By Justin Neely, CPN Language Department Director
We have been offering Potawatomi language in Wanette for the last two years. We are now offering the language in Tecumseh High School and are working with Shawnee to also offer the language there in the future.
We just recently returned from the Potawatomi Language Conference and Gathering in Parry Sound, Ontario. I presented and discussed dialects and breaking words apart for two sessions. Both were well attended.
Niben kedwenen/Summer words
Gshatemget (guh shot dam git) — it’s hot
Basdeke (bas day kay) — he/she is sun bathing
Basdemget (bas dam git) — it’s sunny
Skono (skone oh) — he/she goes to school
Skongemek (skone guh muck) — school
Eshkedemo (esh kay duh moe) — watermelon
Ezhgak (ezh gahck) — tick
Bmatega (buh mat uh gah) — he/she swims
Bmategagen (buh mat uh gah gihn) — swimming pool
Our new online dictionary is getting a lot of use. We have been working daily to improve it — updating the entries, working with the tags (categories), adding example sentences and audio. If you haven’t checked it out yet, go to potawatomidictionary.com.
Also, we have lots of online learning opportunities from our Moodle beginner 1, 2 and intermediate to two Memrise courses at memrise.com. There are two YouTube channels and the Potawatomi Language Facebook group where we go live with any classes we teach in Shawnee as well.