2008 Woodie Awards
Eyes toward revitalization
Melinda Christensen
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Life
Ofelia Zepeda, Ph.D., began the special anthropology colloquium on Wednesday, April 9, by speaking her native language, Tohono O'odham, and translating.
Tohono O'odham is native to southern Arizona, and as with many Native American languages, Tohono O'odham began and remains an oral language at heart. Tohono O'odham is rhythmic, fluid and at times it seems possible to hear a faint drumbeat within the words.
According to Zepeda, this beat may be growing even fainter because language loss is a global phenomenon. American Indian languages remain oral languages and, if they are not practiced in the home, the language falls away.
"But the good thing is you can do something about it - you can learn a language," Zepeda said.
Interestingly, Zepeda did not begin her academic career in linguistics. She began her undergraduate work in Sociology with thoughts of becoming a social worker. As a senior in college, she became interested in learning to read and write Tohono O'odham.
Zepeda began working with an anthropologist who later introduced her to Kenneth L. Hale, a renowned linguist. Her work with Hale in reading, writing and devising grammar for her native language sparked an interest in revitalizing endangered languages that continues to fuel her career.
During her time as a graduate student, Zepeda began working informally with creative Native American writers. These informal relationships inspired Zepeda and she began writing creatively. Her work ventures between two distinct realms in her native language and English, and has earned her the distinction of Poet Laureate.
"I think the creative writing and the poetry does help with revitalization, even though a lot of people don't read Tohono O'odham, they seem to enjoy hearing it," Zepeda said. "When I do readings, I like the reaction that I get."
Wednesday evening, Zepeda favored an audience in The Bengal Café by reading selected poems, including Her Hair Is Her Dress, Kitchen Sink, Trapped Air and Black Top. A thread of nature wanders throughout Zepeda's poetry interwoven with spirituality and a profound connection to her culture and native land.
Tohono O'odham is native to southern Arizona, and as with many Native American languages, Tohono O'odham began and remains an oral language at heart. Tohono O'odham is rhythmic, fluid and at times it seems possible to hear a faint drumbeat within the words.
According to Zepeda, this beat may be growing even fainter because language loss is a global phenomenon. American Indian languages remain oral languages and, if they are not practiced in the home, the language falls away.
"But the good thing is you can do something about it - you can learn a language," Zepeda said.
Interestingly, Zepeda did not begin her academic career in linguistics. She began her undergraduate work in Sociology with thoughts of becoming a social worker. As a senior in college, she became interested in learning to read and write Tohono O'odham.
Zepeda began working with an anthropologist who later introduced her to Kenneth L. Hale, a renowned linguist. Her work with Hale in reading, writing and devising grammar for her native language sparked an interest in revitalizing endangered languages that continues to fuel her career.
During her time as a graduate student, Zepeda began working informally with creative Native American writers. These informal relationships inspired Zepeda and she began writing creatively. Her work ventures between two distinct realms in her native language and English, and has earned her the distinction of Poet Laureate.
"I think the creative writing and the poetry does help with revitalization, even though a lot of people don't read Tohono O'odham, they seem to enjoy hearing it," Zepeda said. "When I do readings, I like the reaction that I get."
Wednesday evening, Zepeda favored an audience in The Bengal Café by reading selected poems, including Her Hair Is Her Dress, Kitchen Sink, Trapped Air and Black Top. A thread of nature wanders throughout Zepeda's poetry interwoven with spirituality and a profound connection to her culture and native land.
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