Components of the Living Well Model

Understanding the Myaamia concept of living well requires knowledge of two tenets that form the foundation of a life lived well. It could be generalized that most humans, regardless of cultural upbringing, are driven or motivated to seek a good life, which we will refer to in this context as nahi meehtohseeniwinki. This term more…

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Boarding Schools

Warning: this post contains distressing details. Recent news coming from Canada, particularly from the grounds of Kamloops Indian Residential School, Marieval Indian Residential School, St. Eugene’s Mission School and just recently the Kuper Island Residential School, has illuminated a sobering truth: for many Indigenous children, school was a place of suffering, trauma, and death. U.S….

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Picnic & Play! Pakitahantaawi Event and Gathering

Event Recap On April 20th, 2024, the Cultural Resources Office hosted an event to celebrate our first peekitahaminki ‘lacrosse’ game of the year, along with a picnic, games, skills competition, and pie contest. This event took place in Noošonke Siipionki ‘Miami, Oklahoma’ at the tribal lacrosse field, adjacent to the Pow-Wow grounds and Cultural Resources…

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28 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2024)

noonki kaahkiihkwe aalahkwahki neehi ceeliteeki (68℉) kiihkayonki. noonki peehkonteeki myaalisiwa cecaahkwa kiilhswa (peemineeta). neemani-nko kati cecaahkwa kiilhswa? tookinanto oowaaha -> cecaahkwa kiilhswa neemani-nko kati aakalaahšimaataweenki? toohkinanto mihtahkiši.‘For English, scroll down.’ 28 Sandhill Crane Moon (2024)’28 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2024)’ Today it is overcast and warm (68℉) in Fort Wayne. ‘noonki kaahkiihkwe aalahkwahki neehi ceeliteeki (68℉) kiihkayonki.’ Tonight,…

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Myaamia Culture in the Classroom

Teaching about other cultures can be a unique challenge for instructors in the classroom. Recognizing this gap in her curriculum, Stephanie Danker, a professor of Art Education at Miami University, hoped to fill some gaps in her class preparing preservice art educators to gain K-12 teaching licensures in Ohio.  In 2017, she reached out to…

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Word Review: kiiwahtekaataawi ‘let’s dance around something’ 

In 2021, I wrote about the term kiiwahtekaataawi, meaning “let’s dance around something.” The term can be used generically for dancing around anything, but it’s also strongly connected to our stomp dance. As we approach some community stomp dances, like the Annual Meeting dance in June, I thought it would be helpful to review this…

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13 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2024)

noonki šaayiipaawe neepanki (32℉) ahsenisiipionki. noonki kaahkiihkwe, peehki kiišikahki. aahsanteeki neehi tikawi ceeliteeki (62℉). noonki peehkonteeki naawi waawiyiisita cecaahkwa kiilhswa (keešaakosita). neemani-nko kati cecaahkwa kiilhswa? tookinanto oowaaha -> cecaahkwa kiilhswa neemani-nko kati aakalaahšimaataweenki? toohkinanto mihtahkiši.‘For English, scroll down.’ 13 Sandhill Crane Moon (2024)’13 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2024)’ This morning it was cold (32℉) in the Great Miami River…

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Maple Sugaring 2024

As peepoonki ‘winter’ transitions into neepinwiki ‘summer’, many Myaamiaki ‘Myaamia people’ have closed their siihsipaahkwikaana ‘maple sugar camps.’ Maple sugaring season tends to be during Mahkoonsa Kiilhswa ‘Young Bear Moon’ and Aanteekwa Kiilhswa ‘Crow Moon’ which roughly corresponds with January through April on the Gregorian calendar. During this time of the year, temperatures tend to…

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6 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2024)

peehki kiišikahki kiihkayonki! aahsanteeki neehi ceeliteeki (73℉). noonki peehkonteeki napale waawiyiisita cecaahkwa kiilhswa (keešaakosita). neemani-nko kati cecaahkwa kiilhswa? tookinanto oowaaha -> cecaahkwa kiilhswa neemani-nko kati aakalaahšimaataweenki? toohkinanto mihtahkiši.‘For English, scroll down.’ 6 Sandhill Crane Moon (2024)‘6 cecaahkwa kiilhswa (2024)’ It is a nice day in Fort Wayne! It is sunny and warm (73℉). ‘peehki kiišikahki kiihkayonki! aahsanteeki neehi ceeliteeki (73℉).’…

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An Era of Great Loss (Part 1)

An Era of Great Loss: U.S. Government Anti-Indian Policymaking and Neglect (Part 1) Part one of this series of historical articles will introduce readers to a few key events in Myaamia history from 1890 to 1940 in which the U.S. pushed our tribal government to the brink of non-existence. Understanding this period is essential because…

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28 aanteekwa kiilhswa (2024)

noonki kaahkiihkwe peehki kiišikahki (71℉) neehi tikawi aalahkwahki  noošonke siipionki. noonki peehkonteeki neepiki aanteekwa kiilhswa (peemineeta). kaapootwe kati saakiwa cecaahkwa kiilhswa. taaniši kiišikahki niiyaaha eepiyani?neemani-nko kati kiiyolia kiilhswa? toohkinanto oowaaha -> aanteekwa kiilhswa neemani-nko kati aakalaahšimaataweenki? toohkinanto mihtahkiši.‘For English, scroll down.’ 28 aanteekwa kiilhswa (2024)’28 Crow Moon (2024)’ Today, it’s a beautiful day (71℉) and…

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Myaamia Community Values

As a therapist, I am often talking with folks about their personal values. This is because values are the beliefs that we hold that, when all else is stripped away, can guide our decisions, behaviors, and attitudes. They tell us what is important in life and can serve as markers to let us know where…

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