Entries categorized as ‘Uncategorized’
Summer has been quite busy here at the humanities center. We have had many professional development workshops for teachers and just came off of our successful conference on Equity and the Future of Black Education. Over 300 participants came to Normandale College in Minnesota to hear speakers from across the nation discuss the achievement gap and how we can improve the education system.
We head into the fall with more programs and projects than we have ever had before. Staff is coming and going quickly around here as we hire new people and other people move on to different jobs and states!
One of our latest projects was a partnership with Anton Treuer and many Ojibwe elders. The Ojibwe language is a language in danger of extinction. As fewer people pass on the language to young people and more elders pass on, taking their knowledge of the language with them, the number of people who are fluent in the language dwindles. Thankfully, there are a few Ojibwe Language Immersion schools in Minnesota where a new generation of children are learning the language. With the advances in technology, one of the challenges to any language is that it must grow and change with the pace of society. How do you describe Algebra in Ojibwe? Or describe the procedures in a science lab? Aaniin Ekidong is the Ojibwe phrase for “how do you say?”, and it is also the name of our new book.
Read more about it on our website http://minnesotahumanities.org/resources/aaniin or purchase a copy of your own from lulu.com. It will also be available through Amazon.com in the coming weeks.
But now it is your turn. What is the role of language in your life? How often do you think you learn new words? Have you ever found yourself cursing “new-fangled” technology because you just learned the old technology?
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Language, new vocabulary, new words, Ojibwe, Ojibwe Language, technology, vocabulary
We know things are getting rather dusty around here–oh and it appears there’s a cobweb forming over there…hrm–and we’re very sorry.
We’re in the process of revisiting how best to focus this blog in order to share the differences we are making while best interacting with our audiences. As soon as we have it figured out, you will be the first to know.
If you have suggestions, please comment below or e-mail info@minnesotahumanities.org. Thank you!
Categories: Uncategorized
The Humanities Center wishes you a very happy St. Patrick’s day!
Did you know that…
- Saint Patrick’s Day is the day of his Saint Patrick’s feast and also marks the anniversary of his death?
- Saint Patrick was actually born in Britain, then taken as prisoner to Ireland by a group of Irish raiders who had attacked his parents estate?
- In Ireland, Saint Patrick became a shepherd and may or may not have warded off snakes?
- It was reportedly God himself who told Saint Patrick to return to Britain, and then later changed his mind by telling Saint Patrick to return to Ireland as a Christian mission?
- Saint Patrick became a beloved missionary as he incorporated Irish traditions into Christian ceremony, making the religion more familiar to the Irish?
- It is argued that St. Patrick’s day is a larger celebration here in the U.S. than it is in Ireland thanks to the pride of early Irish immigrants in America?
This information and more is available on the History Channel’s web site.
Landmark Center is hosting the Irish Music and Dance association todayand of course, many other social and cultural activities will be taking place in MSP to celebrate today and tonight, check out Vita.MN for some ideas!
Categories: Events · History · Uncategorized
Tagged: Culture, Events, Minnesota Humanities Center, Saint Patrick, St. Patrick's Day
Language and culture are inherently related to one another. Some would say that if you lose one, you lose the other.
According to the linguistics organization, SIL (www.sil.org), there are currently 516 nearly-extinct languages throughout the world, 170 of which are native to North America and that fewer than 100 people speak.
These languages are being lost for many reasons–globalization and the increasing need for our world’s people to speak common languages being at the top of the list. Regardless of the reasons, it’s a sad occurrence and a loss of history of who we are and of who we once were.
Luckily, in Minnesota, our two most prominent indigenous languages–Dakota and Ojibwe–have not made this list (yet some would argue are teetering on the brink) and many Minnesotans are working to keep these languages from disappearing.
The Minnesota Humanities Center has worked and continues to work with American Indian communities, schools, and organizations throughout the state to help perpetuate the rich cultural and linguistic heritages of the Dakota and Ojibwe languages in offering Indigenous Language and Culture grants and making resources for in and out of the classroom available. We feel that by helping to keep these languages alive by starting in the schools, we are not only helping to preserve a culture, but also improving the academic success of American Indian students and the awareness of these cultures with Non-American Indian students.
Yesterday, the St. Paul Pioneer Press published an article written by Megan Boldt highlighting efforts throughout the state (and the country) to preserve the Ojibwe language in Minnesota schools. We hope you read it in addition to this post and we ask you:
How connected do you think language and culture are? What aspects of culture would be affected if the language is removed?
Categories: Education · History · Literacy · Uncategorized
Tagged: American Indian, Dakota, Language, Ojibwe
Super Bowl XLIII and the Humanities
January 30, 2009 · 2 Comments
As I’m sure you know, this Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday.
This day is a near-holy day for many football fans and it’s always a great excuse to get together with friends and family to enjoy an American past time and to partake in some delicious culinary traditions–cocktail wienies, nachos, bean dip, beer, to name a few–regardless of your team preference.
Although, there are a few of us whose team preference happens to be “the humanities”, but that’s not to say we don’t get excited about the Super Bowl.
For starters, the Super Bowl has a rather interesting history. Take into account these fun facts:
Additionally, sports references and the often-cliched play-by-plays of commentators are chock-full of humanities references:
SO, in the spirit of football and the humanities, we are asking you to keep your eyes open and ears out for anything that occurs during the Superbowl that you can tie to the humanities–commentary, references, half-time events, even commercials. Make a note if it and then come back here at your leisure and share your findings in the comments. By 4 p.m. next Monday, the reader who can make the most connections–even if they’re stretches–wins. “Wins what?” you ask? Well, it won’t be anything as shiny as the Vince Lombardi trophy but you’ll have bragging rights, for sure.
Actually, due to the current economic climate and our non profit status…that’s about all you’ll get, but hey, that’s pretty awesome!
Information in this post was compiled from www.wikipedia.org, www.nfl.com, http://ag.nfl.com, and various Minnesota Humanities Center staff.
Categories: Art · Education · Events · History · Literature · Music · Philosophy · Politics · Uncategorized
Tagged: 2009 Humanities Super Bowl Challenge, Football, Humanities, Humanities References, Minnesota Humanities Center, Quotes about Football, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLIII, Superbowl Commentary