5wq5ug5q]

@@RavenPontiacMedia thank you. 😊 I am thinking there is part of the dialect in not understanding that would make it a bit easier to learn.

[@andrewjkm1]

Boozhoo. This is wonderful. I am originally a Settler from Ireland, but have been adopted into a Potawatomi family in Walpole Island in SW Ontario. Is there any way to get the language booklet you refer to in the video please? Many thanks. Baamaapii.

[@marlenahernandez29]

thank you for keeping our language alive

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

glad you enjoyed the video an thank you for the compliment....im working on creating more lessons in a better format to help make learning easier. please dont forget to subscribe an hit the bell to stay updated on the latest videos.

[@ravensergio742]

I love the fact that I can listen to my native tongue that is so hard translate s theirs can get me my native tongue and not make fun of my heritage for I do not make fun of theirs RESPECT ME MY PEOPLE and MY WAYS OF THE RED PATH

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for watching and commenting glad you enjoyed the lessons.

[@TheItchyTwitch]

Many thanks for these video's! I no longer live in Michigan, so trying to learn our language has been next to impossible. Thank you again. Peace and love.

[@davewilson13]

Pokagon tribe has video instruction and video conference help

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Bozho Marisa Hope you and your family are doing well. Sorry took so long to reply youtube was having issues displaying comments and finally fixed it so im catching up on responding. Its nice to see your name pop up after so long of not hearing from you. Our culture dept has started doing video lessons as well as more virtual lessons and in person classes as well. If you dont mind I will msg you on fb so we can catch up?? I dont live in the old death trap in wayland anymore. Hope to talk to you soon (Andrew-Raven)

[@SuperChad1313]

Anyone from Mn?

[@waynethegreat23]

Just got a potawatomi language dictionary I am Pokagon and I was hoping to Learn the language this helps a lot thank you so much

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Awesome I'm in process of creating newer videos. I'm hoping the new style will be able to be distributed to our people. :)

[@TheFlite29]

Who published and wrote the dictionary

[@AnGhaeilge]

Migwetch nikan! Great video.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

miigwetch glad you enjoyed them.

[@nikaan7383]

Thank you for this

[@shahanarehan22]

I was born in Michigan. I don't know my biological family. I am trying to find any Indian family members with the last name of Peck. I want to teach and preserve the Indian way of life, especially for my children. Thank you for these videos and for any resources you may have that can help me.

[@tomyfirewindsdevelopment6595]

I'm commenting super late but I see a comment underneath from Marisa Peck, maybe that can help?

[@nirvanasage3338]

this is a sign no matter how big or small this is a sign

[@Tarinera2012]

Thank You ❤️

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

thank you glad you found it helpful, working on getting more done soon.

[@hfaitalia]

Good video I'll definitely subscribe PERFECT😄😄☺️💕💕👍🏻👌🏻

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Miigwetch, glad you enjoyed the lessons I am working on doing more soon. Sorry took so long to reply youtube had major issues with comments and finally got it fixed.

[@scarlettlefty]

Thank you so much for passing this important language onward! #ptowatomei

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thank you for watching. More to come soon. I'm using a new editing software so I'm still learning to use it effectively for language teachings. Thanks again and please dont forget to subscribe to stay updated on the latest videos. :)

[@scarlettlefty]

@@RavenPontiacMedia I am frustrated because my family thought we were part of this tribe Their story is powerful and so sacred. Bless you

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

@@scarlettleftyif your not Pokagon you could belong to one of the other tribes possibly. We have alot who could belong to each tribe because of family lines.

[@scarlettlefty]

@@RavenPontiacMedia thank u! I needed a new starting point.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

@@scarlettlefty do you know the family last/ sir name?

[@DennyDreadBassMan]

My great grandmother was of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. If my great grandmother had a Indian name it has long been lost. She was born in 1865. She was called Lucille. I want to learn the language. It's going to take time. Some phrases are twisting my tongue.

[@leslieb.6531]

DennyDreadBassMan what was your great grandmothers last name??

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Yea learning can definitely be a tongue twister but with practice it gets easier, Though your grandmother is in the spirit realm im sure her nish name is still known to someone within the tribe whether its a historian or a relative. Thank you for watching and commenting. Sorry took so long to reply youtube had major issues with comments and finally got it fixed.

[@cathyhardy6563]

May The Four Winds continue to Bless you.

[@lovelovekookie9835]

Thank you! My friend is from the Potawatomi tribe. Sometimes she would speak in it. I want to speak in it too

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

More to come soon :)

[@iljaheld2943]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for listening glad you enjoyed the album

[@charlotte.l1ke.u]

pòsòh or in my other language is bosho

[@MrRam7269]

Is this the same language all the nation's use ? Kansas potawatomi is my moms nation

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Yes but each nation has its own dialect technically because they use different spellings, our language was not a written language so the writtings are based on the sounds of creating the words. Some of them still use some words whereas some dont use some of the words.

[@catmoore7044]

Neone know if the Chocktaw Nation directly decended from the Ptowotomei Nation?

