I have given folks on here a wide range of language inasmuch as Neshnabek languages go. Everything from Kenny Pheasant, George Jaach Trudeau, Michael Lyons, Gordie Odjig, plus a host of Bodewadmik representative of mostly Prairie Band folk.
It is my intention to introduce folks to as many of the Neshnabek forms of speaking, dialectical differences, writing styles, though I don’t find speaking having anything to do with reading or writing. I introduce the students who come to us to learn, to listening, developing the hearing. We don’t usually allow them to read or write anything until the 2nd or 3rd month. We believe they must educate the ear first, and then the other faculties of learning. We used to deal a lot with reading and writing at one time, but feel developing the listening skills the most important, after much trial and error.
It is all in the sound, not the spelling or the written form. This is why I like Gordie Ojig and Kenny Pheasant, as they tend to give one much of the sound of the language along with the written form. Mawla Shawana is another Neshnabemwen speaker whom I have grown to like as well, who is Potawatomi/Odawa. He is from Wiki.
We are going to go toward more of the sound, that is speaking the language, as time goes on for this group and other groups we are working with. Please bear with us as it takes time to shift gears on so many folks who have become accustomed to learning by reading and writing, rather than with a focus on the speaking part.
Iw enajmoyan
Nin se Neaseno.
Neaseno 