Nkwusm and Maori Students Collaborate in Honor of Traditional Language

By Alyssa E. Kelly

Pat Pierre watched his students sing from the audience as he tapped his foot lightly to the beat of the drum. The Nkwusm students sang in unison, their high tone voices sounding unique to the old songs; touching the hearts of their viewers. Pat smiled proudly as the Maori guests watched in awe.

PABLO - On December 1, 2006 Maori studies scholars and a graduate in Maori studies of New Zealand collaborated with the Nkwusm School of Arlee in an honor of keeping traditional language alive. The function began with a prayer led by Pat Pierre and a brief speech by Tribal Council member Steve Lozar in which he wanted to give a "special thanks" to the Maori students for attending the function. Joe McDonald, SKC president, mentioned what an honor it was for the Salish and Kootenai college to host the event and Julie Cajune introduced Danny Keenan, associate professor of Maori Literature.

The two Maori guests, Teurikore Biddle and Jillian Butler, students of Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, sang a beautiful Maori song as they wore their beaded rose pendants, gifts given in their honor from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe. "Being here today, is a great reminder of home and where the Maori came from," Teurikore began before becoming overwhelmed to tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she repeated as she tried to collect herself. "I'm just so pleased to see the development with the Nkwusm School and the language revitalization. It's so easy to become victims of urbanization and that's why I can understand the importance of traditional language and how crucial it is in culture."

The people of Maori in New Zealand are similar to the Native American people of the U.S in the fact that both suffered from the loss of culture and language due to urbanization. In 1984 New Zealand's National Department of Education granted permission to an elementary school in Huntly to establish Maori immersion programs where the traditional Maori language would be introduced to the young students. (Similar to that of the Nkwusm School of Arlee) Like Nkwusm, the school lacked in fluent Maori speaking staff members, they were in extreme need of funding, and had no "planned" curriculums. However, by the end of 1997, the first group of six students to enroll in the school completed their final year in high school. (Also known as the 7th form) All entered University programs in 1998.

Today students of the Maori immersion program prove to be a success, not only through their test scores, but helping their traditional language becoming fluent. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes affirmed research collaboration with the Maori immersion program and the Nkwusm staff was able to visit the schools in New Zealand.

"I've gotten the honor to visit the Maori schools in New Zealand and it gave me hope for our own Nkwusm School," says Arlene Adams. "Their schools are a success with no corruption, and it took them about twenty six or twenty seven years to get where they are. Now they have a University system that teaches law in Maori! If there's one thing I learned from the Maori it was patience. The teachers at Nkwusm make up our own curriculums and it gets to be overwhelming, but I know if we want to accomplish our goal of bringing back our culture, it's going to take a lot of patience. I'm thankful for learning that."

"I'm very proud of our young people at Nkwusm. They are young people, not children and that's how we teach them," says Stipen SmallSalmon. The students' practice a half an hour of singing and drumming daily and they love it. One time we went to a Camas Prairie pow-wow and we were the only group to show up! There were dancers there suited up and ready to dance and we were the only singing group there. They were doubtful at first until the students began to sing and then they were impressed," Stipen SmallSalmon remembers. He has each of the Nkwusm students briefly introduce themselves in Salish.

"I wouldn't be ashamed to set them up against anyone (drum groups)," Pat says of the Nkwusm students drumming and singing skills. "They've come a long way from when we began. They used to be quiet and offbeat because they were ashamed before. Now, they feel no shame, they put their whole heart into their singing and now they're louder than Steven at times!" He pats the drum to demonstrate the difference in their sound.

"With the Nkwusm School and others like it, we want to bring back the identity in the tribes. By the time these students graduate they will have knowledge of who they are, where they came from, and where they are going," Pat Pierre says of the importance of Nkwusm School. "We need all of our people behind us. It can start here."

The Nkwusm students gave a brief dancing performance. Three of the female students, including Miss Kalispell Aspen Smith the oldest student attending Nkwusm age 14, danced fancy and traditional. The students also presented a diagram of the seasons and talked about it in Salish. They finished off their performance with naming the numbers in Salish up to 31.

After the performance and speeches there was a feast held for all who attended the presentation. One of the audience members in attendance included former Nkwusm instructor Sophie Mays. Some of the students, including Nicole Perry age 8, embraced her and proclaimed to have missed her in her absence. "I really miss the kids," says Sophie of her former students.

For any information on the Nkwusm School including donations you can visit their web site at www.salishworld.com. Special thanks to Julie Cajune for inviting the Charkoosta to the presentation.