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Yes the tribes are inter-connected. There are alot of bloodlines that broke off and went seperate ways and created entirely new tribes. This is one of the many reasons we have the saying of we are all related. Truth be told not many people realize that long ago Pontiac was not just a chief but prior to my grandfather Pontiac was also a tribe the oldest of all the tribes which is where all tribes descend from. Its a long long history to try an put into a comment box lol. But I hpe this helps answer your question to some degree. Thanks for watching and commenting. Sorry took so long to reply youtube had major issues with the comments and finally got it fixed.

[@uncededterritory]

Miigwech Miigwech MIIGWECH nikan ....

[@nishnobday679]

don nice words

[@kyyliel]

It kinda sounds similar to japanese, its really cool 😁

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

many of the tribal languages have similarities to our relations around the world because of our contact with them in the old days.....many are still unaware that prior to columbus that the japanese, french and vikings had already been to the americas and been traders with us. thank you for commenting please dont forget to subscribe to stay updated on the latest videos hope you have a wonderful day

[@angstybreadstyx1242]

I can’t seem to get the tone right, being that I learned Spanish as my primary language. Does tone matter with this language, or is it like Spanish or English where my accent does not matter?

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

tone does not matter as much as pronunciation

[@dietrichdietrich7763]

I had fun pronouncing the words aloud, I had 80% accuracy ( I didn't try to directly pronounce words as you but instead try to sound it out. )

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for watching and commenting. That's not me insturcting, it's actually one of the elders. I just created the first 3 lessons as a demo of a potential teaching method. Will have more lessons coming in the near future. Thanks again glad you found it helpful.

[@MissPickletoes]

Just found your channel. :-)

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Thanks for commenting. KZbin was having issues with comments and finally got them fixed for me. Glad you enjoyed the video. Miigwetch for watching

[@ChiefOfYoutubeGaming]

I understand you lol, I’m ojibwe though

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

The voice in video is one of my elders. I'm three fires.

[@ChiefOfYoutubeGaming]

RavensVideos1 that’s pretty awesome

[@ChiefOfYoutubeGaming]

RavensVideos1 do you know who nanabush is?

[@2380Shaw]

My g grandmother was supposedly Native American. I think it's assumed she was because she was in an orphanage on a reservation in Michigan. My grandmother told me her mother's dad was a French Canadian with last name Lynch, which doesn't sound French Canadian and her mother's first name was possibly Anna, which doesn't sound Native American. Is there any way to prove or disprove whether or not she was a Native American?

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

you would have to research the census scrolls to see if she is listed with the rest of the people from that era and then go back further to see lineage.

[@cathyhardy6563]

Lynch is Irish. Many Celtic peoples came to Canada.

[@oklafireman114]

How do you say "thank you"?

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

we have a couple of ways you can say thank you..... Miigwetch (pronounced like - me gwitch.) & wahwena (pronounced like - wah when na) I hope this helps I am working on developing a new set of lessons with a bit better formatting to it to help make it easier to learn. Please dont forget to subscribe an hit the bell to stay updated on the latest videos an more thank you for commenting hope you have a great day

[@jimhansen7290]

Hola

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

thanks for watching and commenting

[@duaneelliott5194]

Boozhoo Anishinaabek aahniish na nongom?

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Miigwetch Duane, for watching sorry took so long to respond youtube had issues with comments and finally got it fixed for me. Thanks for commenting glad you enjoyed the video.

[@samuraiscyther7984]

Is there a difference between potawatomi & ojibwe?

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

Yes there is a difference between anishnabemowin & bodewadmi deshmowin...ojibwe & potawatomi the way we speak. I'll be doing lessons on both soon. Many different projects are in the process. Thanks for watching

[@samuraiscyther7984]

@@RavenPontiacMedia I'll be looking forward to watching the video. I'm potawatomi but grew up around my mom's side which is ojibwe.. After watching this i noticed some similar words.

[@glmorseau]

You copied the Pokagons heads start tape! This person talking on the tape, who I know said he never heard of you, and he said it wrong of you to claim you created this lesson! You should tell people who tape it is and it not you on it!

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

gary morseau I was given the lessons at gun lake inter tribal language classes....my instructors & pokagon culture gave me permission to create a revised lesson for a theory I had on aiding the learning process.....I have now obtained materials to make my own lessons from scratch and have chosen a completely different format to do tgem in for videos.....I am sharing our language free unlike most trying to profit from our culture....I walk the red road an more of our community should do the same.....its bad medicine to be greedy...and if you watch these videos you will see I stated that the voice is mr.perrot and I created the video portions....Miigwetch

[@2380Shaw]

I'm trying to learn to read the Hebrew Bible and notice this language sounds similar to Hebrew in a way. I know there is a claim Native Americans are one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.

[@flop477]

2380Shaw that claim is incorrect.

[@RavenPontiacMedia]

That claim would be incorrect, but I will note that there are many hebrew people who did marry into tribes long ago so there is a ton of mixed descendants. Thanks for listening and commenting.