LLC Welcomes Two New Board Members!
Positions on the Board open up periodically and its integrity is of major importance to the LLC and its mission of totally revitalizing the Lakota language. The current Board’s decisions to include Joe Bendickson and Sacheen Whitetail Cross were easy to make. Here’s what Joe and Sacheen have to say about joining the LLC Board.
Joe Bendickson
Háu mitákuyepi!
Owás’iŋ čhaŋtéwašteya napé čhiyúzapi dó. Šišókaduta miyé dó. Joe Bendickson emákiyapi dó. Sisíthuŋwaŋ hemátaŋhaŋ k’a héd imáčhaǧe dó. Dakhótia ičháȟmayapi šni tkȟá Dakhótia uŋspémič’ičhiye č’a mičhíŋča kiŋ Dakhótia ičháǧapi kta wačhíŋ dó. Waŋná dé ómakha šahdóǧaŋ kačhéd Dakhótia uŋspémič’ičhiye. Mnisóta Wóuŋspe Waŋkátuya éd wówaši ečhámuŋ. Dakhóta waúŋspewičhakhiya hemáčha. Wóuŋspekhuwa ób Dakhótia wóuŋhdakapi héčhed sdod’íč’iyapi kte. Míš Dakhótia kiŋ wakháŋ k’a Wakháŋ Tháŋka iápi kiŋ uŋk’úpi, hé wičáwada dó. Lakȟól’iyapi Okȟólakičhiye (wašíčuiya ‘Lakota Language Consortium’ eyápi) ówapha wačhíŋ k’a Dakhóta k’a Lakȟóta iápi waš’ágwaye kta wačhíŋ. Móphida tháŋka ečhíčiyapi dó.
My relatives,
With a happy heart I shake your hands with you all. I am Šišókaduta (Red Robin). My name is Joe Bendickson. I am from Sisseton and that is where I grew up. I was not raised speaking Dakota but I have been learning Dakota and I would like my children to grow up speaking it. I have been learning Dakota for about eight years. I work at the University of Minnesota. I am a Dakota language teacher. I speak Dakota with the students so that they know who they are. I believe that the Dakota language is sacred and was given to use by Wakháŋ Tháŋka. I would like to join the Lakota Language Consortium and to revitalize the Dakota and Lakota language. Thank you so much.
Sacheen Whitetail Cross
When my grandfather passed away I realized how our language is dying with our relatives going on to the spirit world. Afterwards, more than ever, I wanted to push the language programs forward and find out more ways to save our language.
I still want the language to be a big part of who I am. LLC then invited me to be on its Board of Directors and ask that I still do some of the work that I enjoy, like designing crossword puzzles and conducting “word searches” and other creative things. I was elated! Being on the LLC Board will give me a different perspective on helping to save the Lakota/Dakota Language. I am happy to serve on the LLC Board and continue my involvement in the revitalization of the language and to help me in my efforts to learn the language.
BIO: I grew up on Standing Rock and my grandparents are both fluent speakers. My mother is not a speaker. I went to school in McLaughlin and was never exposed to learning Lakota in any manner, except through Upward Bound. I then went on to college at the University of North Dakota and took Lakota again but learned the same things as I did through Upward Bound. I received my B.A. in Indian Studies, a B.S in Public Administration, and a M.S. in Educational Leadership.
After I graduated from UND with my masters I was offered a job as the tribal education manager of the SRST. I noticed that no one was addressing an overwhelming concern of mine: our dying language. So I took it upon myself to start the efforts. I am now at Bismarck State College as the Multicultural Student Services Advisor. I have always wanted to work with native students and help them achieve their educational goals. Without people like this to help me in my life I wouldn't be where I am today. So this is my way of giving back and to help our Indian communities.
In other news...
LLC was featured in the National Indian Education Association Magazine, NIEANews- Language Issue. Read the article here:
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